Careers to Consider in 2024: The United States

September 9, 2024

Many students have an area of study that they’re passionate about. It could be physics or psychology, but sometimes it’s challenging to translate the things you like to study into a career. That’s where this blog series can help. Last week, we explored five popular courses which can prepare you for in-demand careers in the United Kingdom. In this post, we’ll look at five more exciting programs in the United States, each of which offers its own benefits and careers to consider.

Planning your budget as an international student? Check out our updated look at common cost-of-living expenses for international students in the US.

Airport Operations Manager

Aviation Business Administration | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Daytona Beach Campus
4-Year Bachelor’s Degree

Are you highly organized? Do you respond to change with a calm and logical approach? Do you enjoy helping others build their careers? Consider becoming an airport operations manager. These professionals organize and direct all airport operations and manage maintenance programs for airport facilities.

The four-year Aviation Business Administration program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University can help prepare you for success as an airport operations manager. Throughout the program, you’ll explore business administration and management subjects including:

Business marketing and management
Business statistics and accounting
Economics
Finance
Human resources
Management of aeronautical science

Graduates also develop the specialized skills needed to ensure the airport they work at operates in compliance with all governing authority regulations.

Electrical Engineer

Electrical Engineering | Southern New Hampshire University
4-Year Bachelor’s Degree

If you’ve ever taken something electronic apart to see how it works, then put it back together again, consider a career as an electrical engineer. Electrical engineering can seem invisible—but it goes into everything from the power grid to your mobile device. Electrical engineers use theoretical and hands-on knowledge to design, develop, and test devices and systems like:

Internet of Things (“smart”) devices
Renewable power generation
Self-driving cars
Traffic control and analysis

Many engineers’ work contributes meaningfully to worldwide systems. If this sounds like a career you want to pursue, Southern New Hampshire University‘s four-year Electrical Engineering bachelor’s program is a great next step.

Students in this program build specialized knowledge in areas like:

Mathematics, including linear algebra
Small component design
Audio/visual signal processing
Control systems analysis
Electrical circuits

Pursuing a career in this field will open a wide range of employment opportunities in industries like aerospace, manufacturing, and medical instrumentation.

Respiratory Therapist

Respiratory Care (Practicum Included) | Valencia College – West Campus
2-Year Associate’s Degree

Respiratory therapists have a direct and positive impact on people’s lives. They ensure that mechanical ventilation systems work, so that everyone from premature babies to emergency room patients are able to breathe, both during medical procedures and on an ongoing basis.

As healthcare systems grow and evolve, “employment of respiratory therapists is projected to grow 23 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than average for all occupations,” according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This means that as you graduate, there will likely be many positions waiting to be filled with top talent.

To build the skills you’ll need as a respiratory therapist, consider Valencia College’s two-year Respiratory Care undergraduate program. Students will blend in-class and hands-on knowledge through a program which offers classroom and lab time, as well as a practicum.

By the end of this program, students will:

Demonstrate effective communication skills in a health care setting
Display competence described by the scope of practice
Exhibit professional conduct
Execute safe clinical decision-making in respiratory care
Provide a safe environment

Thinking about whether you should take health studies? Learn more about this in-demand field on our blog.

AI Designer/Developer

Computer Engineering | Central Michigan University
4-Year Bachelor’s Degree

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most significant technological advances in our lifetime, and AI designers and developers are in very high demand. Artificial intelligence’s most notable breakthroughs include self-driving cars, smart assistants, and manufacturing robots. Choosing a career in this rapidly growing field will give you the opportunity to contribute to very exciting and impactful technological advancements.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in AI, then Central Michigan University’s Computer Engineering program should be at the top of your list.

This program brings together several fields, including math, electrical engineering, and computer science, to build students’ skills in areas like:

Cybersecurity
Computer software
Design automation
Embedded systems
Machine intelligence

IT Consultant

Computer Science | Murray State University
4-Year Bachelor’s Degree

If you’re a people person with great problem solving skills and a good eye for detail, then a career as an IT consultant could be the perfect fit. IT consultants work with clients on the planning, design, installation, and usage of information technology systems to overcome problems, meet business objectives, and improve the efficiency and structure of IT systems.

If this sounds like a career you’d like to pursue, take a closer look at Murray State University’s Computer Science program.

In this program, students can choose a specific study track like game development or data science that aligns with their career goals. All computer science students in this program will take classes in:

Algorithm and database design
Mobile computing
Operating systems
SQL (Structured Query Language)
Software engineering

Completing a degree in this field prepares graduates for many in-demand careers. Some of the most popular include jobs with specialist IT consultancies, IT retailers, robotics, aerospace applications, and software companies.

Remember, these are just five of the careers which are in-demand for new graduates. It’s a good idea to look at an official US government website for more detailed job outlooks.

That said, many careers in STEM fields—from health care to IT—will continue to be in high demand through 2030 across the US. This ongoing demand helps to make studying a STEM program a wise investment in your future. We wish you luck with your academic and career journey!