The Most In-Demand Jobs in the U.S.

Photo Credit: NDAB Creativity / Shutterstock

By David Heacock

Workers in the U.S. are currently experiencing one of the most favorable labor markets in years. The unemployment rate has climbed back to pre-pandemic levels, but around 11.5 million jobs were open as of early spring, a historic high. With so many open positions readily available, more workers have felt confident in seeking new jobs, setting off what has come to be known as the “Great Resignation.” And because workers are in high demand, more employers are offering higher pay and other perks to attract talent, and wages are rising more rapidly than they have in 40 years.

Many of the unique current conditions in the labor market have arisen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The labor force participation rate remains below pre-pandemic levels. Certain industries, like retail and hospitality, have been especially challenged by COVID outbreaks, and these fields have been among those struggling most to fill vacancies as workers seek better pay and working conditions.

But even outside of the current environment, the U.S. economy has been seeing major shifts in the working population and the types of positions in demand, now and in the future.

One of the most significant forces reshaping the U.S. labor market is the aging of the population. As the Baby Boomer generation has aged, the share of older workers has increased steadily over time. The number of workers aged 55 and over more than doubled from 18.7 million in 2000 to 37.9 million in 2020, with an additional 4.7 million projected by 2030, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This rapid growth in the population of older workers has occurred even as the working population below age 55 has remained relatively flat over the last two decades.

Data of older workers account for an increasingly large share of the US labor force.

The types of positions that employers will be hiring are also likely to change in the years ahead. Some fields will see significant growth primarily due to COVID-19 recovery, including jobs in personal care, food service, the arts, and education that were lost during the pandemic. But positions in healthcare, computer and math jobs, social services, and the legal field are all expected to see growth independently of a pandemic bounceback, according to BLS employment projections.

Data of healthcare and personal care occupations.

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Other permanent shifts in society and the economy are likely to affect the types of jobs that will be in greatest demand in the future. The transition to green energy sources like wind and solar have created a new market for workers to install and service equipment, and with major new federal investments in green energy passed last year, the field may only grow further. The aforementioned aging of the Baby Boomer generation will create a lasting need for a variety of health professionals to care for them in old age. And as more employers rely on technology and data, professionals in fields like information security, statistics, and data science will be critical for the economy. These fields are all expected to be among the most in-demand jobs in the U.S. for the next decade.

The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. To determine the most in-demand jobs in the U.S., researchers at Filterbuy ordered occupations by the projected change in employment from 2020 to 2030. In the event of a tie, the job with the higher projected percentage change in employment from 2020 to 2030 was ranked higher. To improve relevance, only the top 30 occupations with the greatest percentage change in employment that were not subject to large pandemic-related employment changes were included.

Here are the most in-demand jobs in the U.S.

America’s Most In-Demand Jobs

  1. An image of an old man and woman sitting on a bench, happily discussing something.Photo Credit: fizkes / Shutterstock

    Crematory operators and personal care and service workers

    • Total change in employment (2020–2030): 19,900
    • Percentage change in employment (2020–2030): +24.8%
    • Median annual wage: $29,610
    • Typical education needed: High school diploma or equivalent
  2.  An image of a hand writing on a piece of paper, with a calculator beside it.Photo Credit: David Gyung / Shutterstock

    Operations research analysts

    • Total change in employment (2020–2030): 25,600
    • Percentage change in employment (2020–2030): +24.6%
    • Median annual wage: $82,360
    • Typical education needed: Bachelor's degree
  3.  A woman sits patiently on a chair as a medical professional prepares her for a medical test.Photo Credit: Svitlana Hulko / Shutterstock

    Phlebotomists

    • Total change in employment (2020–2030): 28,800
    • Percentage change in employment (2020–2030): +22.2%
    • Median annual wage: $37,380
    • Typical education needed: Postsecondary nondegree award
  4. A medical professional is attending a patient who is lying on a hospital bed.   Photo Credit: Dmytro Zinkevych / Shutterstock

    Respiratory therapists

    • Total change in employment (2020–2030): 31,100
    • Percentage change in employment (2020–2030): +23.0%
    • Median annual wage: $61,830
    • Typical education needed: Associate's degree
  5. Two young medical professionals, a boy and a girl, are instructing a patient who is standing and holding a cane.Photo Credit: Photographee.eu / Shutterstock

    Physical therapist assistants

    • Total change in employment (2020–2030): 33,200
    • Percentage change in employment (2020–2030): +35.4%
    • Median annual wage: $61,180
    • Typical education needed: Associate's degree
  6. A doctor gestures towards a blue chart held by a medical professional, their faces etched with concern as they analyze the details.Photo Credit: Stokkete / Shutterstock

    Physician assistants

    • Total change in employment (2020–2030): 40,100
    • Percentage change in employment (2020–2030): +31.0%
    • Median annual wage: $121,530
    • Typical education needed: Master's degree
  7. A mother and daughter sit on a couch, talking to each other.Photo Credit: fizkes / Shutterstock

    Speech-language pathologists

    • Total change in employment (2020–2030): 45,400
    • Percentage change in employment (2020–2030): +28.7%
    • Median annual wage: $79,060
    • Typical education needed: Master's degree
  8. Two colleagues huddle together, one pointing excitedly at something on a laptop screen while the other listens intently.Photo Credit: SFIO CRACHO / Shutterstock

    Information security analysts

    • Total change in employment (2020–2030): 47,100
    • Percentage change in employment (2020–2030): +33.3%
    • Median annual wage: $102,600
    • Typical education needed: Bachelor's degree
  9. A woman in a hard hat gestures towards a building plan as she talks to a man wearing a safety vest.Photo Credit: Kzenon / Shutterstock

    Logisticians

    • Total change in employment (2020–2030): 56,400
    • Percentage change in employment (2020–2030): +29.5%
    • Median annual wage: $77,030
    • Typical education needed: Bachelor's degree
  10. Three medical professionals stand gathered around a patient, their eyes focused intently as one of them performs CPR with practiced efficiency.Photo Credit: NDAB Creativity / Shutterstock

    Health specialties teachers, postsecondary

    • Total change in employment (2020–2030): 58,900
    • Percentage change in employment (2020–2030): +24.3%
    • Median annual wage: $102,720
    • Typical education needed: Doctoral or professional degree
  11. One woman bows her head and seems to be crying, while another woman wearing a green topper offers comfort by holding her.Photo Credit: Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

    Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors

    • Total change in employment (2020–2030): 75,100
    • Percentage change in employment (2020–2030): +22.9%
    • Median annual wage: $48,520
    • Typical education needed: Bachelor's degree
  12. A medical professional talk to a little girl, explaining things in a friendly and reassuring way. The mother listens attentively, a smile on her face.Photo Credit: Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

    Nurse practitioners

    • Total change in employment (2020–2030): 114,900
    • Percentage change in employment (2020–2030): +52.2%
    • Median annual wage: $120,680
    • Typical education needed: Master's degree
  13.  A group of colleagues sits around a table, their laptops open for a meeting.Photo Credit: Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

    Medical and health services managers

    • Total change in employment (2020–2030): 139,600
    • Percentage change in employment (2020–2030): +32.5%
    • Median annual wage: $101,340
    • Typical education needed: Bachelor's degree
  14. A hand points at the computer screen as the other hand holds the keyboard.Photo Credit: wutzkohphoto / Shutterstock

    Software developers and software quality assurance analysts and testers

    • Total change in employment (2020–2030): 409,500
    • Percentage change in employment (2020–2030): +22.2%
    • Median annual wage: $102,930
    • Typical education needed: Bachelor's degree
  15. A black blood pressure cuff is wrapped snugly around the patient's upper arm, ready to measure their vital signs.Photo Credit: Dmytro Zinkevych / Shutterstock

    Home health and personal care aides

    • Total change in employment (2020–2030): 1,129,900
    • Percentage change in employment (2020–2030): +32.6%
    • Median annual wage: $29,430
    • Typical education needed: High school diploma or equivalent

Detailed Findings & Methodology

The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Projections. To determine the most in-demand jobs in the U.S., researchers ordered occupations by the projected total change in employment from 2020 to 2030. In the event of a tie, the job with the higher projected percentage change in employment from 2020 to 2030 was ranked higher. To improve relevance, only the top 30 occupations with the greatest percentage change in employment that were not subject to large pandemic-related employment changes were included.

 
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