For some of us, college is far away, but for others, it’s right around the corner. No one has to know what they wants to do with their life, yet; there is plenty of time for that. However, like all decisions, it’s helpful to know all the different areas you might be interested in, and with any luck, some of these areas may give you fulfillment, opportunity, and fortune.

Recently, employment rates in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers have increased. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupations with fast employment rates include the following: biomedical engineering, civil engineering, petroleum engineering, statistics, web development, environmental engineering, information security analysis, and operations research analysis.

Most of these occupations require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, but others will need you to obtain a master’s degree.

STEM careers that have more job openings consist of software development, computer programming, industrial engineering, electrical engineering, network and computer systems administration, and mechanical engineering.

By this point you may be thinking, “Wow, it seems like a lot of these jobs have to do with technology.” Don’t worry. There are other fields out there that might catch your eye. Take biology, for instance, which branches into fields such as ecology, genetics, zoology, botany, and microbiology.

Other fields include physics, astronomy, geology, chemistry, oceanography, meteorology, sociology, and offshoots of these different areas.

Engineering is another field with a wide variety of choices, ranging from environmental engineering, biomedical engineering, genetic engineering, mechanical engineering, marine engineering, aerospace engineering, civil engineering; the list goes on.

Now comes the important part: money. While it is good to have enough money to live comfortably, a desire for wealth should not overpower your true passions. However, if you are interested in science, technology, engineering, or math, there are careers you might consider pursuing that will give you prosperity in addition to happiness.

According to Forbes.com, the top ten highest paying STEM careers are petroleum engineering, nuclear engineering, marine engineering, chemical engineering, computer and information research science, aerospace engineering, marine architecture, nuclear medicine technology, business intelligence analysis, and software development.

Whether your interests lie among the advancement of an innovative world or uncovering the laws of nature, there is a STEM career out there for you.