Careers Forecast

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Pocket
WhatsApp

Highest Paying, Fastest Growing Occupations

Air traffic controllers
Air traffic controllers

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, these 20 careers have seen some pretty significant growth recently and continue to gain momentum, with the highest percent change of employment between 2014 and 2024. Shown here is the occupation, its projected growth rate over the next eight years and its median pay in 2014.

  • Offshore wind turbines
    Offshore wind turbines

    Wind turbine service technicians, 108 percent growth rate, $48,800 per year

  • Occupational therapy assistants, 43 percent growth rate, $56,950 per year
  • Physical therapist assistants, 41 percent growth rate, $54,410 per year
  • Physical therapist aides, 39 percent growth rate, $24,650 per year
  • Home health aides, 38 percent growth rate, $21,380 per year
  • Commercial divers, 37 percent growth rate, $45,890 per year
  • Nurse practitioners, 35 percent growth rate, $95,350 per year
  • Physical therapists, 34 percent growth rate, $82,390 per year
  • Statisticians, 34 percent growth rate, $79,990 per year
  • Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians, 33 percent growth rate, $24,080 per year
  • Occupational therapy aides, 31 percent growth rate, $26,550 per year
  • Physician assistants, 30 percent growth rate, $95,820 per year
  • Operations research analysts, 30 percent growth rate, $76,660 per year
  • Personal financial advisors, 30 percent growth rate, $81,060 per year
  • Cartographers and photogrammetrists, 29 percent growth rate, $60,930 per year
  • Genetic counselors, 29 percent growth rate, $67,500 per year
  • Interpreters and translators, 29 percent growth rate, $43,590 per year
  • Audiologists, 29 percent growth rate, $73,060 per year
  • Hearing aid specialists, 27 percent growth rate, $43,010 per year
  • Optometrists, 27 percent growth rate, $101,410 per year
Registered nurses are expected to have the second highest amount of new jobs available between now and 2024.
Registered nurses are expected to have the second highest amount of new jobs available between now and 2024.

Most New Jobs

Here is the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ list of the top 20 occupation with the highest projected change in employment, most new jobs in that career in the next eight years, with the job’s 2014 median pay:

  • Personal care aides, 458,100 projected, $20,440 per year
  • Registered nurses, 439,300 projected, $66,640 per year
  • Home health aides, 348,400 projected, $21,380 per year
  • Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food, 343,500 projected, $18,410 per year
  • Retail salespersons, 314,200 projected, $21,390 per year
  • Nursing assistants, 262,000 projected, $25,100 per year
  • Customer service representatives, 252,900 projected, $31,200 per year
  • Cooks, restaurant, 158,900 projected, $22,490 per year
  • General and operations managers, 151,100 projected, $97,270 per year
  • Construction laborers, 147,400 projected, $31,090 per year
  • Accountants and auditors, 142,400 projected, $65,940 per year
  • Medical assistants, 138,900 projected, $29,960 per year
  • Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners, 136,300 projected, $22,840 per year
  • Software developers, applications, 135,300 projected, $95,510 per year
  • Laborers and freight, stock, and material/hand movers, 125,100 projected, $24,430 per year
  • First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers, 121,200 projected, $50,780 per year
  • Computer systems analysts, 118,600 projected, $82,710 per year
  • Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, 117,300 projected, $42,490 per year
  • Maids and housekeeping cleaners, 111,700 projected, $20,120 per year
  • Medical secretaries, 108,200 projected, $32,240 per year
Personal care aides are projected to have the highest amount of new jobs within the next eight years.
Personal care aides are projected to have the highest amount of new jobs within the next eight years.

Highest Paying Occupations

The following careers are the top 20 highest paying in 2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and shown with their median pay two years ago:

  • Physicians and surgeons, equal to or greater than $187,200 per year
  • Anesthesiologists, equal to or greater than $187,200 per year
  • Orthodontists, equal to or greater than $187,200 per year
  • Internists, equal to or greater than $187,200 per year
  • Obstetricians and gynecologists, equal to or greater than $187,200 per year
  • Oral and maxillofacial surgeons, equal to or greater than $187,200 per year
  • Surgeons, equal to or greater than $187,200 per year
  • Psychiatrists, $181,880 per year
  • Family and general practitioners, $180,180 per year
  • Chief executives, $173,320 per year
  • Dentists, all other specialists, $170,110 per year
  • Pediatricians, general, $163,350 per year
  • Nurse anesthetists, $153,780 per year
  • Dentists, general, $149,540 per year
  • Architectural and engineering managers, $130,620 per year
  • Petroleum engineers, $130,050 per year
  • Computer and information systems managers, $127,640 per year
  • Marketing managers, $127,130 per year
  • Air traffic controllers, $122,340 per year
  • Pharmacists, $120,950 per year

—Compiled by Christy Hinko


See Physician Assistant: A Spotlight On The Number 1 Job.

 

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Pocket
WhatsApp

Never miss any important news. Subscribe to our newsletter.

Leave a Reply

Never miss any important news. Subscribe to our newsletter.

Recent News

Editor's Pick

x