Here are the best high-paying and fast-growing jobs for the next decade (2024)

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Economy

Madison Hoff

2023-09-12T15:06:04Z

Here are the best high-paying and fast-growing jobs for the next decade (1)

Insider looked at jobs with above-median pay that are expected to see growth.
We analyzed both employment projections for 2022 to 2032 and May 2022 median annual wage data.
Software developers and financial managers took the top two spots in our ranking.

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While software developers, financial managers, and medical and health services managers are very different types of jobs, they are all projected to see employment rise from 2022 to 2032 and pay over $100,000 for the typical worker.

The latest employment projection data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in early September highlights which occupationsmay see employment growth and declines from 2022 to 2032. Total employment is projected to grow by nearly 4.7 million over this 10-year period,a press release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics said. At the occupation level, home health and personal care aides followed by software developers are projected to see the largest increase in the number of people employed,BLS found.

While home health and personal care aides had a median annual wage of $30,180, below the median for all occupations of $46,310, software developers had a median pay of over $100,000.

Insider decided to look at occupations with available data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that pay fairly well and are projected to see some kind of growth over the 10-year period starting in 2022. To do this, we calculated the geometric mean for each occupation using median annual wages for May 2022 and projected employment growth from 2022 to 2032 for each occupation.

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For our definition of jobs that pay well or are high-paying, we didn't just look at jobs that have a median of six figures. We looked at occupations that had a median annual wage greater than $46,310, which was the median for all US jobs based on May 2022 data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has a few occupations that are catchall titles — with the wording of "all other." We eliminated these titles for the purpose of this analysis.

After calculating the geometric mean, we ranked occupations based on this, where the occupation that ranked No. 1 had the highest geometric mean. Below are the top 30 jobs in the analysis.

Correction: April 17, 2024 — This article has been updated to correct a typo in the median wage for all occupations.

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30. Sales representatives of services (except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel)

Here are the best high-paying and fast-growing jobs for the next decade (5)

Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 45,700

Median annual wage in May 2022: $62,400

Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

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29. Sales managers

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 22,500

Median annual wage in May 2022: $130,600

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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28. Electricians

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 49,200

Median annual wage in May 2022: $60,240

Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

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27. Logisticians

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 38,300

Median annual wage in May 2022: $77,520

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

26. Human resources specialists

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 51,400

Median annual wage in May 2022: $64,240

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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25. Marketing managers

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 23,700

Median annual wage in May 2022: $140,040

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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24. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 71,500

Median annual wage in May 2022: $49,710

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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23. Industrial machinery mechanics

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 59,900

Median annual wage in May 2022: $59,830

Typical educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

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22. Physical therapists

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 37,300

Median annual wage in May 2022: $97,720

Typical educational requirements: Doctoral or professional degree

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21. Industrial engineers

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 38,400

Median annual wage in May 2022: $96,350

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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20. Personal financial advisors

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 42,000

Median annual wage in May 2022: $95,390

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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19. Software quality assurance analysts and testers

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 40,800

Median annual wage in May 2022: $99,620

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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18. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 89,300

Median annual wage in May 2022: $49,920

Typical educational requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award

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17. Physician assistants

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 39,300

Median annual wage in May 2022: $126,010

Typical educational requirements: Master's degree

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16. Postsecondary health specialties teachers

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 50,200

Median annual wage in May 2022: $100,300

Typical educational requirements: Doctoral or professional degree

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15. Project management specialists

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 54,700

Median annual wage in May 2022: $95,370

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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14. Computer systems analysts

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 51,100

Median annual wage in May 2022: $102,240

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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13. Accountants and auditors

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 67,400

Median annual wage in May 2022: $78,000

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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12. Information security analysts

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 53,200

Median annual wage in May 2022: $112,000

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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11. Data scientists

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 59,400

Median annual wage in May 2022: $103,500

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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10. Market research analysts and marketing specialists

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 116,600

Median annual wage in May 2022: $68,230

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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9. Lawyers

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 62,400

Median annual wage in May 2022: $135,740

Typical educational requirements: Doctoral or professional degree

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8. Management analysts

Here are the best high-paying and fast-growing jobs for the next decade (27)

Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 95,700

Median annual wage in May 2022: $95,290

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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7. Computer and information systems managers

Here are the best high-paying and fast-growing jobs for the next decade (28)

Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 86,000

Median annual wage in May 2022: $164,070

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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6. Registered nurses

Here are the best high-paying and fast-growing jobs for the next decade (29)

Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 177,400

Median annual wage in May 2022: $81,220

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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5. Nurse practitioners

Here are the best high-paying and fast-growing jobs for the next decade (30)

Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 118,600

Median annual wage in May 2022: $121,610

Typical educational requirements: Master's degree

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4. General and operations managers

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Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 147,300

Median annual wage in May 2022: $98,100

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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3. Medical and health services managers

Here are the best high-paying and fast-growing jobs for the next decade (32)

Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 144,700

Median annual wage in May 2022: $104,830

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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2. Financial managers

Here are the best high-paying and fast-growing jobs for the next decade (33)

Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 126,600

Median annual wage in May 2022: $139,790

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree

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1. Software developers

Here are the best high-paying and fast-growing jobs for the next decade (34)

Projected change in employment from 2022 to 2032: 410,400

Median annual wage in May 2022: $127,260

Typical educational requirements: Bachelor's degree