21 of the most in-demand jobs in the US — and how much they’ll pay

By Emma Newburger for CNBC

If you’re job hunting in certain high-growth fields, you’re not just in luck — you’re in demand.

A shortage of skilled workers in some fields is leading to stiff competition as companies hunt for talent. To help workers understand what they’re worth, staffing firm Randstad US recently compiled a special salary guide highlighting what some of the most in-demand jobs pay across a range of industries.

Young people, especially those with five or more years of experience, should study these numbers carefully, Jim Link, Randstad’s chief human resources officer, told CNBC Make It. Knowing these salary benchmarks can help workers understand “how their own salaries stack up against national averages.”

Being armed with the right information can also help workers negotiate the next time compensation talks arise.

Randstad US’s guide is based on numbers from a range of sources, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Economic Research Institute, as well as Randstad’s own proprietary data.

The report breaks national salary information down by years on the job: entry level (one year of experience in the role); mid-level (five years of experience in a role); and senior level (10 years of experience in a role).

Based on data from the newly-released guide, here are some of the most in-demand jobs — and what they’ll pay:

Engineering

Engineering roles can be among the hardest jobs to fill. These high tech jobs often require years of study at a time when fewer and fewer students are graduating with engineering degrees.

The latest numbers project 140,000 new jobs to be added to this field between 2016 and 2026, meaning that those ready to work in areas such as automation and robotics will find low unemployment and high demand.

Some of this field’s most in-demand roles:

Project engineer / manager
Entry level: $81,250
Mid level: $98,500
Senior level: $120,850

Technician
Entry level: $43,000
Mid level: $51,700
Senior level: $77,900

Quality engineer
Entry level: $72,950
Mid level: $89,000
Senior level: $118,300

Finance and accounting

Skilled workers in this growing field are so tough to find, the shortage has led to long waits to fill vacancies, according to Randstad US. Furthermore, a survey from industry publication Accounting Today found that large and mid-sized firms listed recruiting strong candidates one of their top challenges for 2019.

Some of this field’s in-demand roles:

Public accounting, associate
Entry level: $56,665 – $67,951
Mid level: $67,358 – $80,774
Senior level: $78,647 – $94,312

Tax accountant
Entry level: $59,887 – $72,684
Mid level: $67,749 – $82,226
Senior level: $76,545 – $92,902

Financial analysts:
Entry level: $65,201 – $78,187
Mid level: $74,293 – $89,089
Senior level: $84,490 – $101,317

Healthcare

Healthcare jobs will grow nearly 20 percent between 2016 and 2026, according to an analysis of BLS data from the Center for Health Workforce studies. The sector will add around 3.5 million jobs during that time and be among the fastest growing employment sectors overall.

While many healthcare roles require years of schooling, some in-demand jobs do not. Positions like pharmacy tech or coding technician — both poised for double-digit growth — can be obtained with a certificate program or associate’s degree.

Some of this field’s in-demand roles:

Clinical roles

Pharmacy technician
Entry level: $15.41 per hour
Mid level: $17.81 per hour
Senior level: $20.71 per hour

Nurse practitioner
Entry level: $41.88 per hour
Mid level: $50.82 per hour
Senior level: $58.40 per hour

Registered nurse
Entry level: $31.70 per hour
Mid level: $36.82 per hour
Senior level: $42.26 per hour

Non-clinical roles

Medical secretary
Entry level: $15.49
Mid level: $18.07
Senior level: $20.36

Medical coding technician
Entry level: $17.64
Mid level: $20.76
Senior level: $23.60

Human resources

With worker shortages in a number of fields, human resources will become even more important, says Randstad, as companies try to lure hard-to-snag talent. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that job growth for some human resources positions will rise nearly 10 percent over the next decade.

Some of this field’s in-demand roles:

Recruiter
Entry level: $48,980 – $59,447
Mid level: $57,215 – $69,441
Senior level: $66,268 – $80,429

HR generalist
Entry level: $56,595 – $67,867
Mid level: $62,075 – $74,438
Senior level: $69,815 – $83,720

HR manager
Entry level: $83,061 – $100,810
Mid level: $96,732 – $117,402
Senior level: $112,022 – $135,960

Life sciences

The biopharmaceutical industry currently employs more than 854,000 people in the U.S, and certain roles are projected to see double digit growth in 2016 and 2026. While many life science jobs require years of schooling, some of these roles, such as laboratory technician, can sometimes be obtained with only an associate’s degree or post secondary certificate.

Some of this field’s in-demand roles:

Clinical data manager
Entry level: $59,000
Mid level: $81,000
Senior level: $111,000

Drug safety specialist
Entry level: $54,000
Mid level: $76,000
Senior level: $107,000

Medical writer
Entry level: $75,000
Mid level: $116,000
Senior level: $146,000

Laboratory technician
Entry level: $35,000
Mid level: $45,000
Senior level: $66,000

Technology

The competitive tech market has low unemployment and more job openings than job seekers. In fact, the latest BLS data finds that jobs for software engineers will grow 24 percent between 2016 and 2026, more than three times the average for all occupations.

Some of this field’s in-demand roles:

Data scientist
Entry level: $84,584
Mid level: $101,843
Senior level: $119,323

UX/interaction designer
Entry level: $80,946
Mid level: $95,517
Senior level: $115,946

Software engineer
Entry level: $78,947
Mid level: $95,050
Senior level: $110,854