The Fastest-Growing Jobs of 2026 (Based on New Data)

If you’re trying to decide what to do next with your career, 2026 will not be defined by a single trend, but by the collision of three structural forces that are already reshaping the labor market: artificial intelligence moving from experimentation to deployment, the clean-energy and infrastructure build-out required to support both electrification and data centers, and an ageing population that is pushing healthcare demand to record levels.

This article brings together the most recent available data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise research, and the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs 2025 to identify which roles are most likely to grow fastest in 2026 and beyond — and which skills actually matter if you want to move into them.

Rather than guessing or chasing hype, we focus on three measurable signals:

BLS 2024–2034 projections for occupations with the highest percentage growth (updated August 2025).
LinkedIn data on the fastest-growing job titles between 2022 and mid-2024 across more than 20 countries.
World Economic Forum surveys of over 1,000 large employers on which roles they expect to expand through 2030.

When the same job families appear at the top of all three — government projections, real hiring data, and employer expectations — it is a strong signal that they are not a short-term trend, but a durable growth path going into 2026.

How we identified the fastest-growing jobs of 2026

There is no single official list of “2026 jobs.” Instead, the most reliable approach is to look for convergence between long-term projections and near-term hiring behavior.

BLS fastest-growing occupations (2024–2034) provide the baseline. These tables, updated in August 2025, show which occupations are expected to grow the fastest by percentage over the next decade. Roles like wind turbine service technicians, solar photovoltaic installers, nurse practitioners, data scientists, and information security analysts consistently rank at the top.

LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise research, based on millions of job transitions from January 2022 to July 2024, captures momentum. In the United States, AI engineer ranks as the fastest-growing role, with AI- and data-related titles dominating the upper tier.

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs 2025 adds the employer perspective. Across industries, companies expect roles tied to AI, big data, fintech, healthcare delivery, and energy infrastructure to expand the fastest through 2030.

When all three point in the same direction, the signal is difficult to ignore.

Top 10 fastest-growing jobs of 2026

The list below synthesizes those sources, prioritizing roles backed by data rather than hype. U.S. salary figures refer to BLS 2024 median pay where available.

Job title	Why it’s growing	Typical U.S. median pay (2024)
AI & Machine Learning Engineer	Explosion of generative AI tools across every industry and rapid deployment inside existing products and workflows.	Often $130,000+ depending on industry and location
Data Scientist / Big Data Specialist	Organizations need people who can turn AI outputs and massive datasets into real business decisions.	About $112,590
Information Security Analyst	Cyberattacks are rising as AI expands the attack surface and automates both offense and defense.	About $124,910
FinTech Engineer	Digital payments, embedded finance, and automation inside banking and financial services.	Varies widely; comparable to senior software roles
Nurse Practitioner	Ageing populations, physician shortages, and expanded scope-of-practice laws.	About $129,210
Medical & Health Services Manager	Growing complexity of healthcare systems, telehealth, and care coordination.	About $117,960
Wind Turbine Service Technician	Rapid expansion of wind capacity and long-term maintenance needs.	About $62,580
Solar Photovoltaic Installer	Residential and commercial solar growth supported by incentives and energy demand.	About $51,860
Project Management & Transformation Roles	AI rollouts, infrastructure projects, and enterprise transformations need delivery leadership.	Varies by sector
Green Construction & Skilled Trades	Data centers, grid upgrades, and renewable projects drive demand for electricians and lineworkers.	Often at or above national median income

AI & data: the clearest winners going into 2026

Across every major dataset, AI- and data-related roles dominate growth rankings.

LinkedIn’s research places Artificial Intelligence Engineer at the top of the fastest-growing roles in the U.S. The World Economic Forum ranks big data specialists and AI & machine learning specialists among the fastest-growing roles globally through 2030. Meanwhile, BLS projections show data scientists growing by roughly 33–34% between 2024 and 2034.

For 2026, this means roles such as AI engineer, machine learning engineer, data scientist, ML ops specialist, and analytics engineer remain some of the strongest bets — assuming you can build the required technical foundation.

Skills you’ll need for AI & data roles

Programming: Python, SQL, and sometimes Java or Scala.
Machine learning and statistics (regression, classification, clustering, evaluation).
Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
Familiarity with large language models and generative AI tools.
Soft skills: explaining complex outputs to non-technical stakeholders.

Cybersecurity: protecting a more automated world

As companies deploy more AI and cloud infrastructure, they expose more systems and more data. BLS projects employment for information security analysts to grow by more than 28% between 2024 and 2034.

Hiring data shows demand not just for traditional security analysts, but also for incident responders, cloud security specialists, and governance, risk, and compliance professionals.

Skills you’ll need for cybersecurity roles

Network and systems fundamentals.
Threat modeling and vulnerability management.
Security tools (SIEM, EDR, IAM, cloud security platforms).
Knowledge of frameworks such as NIST and ISO 27001.
Incident response and communication under pressure.

Healthcare: nurse practitioners and health services managers

Healthcare remains one of the most human-centered and fastest-growing sectors. BLS data projects nurse practitioners to grow by about 40% between 2024 and 2034, with medical and health services managers growing by more than 23%.

This growth is driven by ageing populations, chronic disease, and a shift toward team-based care models.

Skills you’ll need for healthcare growth roles

Advanced clinical training and licensing (for nurse practitioners).
Operations, budgeting, and regulatory knowledge (for managers).
Comfort with EHR systems, telehealth, and digital health tools.

Clean energy & skilled trades: the quiet growth story of 2026

Outside of AI, the most striking growth story is physical infrastructure. Wind turbine service technicians are projected to grow by about 50%, making them the fastest-growing U.S. occupation by percentage. Solar installers follow closely at around 42%.

Construction, utilities, and energy-related trades are also among the fastest-growing employers for new graduates, driven by grid upgrades and data-center expansion.

Skills you’ll need for clean-energy and trade roles

Hands-on technical skills through apprenticeships or vocational programs.
Electrical and mechanical aptitude.
Safety training and industry certifications.

Project management & transformation roles

Every AI rollout, renewable-energy project, data center, and healthcare modernization effort needs experienced project and transformation leaders.

These roles blend planning, budgeting, stakeholder management, and risk control — skills that are difficult to automate and transferable across industries.

How to prepare for the fastest-growing jobs of 2026

Build AI literacy: even if you don’t plan to become an AI engineer.
Focus on complementary skills: roles where humans and AI work together.
Document outcomes: quantify time saved, revenue generated, or risks reduced.
Stay flexible: job titles will keep evolving.

If you’ve recently been laid off, positioning matters. Understanding how to talk about job loss without stigma can make a significant difference.

The takeaway for 2026

AI is not killing work, but it is rapidly reshaping which work grows and which stalls. Aligning yourself with high-growth clusters — AI and data, cybersecurity, healthcare, clean energy, and complex project delivery — puts you closer to the expanding side of the labor market rather than the shrinking one.