The best and worst jobs for 2018

As 2017 comes to a close, Americans have big hopes for the new year. Matt Ferguson, CEO of job site CareerBuilder, says workers can expect positive job growth in 2018 and beyond.

"We expect the unemployment rate to remain in the low 4 percent range and may even drop into the high 3 percent range in 2018," he told CNBC.

But not every industry is going to have the same positive gowth in the new year. Check out the best and worst industries and jobs for 2018:

5. Publishing

Cause for decline: handheld devices and technology
Jobs: publishers and advertising sales agents

4. Certain Segments of Manufacturing

Cause for decline: automation
Jobs: fabric and apparel patternmakers and drilling and boring machine tool setters

3. Journalism

Cause for decline: change in the way people consume their news
Jobs: reporters, correspondents and broadcast news analysts

2. Farming

Cause for decline: younger farmers have declined over the last decade
Jobs: farmers, ranchers and logging workers

1. Oil & Gas

Cause for decline: drops in production levels
Jobs: rotary drill operators and petroleum engineers

5. Finance

Cause for growth: aging population and increasingly complex financial portfolios
Jobs: statisticians and personal financial advisors

4. Sales and Customer Service

Cause for growth: importance of brand and the bottom line
Jobs: Customer service representatives, market research analysts and marketing specialists

3. Health Care

Cause for growth: aging population
Jobs: registered nurses and home health aides

2. Technology

Cause for growth: automation
Jobs: software developers and computer and information systems managers

1. Skilled Labor

Cause for growth: improvements to public and private infrastructure
Jobs: Construction laborers, plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters

Ferguson estimates that industries like farming and manufacturing are going to face serious stress during 2018. "Publishing is another area that will be under stress," he says. "When you think of newspapers and publications and periodicals, those will probably have fewer people producing that product as well as selling that product."

Topping CareerBuilder's list of best jobs for 2018 was skilled labor. Ferguson said that the demand for skilled labor like construction workers, plumbers and steamfitters means that Americans should invest in vocational education.

"With skilled tradespeople, there's a high demand, there's a lower supply," he said. "I think we need to do more to provide that education in high school and in trade schools after high school. ... Not everybody should go to a traditional four-year institution."

However, other sectors that are going to experience job growth in 2018 like technology, healthcare and finance require significant amounts of formal schooling. It is safe to say that in order to land a job as a software developer or a statistician, you are going to have to stay in school.

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