In a February, 2016 op-ed, John MacAfee announced that his team of “75% social engineers…and…25% hardcore coders” could help the FBI unlock a notorious iPhone—for free—to keep Apple (APPL) out of awkward struggle between the company’s customers and the U.S. government.
While the FBI still hasn’t announced how it ultimately achieved access to the iPhone (and may never do so), McAfee’s boast was fascinating inasmuch as it unveiled something that’s becoming more and more clear about the career market moving toward 2020 and beyond; it’s absolutely, positively not just technical skills that matter.
No matter how much flak the liberal arts take from the comedians, politicians and crotchety uncles of the world, don’t let anybody tell you all the action in career-track education these days is solely in STEM fields (Science, Tech, Engineering and Math) fields.
In fact, according to the latest Emerging Careers Report released by the University of California at San Diego Extension —in the interests of full disclosure, a report I helped invent when I was the assistant vice dean for continuing education there—“soft skills” are back…if in fact they ever went away.
“It is clear from surveys of employers that they are interested first and foremost in generally well-educated employees,” says Mary Walshok, Associate Vice Chancellor of Public Programs and Dean of Extension, my former boss when I was assistant dean and helped create the annual report. “What this means is that people with advanced education, often in the liberal arts, are expected to be effective communicators in writing and orally…problem solvers…and highly adaptive.”
Sure, it’s possible to find those qualities already developed in somebody who’s spent four years soaking exclusively in STEM classes. But in all likelihood, the search for that talent will be longer and harder than it needs to be. Because while many of the top ten emerging careers identified in this year’s report do involve at least some technical expertise, they rely more heavily for long-term success on highly developed critical thinking, strategic reasoning and the ability to communicate clearly—which are exactly the kinds of skills developed through the study of human-centered interdisciplinary subjects like economics, history, psychology, sociology—even philosophy.
The top 10 emerging professions for 2016, identified by analyzing online job postings, in rank-order, are intriguing not only for their respectable median salary ranges but also for their demographics. Most employ a solid percentage of workers under the age of 34 in their early- to early-mid career track, and show the potential for additional growth in the field through retirement attrition, with a solid contingent of the workforce over the age of 55. Gender breakdowns for each profession also offer insights into the percentages as they stand today, but that shouldn’t guide a young woman or man who’s willing to swim against the current to enter a field they’re interested in.
There’s a wealth of opportunities open to bright, skilled, educated and talented young people as they set their sights on 2020 and beyond.
1. Software developers (applications)
Median salary: $90,060
Gender breakdown: 82% men, 18% women
Age: .35% of workforce under the age of 34; 12% over 55
Projected career growth: 18.8% in the next 10 years
2. Accountants and auditors
Median salary: $63,550
Gender breakdown: 40.3% men, 59.7% women
Age: 30% of workforce under the age of 34, 23% over 55
Projected career growth: 10.7%
3. Computer systems analysts
Median salary: $79,680
Gender breakdown: 65.8% men, 34.2% women
Age: 31% of workforce under 34, 18% 55+
Projected growth: 8%
4. Medical and health service managers
Median salary: $88,580
Gender breakdown: 26.3% men, 73.7% women
Age: 18% of workforce under 34, 29% 55+
Projected growth: 16.9%
5. Sales representatives (Wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products)
Median salary $74,970
Gender breakdown: 72.1% men, 27.9% women
Age: 28% of workforce under age 34, 25% 55+
Projected growth 6.9%
6. Management analysts
Median salary: $78,600
Gender breakdown: 60.3% men, 39.7% women
Age: 25% under age 34, 30% 55+
Projected growth: 6%
7. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
Median salary $60,300
Gender breakdown: 41.2% men, 58.8% women
Age: 43% of workforce under 34, 15% 55+
Projected growth: 18.6%
8. Financial analysts
Median salary $76,950
Gender breakdown: 57% men, 43% women
Age: 40% of workforce under 43, 16% 55+
Projected growth: 7%
9. Information security analysts
Median salary $86,170
Gender breakdown: 80.3% men, 19.7% women
Age: 24% of workforce under age 34, 24% 55+
Projected growth: 17.9%
10. Civil engineers
Median salary $79,340
Gender breakdown: 87.4% men, 12.6% women
Age: 33% of workforce under 34, 26% 55+
Projected growth: 8.4 %
The full report includes details about each career as well as an overview of additional facts and figures relevant to the field. You can download a free copy of the full report here.