The fastest growing occupations are a grab bag of different professions representing the emerging technologies – such as digital and cognitive, as well as the demographic shifts – aging of the baby boomers.
The fastest growing professions also reflect the reality that some professions that are greenfield and start with a low base typically have the highest growth rates.
You don’t need to change your major or dump your well-paying job, but understanding the trends in the job market and occupations gives you a sense of where things are heading. If you are contemplating reskilling yourself and transitioning to a new career, the fastest growing jobs list may provide you a starting point.
Fastest Growing Occupations and Projected Growth Rates (top 25 job categories):
| Fastest growing Occupations – 2026 Projections | Employment | Median annual wage, 2017 | ||
| 2016 | 2026 | % Growth | ||
| Solar photovoltaic installers | 11.3 | 23.1 | 104.9 | $39,490 |
| Wind turbine service technicians | 5.8 | 11.3 | 96.3 | $53,880 |
| Home health aides | 911.5 | 1,342.7 | 47.3 | $23,210 |
| Personal care aides | 2,016.1 | 2,793.8 | 38.6 | $23,100 |
| Physician assistants | 106.2 | 145.9 | 37.3 | $104,860 |
| Nurse practitioners | 155.5 | 211.6 | 36.1 | $103,880 |
| Statisticians | 37.2 | 49.8 | 33.8 | $84,060 |
| Physical therapist assistants | 88.3 | 115.8 | 31.0 | $57,430 |
| Software developers, applications | 831.3 | 1,086.6 | 30.7 | $101,790 |
| Mathematicians | 3.1 | 4.0 | 29.7 | $103,010 |
| Physical therapist aides | 52.0 | 67.2 | 29.4 | $25,730 |
| Bicycle repairers | 12.4 | 16.1 | 29.3 | $28,390 |
| Medical assistants | 634.4 | 818.4 | 29.0 | $32,480 |
| Genetic counselors | 3.1 | 4.0 | 29.0 | $77,480 |
| Occupational therapy assistants | 39.3 | 50.7 | 28.9 | $59,310 |
| Information security analysts | 100.0 | 128.5 | 28.5 | $95,510 |
| Physical therapists | 239.8 | 306.9 | 28.0 | $86,850 |
| Operations research analysts | 114.0 | 145.3 | 27.4 | $81,390 |
| Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists | 1.7 | 2.2 | 26.6 | $37,380 |
| Massage therapists | 160.3 | 202.4 | 26.3 | $39,990 |
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | 233.5 | 294.0 | 25.9 | $97,870 |
| Derrick operators, oil and gas | 11.1 | 13.9 | 25.7 | $46,140 |
| Roustabouts, oil and gas | 50.0 | 62.4 | 24.8 | $36,960 |
| Occupational therapy aides | 7.5 | 9.3 | 24.7 | $29,200 |
| Phlebotomists | 122.7 | 152.8 | 24.5 | $33,670 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers | 241.5 | 300.0 | 24.2 | $22,950 |
| Rotary drill operators, oil and gas | 16.7 | 20.8 | 24.2 | $53,980 |
| Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary | 67.9 | 84.2 | 24.0 | $71,260 |
| Occupational therapists | 130.4 | 161.4 | 23.8 | $83,200 |
| Service unit operators, oil, gas, and mining | 41.4 | 51.1 | 23.4 | $48,290 |