Careers to consider

Why is college so expensive? Because it's worth it. Workers with a bachelor's degree have lower unemployment rates and take home $24,600 more per year than the average high school dropout. For a closer look at the emerging labor market, we broke out five top jobs in five categories (click on the graphic below to view) from the 500 'Best Jobs for the 21st Century,' a study that compares three stats: Average income; projected growth through 2012; and annual number of job openings.

Consider the options

Some universities run their individual departments like separate institutions, forcing risky early commitments to "hot job" majors. "Quite frankly, seven out of 10 students (nationally) switch their majors," said Don Burkhard, the College of Charleston's associate vice president for enrollment planning. Not sure what you want to do? Consider a "general education" school.

Think cost-benefit

Careers that require advanced professional degrees tend to pay better. The downside? Starting your adult life front-loaded with debt. So do a cost-benefit analysis: How long will the jobs that interest you take to pay off the difference in education and training expenses? Heavy student loans can be a good deal if they lead to a six-figure income, but a disaster for less lucrative jobs.

On a budget? Look for good pay, low cost

Looking for a good career that doesn't require four years in the classroom? Students can qualify to take the registered nurse licensing exam with a two-year degree from Trident Tech, and its nursing graduates have a year-to-date passage rate that beats both the national and state averages. "Our mission is to promote economic development and to get people employed," said David Hansen, TTC's director of public information.

Study local market

Generic job rankings say nothing about the local job market. According to TTC, graduates with training in hospitality, tourism and the arts do quite well here. Same with engineering graduates from The Citadel, who get snapped up by SPAWAR, Bosch and others, said Brent Stewart, director of The Citadel's career center. "A lot of our folks want to stay local, and they can."

Do your homework

Rankings offer snapshots of trends, but every professional interviewed for this package agreed on this: Chasing "hot jobs" is no substitute for research, self-assessment and experience. And don't neglect the "transferable skills" liberal arts programs provide: Economic and technological change is likely to speed up, not slow down, so preparing to be flexible makes sense.