50 fastest-growing jobs for the future
Mixed signals in the job market make it difficult for job seekers to understand which career fields will provide stability and good job opportunities. In the first eight months of 2025, the unemployment rate has held steady between 4.0 and 4.3%, yet job growth has seen a slowdown, with 487,000 new jobs added, compared to 1.03 million in the same period a year earlier.
That's not to say that job seekers have a murky future, because some industries are booming. Stacker rounded up and researched the 50 fastest-growing jobs ranked by the projected growth rate between 2024 and 2034 in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Any professions that tied in projected growth were broken by that vocation's 2024 median annual wage. Furthermore, any occupations with the phrase "all other" were not included in the research since these occupations usually entail several similar jobs and cannot give accurate or detailed wage and growth data.
Health care has been the fastest-growing sector over the last year, accounting for 1 in 3 new jobs. Demand is up because more people have access to health care and are using it and spending more on it, according to The New York Times. The future continues to be bright for many jobs in this field, some of which don't require multiple college degrees. Many jobs on this list are within the health care spectrum.
Various repair and technician jobs will also see high growth through 2034, including recreational vehicle technicians, who will be needed to service the record number of RVs shipped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read on to learn about other jobs that hold the promise of a good future.
#50. Athletic trainers
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 11.1%
- Total employment in 2024: 33,900
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +3,800
- 2024 median annual income: $60,250
- Typical entry-level education: Master's degree
#49. Nurse midwives
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 11.1%
- Total employment in 2024: 8,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +900
- 2024 median annual income: $128,790
- Typical entry-level education: Master's degree
#48. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 11.2%
- Total employment in 2024: 76,300
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +8,500
- 2024 median annual income: $95,830
- Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree
#47. Community health workers
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 11.3%
- Total employment in 2024: 65,100
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +7,400
- 2024 median annual income: $51,030
- Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent
#46. Mechanical door repairers
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 11.4%
- Total employment in 2024: 28,400
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +3,200
- 2024 median annual income: $51,050
- Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent
#45. Recreational vehicle service technicians
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 11.5%
- Total employment in 2024: 19,500
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +2,200
- 2024 median annual income: $50,540
- Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent
#44. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 11.9%
- Total employment in 2024: 370,100
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +44,100
- 2024 median annual income: $46,180
- Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent
#43. Computer network architects
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 11.9%
- Total employment in 2024: 179,200
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +21,400
- 2024 median annual income: $130,390
- Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree
#42. Animal caretakers
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 12.1%
- Total employment in 2024: 392,100
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +47,600
- 2024 median annual income: $33,470
- Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent
#41. Respiratory therapists
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 12.1%
- Total employment in 2024: 139,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +16,800
- 2024 median annual income: $80,450
- Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree
#40. Medical assistants
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 12.5%
- Total employment in 2024: 811,000
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +101,200
- 2024 median annual income: $44,200
- Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award
#39. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 12.5%
- Total employment in 2024: 131,900
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +16,500
- 2024 median annual income: $83,910
- Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree
#38. Marriage and family therapists
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 12.6%
- Total employment in 2024: 77,800
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +9,800
- 2024 median annual income: $63,780
- Typical entry-level education: Master's degree
#37. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 12.8%
- Total employment in 2024: 28,300
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +3,600
- 2024 median annual income: $65,670
- Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award
#36. Forensic science technicians
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 12.8%
- Total employment in 2024: 20,700
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +2,600
- 2024 median annual income: $67,440
- Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree
#35. Medical equipment repairers
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 12.9%
- Total employment in 2024: 68,000
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +8,800
- 2024 median annual income: $62,630
- Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree
#34. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 13%
- Total employment in 2024: 90,000
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +11,700
- 2024 median annual income: $89,340
- Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree
#33. Orthotists and prosthetists
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 13.3%
- Total employment in 2024: 10,100
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +1,300
- 2024 median annual income: $78,310
- Typical entry-level education: Master's degree
#32. Occupational therapists
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 13.8%
- Total employment in 2024: 160,000
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +22,100
- 2024 median annual income: $98,340
- Typical entry-level education: Master's degree
#31. Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 14.6%
- Total employment in 2024: 2,900
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +400
- 2024 median annual income: $52,380
- Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent
#30. Health information technologists and medical registrars
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 14.7%
- Total employment in 2024: 41,900
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +6,200
- 2024 median annual income: $67,310
- Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree
#29. Financial managers
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 14.8%
- Total employment in 2024: 868,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +128,800
- 2024 median annual income: $161,700
- Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree
#28. Cooks, restaurant
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 14.9%
- Total employment in 2024: 1,460,200
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +217,000
- 2024 median annual income: $36,830
- Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential
#27. Speech-language pathologists
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 15%
- Total employment in 2024: 187,400
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +28,200
- 2024 median annual income: $95,410
- Typical entry-level education: Master's degree
#26. Computer and information systems managers
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 15.2%
- Total employment in 2024: 667,100
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +101,600
- 2024 median annual income: $171,200
- Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree
#25. Massage therapists
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 15.4%
- Total employment in 2024: 168,000
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +25,900
- 2024 median annual income: $57,950
- Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award
#24. Software developers
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 15.8%
- Total employment in 2024: 1,693,800
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +267,700
- 2024 median annual income: $133,080
- Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree
#23. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 16.1%
- Total employment in 2024: 439,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +70,700
- 2024 median annual income: $63,760
- Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent
#22. Epidemiologists
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 16.2%
- Total employment in 2024: 12,300
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +2,000
- 2024 median annual income: $83,980
- Typical entry-level education: Master's degree
#21. Logisticians
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 16.7%
- Total employment in 2024: 241,000
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +40,300
- 2024 median annual income: $80,880
- Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree
#20. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 16.8%
- Total employment in 2024: 483,500
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +81,000
- 2024 median annual income: $59,190
- Typical entry-level education: Master's degree
#19. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 16.8%
- Total employment in 2024: 91,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +15,300
- 2024 median annual income: $79,940
- Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree
#18. Home health and personal care aides
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 17%
- Total employment in 2024: 4,347,700
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +739,800
- 2024 median annual income: $34,900
- Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent
#17. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 17.3%
- Total employment in 2024: 289,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +50,100
- 2024 median annual income: $105,620
- Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree
#16. Hearing aid specialists
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 18.4%
- Total employment in 2024: 10,700
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +2,000
- 2024 median annual income: $61,560
- Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent
#15. Financial examiners
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 18.5%
- Total employment in 2024: 65,100
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +12,100
- 2024 median annual income: $90,400
- Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree
#14. Occupational therapy assistants
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 19.2%
- Total employment in 2024: 49,200
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +9,500
- 2024 median annual income: $68,340
- Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree
#13. Computer and information research scientists
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 19.7%
- Total employment in 2024: 40,300
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +7,900
- 2024 median annual income: $140,910
- Typical entry-level education: Master's degree
#12. Ophthalmic medical technicians
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 19.8%
- Total employment in 2024: 78,800
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +15,600
- 2024 median annual income: $44,080
- Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award
#11. Psychiatric technicians
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 20%
- Total employment in 2024: 144,500
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +28,900
- 2024 median annual income: $42,590
- Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award
#10. Physician assistants
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 20.4%
- Total employment in 2024: 162,700
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +33,200
- 2024 median annual income: $133,260
- Typical entry-level education: Master's degree
#9. Operations research analysts
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 21.5%
- Total employment in 2024: 112,100
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +24,100
- 2024 median annual income: $91,290
- Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree
#8. Actuaries
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 21.8%
- Total employment in 2024: 33,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +7,300
- 2024 median annual income: $125,770
- Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree
#7. Physical therapist assistants
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 22%
- Total employment in 2024: 111,500
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +24,500
- 2024 median annual income: $65,510
- Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree
#6. Medical and health services managers
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 23.2%
- Total employment in 2024: 616,200
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +142,900
- 2024 median annual income: $117,960
- Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree
#5. Information security analysts
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 28.5%
- Total employment in 2024: 182,800
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +52,100
- 2024 median annual income: $124,910
- Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree
#4. Data scientists
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 33.5%
- Total employment in 2024: 245,900
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +82,500
- 2024 median annual income: $112,590
- Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree
#3. Nurse practitioners
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 40.1%
- Total employment in 2024: 320,400
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +128,400
- 2024 median annual income: $129,210
- Typical entry-level education: Master's degree
#2. Solar photovoltaic installers
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 42.1%
- Total employment in 2024: 28,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +12,000
- 2024 median annual income: $51,860
- Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent
#1. Wind turbine service technicians
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 49.9%
- Total employment in 2024: 13,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +6,800
- 2024 median annual income: $62,580
- Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award
Data reporting by Wade Zhou.
© Stacker Media, LLC.
This story was originally published September 26, 2025 at 5:00 AM.