Despite slower job growth compared to the last decade, the U.S. economy is expected to add 5.2 million jobs from 2024 to 2034, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest employment projection report. Total employment is projected to grow by 3.1%.
Based on the report, the top-growing industry sectors for 2034 are health care and social assistance and professional, scientific and technical services, which have projected growth rates of 8.4% and 7.5%, respectively.
Within those sectors, the fastest-growing occupational groups are health-care support, which includes roles like nurse practitioner and physician assistant, and computer and mathematical roles, such as data scientist and information security analyst. These groups are expected to grow by 12.4% and 10.1%, respectively.
One of the main reasons that the health-care industry is expected to grow so rapidly is because the American population is aging, according to Emily Krutsch, branch chief at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“That’s really what’s driving that trend: the older population tends to need more of this type of care and services,” she says.
Computer and mathematical roles will become increasingly important with the rise of AI technology, according to Krutsch.
“We are expecting a boost in employment growth for occupations that would be involved in developing and testing and implementing these types of tools,” Krutsch says.
Relatedly, information security analyst roles are projected to grow significantly due to the “larger need to protect data and develop systems and tools to secure it,” she says.
Krutsch emphasizes that the growth rate for each job isn’t the only important data point to consider.
For example, wind turbine service technicians and solar photovoltaic installers are the two fastest-growing jobs, but both occupations combined will add under 20,000 jobs by 2034.
“Just because we’re talking about fast growth doesn’t necessarily translate to lots of jobs, because it could just be a very, very small occupation,” Krutsch says.
Based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data, these are the fastest-growing occupations for 2034, as well as the expected increase in jobs by 2034 and the current median salary for each role.
1. Wind turbine service technicians
Growth rate: 50%
2024 median pay: $62,580
Jobs added by 2034: 6,800
2. Solar photovoltaic installers
Growth rate: 42%
2024 median pay: $51,860
Jobs added by 2034: 12,000
3. Nurse practitioners
Growth rate: 40%
2024 median pay: $129,210
Jobs added by 2034: 128,400
4. Data scientists
Growth rate: 34%
2024 median pay: $112,590
Jobs added by 2034: 82,500
5. Information security analysts
Growth rate: 29%
2024 median pay: $124,910
Jobs added by 2034: 52,100
6. Medical and health services managers
Growth rate: 23%
2024 median pay: $117,960
Jobs added by 2034: 142,900
7. Physical therapist assistants
Growth rate: 22%
2024 median pay: $65,510
Jobs added by 2034: 24,500
8. Actuaries
Growth rate: 22%
2024 median pay: $125,770
Jobs added by 2034: 7,300
9. Operations research analysts
Growth rate: 21%
2024 median pay: $91,290
Jobs added by 2034: 24,100
10. Physician assistants
Growth rate: 20%
2024 median pay: $133,260
Jobs added by 2034: 33,200
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