Many Americans get a much-deserved day off for Labor Day, but others can't or don't. It's a good time to thank the ones who don't, and it's also a good time to speculate about what the American job market might look like in the near future. While there are several factors in play, perhaps the biggest being who succeeds President Trump, a new report says that several very different fields may dominate in the next decade.
Mapped: The Fastest-Growing Job in Every U.S. State Through 2034 💼 https://t.co/bSXEFd2gK1 pic.twitter.com/RVFPvWpXEc
— Visual Capitalist (@VisualCap) September 4, 2026
A recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimated how the workforce will change from 2025 to 2035 and which occupations may be most lucrative and in demand for Americans to pursue. A BLS estimate shows that the U.S. economy will add 5.9 million jobs in the next ten years, increasing total employment from 170.3 million to 176.2 million jobs. That's a slower growth rate of 3.5 percent than the 10.9 percent growth rate from 2015 to 2025.
So, which jobs will be the most in demand in the next ten years? It should come as no surprise that healthcare jobs are at the top of the list. For the first time in history, senior citizens outnumber young people. Because of that, Nurse Practitioners are at the top, with a projected employment rate of 41 percent over the next decade. The estimate is that there will be an increase of 137,800 Nurse Practitioner jobs. Medical and Health Services manager positions may see a growth of 24.2 percent and a possible 155,100 jobs added. Physical Therapy Assistant positions will increase by 23 percent, or 26,200 jobs, and rounding out the growth of the healthcare sector, psychiatric technicians are projected to grow by 22.3 percent, adding 36,000 jobs.
As the talk of data centers grows around the nation, the electrical grid is a topic of concern. The BLS report also stated that the electricity demand "is expected to grow significantly." The second fastest-growing occupation may be solar photovoltaic panel installer (translation: solar panel installer), which could grow by 36.5 percent, or 11,300 jobs.
The health care sector has been driving job growth in recent years, and that's expected to continue as America's population gets older.https://t.co/jd1AWEGfXZ pic.twitter.com/0apnRJLiyr
— WKRG (@WKRG) August 31, 2026
Computer experts continue to be a top spot for job growth. Data Scientist positions are expected to grow by 34.6 percent, or 95,400 jobs. Computer and Research Scientists jobs are also expected to increase by 21.8 percent, or 8,400 jobs. The BLS report comes as The Wall Street Journal has reported that for those without a college degree, the current job market is one of the best in decades. In the 22-34 age group, the unemployment rate is among the lowest in decades, while those with a college degree have seen some of the worst unemployment rates in the same time period.
Rounding out the top ten occupations expected to grow, along with Computer and Research Scientists, are more healthcare positions. Occupational Therapy Assistants with 21.5 percent expected growth, or 11,200 jobs, and ophthalmic medical technicians with 21.4 percent expected growth, or 15,500 jobs.
As a thirty-year veteran of healthcare, my advice would be: If you can stand the current state of healthcare, which is populated by an overabundance of left-wingers, get in on the ground floor, help America's growing senior citizen population, and make a little money.
Utilities fastest job growth, private healthcare and social assistance most new jobs, projected 2025–35 https://t.co/41vprMuDaX #BLSdata pic.twitter.com/rwljx1JFAV
— BLS-Labor Statistics (@BLS_gov) September 2, 2026