CareerCast released its list of best and worst jobs for 2014, and like many lists of its kind, STEM gigs dominated the best. The company examined 200 of the most populated jobs and ranked them on a variety of criteria in four categories: environment, income, outlook and stress.
Mathematician topped the list for best job this year, followed by tenured university professor, statistician, actuary, audiologist, dental hygienist and software engineer. These jobs have midlevel salaries ranging from $69,000 to six figures.
Many of the worst jobs tend to make that list due to the danger factor and low pay—elements of those gigs that won’t change. Lumberjack came in at No. 200, preceded by newspaper reporter, enlisted military personnel, taxi driver, broadcaster and head cook. These jobs had salaries ranging from $22,000 t0 $59,000.
“This absolutely verifies the importance of STEM careers,” Tony Lee, publisher of CareerCast.com and JobsRated.com, told CNBC. “When you look across a range of criteria—not just salary and hiring outlook but also the work environment, physical factors and stress— [STEM] jobs are the best.”