The Best Jobs: These top 10 jobs factor in the stress level at work, flexibility, creativity, and ease of entry into an advanced position within the field. I trust the surveys done by salary.com and I find their predictions very close to the reality. Rank Career Job growth (10-yr forecast) Base pay ($s) 1 Software engineer 46.07% Base Pay 2 College professor 31.39% Base Pay 3 Financial advisor 25.92% Base Pay 4 Human resources manager 23.47% Base Pay 5 Physician's assistant 49.65% Base Pay 6 Market research analyst 20.19% Base Pay 7 Computer/IT analyst 36.10% Base Pay 8 Real estate appraiser 22.78% Base Pay 9 Pharmacist 24.57% Base Pay 10 Psychologist 19.14% Base Pay Source: Salary.com / CNN Money April 2006 You can find out what the percentage of base pay means by going to the link below and finding out the salary range. http://www.salary.com/careers/layoutscripts/crel_display.asp?tab=cre&cat=nocat&ser=Ser387&part=Par615