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10 major occupational groups with higher-than-average wages projected to grow faster than average
December 05, 2023
Total employment is projected to grow 2.8 percent over the 2022-32 decade. Data for over 800 occupations are categorized into major groups. Most occupational groups with faster than average projected growth earned more than the overall median annual wage of $46,310 in 2022. Those groups appear in the upper right side of the chart. For example, management occupations, the highest paying group in 2022 ($107,360), is projected to grow 5.4 percent over the 2022-32 decade. Computer and mathematical occupations – the second-fastest growing group at 15.2 percent – earned a median annual wage of $100,440 in 2022.
Projected rate of employment change and median annual wages, by major occupational group
Occupation
Employment change, percent, 2022-32
Median annual wage, 2022
Healthcare support occupations
15.4
$33,600
Computer and mathematical occupations
15.2
$100,440
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
8.0
$77,760
Community and social service occupations
7.8
$49,380
Life, physical, and social science occupations
6.1
$74,330
Personal care and service occupations
6.1
$31,340
Legal occupations
5.9
$95,170
Business and financial operations occupations
5.6
$76,850
Management occupations
5.4
$107,360
Transportation and material moving occupations
5.4
$37,940
Architecture and engineering occupations
5.2
$83,700
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
3.8
$58,030
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
3.6
$50,080
Construction and extraction occupations
2.5
$50,570
Educational instruction and library occupations
2.3
$57,490
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations
1.7
$33,870
Food preparation and serving related occupations
1.7
$29,640
Protective service occupations
0.3
$45,450
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations
-1.9
$33,970
Sales and related occupations
-2.6
$35,290
Production occupations
-3.2
$39,910
Office and administrative support occupations
-6.2
$40,910
Conversely, healthcare support occupations, a group that is expected to grow faster than any other group over the projections period, 15.4%, earned a median wage of $33,600, less than the average of all occupations. All four occupational groups projected to see employment declines through 2032 earned a less-than-average wage. Among the groups expected to have slower-than-average growth, none had average earnings of more than $60,000 per year.
These data are from the Employment Projections program. Projected growth and median wages are also available for detailed occupations within each broader occupational group. To learn more, see the Occupational Outlook Handbook for information about hundreds of careers.
United States Department of Labor
