57% of these careers already have a full profile page; the rest publish with the next tranche and show the same bank data here in the meantime.
Fastest-Growing Careers (2026)
Wind Turbine Service Technician tops this list at $64,120 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), with +49.9% projected employment change over 2024–2034. Below are 30 careers that meet the criteria, each with its real median wage, outlook and entry requirement.
Occupations with the highest projected employment growth over the BLS 2024–2034 projection cycle.
- Careers on this list
- 30
- Median pay on the list
- $84,770
- Projected to grow
- 30 of 30
- Openings a year
- 2,118,700
From 923 in the bank
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Combined, BLS EP
How we built this list
- Ranked by projected percentage employment change over the current BLS Employment Projections cycle.
- Occupations without a BLS projection are excluded.
- Occupations with no BLS wage or projection data are excluded rather than estimated.
- The list is regenerated from source data on every bank refresh. It is not hand-picked and no editorial ranking is applied.
The top 30 fastest-growing careers
1. Wind Turbine Service Technician
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Median pay
- $64,120
- Growth
- +49.9%
- Openings/yr
- 2,300
- Education
- Certificate
Inspect, diagnose, adjust, or repair wind turbines.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
2. Solar Photovoltaic Installer
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $53,140
- Growth
- +42.1%
- Openings/yr
- 4,100
- Education
- High school
Assemble, install, or maintain solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on roofs or other structures in compliance with site assessment and schematics.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
3. Nurse Practitioner
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Median pay
- $132,300
- Growth
- +40.1%
- Openings/yr
- 29,500
- Education
- Master's
Diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team.
Nurse Practitioner salary & outlook →4. Data Scientist
Computer and Mathematical
- Median pay
- $120,230
- Growth
- +33.5%
- Openings/yr
- 23,400
- Education
- Bachelor's
Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software.
Data Scientist salary & outlook →5. Business Intelligence Analyst
Computer and Mathematical
- Median pay
- $120,230
- Growth
- +33.5%
- Openings/yr
- 23,400
- Education
- Bachelor's
Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports.
Business Intelligence Analyst salary & outlook →6. Clinical Data Manager
Computer and Mathematical
- Median pay
- $120,230
- Growth
- +33.5%
- Openings/yr
- 23,400
- Education
- Bachelor's
Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.
Clinical Data Manager salary & outlook →7. Information Security Analyst
Computer and Mathematical
- Median pay
- $129,180
- Growth
- +28.5%
- Openings/yr
- 16,000
- Education
- Bachelor's
Plan, implement, upgrade, or monitor security measures for the protection of computer networks and information.
Information Security Analyst salary & outlook →8. Medical and Health Services Manager
Management
- Median pay
- $123,860
- Growth
- +23.2%
- Openings/yr
- 62,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Plan, direct, or coordinate medical and health services in hospitals, clinics, managed care organizations, public health agencies, or similar organizations.
Medical and Health Services Manager salary & outlook →9. Physical Therapist Assistant
Healthcare Support
- Median pay
- $68,380
- Growth
- +22.0%
- Openings/yr
- 19,800
- Education
- Associate's
Assist physical therapists in providing physical therapy treatments and procedures.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
10. Actuary
Computer and Mathematical
- Median pay
- $130,000
- Growth
- +21.8%
- Openings/yr
- 2,400
- Education
- Bachelor's
Analyze statistical data, such as mortality, accident, sickness, disability, and retirement rates and construct probability tables to forecast risk and liability for payment of future benefits.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
11. Operations Research Analyst
Computer and Mathematical
- Median pay
- $88,940
- Growth
- +21.5%
- Openings/yr
- 9,600
- Education
- Bachelor's
Formulate and apply mathematical modeling and other optimizing methods to develop and interpret information that assists management with decisionmaking, policy formulation, or other managerial functions.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
12. Physician Assistant
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Median pay
- $135,880
- Growth
- +20.4%
- Openings/yr
- 12,000
- Education
- Master's
Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician.
Physician Assistant salary & outlook →13. Anesthesiologist Assistant
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Median pay
- $135,880
- Growth
- +20.4%
- Openings/yr
- 12,000
- Education
- Master's
Assist anesthesiologists in the administration of anesthesia for surgical and non-surgical procedures.
Anesthesiologist Assistant salary & outlook →14. Psychiatric Technician
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Median pay
- $45,130
- Growth
- +20.0%
- Openings/yr
- 15,900
- Education
- Certificate
Care for individuals with mental or emotional conditions or disabilities, following the instructions of physicians or other health practitioners.
Psychiatric Technician salary & outlook →15. Ophthalmic Medical Technician
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Median pay
- $45,570
- Growth
- +19.8%
- Openings/yr
- 12,500
- Education
- Certificate
Assist ophthalmologists by performing ophthalmic clinical functions.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
16. Computer and Information Research Scientist
Computer and Mathematical
- Median pay
- $140,300
- Growth
- +19.7%
- Openings/yr
- 3,200
- Education
- Master's
Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
17. Occupational Therapy Assistant
Healthcare Support
- Median pay
- $72,300
- Growth
- +19.2%
- Openings/yr
- 7,200
- Education
- Associate's
Assist occupational therapists in providing occupational therapy treatments and procedures.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
18. Financial Examiner
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $94,160
- Growth
- +18.5%
- Openings/yr
- 5,700
- Education
- Bachelor's
Enforce or ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing financial and securities institutions and financial and real estate transactions.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
19. Hearing Aid Specialist
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Median pay
- $65,160
- Growth
- +18.4%
- Openings/yr
- 1,000
- Education
- High school
Select and fit hearing aids for customers.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
20. Health Specialties Teacher, Postsecondary
Educational Instruction and Library
- Median pay
- $107,310
- Growth
- +17.3%
- Openings/yr
- 27,400
- Education
- Doctorate
Teach courses in health specialties, in fields such as dentistry, laboratory technology, medicine, pharmacy, public health, therapy, and veterinary medicine.
Health Specialties Teacher, Postsecondary salary & outlook →21. Home Health Aide
Healthcare Support
- Median pay
- $35,800
- Growth
- +17.0%
- Openings/yr
- 765,800
- Education
- High school
Monitor the health status of an individual with disabilities or illness, and address their health-related needs, such as changing bandages, dressing wounds, or administering medication.
Home Health Aide salary & outlook →22. Personal Care Aide
Healthcare Support
- Median pay
- $35,800
- Growth
- +17.0%
- Openings/yr
- 765,800
- Education
- High school
Provide personalized assistance to individuals with disabilities or illness who require help with personal care and activities of daily living support (e.g., feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and ambula…
Personal Care Aide salary & outlook →23. Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary
Educational Instruction and Library
- Median pay
- $80,250
- Growth
- +16.8%
- Openings/yr
- 8,600
- Education
- Doctorate
Demonstrate and teach patient care in classroom and clinical units to nursing students.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
24. Logistician
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $82,320
- Growth
- +16.7%
- Openings/yr
- 26,400
- Education
- Bachelor's
Analyze and coordinate the ongoing logistical functions of a firm or organization.
Logistician salary & outlook →25. Logistics Engineer
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $82,320
- Growth
- +16.7%
- Openings/yr
- 26,400
- Education
- Bachelor's
Design or analyze operational solutions for projects such as transportation optimization, network modeling, process and methods analysis, cost containment, capacity enhancement, routing and shipment optimization, or i…
Logistics Engineer salary & outlook →26. Logistics Analyst
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $82,320
- Growth
- +16.7%
- Openings/yr
- 26,400
- Education
- Bachelor's
Analyze product delivery or supply chain processes to identify or recommend changes.
Logistics Analyst salary & outlook →27. Epidemiologist
Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Median pay
- $87,220
- Growth
- +16.2%
- Openings/yr
- 800
- Education
- Master's
Investigate and describe the determinants and distribution of disease, disability, or health outcomes.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
28. Industrial Machinery Mechanic
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Median pay
- $64,520
- Growth
- +16.1%
- Openings/yr
- 45,700
- Education
- High school
Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems.
Industrial Machinery Mechanic salary & outlook →29. Software Developer
Computer and Mathematical
- Median pay
- $135,980
- Growth
- +15.8%
- Openings/yr
- 115,200
- Education
- Bachelor's
Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs.
Software Developer salary & outlook →30. Massage Therapist
Healthcare Support
- Median pay
- $58,450
- Growth
- +15.4%
- Openings/yr
- 24,700
- Education
- Certificate
Perform therapeutic massages of soft tissues and joints.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
Fastest-Growing Careers: FAQ
What is the top career on the fastest-growing careers list?
Wind Turbine Service Technician leads the list with a median wage of $64,120 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025) and projected employment change of +49.9% over 2024–2034. Typical entry-level education is certificate.
How was this list put together?
Occupations with the highest projected employment growth over the BLS 2024–2034 projection cycle. Ranked by projected percentage employment change over the current BLS Employment Projections cycle. Occupations without a BLS projection are excluded. Every figure comes from BLS OEWS May 2025, BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET 30.3 Database.
How much do fastest-growing careers pay?
Across the 30 careers on this list the middle occupation pays $84,770 a year, from $35,800 at the bottom to $140,300 at the top (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The median across all US occupations is $50,980.
How many of these careers can you enter without a degree?
9 of the 30 careers on this list have a typical entry requirement below an associate's degree: a high school diploma, a postsecondary certificate, or no formal credential (BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034).