"Overworked and underpaid" is how many would describe their current career status. Though many work hard at their jobs, salaries are not determined purely by the amount of effort an employee puts in. Some jobs offer immense room for financial growth, while others are more stagnant.
With this in mind, CareerTrends examined the most recent financial data from the Foreign Labor Certification Data Center and employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to find the occupations with the biggest salary increases from 2010 to 2015. These jobs are ranked according to their percent increase in salary, from lowest to highest.
For those unsatisfied with their current salary and looking to make a career change, some of these jobs might be worth further examination. As the data shows, some industry paychecks are trending in a promising direction.
#25. Transportation Equipment Installers
Employment: 14,160
2010 average salary: $41,418.90
2015 average salary: $49,267.30
Percent change: 18.9 percent
#24. Executive Assistants
Employment: 713,730
2010 average salary: $36,400.50
2015 average salary: $43,341.30
Percent change: 19.1 percent
#23. Food Cooking Machine Operators
Employment: 36,850
2010 average salary: $22,625.60
2015 average salary: $27,019.90
Percent change: 19.4 percent
#22. Prosthodontists
Employment: 630
2010 average salary: $105,413
2015 average salary: $125,951
Percent change: 19.5 percent
#21. Gas Station Operators
Employment: 4,700
2010 average salary: $44,166.90
2015 average salary: $53,095.50
Percent change: 20.2 percent
#20. Broadcast News Analysts
Employment: 4,310
2010 average salary: $57,046.60
2015 average salary: $68,635.90
Percent change: 20.3 percent
#19. Transportation Inspectors
Employment: 24,350
2010 average salary: $51,452.90
2015 average salary: $62,017.90
Percent change: 20.5 percent
#18. Slot Machine Supervisors
Employment: 7,000
2010 average salary: $27,830.50
2015 average salary: $33,568.90
Percent change: 20.6 percent
#17. Painting & Decorating Workers
Employment: 16,280
2010 average salary: $23,455.50
2015 average salary: $28,330.30
Percent change: 20.8 percent
#16. Rail Yard Engineers
Employment: 3,900
2010 average salary: $35,014
2015 average salary: $42,301
Percent change: 20.8 percent
#15. Petroleum Engineers
Employment: 33,740
2010 average salary: $97,307.50
2015 average salary: $118,063
Percent change: 21.3 percent
#14. Conservation Science Professors
Employment: 1,850
2010 average salary: $63,096
2015 average salary: $76,870.90
Percent change: 21.8 percent
#13. Personal Financial Advisers
Employment: 196,490
2010 average salary: $65,672.50
2015 average salary: $80,285.80
Percent change: 22.3 percent
#12. Brokerage Clerks
Employment: 57,240
2010 average salary: $35,219.30
2015 average salary: $43,221.60
Percent change: 22.7 percent
#11. Air Traffic Controllers
Employment: 22,860
2010 average salary: $80,968.10
2015 average salary: $99,658.90
Percent change: 23.1 percent
#10. Animal Breeders
Employment: 1,110
2010 average salary: $30,532.20
2015 average salary: $37,796.40
Percent change: 23.8 percent
#9. Actors
Employment: 59,210
2010 average salary: $36,609.40
2015 average salary: $45,773.30
Percent change: 25.0 percent
#8. Marine Engineers
Employment: 7,570
2010 average salary: $69,829.80
2015 average salary: $87,479.20
Percent change: 25.3 percent
#7. Makeup Artists
Employment: 2,610
2010 average salary: $37,822.20
2015 average salary: $48,043.60
Percent change: 27.0 percent
#6. Survey Researchers
Employment: 15,410
2010 average salary: $36,895.60
2015 average salary: $47,532.80
Percent change: 28.8 percent
#5. Costume Attendants
Employment: 6,270
2010 average salary: $28,104.80
2015 average salary: $36,754.10
Percent change: 30.8 percent
#4. Mathematical Technicians
Employment: 1,060
2010 average salary: $41,272.70
2015 average salary: $54,027.10
Percent change: 30.9 percent
#3. Fishers
Employment: 400
2010 average salary: $25,603.30
2015 average salary: $34,546.60
Percent change: 34.9 percent
#2. Funeral Service Managers
Employment: 8,330
2010 average salary: $52,471.40
2015 average salary: $70,831.10
Percent change: 35.0 percent
#1. Hunters and Trappers
Employment: 31,000
2010 average salary: $23,784.80
2015 average salary: $43,347.20
Percent change: 82.2 percent
