The 15 Best Jobs For The Next 10 Years

If you’re among the millions of Americans who’ve faced being outsourced, laid off, or any other form of job insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s easy to feel a sense of decline in the job market. After all, modern technologies’ constant ebb and flow seem to change the job market even despite the pandemic.

Maybe you’re thinking about going back to school or changing careers, but you just don’t know what jobs will be the best ten years down the road.

Luckily, if you want to know which jobs will stay strong and experience the most growth within the next ten years, there are some promising trends. In this article, we’ll take a look at the top 15 best jobs for the next ten years, based on their projected job growth from 2019-2029 and their average salaries.

The 15 Best Jobs for the Next 10 Years

Solar Installer

Projected Job Growth: 63%
Average Annual Salary: $39,000
Current Jobs Available: 9,563

With an average hourly income of $20.38, combined with an insane job growth rate of 63%, becoming a solar panel installer is a great choice over the next ten years. In fact, there will be an estimated 6,100 of these jobs added to the U.S. within that time, which is nearly double the current amount.

This growth can be attributed to the growing interest in renewable energy and technologies. As more and more people look to tackle the effects of climate change, interest in this job will continue to grow.

For their work (installing and maintaining solar panels), you might be surprised to learn that most solar panel installers only have a high school diploma. That means this job can be incredibly easy to get into, even if you lack experience or higher education.

As far as preferred experience, most solar panel installers list PV (12.1%), Layout (8.7%), Electrical Systems (8.1%), Hand Tools (7.7%), and Safety Codes (6.1%) on their resume.

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Wind Turbine Technician

Projected Job Growth: 56%
Average Annual Salary: $41,456
Current Jobs Available: 91,526

As the name might suggest, wind turbine technicians maintain and operate wind turbines. This assures the stable and optimal production of wind-powered electricity. Like solar panel installers, renewable energy technologies are expected to boost job growth in this field.

For the most part, this job is also easier to get into than others on this list. 38.5% of those who work as wind turbine technicians have an associate’s degree, while 18.5% simply have a high school diploma. That means you can make just over $20 per hour with only two years of higher education under your belt.

Some of the most important qualities to have as a wind turbine technician include: being detail-oriented and unafraid of heights, as well as having mechanical skills, physical stamina, physical strength, troubleshooting skills.

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Information Security Analyst

Projected Job Growth: 32%
Average Annual Salary: $86,656
Current Jobs Available: 109,030

Information security analysts create security systems that keep a company’s networks and stored information protected from cyber-attacks based on the growing importance of cyber networks. These individuals make over $40 per hour on average, and there are over 100,000 jobs available in the U.S., a number which is expected to grow by 32%.

Over the next ten years, cyber security will only become more important for companies. That means that the projected growth for information security analysts is reliable, and the job market will likely stay flooded with jobs. You won’t have to deal with nearly as much competition as other fields.

When it comes to landing a job as an information security analyst, 61.8% of employees have a bachelor’s degree. That’s a surprisingly low level of education required to make such a high salary. Some of the most important qualities for this position are analytical skills, attention to detail, ingenuity, and problem-solving skills.

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Physician Assistant

Projected Job Growth: 31%
Average Annual Salary: $126,450
Current Jobs Available: 34,033

Physician assistants (PAs) examine, diagnose, and treat patients while working with other healthcare providers. This work comes with an impressive $60 per hour pay rate, and the number of jobs available is expected to increase by 31% over the next ten years.

Of course, the biggest downside of healthcare work is the education commitment required to land a job. On top of needing a bachelor’s or master’s degree, physicians assistants often need two years of full-time postgraduate study. Luckily, the amount of pay you’ll receive will be well worth the wait.

Overall, this job will be a great pick for anyone with experience in healthcare and great interpersonal skills.

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Occupational Therapy Assistant

Projected Job Growth: 31%
Average Annual Salary: $47,000
Current Jobs Available: 22,877

If you don’t mind answering the telephone, replying to emails, scheduling appointments, or working with patients, becoming an occupational therapy assistant could be a great choice for you. This job pays a healthy average of $23.04 per hour and is expected to grow at a consistent 31%.

As a hybrid between receptionist and healthcare work, this job is a great way to get into the booming healthcare industry without an expensive education. 68.8% of occupational therapy assistants simply have an associate’s degree. Keep in mind that most states will require you to obtain certain licenses or registrations.

Regardless, this line of work will be promising over the next ten years for anyone compassionate, organized, and physically fit.

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Statistician

Projected Job Growth: 30%
Average Annual Salary: $80,235
Current Jobs Available: 37,288

The increased demand for statisticians is fueled by corporate technology and globalization, and this demand equates to a respectable $38.57 on average.

These professionals source, collect, and organize data to be displayed to company executives. This is incredibly useful for monitoring future trends and creating business plans.

Perfect for any mathematical and analytical thinkers.

Of course, this high-paying and fast-growing job can be a little demanding in the education department. 63.5% of statisticians have a bachelor’s degree, while 23.5% have a master’s degree.

However, if you have the education and want a high-paying job in the healthcare industry, this will be one of the best jobs over the next ten years.

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Assistant Speech-Language Pathologist

Projected Job Growth: 27%
Average Annual Salary: $60,020
Current Jobs Available: 18,624

Typically working across a wide range of settings, from hospitals to schools, assistant speech-language pathologists help people control their stuttering or other speech problems. This job pays a considerable $28.86 per hour on average and is expected to experience 27% job growth.

Like other assistant positions, one of the main benefits of choosing this line of work is upward mobility. A few years down the line, you could have a far higher salary than you started with.

Of course, this is a highly specialized job and requires a certain level of education. Overall, 67.3% of assistant speech-language pathologists have bachelor’s degrees, while 24.8% have master’s degrees.

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Nurse Practitioner

Projected Job Growth: 26%
Average Annual Salary: $94,386
Current Jobs Available: 19,478

The role of a nurse practitioner centers around overseeing nurse workflow and providing timely treatments to patients. Unsurprisingly, this line of work requires a broad understanding of healthcare and clinical skills.

Becoming a nurse practitioner is a great career choice for many people, especially in a city or town with a large healthcare economy. Like many other jobs in the healthcare industry, this one will also experience significant job growth within the next ten years (26%).

While an average of $45.38 per hour is enticing, it’s worth noting that most nurse practitioners need a certain number of licenses, certifications, and registrations, depending on the state. Most nurse practitioners also attend nursing school, and 47.1% have a master’s degree.

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Operations Research Analyst

Projected Job Growth: 26%
Average Annual Salary: $74,227
Current Jobs Available: 110,124

With over 110,000 jobs currently available across the U.S.— a number expected to grow by 26% in the coming years— becoming an operations research analyst can be a reliable way to earn a substantial income.

These professionals solve complex organizational problems through advanced mathematical and analytical methods. This can include anything from sales data to customer feedback histories, of which the conclusions are incredibly valuable to businesses.

This job has a moderate bar for entry, so long as you excel in math, statistics, and other analytical skills. Overall, 67.1% of operations research analysts have a bachelor’s degree, while 21.6% have a master’s degree.

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Physical Therapist Assistant

Projected Job Growth: 26%
Average Annual Salary: $52,470
Current Jobs Available: 61,131

Helping others improve or overcome their physical disabilities can be an incredibly rewarding line of work, especially when it pays a respectable $25.23 per hour. This job is also in high demand, with over 60,000 listings currently available and a projected growth rate of 26%.

Luckily, this field is also relatively easy to get into, with 67.4% of those currently working only needing a two-year associate’s degree. Therefore, you can start a career as a physical therapist assistant without spending several years in college first.

Therefore, if you like the idea of teaching yoga, massaging muscle areas, overseeing patient progress, and providing exercise guidance, this job might be where you see yourself in the next ten years.

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Software Developer

Projected Job Growth: 21%
Average Annual Salary: $80,437
Current Jobs Available: 217,097

Software developers have been in high demand for a while now, and there’s no sign of the trend slowing down. There are currently 217,097 jobs available in the field, and that number is only expected to rise by 21% over the next ten years.

The average software developer spends most of their time analyzing customer needs and developing software for businesses. This includes a wide variety of computer programs we use every day.

And for an average salary of $38.67 per hour, it’s respectable that the vast majority of software developers only need a bachelor’s degree to get into the industry. Overall, 71.6% of those currently working have bachelor’s degrees.

Do keep in mind that an employer will expect certain hard skills for this line of work, such as experience with ASP.NET, JavaScript, C#, and Python, to name a few.

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Animal Care Supervisor

Projected Job Growth: 19%
Average Annual Salary: $45,000
Current Jobs Available: 2,851

One of the more out-of-the-box jobs on this list, the animal caretaker supervisor role is perfect for anyone who loves working with pets. These professionals have a leadership position in animal care facilities, where they develop and modify policies, procedures, and practices.

Unlike some animal caretaking jobs, this job pays a respectable $28.72 per hour on average. Plus, a 19% growth rate means that this niche line of work will see a significant number of jobs added within the next ten years.

Many can also get into this job with only a high school diploma or associate’s, as long as they have relevant experience. Overall, a considerable 27.3% of those that work in this field only have a high school diploma.

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Health Services Manager

Projected Job Growth: 18%
Average Annual Salary: $87,339
Current Jobs Available: 103,626

Also commonly referred to as healthcare administrators or healthcare executives, these professionals plan, coordinate, and direct health and medical services. Aka. They manage the entire medical facility. Unsurprisingly, this important managerial role comes with an average of $41.99 per hour.

Due to the construction and expansion of new medical facilities, there’s always a need for health services managers. There are over 100,000 jobs currently available from the east coast to the west coast. Further, that number is only expected to grow by 18%.

Interestingly, most individuals with this job have a less intensive education than others in the healthcare industry. While 20.2% have a master’s degree, the majority (53.5%) only have a bachelor’s. However, it’s worth noting that some positions in this field do require certain licenses, certifications, and registrations, depending on the state.

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Finance Manager

Projected Job Growth: 16%
Average Annual Salary: $105,468
Current Jobs Available: 89,744

Another one of the very high-paying jobs on this list, finance managers manage and track a company’s financial performance for an average of $50.71 per hour. This management can include producing reports, conducting research, and formulating beneficial financial strategies.

There are already 89,744 jobs in this field, but within the next ten years, that number is expected to grow to almost 105,000. After all, companies always need someone who can manage their finances.

Of course, this job requires mathematical skills and analytical thinking. 66.3% of finance managers have a bachelor’s degree, while 17.2% have a master’s degree. But really, earning a bachelor’s doesn’t seem so bad when you’d be making such a hefty salary.

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Data Scientist

Projected Job Growth: 16%
Average Annual Salary: $97,953
Current Jobs Available: 106,132

Last but certainly not least on our list, data scientists gather, analyze, and interpret large data sets from company databases. This is to solve company challenges or improve things like revenue generation.

Companies will pay individuals big money for these skills, which is why the average data scientist makes $47.09 per hour.

There are currently 106,132 jobs in this field available in the U.S., with roughly 5,200 more expected to be added over the next decade. That means that if you have the technician skills to become a data scientist, you won’t face competition.

Overall, a slight majority (50.7%) of data scientists have a bachelor’s degree, while 34.1% have a master’s degree. That means it’s important to consider the education requirements before pursuing this line of work. However, if you have the relevant education, this is one of the best jobs over the next ten years.

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How We Decided Which Jobs Are the Best (and What to Look for Yourself)

Before we get into our top 15 list, it’s important to understand which factors give jobs more future potential. These factors include:

Projected job growth
Jobs Available
Average salary (annually/hourly)
Association with new trends/technologies

Remember that one of these factors might be more important to you than another, but we will focus on projected job growth for this list. Projected job growth typically correlates with new trends and technologies and the future supply/demand of the job market, making it an ideal factor for the best future jobs.

Knowing What Job Is Right for You

Though we did mention many of the soft and hard skills required for these fast-growing jobs, you need to pinpoint what you value most in a job before you hit the job market. Obvious factors include salary and education requirements, but you should also consider work-life balance, teamwork vs. independent work, activity requirements, and more.

Overall, jobs with a high projected growth rate are great career choices because of their stability and high demand. Therefore, even if your main focus isn’t finding one of the best jobs for the next ten years, you should still look for jobs in your ideal industry with a high growth rate.

Sources:

Johns Hopkins. “Mental Health Disorder Statistics.” Accessed on November 29th, 2021.
CPP. “The cat’s out of the bag: Animals play a big role in boosting our mental health.” Accessed on November 29th, 2021.

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Jack Flynn

Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.

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