The fastest-growing jobs in the US for 2025–35, according to the BLS
The top 3 according to 15 votes from people: Wind turbine service technicians · Ophthalmic medical technicians · Solar photovoltaic installers. (Updated Sep 12, 2026.)
Nurse practitioners (+41%), solar installers (+37%) and data scientists (+35%) lead the way: the 20 occupations the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects to grow fastest between 2025 and 2035, with the median pay of each, from the Occupational Outlook Handbook updated in August 2026.
Top 20
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1
Wind turbine service technicians
Projected growth 2025–35: 30%. Median pay in 2025: $64,120 a year.
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2
Ophthalmic medical technicians
Projected growth 2025–35: 21%. Median pay in 2025: $45,570 a year.
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3
Solar photovoltaic installers
Projected growth 2025–35: 37%. Median pay in 2025: $53,140 a year.
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4
Data scientists
Projected growth 2025–35: 35%. Median pay in 2025: $120,230 a year.
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5
Medical and health services managers
Projected growth 2025–35: 24%. Median pay in 2025: $123,860 a year.
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6
Physician assistants
Projected growth 2025–35: 21%. Median pay in 2025: $135,880 a year.
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7
Occupational health and safety specialists
Projected growth 2025–35: 18%. Median pay in 2025: $90,150 a year.
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8
Home health and personal care aides
Projected growth 2025–35: 18%. Median pay in 2025: $35,800 a year.
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9
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
Projected growth 2025–35: 18%. Median pay in 2025: $107,310 a year.
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10
Physical therapist assistants
Projected growth 2025–35: 23%. Median pay in 2025: $68,380 a year.
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11
Nurse practitioners
Projected growth 2025–35: 41%. Median pay in 2025: $132,300 a year.
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12
Psychiatric technicians
Projected growth 2025–35: 22%. Median pay in 2025: $45,130 a year.
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13
Computer and information research scientists
Projected growth 2025–35: 22%. Median pay in 2025: $140,300 a year.
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14
Occupational therapy assistants
Projected growth 2025–35: 21%. Median pay in 2025: $72,300 a year.
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15
Information security analysts
Projected growth 2025–35: 21%. Median pay in 2025: $129,180 a year.
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16
Occupational health and safety technicians
Projected growth 2025–35: 19%. Median pay in 2025: $61,560 a year.
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17
Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
Projected growth 2025–35: 18%. Median pay in 2025: $59,350 a year.
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18
Industrial machinery mechanics
Projected growth 2025–35: 18%. Median pay in 2025: $64,520 a year.
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19
Hearing aid specialists
Projected growth 2025–35: 19%. Median pay in 2025: $65,160 a year.
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20
Epidemiologists
Projected growth 2025–35: 19%. Median pay in 2025: $87,220 a year.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (1)
Wind turbine techs at +30% while making 64k is wild. Half the guys I trained with at the community college went that route and none of them regret it.