When you're in college, one of your primary goals is to plan out what your optimal first entry level job will be.

It's not only important to figure out what you enjoy doing and what you are good at doing, but also how you can use those skills in a specific career field. As your first choice for a job may not be one that will lead you far in the future, it's important to keep an eye on the career fields that will be the most promising.

Earlier this year, CareerCast.com evaluated more than 200 professions in order to determine the best and worst jobs. Those jobs were evaluated based on five criteria common to every position, including environment, income, employment outlook, physical demands and stress.


The top 10 jobs include:

• Mathematician - Applies mathematical theories and formulas to teach or solve problems in a business, educational, or industrial climate. Works an average of 45 hours per week and earns about $94,160 per year.
• Actuary - Interprets statistics to determine probabilities of accidents, sickness, death and loss of property from theft and natural disasters. Works an average of 45 hours per week and earns about $88,146 per year.
• Statistician - Tabulates, analyzes and interprets the numeric results of experiments and surveys. Works an average of 45 hours per week and earns about $72,197 per year.
• Biologist - Studies the relationship of plants and animals to their environment. Works an average of 45 hours per week and earns about $74,273.
• Software engineer - Researches, designs, develops and maintains software systems along with hardware development for medical, scientific and industrial purposes. Works an average of 50 hours per week and earns about $86,139 per year.
• Computer systems analyst - Plans and develops computer systems for businesses and scientific institutions. Works an average of 45 hours per week and earns about $75,160 per year.
• Historian - Analyzes and records historical information from a specific era or according to a particular area of expertise. Works an average of 45 hours per week and earns about $61,209 per year.
• Sociologist - Studies human behavior by examining the interaction of social groups and institutions. Works an average of 45 hours per week and earns about $63,195 per year.
• Industrial designer - Designs and develops manufactured products. Works an average of 45 hours per week and earns about $58,206 per year.
• Accountant - Prepares and analyzes financial reports to assist managers in business, industry and government. Works an average of 45 hours per week and earns about $59,173 per year.

The 10 worst jobs include:

• Lumberjack - Fells, cuts and transports timber to be processed into lumber, paper and other wood products. Works an average of 45 hours per week and earns about $32,124 per year.
• Dairy farmer - Directs and takes part in activities involved in the raising of cattle for milk production. Works an average of 52.5 hours per week and earns about $33,109 per year.
• Taxi driver - Operates a taxi cab over the streets and roads of a municipality, picking up and dropping off passengers by request. Works an average of 47.5 hours per week and earns about $21,127 per year.
• Sailor - May perform any number of tasks involved in the operation of ships, boats, barges or dredges. Works an average of 50 hours per week and earns about $34,160 per year.
• Emergency medical technician - Attends to situations which demand immediate medical attention, such as automobile accidents, heart attacks and gunshot wounds. Works an average of 40 hours per week and earns about $26,158 per year.
• Roofer - Installs roofs on new buildings, performs repairs on old roofs and re-roofs old buildings. Works an average of 42.5 hours per week and earns about $34,164 per year.
• Garbage collector - Collects refuse on a designated municipal route and transports trash to disposal plants or landfill areas. Works an average of 42.5 hours per week and earns about $30,189 per year.
• Welder - Joins or repairs metal surfaces through the application of heat. Works an average of 45 hours per week and earns about $33,127 per year.
• Roustabout - Performs routine physical labor and maintenance on oil rigs and pipelines, both on and off shore. Works an average of 50 hours per week and earns about $29,140 per year.
• Ironworker - Raises the steel framework of buildings, bridges and other structures. Works an average of 45 hours per week and earns about $32,129 per year.