Even though job growth seems to be slowing in many sectors, the healthcare field is likely to keep thriving in the coming years.
According to a recent forecast from the Labor Statistics Bureau, jobs in Healthcare and Social Aid are expected to account for nearly 40% of total employment growth over the next decade, adding close to 2 million new positions.
The trend is already evident. Healthcare and social assistance sectors are dominating almost 90% of the gains in all private sector employment reported so far this year.
Two critical factors—an aging population and rising rates of chronic illnesses—are driving the demand for some of the fastest-growing roles, including nurses, physician assistants, and physical therapy assistants.
Moreover, the professional, scientific, and technical services sector is projected to expand more rapidly than the average, fueled in part by the increasing amount of data and advancements in artificial intelligence. There’s a keen expectation for data scientists and information security analysts to be particularly sought after.
While renewable energy roles like wind turbine technicians and solar panel installers are predicted to grow quickly, they are expected to contribute only around 20,000 new jobs collectively.
The latest estimates from the Bureau indicate that the overall U.S. economy will likely see 5.2 million new jobs created between 2024 and 2034. This marks a 3% increase in total employment, which is a significant drop from the 13% growth observed from 2014 to 2024.
Here are ten roles that the Labor Bureau predicts will see the fastest growth in the next decade.
Median annual wage data is based on figures from May 2024.
1 – Wind Turbine Service Engineer
- Projected growth rate (2024-2034): 50%
- Projected increase: 6,800 jobs
- Median annual wage: $62,580
2 – Solar Power Installer
- Forecast growth rate (2024-2034): 42%
- Projected increase: 12,000 jobs
- Median annual wage: $51,860
3 – Nurse Practitioner
- Forecast growth rate (2024-2034): 40%
- Projected increase: 128,400 jobs
- Median annual wage: $129,210
4 – Data Scientist
- Forecast growth rate (2024-2034): 34%
- Projected increase: 82,500 jobs
- Median annual wage: $112,590
5 – Information Security Analyst
- Forecast growth rate (2024-2034): 29%
- Projected increase: 52,100 jobs
- Median annual wage: $124,910
6 – Medical and Health Services Manager
- Forecast growth rate (2024-2034): 23%
- Projected increase: 142,900 jobs
- Median annual wage: $117,960
7 – Physical Therapist Assistant
- Forecast growth rate (2024-2034): 22%
- Projected increase: 24,500 jobs
- Median annual wage: $65,510
8 – Actual
- Forecast growth rate (2024-2034): 22%
- Projected increase: 7,300 jobs
- Median annual wage: $125,770
9 – Operations Research Analyst
- Forecast growth rate (2024-2034): 21%
- Projected increase: 24,100 jobs
- Median annual wage: $91,290
10 – Physician Assistant
- Forecast growth rate (2024-2034): 20%
- Projected increase: 33,200 jobs
- Median annual wage: $133,260
