Nova Southeastern University Identifies 10 Hot Jobs in Sluggish Economy

FT. LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla. — Even though South Florida and the rest of the nation is struggling with a recession, there are still plenty of jobs in high demand. Nova Southeastern University has recently identified 10 of them.

• Occupational Therapist: OTs help people live as fully and independently as possible. Average OT salaries are reported to be $64,200 in the Miami area and $89,750 in the Naples-Marco Island area, according U.S News and World Report.
• Pharmacist: Florida will require another 780 new pharmacists annually through 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau Labor Statistics. The proliferation of pharmacies in stores such as Wal-Mart and Publix is one of the reasons why.
• School Psychologist: These health care providers work within the educational system to help students resolve emotional, social, and academic problems. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that school psychologists will be among the five fastest-growing doctoral level-level occupations through 2012. These professionals can earn an average of $55,000 a year on a 10-month contract with a master’s degree.
• Physical Therapist: PTs help people improve their mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics considers this job to be in high demand and estimates a growth rate of 27 percent for the profession between 2006 and 2016. The job requires a master’s degree and pays an average annual salary of $66,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• Registered Nurse: Last year, a survey by the Florida Center for Nursing showed that vacancy rates for registered nurses exceeded nine percent in Florida Hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, public health agencies and hospices.
• Physician Assistant: PAs practice medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician. After graduating from a 27-month program with a master’s degree, these professionals can earn an average of $75,000 a year or more, according to Bill Marquardt, NSU interim associate dean for physician assistant education.
• Marriage and Family Therapist: These professionals work with individuals, couples, and families by incorporating the family system to address mental and family problems. Today, 50,000 marriage and family therapists around the country treat more than 1.8 million people, according to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Between 95 to 98 percent of graduates from NSU’s program find jobs in mental health settings.
• Mental Health Counselor: The nation will need 30 percent more mental health counselors between 2006 and 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Last year, Money magazine included mental health counselors on its list of top 50 professions.
• Special Education Teacher: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics considers this a fast-growing profession that is expected to increase 15 percent between 2006 and 2016. The high demand is due to the early diagnoses of learning disabilities in younger students.
• Anesthesiologist Assistants: AAs work under the supervision of an anesthesiologist in 18 states and the District of Columbia. This profession is so hot that graduates from a 27-month program average about 10 to 15 job offers, with a starting salary of $120,000 a year and sign-on bonuses of $30,000 to $50,000, according to Robert Wagner, M.M.Sc., AA-C, NSU anesthesiologist assistant professor.

Media Contact:
Ken Ma, NSU Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5354 Office, 954-830-4177 Cell, kennma@nova.edu