Despite slower job growth compared to the past decade, the U.S. economy is expected to add 5.2 million jobs from 2024 to 2034, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest employment projections report. Total employment is expected to increase by 3.1%.
Based on this report, the fastest growing industry sectors in 2034 are healthcare and social assistance, and professional, scientific and technical services, with projected growth rates of 8.4% and 7.5%, respectively.
The fastest growing occupational groups within these fields are healthcare support, which includes roles such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, and occupations, which include computer and mathematical roles such as data scientists and information security analysts. These groups are expected to grow by 12.4% and 10.1%, respectively.
One of the main reasons the health care industry is expected to grow so quickly is because the U.S. population is aging, said Emily Krutsch, bureau chief for the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“That’s really what’s driving that trend. Older adults tend to need more of this type of care and services,” she says.
According to Krutsch, the role of computers and mathematics will become increasingly important with the rise of AI technology.
“We expect to see higher job growth in positions that involve developing, testing and deploying these types of tools,” Krutsch said.
In this context, the role of information security analysts is expected to increase significantly due to the “increasing need to protect data and develop systems and tools to protect it.”
Krutsch emphasizes that job growth rates are not the only important data points to consider.
For example, wind turbine service technicians and solar power installers are the two fastest-growing occupations, but both occupations combined will add fewer than 20,000 jobs by 2034.
“Just because we’re talking about rapid growth doesn’t necessarily mean there’s going to be a lot of jobs, because it could just be a very small number of jobs,” Krutsch says.
Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the fastest-growing occupations in 2034, as are the expected job growth by 2034 and the current median salary for each role.
1. Wind Turbine Service Technician
Growth rate: 50%
Median salary in 2024: $62,580
Jobs added by 2034: 6,800
2. Solar power installation company
Growth rate: 42%
Median salary in 2024: $51,860
Number of jobs added by 2034: 12,000
3. Nursing practitioners
Growth rate: 40%
Median salary in 2024: $129,210
Jobs added by 2034: 128,400
4. Data Scientist
Growth rate: 34%
Median salary in 2024: $112,590
Jobs added by 2034: 82,500
5. Information Security Analyst
Growth rate: 29%
Median salary in 2024: $124,910
Jobs added by 2034: 52,100
6. Medical and Health Services Manager
Growth rate: 23%
Median salary in 2024: $117,960
Jobs added by 2034: 142,900
7. Physical therapist assistant
Growth rate: 22%
Median salary in 2024: $65,510
Number of jobs added by 2034: 24,500
8.Actuary
Growth rate: 22%
Median salary in 2024: $125,770
Number of jobs added by 2034: 7,300
9. Operations Research Analyst
Growth rate: 21%
Median salary in 2024: $91,290
Jobs added by 2034: 24,100
10. Physician Assistant
Growth rate: 20%
Median salary in 2024: $133,260
Jobs added by 2034: 33,200
Want to level up your AI skills? Sign up for CNBC Make It’s new online course, “How to use AI to better communicate at work by Smarter by CNBC Make It.” Get specific prompts to optimize your emails, notes, and presentations for tone, context, and audience.
Plus, sign up for the CNBC Make It newsletter for tips and tricks to succeed at work, money, and life, and request to join our exclusive community on LinkedIn to connect with experts and colleagues.
