IT Fields Rank Among Top Jobs in 2013

If you work in IT, you’re working in one of the top job fields when it comes to areas like salary, work environment and hiring outlook, according to new rankings released Monday.  

CareerCast.com, a career website, ranked 200 jobs from best to worst based on five criteria: physical demands, work environment, income, stress and hiring outlook. The list is based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other government agencies.

Software engineer, which was the top job in 2012, took the number three spot this year, while computer systems analyst came in at number 10. Other top IT careers were web developer (24) and computer programmer (38). No IT fields ranked anywhere near the bottom of the list. 

More specifically, software engineers earn an average income of $89,147, and most have a low stress level and positive work environment and hiring outlook, CareerCast found. Computer systems analysts earn an average salary of $79,145, and while they report slightly more stress than software engineers, they also report a positive work environment and an even better hiring outlook.

Beating software engineers for the top two spots were actuary and biomedical engineer. Careers that ranked the lowest included enlisted military personnel, lumberjack and newspaper reporter.