Healthcare leads fastest-growing jobs in America through 2035

Six of the 10 fastest-growing occupations in the United States through 2035 will be in healthcare and social assistance, led by advanced practice registered nurses, according to projections by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Advanced practice registered nurse jobs are expected to jump from 336,300 to 474,100, an almost 41% increase, marking the highest growth rate among the listed occupations.

Five other occupations in the top 10 are also tied to healthcare, with employment projected to grow by at least 21.4% over the next decade.

The private healthcare and social assistance sector is projected to add over 2.2 million positions during this period, creating the most jobs of any sector. It is also expected to be the second-fastest-growing major industry, and account for about 37% of all new jobs added through 2035.

Medical workers at a hospital in the U.S. Photo by Reuters

According to the BLS report, this employment boom stems from both an aging population and the increasing prevalence of chronic health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

In computer and mathematical fields, employment is projected to increase by about 35% for data scientists and 22% for computer and information research scientists.

The remaining two occupations in the top 10 are in renewable energy. The BLS noted that overall electricity demand is expected to surge, driven largely by the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and the need for related infrastructure like data centers.

Employment growth in four of the 10 fastest-growing industries is heavily tied to electricity demand. Solar, wind, and geothermal electric power generation are projected to be the fastest-growing specific industries.

While AI adoption is expected to boost demand for some occupations, the associated productivity gains may dampen employment in others.

Generative AI software, which can automate repetitive tasks and speed up workflows, may limit demand for certain jobs in the arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media sectors.

Similarly, the continued integration of AI-powered automation tools is likely to reduce the need for several office and administrative support roles.

The 20 fastest-growing occupations in the U.S. between 2025 and 2035, according to BLS:

Occupation	Employment force in 2025	Growth rate, 2025–35	2025 median annual pay
Nurse practitioners	336,300	41%	$132,300
Solar photovoltaic installers	31,100	37%	$53,140
Data scientists	275,600	35%	$120,230
Wind turbine service technicians	11,800	30%	$64,120
Medical and health services managers	640,400	24%	$123,860
Physical therapist assistants	114,100	23%	$68,380
Psychiatric technicians	161,500	22%	$45,130
Computer and information research scientists	38,600	22%	$140,300
Occupational therapy assistants	52,200	22%	$72,300
Ophthalmic medical technicians	72,500	21%	$45,570
Physician assistants	168,900	21%	$135,880
Information security analysts	192,900	21%	$129,180
Occupational health and safety technicians	31,200	19%	$61,560
Hearing aid specialists	11,200	19%	$65,160
Epidemiologists	12,800	19%	$87,220
Occupational health and safety specialists	143,100	19%	$90,150
Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors	533,400	18%	$59,350
Home health and personal care aides	4,677,100	18%	$35,800
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary	278,400	18%	$107,310
Industrial machinery mechanics	446,900	18%	$64,520