Fastest Growing & Declining Jobs in 2026

BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 · Updated Apr 3, 2025

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes 10-year occupational projections every two years. Below are the 25 fastest-growing and 25 fastest-declining occupations in the United States between 2024 and 2034, ranked both by percent change and by absolute job count. Click any role for detailed wage percentiles, regional adjustments, and JOLTS market context.

Growing Occupations

Roles where BLS projects the largest employment gains between 2024 and 2034.

Top 25 Fastest Growing Occupations

Ranked by percent change 2024-2034

#	Occupation	Workforce	By 2034	Change	Median Pay
1	Wind turbine service technicians SOC 49-9081	14K	21K	+49.9%	$63K
2	Solar photovoltaic installers SOC 47-2231	29K	41K	+42.1%	$52K
3	Nurse practitioners SOC 29-1171	320K	449K	+40.1%	$129K
4	Data scientists SOC 15-2051	246K	328K	+33.5%	$113K
5	Information security analysts SOC 15-1212	183K	235K	+28.5%	$125K
6	Medical and health services managers SOC 11-9111	616K	759K	+23.2%	$118K
7	Physical therapist assistants SOC 31-2021	112K	136K	+22.0%	$66K
8	Actuaries SOC 15-2011	34K	41K	+21.8%	$126K
9	Operations research analysts SOC 15-2031	112K	136K	+21.5%	$91K
10	Physician assistants SOC 29-1071	163K	196K	+20.4%	$133K
11	Psychiatric technicians SOC 29-2053	145K	173K	+20.0%	$43K
12	Ophthalmic medical technicians SOC 29-2057	79K	94K	+19.8%	$44K
13	Computer and information research scientists SOC 15-1221	40K	48K	+19.7%	$141K
14	Occupational therapy assistants SOC 31-2011	49K	59K	+19.2%	$68K
15	Financial examiners SOC 13-2061	65K	77K	+18.5%	$90K
16	Hearing aid specialists SOC 29-2092	11K	13K	+18.4%	$62K
17	Health specialties teachers, postsecondary SOC 25-1071	290K	340K	+17.3%	$106K
18	Home health and personal care aides SOC 31-1120	4.3M	5.1M	+17.0%	$35K
19	Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary SOC 25-1072	92K	107K	+16.8%	$80K
20	Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors SOC 21-1018	484K	565K	+16.8%	$59K
21	Logisticians SOC 13-1081	241K	281K	+16.7%	$81K
22	Epidemiologists SOC 19-1041	12K	14K	+16.2%	$84K
23	Industrial machinery mechanics SOC 49-9041	440K	510K	+16.1%	$64K
24	Software developers SOC 15-1252	1.7M	2.0M	+15.8%	$133K
25	Massage therapists SOC 31-9011	168K	194K	+15.4%	$58K

Top 25 Occupations With the Most Job Growth

Ranked by absolute jobs added 2024-2034

#	Occupation	Workforce	By 2034	Change	Median Pay
1	Home health and personal care aides SOC 31-1120	4.3M	5.1M	+17.0%	$35K
2	Software developers SOC 15-1252	1.7M	2.0M	+15.8%	$133K
3	Stockers and order fillers SOC 53-7065	2.8M	3.0M	+8.5%	$37K
4	Fast food and counter workers SOC 35-3023	3.8M	4.0M	+6.1%	$30K
5	Cooks, restaurant SOC 35-2014	1.5M	1.7M	+14.9%	$37K
6	Registered nurses SOC 29-1141	3.4M	3.6M	+4.9%	$94K
7	General and operations managers SOC 11-1021	3.7M	3.9M	+4.4%	$103K
8	Medical and health services managers SOC 11-9111	616K	759K	+23.2%	$118K
9	Financial managers SOC 11-3031	869K	997K	+14.8%	$162K
10	Nurse practitioners SOC 29-1171	320K	449K	+40.1%	$129K
11	Construction laborers SOC 47-2061	1.5M	1.6M	+7.3%	$47K
12	Computer and information systems managers SOC 11-3021	667K	769K	+15.2%	$171K
13	Medical assistants SOC 31-9092	811K	912K	+12.5%	$44K
14	Management analysts SOC 13-1111	1.1M	1.2M	+8.8%	$101K
15	Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers SOC 53-3032	2.2M	2.3M	+4.0%	$57K
16	Data scientists SOC 15-2051	246K	328K	+33.5%	$113K
17	Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors SOC 21-1018	484K	565K	+16.8%	$59K
18	Light truck drivers SOC 53-3033	1.1M	1.2M	+7.3%	$44K
19	Electricians SOC 47-2111	819K	896K	+9.5%	$62K
20	First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers SOC 35-1012	1.2M	1.3M	+6.0%	$42K
21	Accountants and auditors SOC 13-2011	1.6M	1.7M	+4.6%	$82K
22	Industrial machinery mechanics SOC 49-9041	440K	510K	+16.1%	$64K
23	Market research analysts and marketing specialists SOC 13-1161	942K	1.0M	+6.7%	$77K
24	Maintenance and repair workers, general SOC 49-9071	1.6M	1.7M	+3.8%	$49K
25	Managers, all other SOC 11-9199	1.3M	1.4M	+4.5%	$137K

Declining Occupations

Roles where BLS projects the largest employment losses between 2024 and 2034. Useful signal for workforce re-skilling and comp-budget allocation away from contracting categories.

Top 25 Fastest Declining Occupations

Ranked by percent change 2024-2034

#	Occupation	Workforce	By 2034	Change	Median Pay
1	Word processors and typists SOC 43-9022	40K	26K	-36.1%	$48K
2	Roof bolters, mining SOC 47-5043	2K	2K	-34.2%	$77K
3	Telephone operators SOC 43-2021	4K	3K	-27.5%	$39K
4	Switchboard operators, including answering service SOC 43-2011	37K	27K	-26.3%	$38K
5	Data entry keyers SOC 43-9021	142K	105K	-25.9%	$40K
6	Foundry mold and coremakers SOC 51-4071	13K	9K	-25.9%	$46K
7	Patternmakers, metal and plastic SOC 51-4062	2K	1K	-24.4%	$55K
8	Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining SOC 47-5044	6K	5K	-22.3%	$69K
9	Telemarketers SOC 41-9041	67K	53K	-22.1%	$34K
10	Grinding and polishing workers, hand SOC 51-9022	12K	9K	-21.2%	$42K
11	Engine and other machine assemblers SOC 51-2031	38K	30K	-21.1%	$53K
12	Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic SOC 51-4032	5K	4K	-19.6%	$47K
13	Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic SOC 51-4022	9K	7K	-18.9%	$49K
14	Model makers, metal and plastic SOC 51-4061	3K	3K	-18.2%	$63K
15	Cutters and trimmers, hand SOC 51-9031	7K	6K	-18.1%	$39K
16	Timing device assemblers and adjusters SOC 51-2061	200	200	-17.5%	$41K
17	Order clerks SOC 43-4151	90K	74K	-17.2%	$45K
18	Refractory materials repairers, except brickmasons SOC 49-9045	1K	900	-16.9%	$59K
19	Payroll and timekeeping clerks SOC 43-3051	161K	134K	-16.7%	$55K
20	Structural metal fabricators and fitters SOC 51-2041	54K	45K	-16.3%	$50K
21	Print binding and finishing workers SOC 51-5113	36K	30K	-16.1%	$40K
22	File clerks SOC 43-4071	84K	71K	-15.9%	$41K
23	Nuclear power reactor operators SOC 51-8011	6K	5K	-15.3%	$123K
24	Office machine operators, except computer SOC 43-9071	26K	22K	-15.2%	$39K
25	Camera and photographic equipment repairers SOC 49-9061	2K	2K	-15.1%	$49K

Top 25 Occupations With the Largest Job Declines

Ranked by absolute jobs lost 2024-2034

#	Occupation	Workforce	By 2034	Change	Median Pay
1	Cashiers SOC 41-2011	3.2M	2.8M	-9.9%	$31K
2	Office clerks, general SOC 43-9061	2.6M	2.5M	-6.7%	$44K
3	Customer service representatives SOC 43-4051	2.8M	2.7M	-5.5%	$43K
4	Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks SOC 43-3031	1.6M	1.5M	-5.8%	$49K
5	Cooks, fast food SOC 35-2011	670K	579K	-13.5%	$30K
6	First-line supervisors of retail sales workers SOC 41-1011	1.4M	1.4M	-5.0%	$47K
7	Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks SOC 43-5071	862K	796K	-7.7%	$43K
8	Tellers SOC 43-3071	347K	303K	-12.9%	$39K
9	Data entry keyers SOC 43-9021	142K	105K	-25.9%	$40K
10	Packers and packagers, hand SOC 53-7064	592K	560K	-5.4%	$36K
11	Food preparation workers SOC 35-2021	903K	872K	-3.4%	$34K
12	Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive SOC 43-6014	1.9M	1.9M	-1.6%	$46K
13	Correctional officers and jailers SOC 33-3012	388K	357K	-7.8%	$58K
14	Childcare workers SOC 39-9011	992K	962K	-2.9%	$32K
15	Elementary school teachers, except special education SOC 25-2021	1.4M	1.4M	-2.0%	$62K
16	Payroll and timekeeping clerks SOC 43-3051	161K	134K	-16.7%	$55K
17	Computer user support specialists SOC 15-1232	730K	703K	-3.7%	$60K
18	Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic SOC 51-4031	175K	154K	-12.1%	$46K
19	Teaching assistants, except postsecondary SOC 25-9045	1.4M	1.4M	-1.5%	$35K
20	Retail salespersons SOC 41-2031	3.9M	3.9M	-0.5%	$35K
21	Interviewers, except eligibility and loan SOC 43-4111	164K	145K	-11.6%	$44K
22	Computer numerically controlled tool operators SOC 51-9161	177K	158K	-10.7%	$50K
23	Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators SOC 13-1031	356K	338K	-5.1%	$77K
24	Office and administrative support workers, all other SOC 43-9199	233K	215K	-7.8%	$46K
25	Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education SOC 25-2031	1.1M	1.1M	-1.6%	$65K

About This Data

Rankings are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections program, 2024-2034 release. The BLS publishes 10-year occupational projections every two years based on economic, demographic, and labor-supply modeling.

Percent-change rankings (Tables 1.3 and 1.5) favor smaller, faster-moving occupations. Absolute-change rankings (Tables 1.4 and 1.6) favor large established occupations even when their percent change is modest. Both views matter for workforce planning.

Next release: ~2027 (for 2025-2035 outlook)Verify on BLS.gov →

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