Mathematician

This is a surprisingly versatile job. Lots of mathematicians end up teaching, which isn't a bad gig at all when it comes to work/life balance and security. But many go into risk management (where banks, brokerages and more are beefing up their controls), civil engineering (where stimulus-funded construction projects are creating many new openings) and budget analysis (where companies and governments are keeping a sharp eye on the bottom line). This is the top-ranked job on a 2009 report by CareerCast.com. The website notes abundant openings, low stress and a generous salary (median annual pay is $62,804). Mathematicians can also find jobs in industries like video-game development and health care and as statistical analysts for global corporations. They are needed in all sorts of federal agencies and the military. "The number of graduating math majors has been declining for years, and since 9/11, visas for immigrant mathematicians have been harder to get," says CareerCast.com's Lee. "So there is a strong demand here for math skills. If you're a problem solver, this is a great career choice."