Bureau of Labor Statistics > Employment Projections > Data

Fastest growing occupations

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Table 1.3 Fastest growing occupations, 2018 and projected 2028
(Numbers in thousands)

2018 National Employment Matrix title and code

Employment

Change, 2018–28

Median annual wage, 2018(1)

2018

2028

Number

Percent

Total, all occupations

00-0000

161,037.7

169,435.9

8,398.1

5.2

$38,640

Solar photovoltaic installers

47-2231

9.7

15.8

6.1

63.3

$42,680

Wind turbine service technicians

49-9081

6.6

10.3

3.8

56.9

$54,370

Home health aides

31-1011

831.8

1,136.6

304.8

36.6

$24,200

Personal care aides

39-9021

2,421.2

3,302.1

881.0

36.4

$24,020

Occupational therapy assistants

31-2011

43.8

58.3

14.5

33.1

$60,220

Information security analysts

15-1122

112.3

147.7

35.5

31.6

$98,350

Physician assistants

29-1071

118.8

155.7

37.0

31.1

$108,610

Statisticians

15-2041

44.4

58.0

13.6

30.7

$87,780

Nurse practitioners

29-1171

189.1

242.4

53.3

28.2

$107,030

Speech-language pathologists

29-1127

153.7

195.6

41.9

27.3

$77,510

Physical therapist assistants

31-2021

98.4

125.0

26.7

27.1

$58,040

Genetic counselors

29-9092

3.0

3.8

0.8

27.0

$80,370

Mathematicians

15-2021

2.9

3.6

0.8

26.0

$101,900

Operations research analysts

15-2031

109.7

137.9

28.1

25.6

$83,390

Software developers, applications

15-1132

944.2

1,185.7

241.5

25.6

$103,620

Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists

33-2022

2.2

2.8

0.5

24.1

$39,600

Health specialties teachers, postsecondary

25-1071

254.8

313.9

59.1

23.2

$97,370

Phlebotomists

31-9097

128.3

157.8

29.5

23.0

$34,480

Physical therapist aides

31-2022

49.8

61.2

11.3

22.8

$26,240

Medical assistants

31-9092

686.6

841.5

154.9

22.6

$33,610

Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors

21-1018

304.5

373.1

68.5

22.5

$44,630

Marriage and family therapists

21-1013

55.3

67.7

12.3

22.3

$50,090

Massage therapists

31-9011

159.8

195.2

35.4

22.2

$41,420

Cooks, restaurant

35-2014

1,362.3

1,661.3

299.0

21.9

$26,530

Physical therapists

29-1123

247.7

301.9

54.2

21.9

$87,930

Respiratory therapists

29-1126

134.0

162.0

27.9

20.8

$60,280

Market research analysts and marketing specialists

13-1161

681.9

821.1

139.2

20.4

$63,120

Actuaries

15-2011

25.0

30.0

5.0

20.1

$102,880

Computer numerically controlled machine tool programmers, metal and plastic

51-4012

24.3

29.2

4.9

20.0

$53,190

Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary

25-1072

69.0

82.8

13.8

20.0

$73,490

Footnotes:
  (1) Data are from the Occupational Employment Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wage data cover non-farm wage and salary workers and do not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, or household workers.
Source: Employment Projections program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Last Modified Date: September 4, 2019