Healthcare is one of the brightest spots in the US employment picture. Americans are living longer and healthier lives, but the United States spends more than any other developed country on healthcare relative to its economy. The high cost of healthcare in the United States is attributed to the use of sophisticated expensive medical equipment, expensive prescription drugs and an increasingly elderly population, among other factors.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports that health care practitioners and technical occupations are projected to add nearly 1.8 million jobs and grow by more than 25 percent through 2014-- twice as fast as the average for all occupations. Registered nurses—by far the largest occupation in the group—should account for two-fifths of new jobs.

This is just a sample of what you'll find in the complete United States guide.