If one of your New Years resolutions is to find a new career, you might want to check out this ranking of 200 American jobs. This very comprehensive job ranking considers everything from physical labor, to earnings potential, to job stress. According to Tony Lee, publisher of the CareerCast.com 2010 Jobs Rated Report, the jobs that ranked near the top not only pay well, but also have the greatest potential for growth as the economy rebounds. Some of the rankings, such as surgeons, might be surprising.

Most of these jobs require training and education, so for a person thinking about enrolling in a new training program, whether it is at a trade school, or an advance degree at a major university, carefully considering these rankings could help make a more informed choice.

The job rankings might not correspond to an individual’s innate skills or likes. For example, if you are not into sitting at a desk pushing numbers all day, then the number 1 rated job, actuary, might not be your best choice. Nevertheless, consideration of the scores in the five categories could help with the decision-making process. The five areas considered in this study are work environment, income, outlook, stress and physical demands. Behind each of these five areas are a large number of specific characteristics which went into the cumulative scores for each job.

The overall ranking is the mathematical compilation of the scores for the five major categories, which are in turn, compilations of the scores for each of their components. Thus, it might not be a good strategy to only consider the overall scores. To get the most out of this study, consider the various scores for each job, not just its overall ranking. According to Andrew Strieber, one of the contributors to the study, “If you're the type who cares a lot about income but doesn't mind stress, for example, public relations executive might be a great career for you. While the job may seem less desirable with an overall ranking of 79, it ranks 19th for median income and 193rd for stress – perfect for the job seeker who wants good pay and can handle a high-stress environment.”

Actuary, with an average income of about $85,000 per year, is rated as one of the least physically demanding jobs with little stress, a great outlook for employment and income growth, and a favorable work environment, thus, it received the top ranking. Rounding out the top five best jobs are Software Engineer, Computer Systems Analyst, Biologist and Historian, while Roustabout, Lumberjack, Ironworker, Dairy Farmer and Welder were at the bottom.

What about the lowest ranked job, Roustabout?
From the web site: “While Roustabout is a title that can also be given to circus workers, in this case it refers to those who perform routine physical labor and maintenance on oil rigs and pipelines.

Picture this as your typical workday: You wake up at 5a.m. (or 5p.m. for the night shift) and head to the dining hall for a breakfast of cafeteria food. Next comes a 12-hour shift working outdoors in the desert heat, an ocean storm or the bitter cold of an Alaskan winter. There may even be armed groups nearby eager to kidnap you for ransom. As for the work itself, it's backbreaking physical labor with a high risk of injury or death. And when the day is over, you still can't go home because you work in an isolated location that you're able to leave only every two weeks or so. And when it's time to sleep, you head to your shared dorm room and crash until 5a.m., when work starts all over again.” That’s why it is at the bottom of the list.

So, you are thinking about going to med school? “Surgeon, which is the highest-paying job, ranked toward the bottom of the list when you evaluate the profession’s stress levels, physical demands and work environment,” Mr. Lee says.

To see the full rankings of all 200 jobs and the study’s methodology, go to http://www.JobsRated.com.