If you are looking for the hottest jobs in the hottest markets in the nation, you will have to go south. According to the latest issue of Business 2.0, 14 out of 15 fast growing job markets in US are located in the southern states, with Florida hosting 5 of them.

Based on a 2-year job-growth forecast, the top 15 fastest growing job markets and the hottest jobs in these markets are:

1. Orlando, FL — 2-year job-growth forecast: 6.8%

Senior mechanical engineer: $80,400

Physician’s assistant: $76,000

IT project manager: $75,200

Construction project manager: $71,200

Electrical engineer: $64,900

2. Las Vegas, NV — 2-year job-growth forecast: 6.5%

Construction project manager: $78,800

IT project manager: $74,600

Construction superintendent: $71,900

Civil engineer: $70,000

Executive chef: $65,500

3. Raleigh, NC — 2-year job-growth forecast: 5.8%

Senior software developer: $91,000

Software project manager: $87,300

Senior network engineer: $84,100

IT project manager: $83,300

Pharmaceuticals project manager: $82,300

Biotech research scientist: $75,300

4. Charlotte, NC — 2-year job-growth forecast: 5.7%

IT project manager: $83,000

Senior software developer: $82,900

Regional sales manager: $80,500

Senior financial analyst: $72,900

Construction project manager: $71,200

5. Phoenix, AZ — 2-year job-growth forecast: 5.6%

Senior software developer: $84,800

IT project manager: $78,600

Semiconductor process engineer: $78,000

Physician’s assistant: $76,200

Construction project manager: $74,000

6. West Palm Beach, FL — 2-year job-growth forecast: 5.4%

Senior software developer: $86,100

Senior mechanical engineer: $81,800

IT project manager: $80,400

Construction project manager: $73,200

Construction superintendent: $73,000

7. Tampa, FL — 2-year job-growth forecast: 5.3%

Senior software developer: $80,900

Senior IT systems engineer: $75,500

IT project manager: $75,000

Nurse practitioner: $70,200

Construction project manager: $67,400

8. Riverside, CA — 2-year job-growth forecast: 5.2%

Physician’s assistant: $78,800

Construction project manager: $77,600

Manufacturing plant manager: $77,200

Construction superintendent: $75,800

Construction estimator: $68,600

9. Austin, TX — 2-year job-growth forecast: 4.9%

Senior software engineer: $97,800

Senior electronics design engineer: $97,500

Senior software developer: $92,700

Computer hardware engineer: $83,600

Semiconductor process engineer: $81,600

10. Atlanta, GA — 2-year job-growth forecast: 4.6%

Regional sales manager: $86,400

Senior software developer: $84,900

IT project manager: $83,000)

Business process/management consultant: $76,500

Senior financial analyst: $72,100

Construction project manager: $70,300

11. Salt Lake City, UT — 2-year job-growth forecast: 4.4%

Senior software developer: $81,600

Electrical engineer: $73,800

IT project manager: $69,200

Financial controller: $67,200

Construction project manager: $65,800

12. Jacksonville, FL — 2-year job-growth forecast: 4.4%

IT project manager: $79,400

Senior software developer: $77,800

Financial controller: $76,800

Physician’s assistant: $75,900

Construction project manager: $74,600

13. Dallas, TX — 2-year job-growth forecast: 4.2%

Senior software developer: $88,500

Operations director: $84,800

IT project manager: $84,500

Regional sales manager: $84,300

Financial controller: $83,200

14. San Antonio, TX –2-year job-growth forecast: 4.2%

Senior software developer: $83,900

Physician’s assistant: $78,400

IT project manager: $76,800

Human resources director: $75,800

Construction project manager: $66,300

15. Fort Lauderdale, FL — 2-year job-growth forecast: 4.1%

Senior software developer: $84,600

Financial controller: $78,600

IT project manager: $75,700

HR director: $73,500

Construction project manager: $72,700

Among the hottest jobs, IT project manager, Senior software developer, and Construction project manager are the most needed as they are popular in 11 of the 15 markets. The average salaries for all the job titles in the report are listed below.

Clearly, IT related jobs are still paying good salary as 9 in the list are either hardware or software jobs. What surprises me, however, is that Physician’s assistant is also a high-paying job now, competing with software developers and IT managers for the top spots. Considering the national shortage of nurses, it does seem to be a natual result though.