New Year. New Job? A Look at In-Demand Positions & Fields

Job-growth projections by position and field between 2021 and 2031

There’s good news for job seekers: the labor market remains fairly tight, and there are plenty of options. But whether you are young and just starting out or an experienced worker aiming for a career change, it’s a good idea to consider positions and fields that are in high demand and expected to grow.

Here’s a look at some fields and jobs that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects to grow or otherwise have significant openings in the next decade.

Technology jobs

“Learn to code” became a politically charged internet meme used to mock tech workers and laid-off journalists for being out of touch with the struggles of blue-collar workers. But regardless of the phrase’s origins, it’s not necessarily bad advice — especially since many companies are now recruiting coders who don’t have degrees.

A Business Insider examination of “30 high-paying, fast-growing jobs that are set to boom over the next decade” includes four tech jobs in the top 15, with software developers ranking number one. And the BLS cites three tech roles in the 20 positions with the fastest growth between 2021 and 2031.

Here are some positions the BLS expects to have the most opportunity:

• Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers, who had a median pay of $120,730 per year in 2021, are projected to experience 25% growth in positions between 2021 and 2031. That represents 411,400 new jobs.

• Data Scientists who “use analytical tools and techniques to extract meaningful insights from data” have a median salary of $100,910. The number of openings is projected to increase 36% by 2031 (113,300 new jobs).

• The demand for Information Security Analysts is increasing along with the growing threat of cybercrime. The median pay is $102,600, and the BLS projects 56,500 new jobs by 2031, a growth rate of 35%.

• Web Developers, who “create and maintain websites,” and Digital Designers, who “develop, create, and test websites” for usability, are set to add 45,400 jobs by 2031, an increase of 23%. The median salary is $78,300.

Emerging applications in the tech field, many of which overlap the above job titles, include roles specializing in artificial intelligence (AI), e-commerce, cloud computing, IT systems management, network architecture, and systems reliability.

Healthcare positions

Covid-19 illuminated employee shortages in the healthcare field. And an aging population and its growing healthcare needs create high demand for these workers that isn’t set to slow anytime soon.

Four of the top 20 fastest-growing occupations cited by BLS are in healthcare, and five are in the top 20 for most new jobs by 2031. Here are a few key positions:

• Nurse Practitioners, who need master’s degrees, have the highest projected growth rate of any occupation at 46%, which translates to 118,600 new jobs. Their median salary is $123,780 per year.

• Registered Nurses, who only need bachelor’s or associate’s degrees, have a median income of $77,600 and are also in demand. While the growth rate of the position is average, the BLS projects 195,400 new jobs by 2031.

• Medical and Health Services Managers: These titles, which require a bachelor’s degree and less than five years of work experience in a related occupation, have a median salary of $101,340. The BLS projects positions will grow by 28%, with 136,200 new jobs.

• Home Health and Personal Care Aides: Home health aides typically just need a high school degree and only have a median salary of $29,430. But that pay might change with increasing demand. Home Health and Personal Care Aides will see the most new jobs of any profession, according to the BLS: 924,000 by 2031.

Also making the list of high-growth roles in healthcare are Physician Assistants (38,400 new jobs, $121,530 per year), Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides (33,900, $49,180), and Medical Assistants (117,800, $37,190).

A boom in blue-collar jobs?

These jobs pay far less than those in tech or healthcare, but demand for numerous blue-collar and service industry positions is expected to be high over the next 10 years. In addition, post-pandemic realities have caused more individuals to resume filling lower-paying jobs recently, including in food service, after lockdowns and the Great Resignation forced significant turnover.

Food service

• The BLS projects that Cooks, with median pay of $29,120, will experience the second-highest number of new jobs by 2031 — 419,300.

• Food and Beverage Serving and Related Workers are number four in projected new jobs at 372,900. Their median pay is $25,980.

• Waiters and Waitresses (197,000 new jobs, $26,000 per year), Restaurant Supervisors (145,700, $36,570), and Bartenders (90,900, $48,310) also make the list.

Manual laborers and truck drivers

• Among positions with many new openings will be Hand Laborers and Material Movers (168,400 new jobs with a median salary of  $30,320), Stockers and Order Fillers (157,900, $30,110), Light Truck Drivers (108,400, $38,280), and Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers (90,900, $48,310).

The skilled trades

• Solar Photovoltaic Installers, with a median salary of $47,670, show a relatively modest number of new jobs at 4,600 — but that’s a rapid 26% growth rate for the industry. Similarly, Wind Turbine Technicians ($56,260 per year) should see about 4,900 new jobs for a massive 44% growth rate.

White-collar managers and specialists

The job-growth news is positive for general ‘business managers’ and some specialists, especially those with bachelor’s degrees. The BLS anticipates high demand for a range of positions, including: 

• General and Operations Managers, who are essentially just “executives” in a wide range of industries with a median salary of $97,970, will have 209,800 new jobs.

• Financial Managers, a title encompassing everything from financial reporting to directing investments, should see 123,100 new jobs and have a median salary of $131,710.

• Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists have 150,300 projected new jobs and a median salary of $63,920.

• Management Analysts, who “recommend ways to improve an organization’s efficiency,” are projected to see 108,400 new jobs and have a median salary of $93,000.

Takeaways on projected job growth and opportunities

The BLS’s 10-year projections are “based on analysis of historical and current economic data for the labor market, the macroeconomy, and industrial activity.” But they’re only projections — and aren’t set in stone.

Nevertheless, many of the results track with assessments by recruiters, job-search sites, and other employment experts. For example, a review of “30 Jobs That Are Seriously in Demand for 2022” by the career-research site The Muse shows significant overlap with BLS’s long-term list. It also contains a similar, diverse mix of pay and educational requirements, plus a heavy emphasis on technology.

If it’s practical, young people may want to consider getting the extensive training required for some of the highest-paying jobs in tech, business services, and healthcare. But even older career-changers have opportunities that don’t need an advanced degree.

Some positions, like coding, can be self-taught, and there are also many accessible non-degree programs for people to learn how to code (and earn a certificate), like Udemy or Code Academy. Employers, thirsty for talent, might also provide “on-the-job” training opportunities or pay-for-training programs. Other professions, such as nursing, only require an associate’s degree. And individuals who already have business experience should have a range of new opportunities at organizations in high-growth fields.

Note that the positions highlighted above are just a fraction of those anticipated to grow over the next decade. You can view the full, searchable BLS projections database here.

Karp HR Solutions helps businesses master the mix of finance and human resources. Contact us today for a free consultation.