20 high-paying occupations with fast job growth in the US

Business Insider used job projection and wage data to identify jobs with expected employee demand and typically high pay.

Apr 9, 2025 - 09:40
 0
20 high-paying occupations with fast job growth in the US
People working on or looking at computer code
Software developers ranked No. 1 on our list of high-paying, potentially high-growing jobs.
  • BI looked at jobs that paid above the national median and were expected to increase employment from 2023 to 2033.
  • A few high-paying healthcare and tech jobs are projected to have robust job growth.
  • Most of the jobs that made the top 20 on our list had a median pay of over $100,000 a year.

Developers, nurses, accountants, and lawyers could be good occupations if you're looking for work with strong expected demand and typically high pay.

Business Insider analyzed high-paying jobs with potentially strong job growth based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data. We took the geometric mean of jobs that paid above the median annual wage in May 2024, $49,500, and jobs that are projected to grow from 2023 to 2033. We excluded catchall job titles because we wanted to focus on occupations that were specific. The higher the geometric mean, the higher the occupation ranked on our list.

Several tech jobs, including data scientists, and a few healthcare jobs, including registered nurses, made the top 20. Most of the top gigs had median annual wages of six figures, and the top eight are projected to increase by more than 100,000 workers.

Here are the jobs that made the top 20.

20. Human resources specialists
Two people are sitting, and there's a laptop on a table

Projected job increase: 74,200

Median wage: $72,910

Education typically needed: Bachelor's degree

19. Personal financial advisors
One person holding paper, and another person is using a tablet

Projected job increase: 55,000

Median wage: $102,140

Education typically needed: Bachelor's degree

18. Postsecondary health specialties teachers
Teacher and students in medical or healthcare field looking at an anatomical model

Projected job increase: 53,300

Median wage: $105,620

Education typically needed: Doctoral or professional degree

17. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
A person giving a presentation in front of a group of people

Projected job increase: 74,900

Median wage: $76,950

Education typically needed: Bachelor's degree

16. Physician assistants
Nurse checking patient's blood pressure

Projected job increase: 43,700

Median wage: $133,260

Education typically needed: Master's degree

15. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
Truck driver wearing an orange vest in a truck

Projected job increase: 102,000

Median wage: $57,440

Education typically needed: Postsecondary nondegree award

14. Computer systems analysts
Worker holding a laptop in a computer server room

Projected job increase: 56,500

Median wage: $103,790

Education typically needed: Bachelor's degree

13. Lawyers
Lawyers or workers in a meeting

Projected job increase: 44,200

Median wage: $151,160

Education typically needed: Doctoral or professional degree

12. Project management specialists
A person is showing their laptop screen to someone

Projected job increase: 69,900

Median wage: $100,750

Education typically needed: Bachelor's degree

11. Information security analysts
Person looking at a computer screen

Projected job increase: 59,100

Median wage: $124,910

Education typically needed: Bachelor's degree

10. Accountants and auditors
Closeup of someone using a calculator and holding a pencil

Projected job increase: 91,400

Median wage: $81,680

Education typically needed: Bachelor's degree

9. Data scientists
Person in an office using a laptop

Projected job increase: 73,100

Median wage: $112,590

Education typically needed: Bachelor's degree

8. Management analysts
Workers in an office meeting

Projected job increase: 107,900

Median wage: $101,190

Education typically needed: Bachelor's degree

7. Nurse practitioners
Nurse or healthcare worker with a patient in a hospital room

Projected job increase: 135,500

Median wage: $129,210

Education typically needed: Master's degree

6. Computer and information systems managers
Two IT or tech people in a server room

Projected job increase: 106,900

Median wage: $171,200

Education typically needed: Bachelor's degree

5. Registered nurses
Nurse with a patient

Projected job increase: 197,200

Median wage: $93,600

Education typically needed: Bachelor's degree

4. Medical and health services managers
Healthcare workers

Projected job increase: 160,600

Median wage: $117,960

Education typically needed: Bachelor's degree

3. General and operations managers
Two people wearing hard hats and walking

Projected job increase: 210,400

Median wage: $102,950

Education typically needed: Bachelor's degree

2. Financial managers
Three people sitting and talking

Projected job increase: 138,300

Median wage: $161,700

Education typically needed: Bachelor's degree

1. Software developers
People working on or looking at computer code

Projected job increase: 303,700

Median wage: $133,080

Education typically needed: Bachelor's degree

Read the original article on Business Insider