Careers With Most Job Growth

Demand for personal financial advisors is projected to grow a whopping 41 percent between 2006 and 2016. Which other careers on Money and PayScale.com's list of America's best jobs will see big opportunities?

1. Telecommunications Network Engineer

Best Jobs rank: 30

10-year growth: 53 percent

Current total employment: 21,000

Traditionally hired to control and maintain power grids and communications for phone and cable companies, telecommunications network engineers are seeing demand from potential employers rise with the demand for Wi-Fi, broadband and other new technologies.

Telecom has gone green, too: Energy and environmental companies have opportunities galore for engineers to help build communications infrastructure for their new products.

2. Systems Engineer

Best Jobs rank: 1

10-year growth: 45 percent

Current total employment: 88,000

Systems engineers possess a wide breadth of knowledge and engineering skills that have long been widely sought within the aerospace and defense industries. Now companies from car manufacturers to consumer products firms are quickly realizing the value of systems engineers as well, leading to a hiring boom.

3. Personal Finance Advisor

Best Jobs rank: N/A

10-year growth: 41 percent

Current total employment: 20,000

The personal financial advisor profession has exploded as baby boomers reach retirement age and seek advice on making their nest eggs last. Meanwhile, younger folks are seeking guidance on managing savings and retirement accounts in lieu of a company pension plan.

"People know they have to manage their own financial futures, and they're turning to financial advisors to help," says Richard Salman, president of the Financial Planning Association.

4. Veterinarian

Best Jobs rank: 25

10-year growth: 35 percent

Current total employment: 68,000

Pet ownership has grown 17 percent in the past 10 years, and as more people embrace furry friends, more vets are needed to keep them healthy. The veterinary medicine field has echoed advances in human medicine, and veterinary specialists in fields like oncology and ophthalmology have found clients clamoring for services.

Another growth driver: An increased demand for vets in fields like food safety, disease control and pharmaceutical research.

5. Senior Financial Analyst

Best Jobs rank: 21

10-year growth: 34 percent

Current total employment: 127,000

Recession or not, investors and businesses need to put their money somewhere, and they continue relying on experts to examine the risk-reward profile of securities and projects.

"One of the things that came out of the financial crisis is people need to do their own due diligence, and there is even more attention being paid to analysis," says Bob Johnson, a senior managing director at the CFA Institute.

6. Business Analyst, IT

Best Jobs rank: 17

10-year growth: 29 percent

Current total employment: 125,000

Companies are increasingly relying on IT business analysts to make sure they're using technology efficiently and cost-effectively. In the past, this job was often farmed out to consultants, but many companies now prefer to use in-house analysts who have in-depth knowledge of their specific industry.

7. Software Development Director

Best Jobs rank: N/A

10-year growth: 28 percent

Current total employment: 12,000

Just like an architect would design a building to be structurally sound, aesthetically pleasing and functionally practical, a software architect designs computer programs that help a business run efficiently and practically. The auto industry is a particular hot spot: Cars these days can easily have at least 40 computers inside to run everything from the lights and radio to the seat-warmers -- and these gurus are needed to design the programs that keep them running.

See more of the Best Jobs in America for Job Growth