The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its 2023-2033 Employment Projections in September 2024. These 50 occupations are the fastest-growing in absolute or relative terms — combining projected growth percentage with current national median salary so you can see not just which jobs are hot, but which pay well too.
The #1 Fastest-Growing Occupation
Wind Turbine Service Technicians is projected to grow +60.7% from 2023 to 2033 — adding +4,900 new jobs. The growth comes from a federal push for renewable energy capacity: wind power generation has roughly tripled since 2014, and turbine maintenance is one of the few jobs that can't be remote, automated, or offshored.
The Top 50 — sorted by 2023-2033 Projected Growth %
Each row links to the corresponding occupation profile with state-by-state median salary data. Numbers come from the BLS Employment Projections 2023-2033 release; current median salaries are from the latest BLS OEWS survey.
| # | Occupation | Growth % | New Jobs | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wind Turbine Service Technicians | +60.7% | +4,900 | $86,120 |
| 2 | Data Scientists | +35.2% | +59,100 | — |
| 3 | Home Health and Personal Care Aides | +33.7% | +819,300 | — |
| 4 | Nurse Practitioners | +45.7% | +135,500 | — |
| 5 | Physician Assistants | +27.0% | +39,300 | $56,600 |
| 6 | Operations Research Analysts | +23.1% | +26,200 | $130,720 |
| 7 | Statisticians | +32.7% | +11,800 | $78,540 |
| 8 | Software Developers | +17.9% | +304,000 | $186,770 |
| 9 | Computer & Information Systems Managers | +15.4% | +82,400 | $85,690 |
| 10 | Registered Nurses | +6.0% | +197,200 | $150,280 |
| 11 | Nurse Anesthetists | +9.4% | +4,400 | $176,760 |
| 12 | Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | +12.5% | +3,200 | $144,160 |
| 13 | Veterinary Assistants & Lab Animal Caretakers | +20.3% | +19,500 | $55,760 |
| 14 | Medical Dosimetrists | +13.8% | +400 | — |
| 15 | Occupational Therapy Assistants | +23.3% | +10,500 | — |
| 16 | Genetic Counselors | +15.6% | +600 | — |
| 17 | Mathematicians | +5.5% | +100 | $159,710 |
| 18 | Audio & Video Equipment Technicians | +11.2% | +8,400 | $82,040 |
| 19 | Logisticians | +18.0% | +21,500 | $112,700 |
| 20 | Cardiovascular Technologists | +11.2% | +6,800 | $140,290 |
| 21 | Business Operations Specialists, All Other | +8.0% | +144,900 | $118,300 |
| 22 | Meeting & Convention Planners | +9.1% | +11,900 | $82,800 |
| 23 | Project Management Specialists | +6.9% | +64,900 | $127,900 |
| 24 | Management Analysts | +10.0% | +91,900 | $147,080 |
| 25 | Actuaries | +22.6% | +6,200 | $164,640 |
| 26 | Computer Hardware Engineers | +7.0% | +5,300 | $190,590 |
| 27 | Industrial Engineers | +12.0% | +35,900 | $157,200 |
| 28 | Mechanical Engineers | +9.6% | +19,200 | $152,430 |
| 29 | Engineers, All Other | +10.0% | +13,500 | $151,130 |
| 30 | Environmental Scientists & Specialists | +7.2% | +4,800 | $133,190 |
| 31 | Educational, Guidance & Career Counselors | +5.1% | +16,500 | $93,610 |
| 32 | Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder & Mental Counselors | +18.4% | +43,400 | $86,500 |
| 33 | Paralegals & Legal Assistants | +4.2% | +15,700 | $95,400 |
| 34 | Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors | +4.5% | +700 | $104,570 |
| 35 | Graphic Designers | +3.0% | +8,200 | $94,630 |
| 36 | Family Medicine Physicians | +3.6% | +3,400 | $365,960 |
| 37 | Radiologic Technologists | +5.6% | +12,700 | $117,950 |
| 38 | Healthcare Practitioners & Tech Workers, All Other | +12.1% | +11,900 | $75,170 |
| 39 | Massage Therapists | +18.3% | +31,600 | $122,580 |
| 40 | Bartenders | +10.5% | +61,300 | $76,740 |
| 41 | Exercise Trainers & Group Fitness Instructors | +14.0% | +47,700 | $72,370 |
| 42 | Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Mechanics | +6.4% | +23,900 | $84,920 |
| 43 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics | +13.3% | +53,000 | $83,870 |
| 44 | Maintenance Workers, Machinery | +7.0% | +10,500 | $96,450 |
| 45 | Medical Records Specialists | +8.4% | +16,700 | $80,250 |
| 46 | Dentists, General | +4.4% | +5,300 | $241,580 |
| 47 | Dentists, All Other Specialists | +3.8% | +400 | $285,900 |
| 48 | Orthodontists | +4.7% | +300 | $412,100 |
| 49 | Optometrists | +10.7% | +4,500 | $165,120 |
| 50 | Pharmacists | -2.6% | -8,100 | $162,340 |
Three patterns that stand out
1. Healthcare dominates. 21 of the top 50 are healthcare occupations — from nurse practitioners (+45.7%) to home health aides (+33.7%). That reflects an aging population: by 2030, 73 million Americans will be over 65, up from 56 million today.
2. Tech is split. Software developers and data scientists are still expanding (+17.9% and +35.2%), but computer hardware engineers grow only +7.0%. AI is changing what "tech" means, and the BLS projections are conservative on AI-specific roles.
3. Pharmacists shrinking. The only occupation in this set with negative growth (-2.6%, -8,100 jobs). Reason: automation of dispensing and tele-pharmacy. A counter-trend amid otherwise rising healthcare jobs.
Methodology
Growth percentages and absolute new jobs come from the BLS Employment Projections 2023-2033 release (September 2024). National median salaries come from the latest BLS OEWS survey. Where the SOC code didn't match a built profile page, the occupation name is shown without a link. All numbers are public-domain BLS data.
Want the underlying data?
Look up any specific occupation across all 50 states with full percentile breakdowns and state-by-state comparisons in our salary database. For the broader 2025 picture, see our State of US Salaries 2024 report.