The 25 Worst Jobs For Salary Growth

We recently laid out the best jobs for pay raises and growth — a new report from financial tools startup SmartAsset. While half of the top 10 careers were in healthcare — showing that these professionals can easily and quickly move up and make more — a recent report from PayScale found that this most definitely isn't an industry-wide trend. 

In fact, healthcare jobs dominated PayScale's list of the worst professions for salary growth. 

To compile its ranking of jobs with the slowest salary growth, PayScale examined the median pay for over 2,000 professions over a 20-year period. They found that pay raises are especially hard to come by in healthcare jobs, including pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and anesthesiologists.

While college professors took the No. 1 spot, the next 10 jobs on the list are in healthcare.

PayScale's lead economist Katie Bardaro notes that healthcare jobs are "somewhat unique," because, while they tend to offer above-average starting salaries, "much of their training happens in school or shortly after starting their career," she explains. "Therefore, they start out with high earnings, due to the barriers of entry associated with these jobs like advanced education, but don't see much accumulated growth as they are basically trained right out the door."

However, this doesn't mean that the outlook for these salaries won't catch up to other, faster growing healthcare jobs. "New technologies and methodologies mean on-the-job training for some healthcare positions is likely to pick up steam in coming years," Bardaro says.

In the meantime, here are the 25 worst jobs for salary growth, according to PayScale, with job descriptions from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

25. Program Coordinator, Non-Profit Organization

They coordinate and supervise social service programs and community organizations and direct and lead staff who provide services to the public.

Growth rate: 29.1%

First year median pay: $33,000

20th year median pay: $42,600

24. Veterinarian

Veterinarians diagnose, treat, and research medical conditions and diseases of pets, livestock, and other animals.

Growth rate: 29.0%

First year median pay: $65,600

20th year median pay: $84,600

23. Licensed Professional Counselor

Counselors work with individuals and groups to promote optimum mental and emotional health by helping patients deal with addictions and substance abuse; family, parenting, and marital problems; stress management; and self-esteem.

Growth rate: 28.5%

First year median pay: $41,700

20th year median pay: $53,600