America's Fastest Growing Jobs

Physical therapists work with injured or ill patients in places like clinics or hospitals to help improve movement or reduce pain. Demand for physical therapists is projected to climb rapidly in the coming years as the baby boom generation ages and is more likely than previous generations to remain active into old age. The rising prevalence of chronic conditions like diabetes in obesity in the overall population will also drive up demand for physical therapy services as many with these conditions need assistance to remain mobile.

The number of Americans working as physical therapists is projected to climb by 21.9% from 2018 to 2028.

Restaurant cooks is one of the fastest growing professions in the U.S. Between 2018 and 2028, the number of people working as restaurant cooks is projected to increase from 1.4 million to 1.7 million, a 21.9% climb. The increase will, according to the BLS, be driven by growing consumer demand for high-quality, healthful food options. The profession is one of only a few on this list that does not typically have any formal education requirements.

It is important to note that restaurants have been hit hard by the COVID-19 recession and that future growth estimates that account for the virus’s effect may not be as optimistic.

Massage therapists can work in a wide range of places, including spas, clinics, doctors’ offices, fitness centers, and hotels. Growing demand for massage services will drive employment growth in the occupation in the coming years. The number of people working as massage therapists is projected to grow by 22.2% between 2018 and 2028.

Demand for marriage and family therapists will be growing in the coming years due in large part to increasing use of integrated care — a treatment method that involves a team of specialists, such as mental health counselors and substance abuse counselors, working together to address patients’ issues. As of 2018, there were 55,300 marriage and family therapists working in the U.S. That number is projected to climb to 67,700 by 2028, an increase of 22.3%.

As of 2018, there were 304,500 substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in the United States. By 2028, there will likely be 373,100, a 22.5% increase. The rise will likely be driven by three primary factors. First, drug offenders are increasingly being sentenced to treatment programs rather than jail time to treat underlying addiction issues and reduce the likelihood of recidivism. Second, these workers will be needed for ongoing treatment of military veterans. Finally, the opioid epidemic is leading to a surge in drug addiction in the United States.

Medical assistants work in places like hospitals and doctors’ offices and carry out administrative tasks. The occupation is one of several in the health care sector to rank on this list. The number of Americans working as medical assistants is projected to grow by 22.6% between 2018 and 2028 as the baby boom population ages and will need more frequent medical care and services.

Physical therapists is one of the fastest growing professions — and just as demand for physical therapists is projected to grow in the coming years, so, too, will demand for their aides. Aides help in physical therapists’ offices by carrying out tasks not directly related to patient care. These tasks include setting up equipment, cleaning the treatment area, and taking care of clerical duties.

Demand for physical therapists and their aides is projected to climb as the baby boom generation ages and will need physical therapy services. Additionally, the rising prevalence of chronic conditions like diabetes in obesity in the general population will also drive up demand for physical therapy services as Americans with these conditions often need assistance to remain mobile.

Responsible for drawing blood, typically for the purposes of tests, transfusions, donations, or research, phlebotomists have a highly specialized role in the health care industry. Employment in the occupation is projected to grow by 23.0%, driven by growing need for blood tests for medical diagnostics and surges in the need for blood donation, fomented by health emergencies.

Postsecondary health specialties teachers teach courses in subjects like dentistry, public health, and laboratory technology at colleges and universities. Just as demand for many different types of health care workers is projected to climb in the coming years, so too will demand for educators who prepare them for the different health care careers. From 2018 to 2028, the number of Americans working as health specialties teachers in colleges and universities is projected to climb by 23.2%.

As forest fires become more common in the U.S., especially along the West Coast, the need for those who enforce fire regulations, inspect forests for hazards, and try to prevent blazes will increase significantly. Of all the jobs growing the fastest, the forest fire inspector and prevention specialist career field is projected to employ the fewest Americans in the next decade. Even after a projected 24.1% increase in this sector, there will only be 2,800 forest fire inspectors in the U.S. in 2028.

Application software developers create, design, and modify computer software applications or special utility programs. As more and more devices become computerized and connected to the internet, these developers will be in high demand to create the software needed to run these devices — which will range from household appliances to medical equipment. By 2028, there will likely be around 1.2 million software developers in the U.S., up from 944,200 in 2018.

Operations research analysts help businesses maximize efficiency using skills such as mathematical modeling. It is one of just 14 jobs in which overall employment is projected to grow by more than 25% from 2018 to 2028. As the amount of electronic data available increases, more analysts will be needed to utilize it and improve businesses processes.

With a median annual wage of nearly $85,000, operations research analysts make more than double what the typical American worker makes. More than three-quarters of these analysts have at least a bachelor’s degree, and over one-third have a master’s or doctorate degree.

Employment for mathematicians is projected to climb by 26.0% from 2018 to 2028. Growing demand will be driven by the growing amount of electronic data, which will need to be analyzed and sorted to help businesses improve processes and products.

Genetic counselors assess the risk of genetic defects or disorders based on family history and genetic information. As researchers come to better understand human genetics, this genetic information is projected to be more accurate, more in demand, more useful, and less expensive as compared to years past.

There were 3,000 genetic counselors in 2018, a figure projected to increase 27% up to 3,800 by 2028. This is a highly specialized career field, with nearly two-thirds of genetic counselors holding at least a bachelor’s degree.

Physical therapist assistants, unlike aides who generally do not assist in patient treatment, work under the supervision of physical therapists and are directly involved in patient care — either in improving mobility or reducing pain.

Demand for physical therapists and their assistants is projected to climb as the baby boom generation ages and will need physical therapy services to remain active. Additionally, the rising prevalence of chronic conditions like diabetes in obesity in the general population will also drive up demand for physical therapy services as many Americans with these conditions need assistance to remain mobile.

The need for speech language pathologists is projected to be much greater in 2028 than it was in 2018. As the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders grows and the baby boomer generation continues to age, increasing the chances of stroke and dementia, a larger number of Americans will need help speaking and communicating.

The number of speech-language pathologists is projected to grow by more than 40,000 by 2028 as compared to 10 years prior. Speech pathologists typically need an advanced degree — more than 87% of these workers hold at least a master’s degree.

Nurse practitioners is one of the fastest growing occupations in the United States. Demand for medical services is projected to surge in the coming years, and that demand will likely not be fully met by available doctors and surgeons. As a result, health care models are shifting to rely more on physicians assistants and nurse practitioners. By 2028, there will likely be about 242,400 nurse practitioners in the U.S., up from 189,100 in 2018.

As more companies move more of their business online and collect increasing amounts of data, demand for statisticians is increasing. Statisticians use math to collect and organize the data, often to help businesses improve practices, including design and development. According to BLS projections, there will be over 30% more statisticians in 2028 than there were in 2018 to analyze this data.

Most statisticians earn over $91,000 per year — well more than double the median annual wage of $39,810 for all jobs.

Physicians assistants do not need a medical degree, but they can still diagnose, treat, examine patients, and prescribe medicine. Increased demand for physicians assistants in the coming years will be driven by similar factors to those driving demand for nurse practitioners. Demand for medical services is projected to surge in the coming years, and that demand will likely not be fully met by available doctors and surgeons. As a result, health care models will likely shift to rely more on team-based health care that include physicians assistants and nurse practitioners. The number of physician assistants in the U.S. is projected to climb 31.1% over the decade ending with 2028.

As computer systems become more integral to business functions and everyday life, hackers and scammers pose an increasing threat. Demand for information security analysts, who keep computer networks secure, is projected to grow in the U.S. throughout the next decade, and the number of such analysts is projected to grow by 35,400 workers from 2018 to 2028.

Information security analysts have a median annual wage of just under $100,000 — about 2.5 times more than the median wage across all jobs.

Occupational therapy assistants aide occupational therapists who help injured, disababled, or ill patients to recover and improve, develop, or maintain skills necessary for everyday life. As the population ages, these services will become more necessary as elderly Americans are at increased risk of potentially debilitating ailments like arthritis or stroke. The number of occupational therapy assistants in the U.S. is projected to climb 33.1% over the decade ending in 2028.

Personal care aides can work in a variety of settings, including private homes and nursing care facilities. Their work is typically non-medical and includes cooking, cleaning, and companionship. Demand for personal care aides services will likely grow in the coming years as the population ages and such workers are a relatively inexpensive care option. The number of personal care aides is projected to grow from 2.4 million in 2018 to 3.3 million in 2028.

Like personal care aides, home health aides will be in increasingly high demand in the coming years as they are a relatively inexpensive care option for a population that is increasingly aging. Home health aides typically have duties related to health care, such as checking pulse and temperature, administering medications, and helping with exercise routines. The number of home health aides in the U.S. is projected to climb 36.6% over the decade ending with 2028.

Wind turbine service technicians are responsible for installing, repairing, and maintaining wind turbines used for power generation. Employment in the field is expected to climb 56.9% from 2018 to 2028, far surpassing the projected 5.2% employment growth across all occupations.

As the growing awareness and concern over global warming are increasingly forming policy decisions, electricity from renewable sources, like wind turbines, is becoming more common. Wind power, which is becoming less expensive due to taller towers with larger blades, is one of the fastest growing energy sources in the United States.

Solar photovoltaic installers maintain, repair, and install solar panels. Like wind turbine technicians, the projected spike in employment for these workers is attributable in part to growing awareness and concern over global warming and the resulting shift towards renewable energy sources. Solar panels have become increasingly affordable for homeowners, and over the decade ending with 2028, employment for solar photovoltaic installers is projected to grow by 63.3%.