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Jobs in demand in Massachusetts

What occupations are growing through 2022 — and what kind of degree do they require?

March 6, 2015, 3:02 p.m.

These careers — listed with the degrees they usually require for an entry-level position — are among those expected to grow most in Massachusetts through 2022.

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA / GED REQUIRED
US employers will hire 479,500 administrative assistants through 2022.
Career
Job openings per year
Customer Service Representatives - an average salary in Massachusetts of $39,620
1,928
Office Clerks - an average salary in Massachusetts of $33,860
1,513
First-Line Supervisors of Office Staff - an average salary in Massachusetts of $59,500
1,247
ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE REQUIRED
Registered nurses make median pay of $65,470 in the US - employers will hire 526,800 in the next eight years.
Career
Job openings per year
General and Operations Managers - an average salary in Massachusetts of $131,290
1,712
Preschool Teachers (except special ed.) - an average salary in Massachusetts of $34,410
684
BACHELOR'S DEGREE REQUIRED
Software developers make about $93,350 in the US - more than 200,000 will be hired through 2022 nationwide.
Career
Job openings per year
Accountants and Auditors - an average salary in Massachusetts of $77,630
1,545
Management Analysts - an average salary in Massachusetts of $104,650
1,017
Software Developers (Systems) - an average salary in Massachusetts of $113,250
1,011
MASTER'S DEGREE REQUIRED
US employers will hire 114,100 social workers through 2022; they now make a median of $44,200.
Career
Job openings per year
Health Care Social Workers - an average salary in Massachusetts of $56,570
448
Mental Health Counselors - an average salary in Massachusetts of $41,550
350
College and University Administrators - an average salary in Massachusetts of $100,760
304
STEM POSITIONS ADDING THE MOST STATE JOBS THROUGH 2022
Career
New jobs total
Registered Nurses - associate's required
14,577
Software Developers (Systems) - bachelor's required
6,261
Software Developers (Apps) - bachelor's required
5,584
Computer Systems Analysts - bachelor's required
4,017
Licensed Practical and Vocational Nurses - professional certificate required
3,599
HIGHEST PAID JOBS IN THE STATE (HINT: THEY'RE IN MEDICINE)
Career
Salary
Surgeons
$240,700
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
$231,040
Anesthesiologists
$219,160
Obstetricians and Gynecologists
$209,610
General Internists
$207,140

Related coverage:

- The danger of neglecting community colleges

- Open offices seem great — until you work in one

Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics; the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development