The 50 occupations with the highest projected employment growth from 2025 to 2035, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment across all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%. Only occupations with at least 10,000 jobs are ranked.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth 2025–2035 | Openings / yr | Typical education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Nurse Practitioners | $132,300 | +41% | 29,400 | Master's degree |
| 2. Solar Photovoltaic Installers | $53,140 | +36.5% | 4,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 3. Data Scientists | $120,230 | +34.6% | 24,800 | Bachelor's degree |
| 4. Wind Turbine Service Technicians | $64,120 | +29.5% | 1,500 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| 5. Medical and Health Services Managers | $123,860 | +24.2% | 62,300 | Bachelor's degree |
| 6. Physical Therapist Assistants | $68,380 | +23% | 18,500 | Associate's degree |
| 7. Psychiatric Technicians | $45,130 | +22.3% | 17,000 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| 8. Computer and Information Research Scientists | $140,300 | +21.8% | 2,900 | Master's degree |
| 9. Occupational Therapy Assistants | $72,300 | +21.5% | 8,100 | Associate's degree |
| 10. Ophthalmic Medical Technicians | $45,570 | +21.4% | 11,800 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| 11. Physician Assistants | $135,880 | +21.1% | 11,500 | Master's degree |
| 12. Information Security Analysts | $129,180 | +21% | 14,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| 13. Hearing Aid Specialists | $65,160 | +19.4% | 900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 14. Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | $61,560 | +19.4% | 3,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 15. Epidemiologists | $87,220 | +18.7% | 800 | Master's degree |
| 16. Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | +18.5% | 17,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| 17. Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $59,350 | +18.4% | 50,500 | Master's degree |
| 18. Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $35,800 | +18.1% | 760,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 19. Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $107,310 | +17.9% | 24,900 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 20. Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $64,520 | +17.8% | 44,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 21. Logisticians | $82,320 | +17.6% | 26,600 | Bachelor's degree |
| 22. Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $80,250 | +17.1% | 8,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 23. Speech-Language Pathologists | $97,870 | +16.6% | 12,500 | Master's degree |
| 24. Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars | $68,020 | +15.9% | 3,000 | Associate's degree |
| 25. Computer and Information Systems Managers | $175,140 | +15.8% | 53,500 | Bachelor's degree |
| 26. Massage Therapists | $58,450 | +15.3% | 20,400 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| 27. Occupational Therapists | $100,330 | +14.8% | 10,000 | Master's degree |
| 28. Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $96,590 | +13.9% | 6,000 | Associate's degree |
| 29. Marriage and Family Therapists | $66,940 | +13.5% | 6,900 | Master's degree |
| 30. Forensic Science Technicians | $72,060 | +13.3% | 2,800 | Bachelor's degree |
| 31. Medical Assistants | $45,690 | +12.9% | 109,700 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| 32. Exercise Physiologists | $59,460 | +12.8% | 1,400 | Bachelor's degree |
| 33. Athletic Trainers | $62,520 | +12.7% | 2,400 | Master's degree |
| 34. Community Health Workers | $51,850 | +12.7% | 7,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 35. Medical Equipment Repairers | $61,660 | +12.6% | 8,200 | Associate's degree |
| 36. Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 | +12.6% | 10,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 37. Therapists, All Other | $77,930 | +12.6% | 3,600 | Bachelor's degree |
| 38. Industrial Engineers | $102,440 | +12.4% | 23,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| 39. Biochemists and Biophysicists | $127,410 | +12.3% | 2,900 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 40. Animal Caretakers | $35,360 | +12.1% | 62,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 41. Cooks, Restaurant | $37,390 | +12.1% | 218,600 | No formal educational credential |
| 42. Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians | $82,890 | +11.9% | 1,100 | Associate's degree |
| 43. Operations Research Analysts | $88,940 | +11.9% | 7,500 | Bachelor's degree |
| 44. Physical Therapists | $102,760 | +11.9% | 13,400 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 45. Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $100,580 | +11.7% | 4,100 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 46. Taxi Drivers | $42,100 | +11.5% | 20,400 | No formal educational credential |
| 47. Mechanical Engineers | $104,110 | +11.2% | 17,800 | Bachelor's degree |
| 48. Audiologists | $95,780 | +11% | 600 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 49. Statisticians | $105,650 | +11% | 1,900 | Master's degree |
| 50. Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $61,010 | +10.9% | 40,600 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
Sources: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 (growth, openings, education) and BLS OEWS May 2025 national medians. Openings are yearly averages and include replacement of workers who leave.
