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Employment Projections
Bureau of Labor Statistics > Employment Projections > Data

Top skills for fastest growing occupations

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Table 6.3 Top skills for fastest growing occupations and 2025–35 employment projections (Employment in thousands)
2025 National Employment Matrix title 2025 National Employment Matrix code Employment, 2025 Employment, 2035 Employment change, numeric, 2025–35 Employment change, percent, 2025–35 Percent self employed, 2025 Occupational openings, 2025–35 annual average Median annual wage, dollars, 2025 Typical education needed for entry Top highest skill Second highest skill Third highest skill Related Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) content

Total, all occupations

 00-0000 170,280.8 176,198.5 5,917.6 3.5 5.8 17,461.8 50,980 — Adaptability Detail oriented Interpersonal —

Nurse practitioners

 29-1171 336.3 474.1 137.8 41.0 1.6 29.4 132,300 Master's degree Adaptability Interpersonal Problem solving and decision making OOH Content

Solar photovoltaic installers

 47-2231 31.1 42.4 11.3 36.5 — 4.2 53,140 High school diploma or equivalent Detail oriented Adaptability Problem solving and decision making OOH Content

Data scientists

 15-2051 275.6 371.0 95.4 34.6 1.9 24.8 120,230 Bachelor's degree Mathematics Computers and information technology Writing and reading OOH Content

Wind turbine service technicians

 49-9081 11.8 15.3 3.5 29.5 14.7 1.5 64,120 Postsecondary nondegree award Detail oriented Mechanical Adaptability OOH Content

Medical and health services managers

 11-9111 640.4 795.5 155.1 24.2 4.5 62.3 123,860 Bachelor's degree Adaptability Leadership Critical and analytical thinking OOH Content

Physical therapist assistants

 31-2021 114.1 140.4 26.2 23.0 — 18.5 68,380 Associate's degree Interpersonal Adaptability Problem solving and decision making OOH Content

Psychiatric technicians

 29-2053 161.5 197.5 36.0 22.3 — 17.0 45,130 Postsecondary nondegree award Interpersonal Adaptability Writing and reading OOH Content

Computer and information research scientists

 15-1221 38.6 47.0 8.4 21.8 — 2.9 140,300 Master's degree Computers and information technology Critical and analytical thinking Problem solving and decision making OOH Content

Occupational therapy assistants

 31-2011 52.2 63.4 11.2 21.5 — 8.1 72,300 Associate's degree Interpersonal Adaptability Problem solving and decision making OOH Content

Ophthalmic medical technicians

 29-2057 72.5 88.0 15.5 21.4 0.4 11.8 45,570 Postsecondary nondegree award Adaptability Detail oriented Interpersonal —

Physician assistants

 29-1071 168.9 204.6 35.7 21.1 1.4 11.5 135,880 Master's degree Adaptability Interpersonal Detail oriented OOH Content

Information security analysts

 15-1212 192.9 233.4 40.6 21.0 0.2 14.1 129,180 Bachelor's degree Computers and information technology Adaptability Writing and reading OOH Content

Occupational health and safety technicians

 19-5012 31.2 37.2 6.1 19.4 — 3.8 61,560 High school diploma or equivalent Adaptability Writing and reading Detail oriented OOH Content

Hearing aid specialists

 29-2092 11.2 13.4 2.2 19.4 0.5 0.9 65,160 High school diploma or equivalent Adaptability Customer service Interpersonal —

Epidemiologists

 19-1041 12.8 15.2 2.4 18.7 — 0.8 87,220 Master's degree Writing and reading Critical and analytical thinking Problem solving and decision making OOH Content

Occupational health and safety specialists

 19-5011 143.1 169.6 26.4 18.5 — 17.1 90,150 Bachelor's degree Adaptability Writing and reading Problem solving and decision making OOH Content

Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors

 21-1018 533.4 631.4 98.0 18.4 5.4 50.5 59,350 Master's degree Interpersonal Adaptability Writing and reading OOH Content

Home health and personal care aides

 31-1120 4,677.1 5,524.4 847.3 18.1 3.0 760.5 35,800 High school diploma or equivalent Interpersonal Adaptability Detail oriented OOH Content

Health specialties teachers, postsecondary

 25-1071 278.4 328.3 49.9 17.9 0.3 24.9 107,310 Doctoral or professional degree Adaptability Writing and reading Speaking and listening OOH Content

Industrial machinery mechanics

 49-9041 446.9 526.6 79.7 17.8 1.3 44.4 64,520 High school diploma or equivalent Fine motor Mechanical Adaptability OOH Content

Logisticians

 13-1081 255.1 300.0 44.9 17.6 1.2 26.6 82,320 Bachelor's degree Adaptability Critical and analytical thinking Problem solving and decision making OOH Content

Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary

 25-1072 96.1 112.6 16.5 17.1 0.3 8.5 80,250 Doctoral or professional degree Adaptability Interpersonal Writing and reading OOH Content

Speech-language pathologists

 29-1127 193.4 225.5 32.1 16.6 4.5 12.5 97,870 Master's degree Adaptability Interpersonal Writing and reading OOH Content

Health information technologists and medical registrars

 29-9021 42.0 48.6 6.7 15.9 7.2 3.0 68,020 Associate's degree Computers and information technology Writing and reading Adaptability OOH Content

Computer and information systems managers

 11-3021 685.8 793.9 108.1 15.8 0.7 53.5 175,140 Bachelor's degree Computers and information technology Problem solving and decision making Adaptability OOH Content

Massage therapists

 31-9011 155.4 179.1 23.7 15.3 35.6 20.4 58,450 Postsecondary nondegree award Interpersonal Adaptability Problem solving and decision making OOH Content

Occupational therapists

 29-1122 169.6 194.8 25.2 14.8 2.5 10.0 100,330 Master's degree Interpersonal Adaptability Writing and reading OOH Content

Diagnostic medical sonographers

 29-2032 92.2 105.1 12.9 13.9 1.1 6.0 96,590 Associate's degree Adaptability Detail oriented Interpersonal OOH Content

Marriage and family therapists

 21-1013 76.3 86.6 10.3 13.5 10.9 6.9 66,940 Master's degree Interpersonal Adaptability Problem solving and decision making OOH Content

Forensic science technicians

 19-4092 20.1 22.8 2.7 13.3 0.9 2.8 72,060 Bachelor's degree Detail oriented Writing and reading Problem solving and decision making OOH Content

Note:

Wage data are from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The 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.

Data is unavailable for values denoted with a "—".

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Last modified date: August 27, 2026