25 Career Choices
Each guide features a table that shows 25 ■ waGes: This is the average amount a The blue bar shows the percentage of
occupations within the cluster. This is person in the career earns in Texas per people who have a four-year college
intended as a sampling of careers, and is year. degree or better, the gold bar shows the
a valuable tool for counselors to use when percentage of people with some college,
discussing the importance of education in ■ eduCaTion: The type shows the and the red bar indicates high school
achieving career goals. Here is a guide to preferred level of educational attainment diplomas or less.
the columns in each table: for people working in the career in the
United States. The bright color bars show ■ Job desCripTion: These are brief
■ soC: Standard Occupational Code, percentages of people in the profession descriptions of each career from O*Net
which the U.S. Department of Labor uses with a high school diploma, some college, Online (online.onetcenter.org).
to categorize career information. and a four-year degree or better.

■ GrowTh: This shows the projected Encourage students to look at the color
annual growth in Texas for the career bars to get a clearer picture of what it
between 2002 and 2012. takes to pursue a career in professions
that interest them.
■ openinGs: This is the projected number
est
ion
s.
Q
on
&
Lo
gis
tic
s t
he
rig
ht
clu
ste
r fo
r y
ou
?
8.
9.
1
0.
of job openings each year for
Do y
ou h
ave
Is T
ran
sp
ort
ati
on
, D
ist
rib
uti
Whe
n on
a tr
ip,
5.
6.
7.
Do y
ou d
o
are
you
the
a pe
rfec
tly
the career in Texas.
Tak
e t
his
qu
iz t
o fi
nd
ou
t. A
ns
we
r “
yes
” o
r “
no
” to
th
e f
ollo
win
g q
u
clea
n dr
ivin
g
U
u th
ink
it
Hav
e yo
u ev
er
one
wh
o re
ads
Do y
ou p
ay
Do y
o
wor
ked
par
t-
wel
l in
you
r
Eng
lish
, ma
th, record?
2.
3.
4.

I
1.
Are
you
goo
d would
be c
ool
the
map
s?
Do y
ou
atte
ntio
n tim
e de
liver
ing
rive
truc
ks and sc
ienc
e
Do y
ou e
njoy at o
pera
ting to
d
to d
etai
ls? ne
wsp
ape
rs?
clas
ses?
Do y
ou l
ike org
aniz
e
solv
ing
wor
d tools a
nd o
r fly
pla
nes
.
to tr
ave
l?
prob
lem
s or
eve
nts
at
mac
hine
ry? for
a liv
ing?

e
r
i
n
g

sch
ool
or &
M
a
t
h
e
m
a
t
i
c
s
JOb
Z
DES
Cri
ptiO
n:
brai
n te
ase
rs?
chu
rch?
s in
the
clu
ste
r—
the
y a
re j
ust
a s
am
plin
g s
how
ing
the
va
riet
y o
f oc
cup
atio
ns
ava
ilab
le t
o y
ou
at d
iffe
ren
t ed
uca
tion
lev
els.
Thes
e are
brie
f
desc
riptio
ns o
f
iliti
es, a
sk y
our
gui
dan
ce c
oun
selo
r or
tea
cher
abo
ut t
akin
g a
care
er a
sses
sme
nt t
est o
r in
tere
st in
ven
tory
h
n
o
l
o
g
y
,
E
n
g
i
n
e
t for
peop
le w
orkin
g in
the c
aree
r in t
he U
nited
Stat
es.
Colle
ge o
r be
tter each ca
reer
from
ome
Coll
ege
O*N
ET O
nline
high
Sch
ool Percent
age o
f
If yo
u an
swe
red
“yes
” to
five
or m
ore
of th
e ab
ove
que
stio
ns,
Tra
nsp
orta
tion
, Di
strib
utio
n &
Log
istic
s m
ay b
e th
e rig
ht c
lust
er fo
r yo
u. T
o ge
t a m
ore
spec
ific
and
scie
ntifi
c m
easu
rem
ent
of y
our
att
itud
es a
nd a
b
S
c
i
e
n
c
e
,
T
e
c
ust
er o
f yo
ur c
hoi
ce
and
de
cid
e o
n th
e o
nes
tha
t be
st fi
t yo
ur t
ale
nts
an
d a
mb
itio
ns.
He
re’s
an
ex
pla
nat
ion
of
the
kin
d o
f in
form
atio
n p
res
ent
ed
in e
ach
co
lum
n.
s the
min
imum
pref
erred
leve
l of e
duca
tiona
l atta
inme
n
to a
doct
oral
degr
ee ta
king
seve
ral y
ears
of c
olleg
e.
S
Perc
entag
e of
peop
le in
the (on
line.o
netc
ente
r.org
).
EDu
Cat
iOn
: Thi
s i
ion l
evels
atta
ined
by p
eopl
e ac
tuall
y wo
rking
Perc
entag
e of
peop
le in
the
profe
ssion
peop
le in
the
occu
patio
n
who
have
a
2
5
co
nsi
der
in
the
Sc
ien
ce,
Te
chn
olo
gy,
En
gin
eer
ing
&
Ma
the
ma
tics
clu
ste
r. T
hes
e a
re n
ot a
ll th
e c
are
er o
ptio
n
amo
unt This
can
rang
e fro
m sh
ort-t
erm
on-t
he-jo
b tra
ining

bars
sho
w th
e mi
x of
educ
at
es m
ostly
one
colo
r, tha
t me
ans
that
level
of
occu
patio
n
who
have
WaG
ES:
This
is th
e
ELS
: The
colo
r
who
have
four-
year
colle
ge
som
e
d EDuC
atiO
n LE
v
degr
ee or
bett
er
at m
ost h
igh
colle
ge
Lis
ted
be
low
are
25
ca
ree
rs y
ou
mig
ht
the a
vera
ge p
erso
n in
the
er
OpE
nin
GS:
This
is th
e pro
jecte
care
er ea
rns i
n Te
xas p
in th
e pro
fess
ion i
n Te
xas (
see
bars
at ri
ght)
. If a
bar
featu
r
scho
ol dip
loma
s
Tur
n to
the
“O
nlin
e In
fo”
on
the
ins
ide
ba
ck
cov
er t
o re
sea
rch
all
ca
ree
r op
tion
s in
the
cl
num
ber o
f job
ope
ning
s for
the
care
er
year
. Nat
urall
y, en
try-l
evel
educ
ation
is lik
ely t
he o
ne y
ou’ll
need
to re
ach
to w
ork i
n the
prof
essio
n. Lo
ok a
t mic
robio
logis
t, for
exa
mple
,
or b
etter
.
GrO
Wth
: Thi
s is t
he
al gr
owth
in Te
xas e
ach
year
. Eve
n tho
ugh
a
wag
es a
re lo
wer
than
the
and
you’
ll see
that
virtu
ally e
very
one
in th
e fie
ld ha
s a c
olleg
e de
gree
or b
etter
. If th
e thr
ee c
olors
in th
e ba
r
le w
orkin
g as
che
mica
l tec
hnic
ians
hav
e a h
igh s
choo
l
proje
cted
ann
u other re
searc
h, pr
oduc
tion,
techn
ical
care
er m
ay b
e fas
t gro
wing
, the
re
aver
age,
and
thos
e for
wor
kers
e are
are r
ough
ly eq
ual i
n siz
e, th
at m
eans
that
ther
e are
opp
ortun
ities
in th
e pro
fess
ion f
or pe
ople
of a
ll ed
ucat
ion
cent
hav
e fou
r-yea
r deg
rees
C
SOC
: Sta
nds
for S
tand
ard
in Te
xas f
or th
e ca
reer
may
not
be a
lot o
f pos
ition
s ava
ilable
.
with
yea
rs of
exp
erien
c
level
s. Fo
r exa
mple
, abo
ut 32
perc
ent o
f the
peo
p
Occu
patio
nal C
ode,
whi
ch
betw
een
200
2 an
d 20
12.
Care
ers w
ith m
ore o
peni
ngs
will g
ive
ce
gene
rally
high
er.
diplo
ma,
whil
e 39
perc
ent h
ave s
ome
colle
ge, a
nd 29
per
orga
nizat
ions
like
the U
.S.
Fast
-gro
wing
occ
upat
ions
an e
ntry-
level
wor
ker a
bett
er ch
an
ter jo
b se
curit
y.
Depa
rtme
nt of
Lab
or us
e to
may
offe
r gre
ater
care
er
of ge
tting
a jo
b an
d gre
a
the u
nder
stand
ing o
f hum
an di
seas
es an
d the
impr
ovem
ent o
f hum
an he
alth.
Enga
ge in
clini
cal in
vesti
gatio
n or
ms, s
uch a
s bac
teria,
alga
e, or
fungi
. Cat
egor
y inc
ludes
med
ical m
icrob
iolog
ists w
ho
a
cate
goriz
e ca
reer
infor
mati
on.
oppo
rtun
ities
for y
oung
Edu
cat
ion
Le
vel
s
Job
De
scr
ipti
on
Cond
uct r
esea
rch d
ealin
g wit
h
Som
etim
es yo
u ca
n fin
d da
ta on
r adults
.
Edu
cat
ion w
riting
, or r
elate
d act
ivitie
s.
ment
, and
othe
r cha
racte
ristic
s of m
icros
copic
orga
nis
a ca
reer
faste
r by
sear
chin
g fo
grow
th, st
ructu
re, de
velop
s In
vesti
gate
the org
anism
s, the
ir ele
ctrica
l and
mec
hanic
al en
ergy,
and
relate
d phe
nome
na. M
ay co
nduc
t rese
arch
to ad
vanc
e
e
its S
OC.
r
Doct
oral
degr
ee
study
the r
elatio
nship
betw
een o
rgan
isms
and
disea
se or
the e
ffect
s of a
ntibio
tics o
n mic
roorg
anism
s.
Gro
wth
Ope
nin
gs
Wa
ge
ompo
sition
and
phys
ical p
rincip
les o
f livin
g cel
ls an
d
$60
,332 Study
the c
hemi
cal c
45
nome
na, d
evelo
p the
ories
and
laws
on th
e bas
is of
obse
rvatio
n and
expe
rimen
ts, an
d dev
ise m
ethod
s to a
pply
laws
and
theor
ies to
Doct
oral
degr
ee
unde
rstan
ding
of the
com
plex
chem
ical c
ombi
natio
ns an
d rea
ction
s invo
lved
in me
tabol
ism,
repro
ducti
on, g
rowth
, and
here
dity.
32.8
%
1
the p
hase
s of p
hysic
al ph
e
ting,
or eli
mina
ting s
ource
s of p
olluta
nts o
r haz
ards
that a
ffect
eithe
r the
envi
ronm
ent o
r the
heal
th of
th
ltrati
on in
to the
soil,
$51,
286 Condu
ct res
earch
into
E
SOC
Occ
upa
tion
iolog
ist
25 in
dustr
y and
othe
r field
s.
exce
pt E
pide
m Doctor
al de
gree
20.0
%
form
inve
stiga
tion f
or th
e pur
pose
of id
entify
ing, a
ba
$67,
436 Co
nduc
t rese
arch
or pe
r
19-1
042
Med
ical
Scie
ntis
t,
45
popu
lation
. Utili
zing
know
ledge
of va
rious
scie
ntific
disc
ipline
s, ma
y col
lect,
synth
esize
, stud
y, rep
ort, a
nd ta
ke ac
tion b
ased
on d
ata d
erive
d fro
m m
easu
reme
nts o
r obs
ervat
ions
of
26.7
%
Doct
oral
degr
ee
air, fo
od, s
oil, w
ater,
and o
ther
sourc
es.
prop
ertie
s of u
nder
grou
nd an
d sur
face
wate
r; stu
dy th
e form
and
inten
sity o
f pre
cipita
tion,
its ra
te of
infi
vities
with
in a g
iven
area,
inclu
ding
socia
l cha
racte
ristic
s,
E
obio
logis
t , c
ircula
tion,
and p
hysic
al
May
enga
ge in
$85
,177
ntera
ction
s of p
hysic
al an
d cul
tural
phen
omen
a. Co
nduc
t rese
arch
on ph
ysica
l asp
ects
of a r
egion
,
19-1
022
Micr
Rese
arch
the d
istrib
ution
cist
15
20.0
% M
aste
r’s d
egre
e
move
ment
thro
ugh t
he ea
rth, a
nd its
retu
rn to
the o
cean
and
atmo
sphe
re.
area
s of e
arth’
s sur
face,
relat
ing a
nd in
terpr
eting
i
19-1
021
Bioc
hem
ist a
nd B
ioph
ysi
$56
,255 Study n
ature
, and
use
of
r
15 ee
Mas
ter’s
deg
r includ
ing la
nd fo
rms,
clima
tes, s
oils,
plant
s, an
d ani
mals
; con
duct
resea
rch o
n the
spat
ial im
plica
tions
of hu
man
acti
dy th
e wa
y of l
ife, la
ngua
ge, o
r phy
sical
char
acter
istics
of ex
isting
peop
le in
vario
us pa
rts o
f the
world
.
cist
econ
omic
activ
ities,
and
politi
cal o
rgan
izatio
n; an
d res
earch
inter
depe
nden
ce be
twee
n reg
ions
at sc
ales
rang
ing fr
om lo
cal to
glob
al.
h
29.0
%
2
19-2
012
Phys
i
$59
,529
10 re
e
Stud
y the
origi
n, de
velop
ment
, and
beha
vior o
f hum
ans.
May
stu
20.0
% M
aste
r’s d
eg
syste
matic
reco
very
and e
xami
natio
n of m
ateria
l evid
ence
, suc
h as
tools
or po
ttery
rem
ainin
g fro
m pa
st hu
man
cultu
res, i
n ord
er to
deter
mine
the h
istory
of ea
rlier c
iviliza
tions
.
e sci
ence
s, ph
ysica
l scie
nces
, mat
hema
tics,
statis
tics,
and r
esea
rch a
nd de
velop
ment
in th
ese fi
elds.
ther u
ses.
19-2
041
Envi
ronm
enta
l Sci
enti
st an
d Sp
ecia
list,
inclu
ding
Hea
lt
$53
,645
0
Plan,
direc
t, or
coord
inate
activ
ities
in su
ch fie
lds a
s lif
elds
as ar
chite
cture
and
engin
eerin
g or r
esea
rch a
nd de
velop
ment
in th
ese fi
elds.
ories
for q
uality
or pr
oces
s con
trol o
r to d
evelo
p new
prod
ucts
or kn
owle
dge.
0.0%
Mas
ter’s
deg
ree
dinat
e act
ivitie
s in s
uch fi
19-2
043
Hyd
rolo
gist
$42
,795
Plan,
direc
t, or
coor
roads
, airp
orts,
bridg
es, h
arbor
s,
e che
mica
l ana
lyses
or ch
emic
al ex
perim
ents
in lab
orat
C
10
Bach
elor’
s plu
s exp
erien
ce
ather
ed by
surfa
ce an
d air
statio
ns, s
atelli
tes, a
nd ra
dar to
prep
are re
ports
and
forec
asts
for pu
blic a
nd o
her
20.0
%
cal a
nd sa
tisfac
tory p
rogre
ss.
19-3
092
Geo
grap $92,875 rience
Cond
uct q
ualita
tive a
nd qu
antita
tiv
gist
50 Bache
lor’s
plus
exp
e
osph
eric p
heno
mena
and
interp
ret m
eteor
ologi
cal d
ata g
and
Arc
heol
o
12.9
% Inves
tigate
atm
ning,
and
overs
eeing
cons
tructi
on an
d ma
inten
ance
of bu
ilding
struc
tures
and
facilit
ies, s
uch a
s roa
ds, ra
il
$104
,512
h
asic
and a
pplie
d res
earch
to ev
aluat
e ada
ptabi
lity o
f
19-3
091
Anth
ropo
logis
t
480 B
ache
lor’s
deg
ree
g dut
ies in
plan
ning,
desig
Perfo
rm en
ginee
rin
Man
ager
8.6%
$60
,066
chan
nels,
dams
, irrig
ation
proje
cts, p
ipelin
es, p
ower
plan
ts, w
ater a
nd se
wage
syste
ms, a
nd w
aste
dispo
sal un
its. In
clude
s arc
hitec
tural,
struc
tural,
traffi
c, oce
an, a
nd ge
otech
nical
engin
eers.
185 B
ache
lor’s
deg
ree
uctio
n and
dete
rmin
e the
need
for m
odifie
d too
l des
igns.
Over
see d
rilling
and
offer
advi
ce to
achi
eve e
cono
mi
11-9
121
Natu
ral S
cien
ces
o
nag
er
14.1
%
$60
,582 Devis
e me
thods
to im
prove
oil w
ell pr
od
ngin
eeri
ng M
a
35 Bache
lor’s
deg
ree
engi
neeri
ng w
ork in
desi
gning
, con
struc
ting,
and t
estin
g airc
raft,
miss
iles,
and s
pace
craft
. May
cond
uct b
11-9
041
E
27.3
%
Perfo
rm a
varie
ty of
elect
rifica
tion,
struc
tures
, soil
and w
ater c
onse
rvatio
n,
$69
,018
ee materia
ls an
d equ
ipme
nt to
aircra
ft de
sign
and m
anufa
cture
.
iome
chan
ical p
rincip
les to
the d
esign
, dev
elopm
ent, a
nd ev
aluat
ion o
f biol
ogica
l and
heal
th sy
stem
s and
prod
ucts,
such
as a
rtific
ial
19-2
031
Che
mist
ient
ist
440 Bache
lor’s
deg
r
engin
eerin
g, bio
logy,
and
b
9.6%
$97,
659 A
pply
know
ledge
of
i
19-2
021
Atm
osph
eric
and
Spa
ce S
c
330 Bache
lor’s
deg
ree
organ
s, pro
sthes
es, in
strum
entat
ion, m
edica
l info
rmat
ion s
ystem
s, an
d hea
lth m
anag
emen
t and
care
deliv
ery s
ystem
s.
11.8
% e
ngine
ering
tech
nolog
y and
biolo
gical
scien
ce to
agric
ultura
l prob
lems
conc
erned
with
pow
er an
d ma
chine
ry,
inee
r $70,999 Appl
y kno
wled
ge of
urpo
ses.
May
work
with
geog
raph
ic inf
orma
tion s
ystem
s (GI
S).
17-2
051
Civil
Eng
355 a
nd pr
oces
sing
of ag
ricult
ural p
roduc
ts.
matio
n pro
vided
by g
eode
tic su
rveys
, aeri
al ph
otogr
aphs
, and
sate
llite d
ata. R
esea
rch, s
tudy,
and
prep
are m
aps a
nd ot
her s
patia
l data
C
17.2
%
Bach
elor’
s de
gree
inter
pret
geog
raph
ic inf
or
m En
gine
er
$70,
725 Collec
t, ana
lyze,
and
ndus
trial p
roces
ses,
mech
anics
, che
mistr
y, ps
ycho
logy,
and
indus
trial h
ealth
and
safet
y law
s.
to de
term
ine
17-2
171
Petr
oleu
10 in
digit
al or
grap
hic fo
rm fo
r lega
l, soc
ial, p
olitic
al, ed
ucati
onal,
and
desig
n p
er 20.0
%
Bach
elor’
s de
gree
p, op
erate
, and
main
tain l
abor
atory
instr
umen
ts an
d equ
ipme
nt, m
onito
r exp
erime
nts, m
ake o
bserv
ation
s, an
d cal
culat
e
$56
,913
Prom
ote w
orksi
te or
prod
uct s
afety
by a
pplyi
ng kn
owle
dge o
f i
17-2
011
Aero
spac
e En
gine
5
E
Bach
elor’
s de
gree of an e
nviro
nmen
tal sc
ientis
t or
neer 100
.0%
Assis
t biol
ogica
l and
med
ical s
cient
ists i
n lab
orato
ries.
Set u
$46
,642
relate
d to c
rimin
al inv
estig
ation
s. Pe
rform
tests
on w
eapo
ns or
subs
tance
s, su
ch as
fiber
, hair
, and
tissu
e,
17-2
031
Biom
edic
al En
gi
30
and r
ecord
resu
lts. M
ay an
alyze
orga
nic s
ubsta
nces
, suc
h as
blood
, food
, and
drug
s.
Bach
elor’
s de
gree
inee
r 18.2%
$63
,592
Colle
ct, id
entify
, clas
sify,
and a
nalyz
e phy
sical
evid
ence

S
17-2
021
Agri
cult
ural
Eng
st 9
0
egre
e
signi
fican
ce to
inve
stiga
tion.
May
testif
y as
expe
rt wit
ness
in co
urt. M
ay se
rve a
s spe
cialis
ts in
area
of ex
perti
se, s
uch a
s bal
listic
s, fin
gerp
rintin
g, ha
ndwr
iting,
or bi
oche
mistr
y.
r the
envi
ronm
ent a
nd in
vesti
gate
sourc
es of
pollu
tion,
inclu
ding
those
that
affec
t hea
lth. U
nder
direc
tion
e ana
lyses
of so
lids,
liquid
s, an
d gas
eous
mate
rials
for p
urpo
ses s
uch a
s
%
Asso
ciate
’s d
ry an
d fiel
d tes
ts to
moni
to
ogra
pher
and
Pho
togr
amm
etri
neer
9.1
$34
,429 Perfo
rm la
bora
to
17-1
021
Cart g Safet
y En
gi
95
23.9
%
Asso
ciate
’s de
gree
spec
ialist
, may
colle
ct sa
mple
s of g
ases
, soil
, wat
er, an
d oth
er m
ateria
ls for
testi
ng an
d tak
e cor
rectiv
e act
ions
as as
signe
d.
ssist
scie
ntists
in m
aking
qual
itativ
e and
quan
titativ
sical
labo
rator
y tes
ts to
a
ducts
or pr
oces
ses,
quali
ty co
ntrol
, and
main
tenan
ce of
envi
ronm
ental
stan
dard
s.
om s
ource
data
, suc
h as
surve
ying
notes
, aeri
al ph
otogr
aphy
, sate
llite d
ata, o
r oth
er
$39
,859 Cond
uct c
hemi
cal a
nd ph
y
der t
he di
rectio
n of a
surv
eyor,
cart
ograp
her, o
r pho
togra
mme
trist t
o obt
ain d
ata u
sed f
or co
nstru
ction
, map
maki
ng, b
ound
ary
l.
17-2
111
Hea
lth a
nd S
afet
y En
gine
er, e
xcep
t Mi
nin
25 re
searc
h and
deve
lopm
ent o
f new
pro
map
ping
dutie
s, us
ually
un
ties a
re pr
imari
ly cle
rica
Pag
e 11
al Te
chni
cian 33.3
%
Asso
ciate
’s de
gree
$36
,935
Perfo
rm su
rveyi
ng an
d
19-4
021
Biol
ogic
ee locat
ion, m
ining
, or o
ther
purp
oses
. May
calc
ulate
map
maki
ng in
form
ation
and
creat
e ma
ps fr
cian
Asso
ciate
’s de
gr
maps
to sh
ow to
pogr
aphic
al fea
tures
, poli
tical
boun
darie
s, an
d oth
er fea
tures
. May
verif
y acc
uracy
and
comp
leten
ess o
f topo
grap
hical
map
s.
cien
ce T
echn
i
44.8
%
230
Sourc
e:
$44
,683
19-4
092
Fore
nsic
S
ician Wei
gh, m
easu
re, an
d che
ck m
ateria
ls, su
pplie
s, an
d equ
ipme
nt for
the p
urpo
se of
keep
ing re
levan
t reco
rds. D
u
235
ainin
g
Texa
s Wo
rkforc
e
ienc
e an
d Pr
otec
tion
Tec
hn
11.7
% Modera
te-te
rm o
n-th
e-job
tr
Com
miss
ion (
TWC
)
Note:
This
chart
is a sa
mplin
g
19-4
091
Envi
ronm
enta
l Sc
$31,
307
400
of car
eers i
n the
cluste
r,
Shor
t-ter
m on
-the
-job
train
ing
not re
comm
endat
ions f
rom
Tech
nicia
n 27.2%
$25
,038 Page 11
TWC
or any
other
agen
cy
19-4
031
Che
mica
l
5
or org
anizat
ion. A
lways
do
d con
sult
g Te
chni
cian
18.9
%
36
thorou
gh res
earch
an
with y
our pa
rents/
guard
ians
reer c
hoice
.
17-3
031
Surv
eyin
g an
d Ma
ppin
d Ke
epin
g
before
maki
ng a c
a
43-5
111
Weig
her,
Mea
sure
r, an
d Sa
mpl
er, R
ecor
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20