Indeed Best Jobs 2026: Cardiac Medical Technician No. 1

This year’s best jobs for 2026 are led by specialized skilled roles in health care and technology, with cardiac medical technician ranked No. 1.

Indeed released its Best Jobs for 2026 list and said it built the ranking using several factors, including how often jobs appear in listings on the platform, the median wage by occupation, wage growth from 2022–2025, and the increase in job postings.

According to the platform, postings for cardiac medical technicians increased 34% since 2022, and wages for the role also rose 34%. The median annual salary was $133,907, the platform said.

No. 2 on the list was a truck driver—specifically an owner-operator truck driver—with a median annual salary of $160,000. Indeed said wages for the role fell 5% over the past three years, but job postings rose 39%, citing a continuing shortage of skilled drivers in the transportation and logistics market.

Health care roles were especially prominent in the rankings. Indeed said 40% of the top 50 jobs were in health care.

No. 3 was a nurse practitioner (NP), with a median annual salary of $143,183. No. 4 was a speech-language pathologist at $109,431, followed by a licensed professional counselor at $107,812 and a licensed clinical social worker at $119,618, the list showed.

Indeed also reported that jobs ranked No. 7 through No. 9—physical therapist, occupational therapist, and radiation therapist—each had median incomes of more than $100,000, reinforcing the strength of health care occupations in the top tier.

While some observers have raised concerns that technology jobs could shrink in the age of artificial intelligence, Indeed said tech roles remained visible in the rankings. A data scientist ranked No. 10 and was the only tech job in the top 10. Expanding to the full top 50, the list also included SAP consultant (No. 24), software engineer (No. 28), and business intelligence developer (No. 29).

Some skilled trade roles also ranked highly. Indeed said the labor market is being reassessed as it views certain fields as less affected by AI. An HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) technician ranked No. 16, and a field technician ranked No. 26.

Laura Ulrich, head of economic research at Indeed, said hands-on field jobs carry lower AI risk. She said that even if some automation progresses, work involving physical equipment and facilities is difficult to replace.

BY HOONSIK WOO [woo.hoonsik@koreadaily.com]