Nurse practitioners, solar panel installers and data scientists are the fastest-growing jobs in the United States, according to the latest employment projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), released on August 27, 2026. They cover 2025 to 2035. Nurse practitioner jobs are projected to grow 41.0% in ten years, more than ten times the 3.5% growth expected for all jobs.
Key numbers from the BLS 2025-35 projections
- 5.9 million jobs projected to be added from 2025 to 2035 (+3.5%)
- +41.0%: nurse practitioners, the fastest-growing occupation
- 847,300 new jobs for home health and personal care aides, the most of any occupation
- 27 of the 30 fastest-growing jobs paid more than the $50,980 median for all occupations in 2025
- 13 of the 30 typically need less than a bachelor’s degree to start
What are the 10 fastest-growing jobs?
Five of the top ten are in healthcare, two are tied to energy (solar and wind), and two are in computing and data. Fast percentage growth does not always mean many jobs: wind turbine service technicians are projected to add about 3,500 jobs, while medical and health services managers will add about 155,100.
Find a fast-growing job that fits you
All 30 fastest-growing occupations, with the typical education needed to start and the 2025 median annual wage. Filter by education and pay, or sort the list.
| Occupation | Growth 2025-35 | New jobs | Median pay (2025) | Typical education to enter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse practitioners | +41% | 137,800 | $132,300 | Master’s degree |
| Solar photovoltaic installers | +36.5% | 11,300 | $53,140 | High school diploma |
| Data scientists | +34.6% | 95,400 | $120,230 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Wind turbine service technicians | +29.5% | 3,500 | $64,120 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Medical and health services managers | +24.2% | 155,100 | $123,860 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Physical therapist assistants | +23% | 26,200 | $68,380 | Associate’s degree |
| Psychiatric technicians | +22.3% | 36,000 | $45,130 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Computer and information research scientists | +21.8% | 8,400 | $140,300 | Master’s degree |
| Occupational therapy assistants | +21.5% | 11,200 | $72,300 | Associate’s degree |
| Ophthalmic medical technicians | +21.4% | 15,500 | $45,570 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Physician assistants | +21.1% | 35,700 | $135,880 | Master’s degree |
| Information security analysts | +21% | 40,600 | $129,180 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Occupational health and safety technicians | +19.4% | 6,100 | $61,560 | High school diploma |
| Hearing aid specialists | +19.4% | 2,200 | $65,160 | High school diploma |
| Epidemiologists | +18.7% | 2,400 | $87,220 | Master’s degree |
| Occupational health and safety specialists | +18.5% | 26,400 | $90,150 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors | +18.4% | 98,000 | $59,350 | Master’s degree |
| Home health and personal care aides | +18.1% | 847,300 | $35,800 | High school diploma |
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | +17.9% | 49,900 | $107,310 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Industrial machinery mechanics | +17.8% | 79,700 | $64,520 | High school diploma |
| Logisticians | +17.6% | 44,900 | $82,320 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary | +17.1% | 16,500 | $80,250 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Speech-language pathologists | +16.6% | 32,100 | $97,870 | Master’s degree |
| Health information technologists and medical registrars | +15.9% | 6,700 | $68,020 | Associate’s degree |
| Computer and information systems managers | +15.8% | 108,100 | $175,140 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Massage therapists | +15.3% | 23,700 | $58,450 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Occupational therapists | +14.8% | 25,200 | $100,330 | Master’s degree |
| Diagnostic medical sonographers | +13.9% | 12,900 | $96,590 | Associate’s degree |
| Marriage and family therapists | +13.5% | 10,300 | $66,940 | Master’s degree |
| Forensic science technicians | +13.3% | 2,700 | $72,060 | Bachelor’s degree |
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, Tables 1.3 and 5.4. New jobs are rounded from figures in thousands.
Which jobs will add the most new positions?
Large occupations can add many jobs even with modest growth rates. These 15 occupations are projected to add the most jobs from 2025 to 2035.
| Occupation | New jobs | Growth | Median pay (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home health and personal care aides | 847,300 | +18.1% | $35,800 |
| Stockers and order fillers | 250,700 | +8.9% | $37,330 |
| Fast food and counter workers | 223,300 | +5.8% | $31,200 |
| Registered nurses | 194,700 | +5.6% | $97,550 |
| General and operations managers | 181,300 | +5% | $105,770 |
| Software developers | 174,700 | +10.2% | $135,980 |
| Cooks, restaurant | 171,400 | +12.1% | $37,390 |
| Medical and health services managers | 155,100 | +24.2% | $123,860 |
| Nurse practitioners | 137,800 | +41% | $132,300 |
| Construction laborers | 109,300 | +7.3% | $47,120 |
| Management analysts | 109,200 | +10.1% | $101,860 |
| Computer and information systems managers | 108,100 | +15.8% | $175,140 |
| Medical assistants | 107,600 | +12.9% | $45,690 |
| Substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors | 98,000 | +18.4% | $59,350 |
| Data scientists | 95,400 | +34.6% | $120,230 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.4.
Why are these jobs growing?
- An aging population. The BLS expects healthcare support and healthcare practitioner occupations to grow fastest of all occupational groups (+13.3% and +8.0%) and to account for almost one-third of all new jobs through 2035, driven by the aging population and the growing prevalence of chronic conditions.
- Electricity demand from AI and data centers. Utilities are projected to be the fastest-growing industry sector (+9.8%), mostly in electric power generation and distribution, partly because of the power needs of artificial intelligence. Solar, wind and geothermal power generation are the fastest-growing detailed industries.
- Research and AI. Demand for AI-based systems, research and consulting is expected to drive growth in professional, scientific and technical services (+8.6%), which supports jobs like data scientists and computer and information research scientists.
Not every sector is growing: the BLS projects employment in the federal government (-3.4%) and retail trade (-0.2%) to decline. See also the least in-demand jobs and current hiring by sector in our jobs by industry data.
Fast-growing jobs you can start without a bachelor’s degree
These fast-growing occupations typically require a high school diploma, a postsecondary nondegree award or an associate’s degree to enter, sorted by median pay:
- Diagnostic medical sonographers: +13.9% growth, median pay $96,590 (associate’s degree)
- Occupational therapy assistants: +21.5% growth, median pay $72,300 (associate’s degree)
- Physical therapist assistants: +23% growth, median pay $68,380 (associate’s degree)
- Health information technologists and medical registrars: +15.9% growth, median pay $68,020 (associate’s degree)
- Hearing aid specialists: +19.4% growth, median pay $65,160 (high school diploma)
- Industrial machinery mechanics: +17.8% growth, median pay $64,520 (high school diploma)
- Wind turbine service technicians: +29.5% growth, median pay $64,120 (postsecondary nondegree award)
- Occupational health and safety technicians: +19.4% growth, median pay $61,560 (high school diploma)
- Massage therapists: +15.3% growth, median pay $58,450 (postsecondary nondegree award)
- Solar photovoltaic installers: +36.5% growth, median pay $53,140 (high school diploma)
- Ophthalmic medical technicians: +21.4% growth, median pay $45,570 (postsecondary nondegree award)
- Psychiatric technicians: +22.3% growth, median pay $45,130 (postsecondary nondegree award)
- Home health and personal care aides: +18.1% growth, median pay $35,800 (high school diploma)
Laid off? How to move into a growing field
- Check retraining support. Workers who lose their jobs may qualify for free training through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) dislocated worker program. Start at an American Job Center near you.
- Look at adjacent roles. Many fast-growing jobs build on skills from related work: IT and security staff can move toward information security analyst roles; logistics and warehouse staff toward logistician roles.
- Weigh training time against pay. Use the filters above: some roles with an associate’s degree, like diagnostic medical sonographers, pay more than many jobs that require a bachelor’s.
- Keep your safety net in place. While you retrain, protect your health insurance and read our guide on negotiating severance.
More: how many applications it takes to get hired · latest US jobs report · job openings and hires (JOLTS) · Tech Layoff Tracker 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest-growing job in the US?
Nurse practitioners. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of nurse practitioners to grow 41.0% from 2025 to 2035, the fastest of all detailed occupations, with a median annual wage of $132,300 in 2025.
Which jobs will add the most new positions by 2035?
Home health and personal care aides, with about 847,300 new jobs projected from 2025 to 2035, followed by stockers and order fillers (about 250,700) and fast food and counter workers (about 223,300), according to the BLS.
What fast-growing jobs do not require a college degree?
13 of the 30 fastest-growing occupations typically need less than a bachelor’s degree to enter, according to the BLS. They include diagnostic medical sonographers, occupational therapy assistants, physical therapist assistants and wind turbine service technicians.
How fast will total US employment grow?
The BLS projects total employment to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035, from 170.3 million to 176.2 million jobs, slower than the 10.9% growth of the 2015-25 decade.
Why are healthcare jobs growing so fast?
The BLS cites the aging population and the growing prevalence of chronic health conditions. Healthcare support and healthcare practitioner occupations together are expected to account for almost one-third of all new jobs through 2035.
Methodology and sources
All figures come from the BLS Employment Projections program for 2025-35, released August 27, 2026. Growth rates and new jobs compare projected 2035 employment with 2025 employment; wages are 2025 median annual wages. Projections are estimates of long-term trends, not forecasts of hiring in any single year.