Fastest-growing jobs (BLS projections)
Updated Oct 31, 2026
Occupations with the largest projected employment growth over the next decade, from the BLS Employment Projections.
Largest projected employment growth(50 occupations)
| # | Occupation | Median pay | In 10 yrs | Outlook | AI risk | Growth (10 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nurse Practitioners Healthcare · 323K workers |
$132,300 | $186,600est. | 79/100 | 37% | +41.0% |
| 2 | Solar Photovoltaic Installers Construction · 31K workers |
$53,140 | $75,000est. | 78/100 | 10% | +36.5% |
| 3 | Data Scientists AI & Data · 262K workers |
$120,230 | $166,500est. | 65/100 | 73% | +34.6% |
| 4 | Wind Turbine Service Technicians Manufacturing & Repair · 9,980 workers |
$64,120 | $90,400est. | 74/100 | 33% | +29.5% |
| 5 | Medical and Health Services Managers Management & Consulting · 597K workers |
$123,860 | $174,700est. | 73/100 | 65% | +24.2% |
| 6 | Physical Therapist Assistants Caregiving · 112K workers |
$68,380 | $96,500est. | 81/100 | 15% | +23.0% |
| 7 | Psychiatric Technicians Healthcare · 157K workers |
$45,130 | $63,700est. | 67/100 | 22% | +22.3% |
| 8 | Computer and Information Research Scientists IT & Software · 37K workers |
$140,300 | $187,800est. | 64/100 | 81% | +21.8% |
| 9 | Occupational Therapy Assistants Caregiving · 51K workers |
$72,300 | $102,000est. | 80/100 | 15% | +21.5% |
| 10 | Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Healthcare · 71K workers |
$45,570 | $64,300est. | 67/100 | 38% | +21.4% |
| 11 | Physician Assistants Healthcare · 162K workers |
$135,880 | $191,700est. | 72/100 | 39% | +21.1% |
| 12 | Information Security Analysts IT & Software · 191K workers |
$129,180 | $174,300est. | 63/100 | 77% | +21.0% |
| 13 | Occupational Health and Safety Technicians · 31K workers |
$61,560 | $86,300est. | 67/100 | 61% | +19.4% |
| 14 | Hearing Aid Specialists Healthcare · 11K workers |
$65,160 | $91,900est. | 66/100 | 35% | +19.4% |
| 15 | Epidemiologists Engineering & Science · 12K workers |
$87,220 | $118,800est. | 60/100 | 70% | +18.7% |
| 16 | Occupational Health and Safety Specialists · 141K workers |
$90,150 | $126,200est. | 73/100 | 60% | +18.5% |
| 17 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary Education · 221K workers |
$107,310 | $151,400est. | 79/100 | 46% | +17.9% |
| 18 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics Manufacturing & Repair · 440K workers |
$64,520 | $91,000est. | 74/100 | 26% | +17.8% |
| 19 | Logisticians Logistics · 251K workers |
$82,320 | $112,100est. | 68/100 | 68% | +17.6% |
| 20 | Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary Education · 78K workers |
$80,250 | $113,200est. | 75/100 | 48% | +17.1% |
| 21 | Speech-Language Pathologists Healthcare · 183K workers |
$97,870 | $138,100est. | 70/100 | 37% | +16.6% |
| 22 | Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars Healthcare · 38K workers |
$68,020 | $95,900est. | 73/100 | 15% | +15.9% |
| 23 | Computer and Information Systems Managers Management & Consulting · 671K workers |
$175,140 | $238,600est. | 68/100 | 65% | +15.8% |
| 24 | Massage Therapists Caregiving · 99K workers |
$58,450 | $82,400est. | 76/100 | 18% | +15.3% |
| 25 | Occupational Therapists Healthcare · 162K workers |
$100,330 | $141,500est. | 73/100 | 19% | +14.8% |
| 26 | Diagnostic Medical Sonographers Healthcare · 90K workers |
$96,590 | $136,200est. | 66/100 | 38% | +13.9% |
| 27 | Marriage and Family Therapists Social Services · 67K workers |
$66,940 | $94,400est. | 70/100 | 47% | +13.5% |
| 28 | Forensic Science Technicians Engineering & Science · 19K workers |
$72,060 | $101,400est. | 70/100 | 49% | +13.3% |
| 29 | Orthotists and Prosthetists Healthcare · 9,390 workers |
$81,110 | $114,400est. | 74/100 | 22% | +12.9% |
| 30 | Medical Assistants Caregiving · 818K workers |
$45,690 | $64,400est. | 63/100 | 43% | +12.9% |
| 31 | Exercise Physiologists Healthcare · 8,560 workers |
$59,460 | $83,900est. | 74/100 | 30% | +12.8% |
| 32 | Community Health Workers Social Services · 62K workers |
$51,850 | $73,100est. | 70/100 | 34% | +12.7% |
| 33 | Athletic Trainers Healthcare · 30K workers |
$62,520 | $88,200est. | 70/100 | 25% | +12.7% |
| 34 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists Engineering & Science · 172K workers |
$103,410 | $139,500est. | 64/100 | 63% | +12.6% |
| 35 | Therapists, All Other Healthcare · 23K workers |
$77,930 | $109,900est. | 86/100 | 15% | +12.6% |
| 36 | Medical Equipment Repairers Manufacturing & Repair · 66K workers |
$61,660 | $87,000est. | 70/100 | 38% | +12.6% |
| 37 | Industrial Engineers Engineering & Science · 366K workers |
$102,440 | $138,500est. | 63/100 | 62% | +12.4% |
| 38 | Biochemists and Biophysicists Engineering & Science · 34K workers |
$127,410 | $170,200est. | 68/100 | 66% | +12.3% |
| 39 | Cooks, Restaurant Food Service · 1.4M workers |
$37,390 | $52,700est. | 65/100 | 19% | +12.1% |
| 40 | Animal Caretakers · 267K workers |
$35,360 | $49,900est. | 65/100 | 27% | +12.1% |
| 41 | Operations Research Analysts Engineering & Science · 109K workers |
$88,940 | $116,500est. | 59/100 | 72% | +11.9% |
| 42 | Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians Engineering & Science · 11K workers |
$82,890 | $114,400est. | 67/100 | 54% | +11.9% |
| 43 | Physical Therapists Healthcare · 267K workers |
$102,760 | $145,000est. | 72/100 | 18% | +11.9% |
| 44 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologists · 76K workers |
$100,580 | $133,900est. | 61/100 | 66% | +11.7% |
| 45 | Nurse Midwives Healthcare · 7,920 workers |
$134,040 | $189,100est. | 71/100 | 27% | +11.5% |
| 46 | Taxi Drivers Transportation · 41K workers |
$42,100 | $59,100est. | 65/100 | 40% | +11.5% |
| 47 | Mechanical Engineers Engineering & Science · 297K workers |
$104,110 | $139,900est. | 62/100 | 62% | +11.2% |
| 48 | Statisticians AI & Data · 29K workers |
$105,650 | $137,000est. | 59/100 | 74% | +11.0% |
| 49 | Audiologists Healthcare · 14K workers |
$95,780 | $134,100est. | 65/100 | 40% | +11.0% |
| 50 | Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Manufacturing & Repair · 410K workers |
$61,010 | $85,200est. | 69/100 | 43% | +10.9% |
Pay and employment figures are national statistics (U.S.: BLS OEWS and Employment Projections; Japan: MHLW job tag). Projected pay, outlook scores and AI replacement risk are estimates from the Shigoto Zukan model, not guarantees. How to read the data