The 10 fastest-growing jobs of the next decade, according to BLS—many can pay 6 figures
Despite slower job growth compared to the last decade, the U.S. economy is expected to add 5.2 million new jobs from 2024 to 2034, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. employment projection report. Total employment is expected to increase by 3.1%.
According to the report, the highest-growing industrial sectors for 2034 are healthcare and social assistance and professional, scientific and technical services, with projected growth rates of 8.4% and 7.5%, respectively.
The fastest growing occupational groups within these sectors are healthcare support, which includes roles such as nurse practitioner and physician assistant, and computer and mathematics roles such as data scientist and information security analyst. These groups are expected to grow by 12.4% and 10.1%, respectively.
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics branch chief Emily Krutsch, one of the main reasons why the healthcare industry is expected to grow so rapidly is the aging of the American population.
“That’s actually what’s driving this trend: the older population tends to have a greater need for this type of care and services,” he says.
According to Krutsch, with the rise of artificial intelligence technology, the roles of computers and mathematics will become increasingly important.
“We expect an increase in employment growth in occupations related to the development, testing and application of such tools,” says Krutsch.
Relatedly, information security analyst roles are predicted to grow significantly due to the “increasing need to protect data and develop systems and tools to secure that data.”
Krutsch emphasizes that the growth rate for every business is not the only important data point to consider.
For example, wind turbine service technicians and solar photovoltaic installers are the two fastest-growing occupations, but both occupations combined will add just under 20,000 jobs by 2034.
“Just because we’re talking about rapid growth doesn’t necessarily mean lots of jobs, because it could be a very, very small profession,” says Krutsch.
These are the fastest-growing occupations for 2034, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as well as the expected growth in jobs through 2034 and the current average salary for each role.
1. Wind turbine service technicians
Growth rate: 50%
2024 average salary: $62,580
Jobs added by 2034: 6,800
2. Solar photovoltaic installers
Growth rate: 42%
2024 average salary: $51,860
Number of jobs added by 2034: 12,000
3. Nurse practitioners
Growth rate: 40%
2024 average salary: $129,210
Jobs added by 2034: 128,400
4. Data scientists
Growth rate: 34%
2024 average salary: $112,590
Jobs added by 2034: 82,500
5. Information security analysts
Growth rate: 29%
2024 average salary: $124,910
Jobs added by 2034: 52,100
6. Medical and healthcare managers
Growth rate: 23%
2024 average salary: $117,960
Jobs added by 2034: 142,900
7. Physiotherapist assistants
Growth rate: 22%
2024 average salary: $65,510
Jobs added by 2034: 24,500
8. Actuaries
Growth rate: 22%
2024 average salary: $125,770
Jobs added by 2034: 7,300
9. Operations research analysts
Growth rate: 21%
2024 average salary: $91,290
Jobs added by 2034: 24,100
10. Physician assistants
Growth rate: 20%
2024 average salary: $133,260
Jobs added by 2034: 33,200
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