WageDex guide
Fastest Growing Occupations: Where the Jobs Are
BLS projections, the forces driving occupational growth, and how to identify careers with strong long-term demand.
The short answer
Wind Turbine Service Technicians is the single fastest-growing US occupation, with employment projected to rise +49.9% by 2033 at a $64,120 median wage. Growth clusters in healthcare, technology, and green energy, but high percent growth on a tiny base adds few jobs, so weigh growth against pay and openings.
- +49.9%
- Wind Turbine Service Technicians (fastest)
- +42.1%
- Solar Photovoltaic Installers
- ~$48K
- National worker median to beat
The best opportunities combine strong projected growth, large numeric job additions, and wages above the national median, not growth rate alone.
How BLS Projects Occupational Growth
Every two years, the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes 10-year employment projections through its Employment Projections program. The methodology is sophisticated: economists model industry output growth based on macroeconomic forecasts, then translate industry growth into occupational demand using staffing patterns from establishment surveys.
The output is three numbers for each of 800+ occupations: current employment, projected employment 10 years out, and the difference, expressed both in numeric terms and as a percentage. This is the data behind every "job outlook: much faster than average" badge in the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
WageDex reports current wages for all these occupations. You can browse the full careers directory and filter by sector, or look up specific occupations to see national and regional wage data alongside growth context.
Fastest-growing US occupations
Projected employment change 2024–2034, BLS Employment Projections
- Wind Turbine Service Technic…
Wind Turbine Service Technicians
49.9 % growth
- Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Solar Photovoltaic Installers
42.1 % growth
- Nurse Practitioners
Nurse Practitioners
40.1 % growth
- Data Scientists
Data Scientists
33.5 % growth
- Information Security Analysts
Information Security Analysts
28.5 % growth
- Medical and Health Services …
Medical and Health Services Managers
23.2 % growth
- Physical Therapist Assistants
Physical Therapist Assistants
22 % growth
- Actuaries
Actuaries
21.8 % growth
- Operations Research Analysts
Operations Research Analysts
21.5 % growth
- Physician Assistants
Physician Assistants
20.4 % growth
The Four Engines of Job Growth
Occupational growth isn't random. Most fast-growing categories trace back to one of four structural forces:
1. Demographic Demand: The Aging Population
The U.S. population aged 65+ is projected to reach 80 million by 2040, nearly double the 2000 level. This demographic shift creates relentless demand for healthcare workers at every level. Nurse practitioners, physician assistants, home health aides, medical and health services managers, physical therapists, and occupational therapists all benefit. The projected growth in direct care occupations for older adults is one of the most durable long-run trends in the labor market.
This also drives demand for financial services workers who specialize in retirement planning, geriatric care managers, and specialized housing. Healthcare's share of GDP has grown from 7% in 1970 to over 18% today, and BLS projects continued expansion.
2. Technological Transformation
Technology creates and destroys jobs simultaneously. Software developers, data scientists, information security analysts, and AI specialists are growing rapidly because the digital economy is still expanding. Cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity threats, and software-driven automation all require human workers to build, maintain, and secure the systems doing the displacing.
But technology's effect is not uniform. Roles requiring creativity, complex judgment, emotional intelligence, or physical dexterity in variable environments are growing even as routine cognitive and manual tasks shrink. The BLS projects that roles involving analysis, diagnosis, persuasion, and care are less automatable and will grow faster than administrative or production roles.
3. Energy Transition and Climate Policy
Federal investment in renewable energy infrastructure, grid modernization, and electric vehicle manufacturing is translating into real occupational demand. Solar photovoltaic installers and wind turbine service technicians have held the top spots for percent growth in BLS projections for several cycles. Electrical engineers, electricians, and construction trades workers are also benefiting from grid-hardening and clean energy build-out.
The DOE projects that the clean energy economy will need to add several hundred thousand workers by 2030 to meet infrastructure goals. These are not exclusively high-tech jobs, much of the demand is in skilled trades that require certification but not a four-year degree.
4. Behavioral Health Demand
The pandemic accelerated a structural shift in mental health awareness and help-seeking behavior. Substance abuse counselors, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, and school counselors are all projected to grow faster than average. States have been expanding mental health parity requirements and Medicaid coverage for behavioral health services, further driving demand. The shortage of providers, psychiatrists especially, makes this a rare case where demand is clearly outpacing supply.
High Growth + High Wage: The Sweet Spot
Not all fast-growing occupations pay well. Personal care and home health aide roles appear at the top of almost every list by numeric job additions, and yet their median wages remain below $35,000 nationally. Growth is driven by demand; wages are driven by supply constraints, credentialing requirements, and unionization.
The most attractive career opportunities combine strong projected growth with wages well above the national median (currently around $48,000). Here are some categories that consistently appear in both lists:
| Occupation Category | Growth Driver | Wage Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners / PAs | Aging population + primary care shortage | High ($120K+) |
| Information Security Analysts | Cyber threat expansion | High ($110K+) |
| Data Scientists | AI / analytics demand | High ($105K+) |
| Physical / Occupational Therapists | Aging population rehabilitation needs | Above median ($85–95K) |
| Wind / Solar Technicians | Energy transition | Above median ($55–65K) |
| Medical & Health Services Managers | Healthcare expansion | High ($105K+) |
| Epidemiologists | Public health infrastructure investment | Above median ($78K+) |
Check exact wage figures for any occupation using WageDex's careers directory - wages vary significantly by state and metro area.
Geographic Variation in Growth
Occupational growth is not evenly distributed across the country. States with rapidly growing populations (Texas, Florida, Arizona, Nevada) tend to see faster growth across nearly all occupations simply because of population-driven demand. States with aging workforces in legacy industries (parts of the Midwest and Northeast) may see faster absolute growth in healthcare but slower growth overall.
Technology job growth is concentrated in established hubs (San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Austin, New York, Boston) and is gradually spreading to second-tier cities with lower cost of living and growing tech ecosystems (Nashville, Denver, Raleigh, Salt Lake City). For a full cost-of-living-adjusted comparison across metros, see the BEA Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, the canonical federal index for cross-metro purchasing-power adjustment.
Healthcare jobs, by contrast, are distributed wherever people live, making them more recession-resistant and geographically flexible. A nurse practitioner can find strong demand in rural Montana or urban Chicago. Explore state-level wage data and metro-level comparisons on WageDex to evaluate specific markets.
Occupations at Risk of Decline
Understanding where jobs are growing is useful; understanding where they are shrinking is equally important for career planning. BLS projects significant employment declines in:
- Postal service workers - declining mail volumes and automation
- Data entry and administrative support - software-assisted processing
- Travel agents - direct booking platforms
- Toll booth operators and parking attendants - electronic toll collection and automated parking
- Textile, apparel, and furniture manufacturing - automation and offshore competition
- Cashiers (partial) - self-checkout expansion, though this is contested in the data
Workers in declining occupations benefit most from identifying transferable skills that translate to growing adjacent roles. A data entry clerk's familiarity with business processes and data quality translates well to data analyst roles with additional training; a travel agent's customer service and logistics skills translate to roles in healthcare navigation, corporate travel management, or event coordination.
How to Use This Data for Career Decisions
BLS growth projections are one input among many in career planning. Here is a practical framework for using occupational data alongside wage data:
- Identify occupations that interest you - start with what you are good at and enjoy, not just what pays well or grows fast.
- Check BLS growth projections - is the field growing, stable, or shrinking? What are the median and 90th percentile wages nationally?
- Narrow to your target geography - wages and job availability vary dramatically. Use WageDex's state pages and metro pages to see local data.
- Check entry requirements - how long does training take? What does it cost? What is the licensing pathway?
- Research employers in your area - growing occupations with few employers in your metro may not translate to actual local opportunity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the BLS measure occupational growth?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects occupational growth through its Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), published every two years. Projections combine current employment counts from the OEWS survey with economic modeling that accounts for industry output forecasts, demographic trends, technological change, and labor force participation rates. The result is a projected percent change in employment over a 10-year horizon, alongside an estimate of new jobs created.
Does fast growth always mean good job prospects?
Not necessarily. An occupation can grow at 30% but add only 500 total jobs if the baseline is small. Conversely, an occupation growing at 5% can add 100,000 jobs if it is already large. BLS reports both percent change and numeric change for this reason. Occupations with both high percent growth AND large numeric additions represent the best combination of dynamism and volume.
Which sector is projected to grow the fastest overall?
Healthcare and social assistance is consistently the fastest-growing broad sector in BLS projections, driven by the aging U.S. population. Technology and renewable energy also show strong growth. Manufacturing and administrative support roles face the most disruption from automation, with some categories projected to shrink.
How accurate are BLS 10-year occupational projections?
BLS projections are directionally useful but imprecise. Historical back-testing shows BLS tends to underestimate growth in technology-adjacent roles and overestimate growth in some manufacturing sectors. Projections made before major disruptions (pandemic, AI, policy shifts) can miss substantially. Use them as a broad signal, not a precise forecast.
Do fast-growing occupations pay well?
It depends on the occupation. Healthcare technology roles (nurse practitioners, physician assistants, data scientists) combine strong growth with high wages. Personal care aide and home health aide roles are among the fastest-growing numerically but have median wages below $35,000. Growth reflects demand, not compensation, always check the BLS wage data alongside growth projections.
Education Pathways to High-Growth Careers
One of the most important, and often overlooked, findings in BLS growth data is that many of the fastest-growing occupations do not require a four-year college degree. Understanding the education pathways can dramatically change the cost-benefit calculation of a career change:
| Entry Path | Examples | Typical Time to Entry |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term certificate (<1 year) | Solar installer, wind turbine technician, phlebotomist | 3–12 months |
| Postsecondary non-degree | EMT, dental assistant, HVAC technician | 6–18 months |
| Associate's degree (2 years) | Registered nurse (ADN), radiologic tech, paralegal | 2 years |
| Bachelor's degree (4 years) | Software developer, information security analyst, physical therapist (entry-level) | 4 years |
| Graduate degree / professional degree | Nurse practitioner, physician assistant, mental health counselor | 6–10 years total |
The skilled trades deserve special mention. Electricians, plumbers, pipefitters, and HVAC mechanics, all of which benefit from the energy transition and infrastructure investment, typically enter through 4–5 year apprenticeship programs that pay wages while you train, with no tuition cost. Journeyman wages in construction trades in high-cost metros routinely exceed $80,000.
For any occupation you're seriously considering, compare the typical entry-level wage (the 10th percentile on WageDex's careers directory) against the education cost and time investment. Return on investment, not just top wages, is the metric that matters for career decisions.
Remote Work and Its Effect on Occupational Demand
The pandemic-era remote work shift created durable changes in which occupations can be performed from anywhere. For career planning, this matters in two ways:
Occupations that are fully remote-capable (most software development, data science, many business and financial operations roles) are effectively national or global labor markets. A software developer in a low-cost-of-living metro can compete for jobs at San Francisco companies while keeping housing costs 60% lower. This geographic arbitrage has become a legitimate strategy for building wealth.
Occupations that cannot be remote (healthcare, construction, installation and maintenance, direct personal care) face local labor markets. Demand is tied to where patients, buildings, and clients are located. These occupations tend to have higher geographic wage variation and benefit more from choosing the right market than trying to work remotely.
BLS data does not directly flag remote-capable occupations, but the SOC code system provides clues: occupations in the Computer and Mathematical category (15-XXXX) are almost entirely remote-capable; Healthcare Practitioners (29-XXXX) and Installation and Maintenance (49-XXXX) are almost entirely location-bound.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, current as of May 2025, is the source: WageDex tracks 831 occupations across 582 U.S. states and metro areas, comprising 36,367 state-level wage records, according to the same federal survey.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024–2034
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), 2024–2025 edition
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025
- U.S. Department of Energy, Clean Energy Employment Outlook 2024
This content is for informational purposes only. Career projections involve uncertainty and should be one factor among many in career planning. Last updated: March 2026.