Best jobs for the future

The fastest-growing occupations — top-decile projected growth — ranked with growth weighted above pay.

Search live jobs How we score
How this ranking is scored
score = .30·pay + .60·growth + .10·openings
Each factor is scaled to the strongest occupation on this list, then weighted and summed. Weights differ by list type. Full methodology.
Wages — OEWS May 2025
Growth & openings — EP 2024–34
Rank by Overall score ·Pay ·Growth ·Openings
Compare · Best jobs without a degree·Best paying jobs·Best jobs for students
#
Occupation
MEDIAN PAY
P25–P75
Growth
Employed
Open/yr
Score
01
Wind Turbine Service Technicians · Postsecondary nondegree award · 49-9081
$64,120
+49.9%
9,980
2,300
100
02
Nurse Practitioners · Master's degree · 29-1171
$132,300
+40.1%
323,040
29,500
96
03
Solar Photovoltaic Installers · High school diploma or equivalent · 47-2231
$53,140
+42.1%
31,350
4,100
84
04
Data Scientists · Bachelor's degree · 15-2051
$120,230
+33.5%
262,440
23,400
82
05
Information Security Analysts · Bachelor's degree · 15-1212
$129,180
+28.5%
190,650
16,000
75
06
Medical and Health Services Managers · Bachelor's degree · 11-9111
$123,860
+23.2%
597,080
62,100
65
07
Actuaries · Bachelor's degree · 15-2011
$130,000
+21.8%
26,670
2,400
63
08
Physician Assistants · Master's degree · 29-1071
$135,880
+20.4%
162,150
12,000
61
09
Computer and Information Research Scientists · Master's degree · 15-1221
$140,300
+19.7%
37,200
3,200
61
10
Computer and Information Systems Managers · Bachelor's degree · 11-3021
$175,140
+15.2%
670,570
55,600
60
11
Nurse Anesthetists · Master's degree · 29-1151
$236,590
+8.6%
51,840
2,700
59
12
Financial Managers · Bachelor's degree · 11-3031
$166,570
+14.8%
841,710
74,600
59
13
Software Developers · Bachelor's degree · 15-1252
$135,980
+15.8%
1.7M
115,200
55
14
Operations Research Analysts · Bachelor's degree · 15-2031
$88,940
+21.5%
108,510
9,600
55
15
Physical Therapist Assistants · Associate's degree · 31-2021
$68,380
+22.0%
112,430
19,800
52
16
Home Health and Personal Care Aides · High school diploma or equivalent · 31-1120
$35,800
+17.0%
4.3M
765,800
51
17
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary · Doctoral or professional degree · 25-1071
$107,310
+17.3%
221,270
27,400
51
18
Financial Examiners · Bachelor's degree · 13-2061
$94,160
+18.5%
67,830
5,700
50
19
Occupational Therapy Assistants · Associate's degree · 31-2011
$72,300
+19.2%
51,290
7,200
47
20
Computer Network Architects · Bachelor's degree · 15-1241
$134,050
+11.9%
179,740
11,200
46
21
Logisticians · Bachelor's degree · 13-1081
$82,320
+16.7%
251,040
26,400
45
22
Speech-Language Pathologists · Master's degree · 29-1127
$97,870
+15.0%
183,390
13,300
45
23
Epidemiologists · Master's degree · 19-1041
$87,220
+16.2%
12,090
800
45
24
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary · Doctoral or professional degree · 25-1072
$80,250
+16.8%
77,960
8,600
45
25
Hearing Aid Specialists · High school diploma or equivalent · 29-2092
$65,160
+18.4%
11,270
1,000
45
Showing top 25 of 84 scored occupations — show all 84show top 25
#
Occupation
MEDIAN PAY
Growth
Score
26
Nurse Midwives · Master's degree
$134,040
+11.1%
45
27
Psychiatric Technicians · Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,130
+20.0%
44
28
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians · Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,570
+19.8%
44
29
Occupational Therapists · Master's degree
$100,330
+13.8%
43
30
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors · Master's degree
$59,350
+16.8%
42
31
Database Architects · Bachelor's degree
$139,500
+8.7%
41
32
Industrial Machinery Mechanics · High school diploma or equivalent
$64,520
+16.1%
41
33
Veterinarians · Doctoral or professional degree
$130,100
+9.6%
41
34
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers · Associate's degree
$96,590
+13.0%
41
35
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists · Bachelor's degree
$90,150
+12.5%
39
36
Industrial Engineers · Bachelor's degree
$102,440
+11.0%
39
37
Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars · Associate's degree
$68,020
+14.7%
39
38
Physical Therapists · Doctoral or professional degree
$102,760
+10.9%
39
39
Orthotists and Prosthetists · Master's degree
$81,110
+13.3%
39
40
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists · Doctoral or professional degree
$100,580
+11.2%
39
41
Massage Therapists · Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,450
+15.4%
39
42
Cooks, Restaurant · No formal educational credential
$37,390
+14.9%
38
43
Construction Managers · Bachelor's degree
$114,990
+8.7%
38
44
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers · Bachelor's degree
$104,300
+10.0%
37
45
Personal Financial Advisors · Bachelor's degree
$105,070
+9.6%
37
46
Respiratory Therapists · Associate's degree
$82,280
+12.1%
37
47
Management Analysts · Bachelor's degree
$101,860
+8.8%
36
48
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists · High school diploma or equivalent
$56,870
+14.6%
36
49
Forensic Science Technicians · Bachelor's degree
$72,060
+12.8%
36
50
Mechanical Engineers · Bachelor's degree
$104,110
+9.1%
36
51
Computer Systems Analysts · Bachelor's degree
$105,850
+8.7%
36
52
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers · Postsecondary nondegree award
$68,120
+12.8%
35
53
Genetic Counselors · Master's degree
$100,040
+9.3%
35
54
Therapists, All Other · Bachelor's degree
$77,930
+11.5%
35
55
Marriage and Family Therapists · Master's degree
$66,940
+12.6%
35
56
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists · Doctoral or professional degree
$103,410
+8.7%
35
57
Audiologists · Doctoral or professional degree
$95,780
+9.5%
35
58
Medical Equipment Repairers · Associate's degree
$61,660
+12.9%
34
59
Training and Development Specialists · Bachelor's degree
$69,280
+10.8%
33
60
Medical Assistants · Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,690
+12.5%
33
61
Counselors, All Other · Master's degree
$50,860
+12.6%
32
62
Chiropractors · Doctoral or professional degree
$79,200
+9.5%
32
63
Athletic Trainers · Master's degree
$62,520
+11.1%
31
64
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors · High school diploma or equivalent
$47,160
+11.9%
31
65
Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes · Bachelor's degree
$82,890
+8.7%
31
66
Mechanical Door Repairers · High school diploma or equivalent
$55,720
+11.4%
31
67
Electricians · High school diploma or equivalent
$63,190
+9.5%
30
68
Recreational Vehicle Service Technicians · High school diploma or equivalent
$52,000
+11.5%
30
69
Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians · High school diploma or equivalent
$56,550
+11.0%
30
70
Community Health Workers · High school diploma or equivalent
$51,850
+11.3%
30
71
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers · High school diploma or equivalent
$60,070
+10.4%
30
72
Animal Caretakers · High school diploma or equivalent
$35,360
+12.1%
29
73
Semiconductor Processing Technicians · High school diploma or equivalent
$51,430
+10.9%
29
74
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers · Master's degree
$60,280
+9.7%
29
75
Flight Attendants · High school diploma or equivalent
$63,580
+9.2%
28
76
Tile and Stone Setters · No formal educational credential
$55,690
+10.1%
28
77
Exercise Physiologists · Bachelor's degree
$59,460
+9.5%
28
78
Taxi Drivers · No formal educational credential
$42,100
+11.1%
28
79
Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles · No formal educational credential
$56,460
+9.5%
27
80
Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers · Associate's degree
$63,520
+8.6%
27
81
Medical Equipment Preparers · High school diploma or equivalent
$47,700
+10.0%
27
82
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians · Associate's degree
$47,380
+9.1%
25
83
Driver/Sales Workers · High school diploma or equivalent
$38,770
+8.8%
24
84
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers · High school diploma or equivalent
$38,150
+8.7%
23
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