2. Actuary: The job of actuary is ranked second by CareerCast as the best job of 2012. These professionals are highly trained statistician with the knowledge in evaluating various types of risks like accidents, sickness, and death, and loss of property from theft and natural disasters. They play the main role in setting the terms and conditions of insurance policies, including premium rates. Actuaries bag annual average salary of $88,202. According to the CareerCast report the ranking of this profession has moved up one spot in number second position this year. The hiring outlook in this profession seems to be quite strong. Professionals working in this field also enjoy great working conditions; therefore, the job of an actuary manages to get an overall score of 226.00.