These are the fastest growing jobs in the country and many pay over $100,000

Wind turbine service technicians, solar PV installers, nurses, data scientists and information security analysts are expected to be the fastest-growing occupations, according to the latest projections from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2023-2033, published last month. All five of these roles are expected to grow by at least 33%, which is significantly higher than the average for all jobs of 4%. In addition, they all pay higher-than-average wages for all occupations, which amount to $48,000.

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The 10 fastest growing jobs

The 10 fastest growing jobs

All data according to BLS.

Wind turbine service technicians

• Growth rate: 60%
• New jobs: 6,800
• Average annual salary: $61,770
• Education Required: No degree is required, but additional training is required

Photovoltaic solar installers

• Growth rate: 48%
• New jobs: 12,000
• Average annual salary: $48,800
• Education Required: No degree is required, but additional training is required.

Practicing medical assistant

• Growth rate: 46%
• New jobs: 135,500
• Average annual salary: $126,260
• Required studies: Master’s

Learn more: Read our guide to becoming an advanced practice nurse and check out our ranking of the best online MSN nursing programs.

Data scientists

• Growth rate: 36%
• New jobs: 73,100
• Average annual salary: $108,020
• Required education: Bachelor’s degree

Learn more: Read our guides on how to become a data scientist, how to become a data analyst, and our ranking of the best online master’s in data science.

Information Security Analysts

• Growth rate: 33%
• New jobs: 59,100
• Average annual salary: $120,360
• Required education: Bachelor’s degree

Learn more: Check out our resources on how to become a cybersecurity professional, how to get into cybersecurity without a degree, and our ranking of the best online master’s in cybersecurity.

Health and medical service managers

• Growth rate: 29%
• New jobs: 160,600
• Average annual salary: $110,680
• Required education: Bachelor’s degree

Medical assistants

• Growth rate: 28%
• New jobs: 43,700
• Average annual salary: $130,020
• Required studies: Master’s

Computer and information scientists

• Growth rate: 26%
• New jobs: 9,400
• Average annual salary: $145,080
• Required studies: Master’s

Learn more: Check out our resources on how to become a software engineer, as well as our rankings of the best in-person master’s in computer science and the best online master’s in computer science.

Physical therapy assistants

• Growth rate: 25%
• New jobs: 27,500
• Average annual salary: $64,080
• Required studies: associate’s degree

Operations Research Analysts

• Growth rate: 23%
• New jobs: 28,300
• Average annual salary: $83,640
• Required education: Bachelor’s degree

The 10 fastest-declining occupations

• Word processor and typists (-38%)
• Roof Bolters, Mining (-32%)
• Telephone operations (-26.4%)
• Switchboard operators, including answering service (-25.2%)
• Data entry keys (-25.0%)
• Mold and foundry core manufacturers (-24.6%)
• Machine loading and moving operations, underground mining (-22.9%)
• Model makers, metal and plastic (-22.2%)
• Telemarketers (-21.5%)
• Assemblies of engines and other machinery (-21.3%)

A booming number of new jobs

With the U.S. projected to add 6.7 million new jobs through 2033, Michael Wolf, division chief for employment projections at the BLS, says some of the biggest deals in terms of occupational also focuses on the number of jobs. In healthcare alone, for example, millions of new jobs are expected to be created.

The largest growing occupation is home health and personal care aides — which are expected to need more than 820,500 additional workers. Registered nurses, health and medical service managers, and nurse practitioners are also expected to grow by hundreds of thousands of jobs.

The 10 occupations with the most projected new jobs

Salaries for these roles, Wolf says, often correlate with the level of education required.

“We’re finding that occupations that require a college degree are growing faster. Bachelor occupations grow an average of 7.2% over the projection period, compared to 4% for all jobs,” notes Wolf.

Occupations requiring master’s degrees are growing even faster—at a rate of 12.1 percent—but, interestingly enough, the average salary of those with a master’s degree, $79,840, is less than those with only a bachelor’s degree. license. Part of this is because managerial occupations are classified as requiring only a bachelor’s degree, Wolf says.

“Managers tend to actually have more work experience, which increases their salary, as opposed to salary being based solely on education — so that raises the bachelor’s degree a little bit,” Wolf explains. He adds that some professions that require master’s degrees, such as social workers or counselors, have relatively low salaries compared to their level of education.

Appreciation: The job market is constantly evolving

Technology has historically played a major role in shaping US occupations and will continue to do so in the future. Artificial intelligence and other developments have certainly made many roles more efficient more recently and may have contributed to the decline of roles such as office workers. However, at the same time, innovation has created opportunities in other fast-growing fields such as data science and cybersecurity.

Ultimately, Wolf hopes people use the BLS data to explore occupations, but not necessarily let them determine their destiny.

“You don’t want to make decisions to say, I’m just going to pick the fastest growing or the highest paying occupation. I think it has to align with your interests and your skills and abilities. But you should factor in growth and factor in salary,” explains Wolf.

He adds that there’s “probably an occupation that’s a good fit for everyone,” they just have to find one that fits.

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