Job-listing site CareerCast.com recently released its list of the best and worst jobs for 2011, and now I’m really wishing I had finished that philosophy minor, because apparently being a philosopher is better than being a doctor or lawyer.

In fact, neither physician nor attorney made the site’s list of 20 Best Jobs for 2011. And not necessarily because these careers require special training. Many of the jobs that made the cut require just as much, if not more, schooling and specialization than doctoring or lawyering.

Take the job of philosopher, #16 on the list. CareerCast says a philosopher “Studies questions concerning the nature of intellectual concepts, and attempts to construct rational theories concerning our understanding of the world around us.” Oh, and the gig pays over $60K/year. Unfortunately, this same site that touts philosophizing as a good career move is not currently listing any openings for philosophers.

Right at #2 on the list is “mathematician,” which we would assume means someone versed in number theory and abstract mathematical concepts, which would require at least a master’s degree (or that you’re a janitor at MIT who hangs out with Ben Affleck). The site says you can make almost $95K/year as a math nerd, but has mostly “math teacher” gigs listed.

Another job on the list that would require either an extensive education or bright white teeth and a first name like “Stormy” is meteorologist. But it could pay off… After all, WGN weatherman Tom Skilling did end up faring better than his kid brother, disgraced Enron president Jeff Skilling.

Other rare or highly specialized jobs on the Best list:
#8: Historian
#9: Audiologist
#11: Sociologist
#14: Physicist

Meanwhile, many of the jobs making the Worst list seem to come straight out of a Chevy truck ad:
#1: Roustabout
#2: Iron Worker
#3: Lumberjack
#7: Welder
#10: Construction Worker

So there you have it. If you’ve made the mistake of looking for manual labor jobs in recent years, you should really have been brushing up on Heidegger, Hegel, Feynman and Fermat.

Now you know… and knowing is half the battle.

Jobs Rated 2011: Ranking 200 Jobs From Best to Worst [CareerCast.com]

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