1. Nuclear engineering
2. Chemical engineering
3. Aerospace engineering
4. Nanotechnolgy
5. Medical
6. Law
7. Management Information System / Database Security
I really don't see the demand for nuclear, chem, and aerospace engineering. I have relatives in all three areas. Nanotech is a winner, imho. As LSP noted, medical reimbursement continues to slide. Law... don't know. Probably not a huge growth area, especially with internet outfits doing the simple bread and butter stuff really cheap. MIS/DB? Isn't this kind of moving down the expertise ladder, becoming kind of a commodity job? I may be off base on that. If the goal is to maximize money by, say, age 40, consider getting into one of the trades like plumbing, electrical, auto mechanics, HVAC. Make good money while your friends are in school running up huge debts. Learn to invest, and invest early and heavily. By the time your friends get their student loans paid off, you can retire, or go to school. Think about it. Anyway, everything on the list except nanotech is kind of yesterday's big thing. Of course, in ten years, nanotech might be that too, but probably not. I think it will have pretty good legs. A possible angle for ChemE is new sustainable processes, and replacements for petroleum. All IMHO, of course.