Second Careers That Offer Stability and Strong Earning Potential

With the cost of living rising across the United States, it’s normal that people are looking to consider second careers that provide long-term stability and competitive salaries. The option can be particularly appealing for people stuck in volatile industries or who feel unfulfilled in their current roles.

For people looking to make a professional change, there are several industries and roles that can provide that stability and meaningful work. For example, healthcare is growing in demand, like nursing, especially in rural and underserved areas. 

Many of these industries are also easy to transfer to, even if you have unrelated study experience. For example, if you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, an ABSN can provide a streamlined path into the high-demand healthcare profession without starting college from scratch. 

If you’re looking to make a change, but are not sure where to start, this guide is for you. It covers the different jobs and fields that offer stability and strong earning potential based on reputable data from sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What is a second career?

Before delving into the fastest-growing professions and which jobs are in demand, it’s important to understand what a second career is. While a job is any activity that you receive compensation for, a career focuses on prolonged employment.

The goal of a career is that it’s your “forever” field, where there is opportunity for professional growth. Any job could be considered a career, depending on what a person is passionate about and what their life goals are.

A second career, also known as re-careering, is when someone starts a career in one industry and realizes they want to pursue something else entirely. Common reasons why people may seek second careers include:

• Desiring a higher salary, statistics show that 39% of workers choose to change careers in order to earn more money.

• Dissatisfaction in their current role or organization.

• Seeking flexibility (such as remote work) for better work/life balance.

• A change in life priorities or philosophy, to find a role better aligned with their values.

The benefit of second careers is that you aren’t starting from scratch. You bring with you all the skills and wealth of knowledge that you learned during your first career. Having a pre-existing degree can also help make the transition easier.

Finding the pathway that’s right for you

Choosing a second career shouldn’t be an impulse decision. You should assess your interests, research different occupations, and factor in your passions. Ideally, you want to find a field where you’ll find the work meaningful and aligns with your values.

When researching different occupations, it can also be helpful to see what transferable skills you have. LinkedIn’s Career Explorer lists hard and soft transferable skills based on your previous title and displays possible second career matches for you. It can be a good launching point for finding a new pathway and making the transition smoother.

Healthcare

The United States is currently facing a healthcare worker shortage across the nation, especially in rural areas. A study published in the Annals of Family Medicine finds that there’s been a year-over-year decrease in family medicine physicians practicing in rural areas, and an 11% nationwide decrease.

This shortage also spreads across to other occupations within the industry, such as nurses and aged care workers. This issue is also being further compounded by the United States rapidly aging population that will soon require care.

Studies indicate that the United States will have a shortage of nearly 86,000 physicians by 2036. This shortage is rapidly driving demand for professionals in healthcare, making roles like nursing perfect for people looking for stability and a competitive salary.

Nurse practitioner

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioners are one of the fastest-growing professions with a growth rate of 40% between 2024 and 2034. The occupation also has a high median pay of $129,210 per year.

With the ongoing workforce shortage, nurse practitioners are in demand, especially in rural areas. Like other types of nursing, it’s a great choice for stability, as the United States is facing a severe nurse shortage.

For people who have already completed a bachelor’s degree, accelerated programs, like those offered by Baylor University online, can be a great way to get into nursing.

Occupational therapist

Occupational therapists play a crucial role in evaluating and treating people with injuries, illnesses, or disabilities. The goal of the occupation is to help people with their vocational, daily living, and/or other skills to promote independence.

The United States is currently facing a nationwide shortage of occupational therapists, which is only expected to worsen. The rising demand makes it a great option for people who want stability, as it’s easy to find work and the role offers flexibility. It’s possible to work-from-home or hybrid environment.

Speech-language pathologist

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) specialize in communication. They treat many types of communication and swallowing problems, such as fluency (stuttering), language, and cognitive communication.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of speech-language pathologists is projected to grow 15% from 2024 to 2034, which is faster than the average for all occupations. The median annual wage for SLPs was $95,410 in May 2024.

Technology

Technology is one of the fastest-growing sectors, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and health tech. The US tech industry is a massive, trillion-dollar sector. 

Occupations in technology are generally high-paying and stable. Many positions, such as data scientists and software developers, also offer a high level of flexibility through work-from-home and variable hours.

Data scientist

Data scientists use analytical tools to extract insight from data. It typically requires a bachelor’s degree in either mathematics, statistics, or computer science. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has it listed as one of the fastest-growing occupations.

Employment for data scientists is projected to grow 34% over the next decade, with about 23,4000 openings projected each year, on average. Data scientists are also well paid, with the median annual wage being $112,590 in May 2024.

IT security professional

As of August 2022, there were over 700,00 open roles in cybersecurity in the United States—the field is booming. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment outlook is only expected to grow over the next decade, at 32%.

Security professionals, and cybersecurity roles as a whole, are pretty versatile. There are opportunities to work across government, public, and private organizations. Working in cybersecurity typically requires a bachelor’s degree in a computer science-related field.