(NEXSTAR) — Job security may not be what initially draws you to a career field — but in times of economic uncertainty, it can be a major plus.
U.S. News & World Report released its 2023 jobs report, which includes the careers analysts believe will be the most stable in what could be a turbulent economic year. To determine which jobs have the most security, analysts looked at unemployment rates, future job prospects, growth potential and employer satisfaction.
Not every career on the list requires an advanced (and increasingly expensive) college degree. Some of the jobs, like being a respiratory therapist, only require an associate’s degree.
Several career paths in medicine have been deemed especially secure by U.S. News & World Report’s analysis. The stress of the COVID-19 pandemic made an existing nursing and healthcare worker shortage even worse. A study published in the journal Health Affairs reported more than 100,000 nurses left the field in 2021. That number represents nearly 2% of nurses nationwide.
Jobs in medicine aren’t just secure, they’re also well-compensated. According to the report, a medical and health services manager has a median salary of about $101,000. The highest-paid job on the list is orthodontist, with a median salary topping $200,000.
See the 20 most secure jobs in 2023, according to U.S. News & World Report, below:
| Job | Median Salary | Education Required |
| Respiratory therapist | $61,830 | Associate degree |
| Web developer | $77,030 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Cardiovascular technologist | $60,570 | Associate degree |
| Epidemiologist/medical scientist | $78,830 | Master’s degree |
| Financial analyst | $81,730 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Environmental science and protection technician | $47,370 | Associate degree |
| School psychologist | $78,780 | Master’s degree |
| Database administrator | $96,710 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Registered nurse | $77,600 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Medical and health services manager | $101,340 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Landscaper and groundskeeper | $34,430 | None |
| Veterinarian | $100,370 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Medical records technician | $46,660 | Postsecondary non-degree award |
| Physical therapist | $95,620 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Information security analyst | $102,600 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Orthodontist | $208,000 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Physician assistant | $121,530 | Master’s degree |
| Dentist | $160,370 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Software developer | $120,730 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Nurse practitioner | $120,680 | Master’s degree |
While high inflation, weakened consumer spending and high interest rates have had economists predicting a recession in 2023, the job market remains strong. Plus, inflation has started to show signs it’s easing.
These trends are raising expectations that the Fed might manage to engineer an often-elusive “soft landing,” whereby the economy slows but doesn’t go into reverse and unemployment rate rises slightly but stays low. It would still mean painful times for many people, but it wouldn’t inflict the widespread unemployment that typically results from a recession.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.