Best job field / degree

[OE800_85]

You never know guys, with obamacare you might all have insurance, and you'll be gettin procedures done at home. I think medical tourism is more for elective work, plastic surgery, cosmetic dentistry, that kind of thing. Medical tourism for complex procedures (as I understand) is mostly for the uber-rich (and in the states, mind you)

The funny thing is, one of the best majors in the US is the worst in Canada. Teaching. Actually in Canada teaching is a great job. After a couple years you can easily hit 50,60,70K onwards and their benefits are excellent. In the US I think teachers get a raw deal. However, ironically, because of that the job market for teaching in the US is better, simply because so few want to do it. In canada everyone wants to do it, so it's impossible to find work. Especially in ontario.

[sanantone]

A lot of people in Texas without health insurance (we have the highest percentage in the nation) drive down to Mexico for dental work. It's really only convenient for those who live within a few hours of the border and I don't know if the current violence in Mexico is deterring people. I heard India was a popular place to get non-elective surgeries, but I really don't see this happening in large enough numbers to make a significant impact. A lot of people who can't afford insurance also can't afford to fly and pay anything out of pocket, so they end up in the emergency room when they're near death. As stated above, if the Affordable Care Act survives, a lot more people will be seeking treatment in the states.

[OE800_85]

If you look at that data, a TON of majors are in the healthcare field. Even pharmaceutical companies have done well, when you consider the recession. If I had to pick a single industry that looks best to get into, it would be healthcare, hands down. However, if you don't have the interest or skills for that (like myself) there are tons of other choices.

Keep in mind that getting a degree is almost always a good financial choice, ESPECIALLY for people like us who do it smart at a fraction of the cost. Choosing a good major maximizes this benefit, but don't forget to do something you love. You can't put a price tag on job satisfaction and happiness.

[sanantone]

Yep. Nursing is one of those fields where you really have to have the personality and passion for it. One of the last things a patient would want is a miserable nurse.

[Stinkywinky]

which are the better areas of IT with more job security (i.e. least outsourced) even though thankless.

Sorry to get back to you so late. This is just my 2 cents too, my observations so to speak.

Microsoft Jobs, entry level to upper level have lots of demand, job security, and you can basically show up in any town and get a job. Kind of like my cooking analogy earlier. (I had a brother-in-law who was a short order cook, and he knew he could basically go anywhere and work.) Maybe a bit of a stretch with the market/economy these days. It generally is also the best place to start and get some experience where you can branch into all of the following (thats what I did.)

I work Security/Linux currently. This is also high demand. Particularly Information Assurance, and even more so within the DoD community. You can't outsource US Citizens in regards to security clearances. I wont get into my thoughts on "Is there a real IA threat?" here, lol

Networking/Cisco is also good. As is cloud computing an up and comer, this is mainly Linux and SAN Storage solutions on very large cluster scales. Shops like Google/Amazon/Netflix etc often run their own brewed solutions that are very conceptual and not something you can just jump into and learn. These places usually want the cream of the crop, and young dedicated kids. For the aforementioned reasons these places like kids with degrees, often from good engineering schools.

As for medical, and going overseas for the other posters discussing it. I absolutely agree, medical is cheap and streamlined overseas. I live overseas. Medicines are 25-50% of what they are in the states. I went to the emergency room with my kid and got him examined including an EKG for $26.00. That being said, your being worked on by people with little mastery of English (And I dont speak Hindi or Tagalog!) Communication is key in a hospital! Just today my wife had a colonoscopy, they referred to her anus/rectum as her "back passage" (New route to Asia?). We got a kick out of that. Besides all that, the figures for Americans with Passports is like 10%? I would be more concerned with the Third Country Nationals coming to the US and taking the jobs.

/Cheers, JP

[sanantone]

Keep in mind, though, that the federal government is probably going to see hiring freezes and there will also be less work for contractors when budget cuts comes.

[OE800_85]

I'm quite sure that getting proper medicare and using it as required in america is considerably cheaper and safer than living on the edge without any, and making a "border run" to an undeveloped nation where you will get a drastically lower quality of care (to the point where it is so unregulated it can be dangerous or fatal). The only exception in my mind is when you have some kind of elective surgery, like plastic surgery that won't be covered by medicare, and there are developed networks and systems handling this.

I live overseas too, in China. I cringe every time to go to the hospital here, I avoid it like the plague. It's nowhere near an ideal medical environment.

[cookderosa]

I have searched, and though there are a few threads that hit somewhat on this, none address it. And everything changes from one year to another. The question is, what field do you think has the best job prospects for the coming few years? And what degree path would be best? Healthcare and IT are a couple that come to mind just to get the brain cells moving, although caffine works better for me.

Supply and demand are important, so when you have an unmet need, you're going to have a stronger job prospect. Let's look at some facts, over half of people who start college never finish. So, if you are among the 30% of Americans with a bachelor's degree, you've already got an edge. (the best degree is one that is finished) Of course, there are non-degree careers, but that wasn't the question....

Psychology (the most common degree earned in the USA - again this year) is a soft science. The hard sciences stand alone because they generally have Calculus 1 as the starting point of math- and it goes up from there. Obviously, degrees in this area put you among the elite, which increases your market value. They call these fields STEM (science, technology, engineering, math)

Next, look at fields that require graduate degrees as entry level or the average, because again, fewer people will obtain a graduate degree ( only 8% of Americans have one) and of those that do you'll see the bottom of the pyramid filled with soft sciences and business; top tier being professional degrees (ex. doctor) or STEM.

For the record, I believe that distance learning will dramatically increase the access to higher education as the next decade unfolds, and we might see an overall increase in numbers. Of course those earning degrees (like myself) in soft sciences, social science, or other "check the box" fields won't necessarily see a net gain because you essentially lower the bar and you'll see a re-leveling; however, that's all for another discussion lol.

Aim high. Why not? Not smart enough? I hear people say that all the time. I don't buy that only smart people can reach for the top rung, I do believe that motivation will take you far. While it can be hard for an older person, I think a highly motivated adult out-paces a flighty teen any day...even one who is "smart." If you can see yourself aiming for the degrees that are difficult to attain, then go for it! Not everyone can imagine that it's possible, and they become their own road block- but if you want it, you can do it.

**this is very generalized, there are hundreds of exceptions and nuances that don't apply, and again, a degree isn't a guarantee or employment, but I think as long as we are over-simplifying, we can use averages**

[sanantone]

I thought business administration was the most common major, although, psychology isn't far behind. Or maybe there is a difference in between the number of people who major in a subject and the number of people who graduate with the degree.