Occupations with the most job openings (2025–2035)
The 50 occupations with the most projected openings per year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include new jobs plus jobs left by workers who retire or change occupations.
Top 50
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth 2025–2035 | Openings / yr | Typical education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Fast Food and Counter Workers | $31,200 | +5.8% | 827,400 | No formal educational credential |
| 2. Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $35,800 | +18.1% | 760,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 3. Cashiers | $32,880 | -6.5% | 521,300 | No formal educational credential |
| 4. Retail Salespersons | $35,410 | -0.3% | 520,600 | No formal educational credential |
| 5. Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,330 | +8.9% | 430,700 | No formal educational credential |
| 6. Waiters and Waitresses | $35,230 | +2% | 423,100 | No formal educational credential |
| 7. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $40,240 | +1.8% | 340,500 | No formal educational credential |
| 8. Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $36,840 | +2.2% | 321,800 | No formal educational credential |
| 9. Customer Service Representatives | $44,770 | -5.3% | 289,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 10. General and Operations Managers | $105,770 | +5% | 285,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| 11. Office Clerks, General | $45,010 | -6% | 249,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 12. Cooks, Restaurant | $37,390 | +12.1% | 218,600 | No formal educational credential |
| 13. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,640 | +3.8% | 214,500 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| 14. Nursing Assistants | $42,260 | +2.6% | 196,200 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| 15. Registered Nurses | $97,550 | +5.6% | 180,800 | Bachelor's degree |
| 16. Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | $36,780 | -0.3% | 176,200 | Some college, no degree |
| 17. Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $35,510 | +0.6% | 175,500 | No formal educational credential |
| 18. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,080 | +5.4% | 171,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 19. Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,540 | -6% | 163,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 20. Security Guards | $38,020 | +0.9% | 156,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 21. Childcare Workers | $34,980 | -2% | 150,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 22. Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | $39,150 | +4.7% | 149,500 | No formal educational credential |
| 23. Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | $49,590 | +4.2% | 148,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 24. Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $50,670 | -5.6% | 144,100 | Some college, no degree |
| 25. Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $44,650 | +1.1% | 138,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 26. Food Preparation Workers | $35,320 | -3% | 135,700 | No formal educational credential |
| 27. First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $69,500 | +0.1% | 127,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 28. Bartenders | $34,340 | +5% | 121,200 | No formal educational credential |
| 29. Construction Laborers | $47,120 | +7.3% | 120,000 | No formal educational credential |
| 30. Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $69,990 | +2.7% | 115,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 31. Accountants and Auditors | $83,680 | +5% | 115,300 | Bachelor's degree |
| 32. First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | $48,520 | -3.7% | 113,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 33. Medical Assistants | $45,690 | +12.9% | 109,700 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| 34. Light Truck Drivers | $44,860 | +6.3% | 107,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 35. Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,200 | +3.4% | 107,100 | No formal educational credential |
| 36. Receptionists and Information Clerks | $38,010 | -1.7% | 105,100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 37. Managers, All Other | $141,900 | +4.9% | 100,900 | Bachelor's degree |
| 38. Amusement and Recreation Attendants | $32,150 | +3.7% | 100,400 | No formal educational credential |
| 39. Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $72,080 | -0.9% | 99,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 40. Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $83,050 | +3.9% | 98,700 | Bachelor's degree |
| 41. Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $33,980 | +5.3% | 95,300 | No formal educational credential |
| 42. Software Developers | $135,980 | +10.2% | 95,300 | Bachelor's degree |
| 43. Management Analysts | $101,860 | +10.1% | 94,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| 44. Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $45,930 | +4.8% | 89,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| 45. Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,970 | -0.4% | 87,500 | Bachelor's degree |
| 46. Cooks, Fast Food | $30,890 | +0.6% | 86,400 | No formal educational credential |
| 47. Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $78,760 | +7% | 82,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| 48. Project Management Specialists | $102,320 | +6.7% | 76,500 | Bachelor's degree |
| 49. Human Resources Specialists | $75,940 | +6.4% | 73,700 | Bachelor's degree |
| 50. Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists | $35,790 | +7.7% | 73,400 | 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.