How Much Money Can You Make in the 8 Fastest Growing Professions in America?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects that by 2031, the number of jobs that will be added to the U.S. labor market will go up by 8.3 million. Following the COVID-19 pandemic and oftentimes bumpy road to economic recovery, there has been a steady flow of jobs added to the workforce. Some industries have shrunk, new ones have cropped up and others have expanded to increase the number of employees.

But that does not mean that wages are going up across the board. With many sectors of the economy finding workers on strike in support of fair pay and benefits, it’s the dawning of a new age for the labor market in terms of what is owned. On the flip side, money is steadily flowing into the pockets of these occupations, which are predicted to experience the largest percentage uptick for employment by the time 2031 rolls around.

What are some of the hottest jobs you can get, and what does the salary range look like? GOBankingRates breaks down how much money you can you make in the 8 fastest growing professions in America.

• Median Salary: $120,680 annually

The medical industry saw a large exit of workers after the biggest waves of the pandemic. Now, there’s a new generation of healthcare professionals coming into the vacant positions, with nurse practitioners taking one of the top spots.

These are the medical employees who work at hospitals, clinics and offices to oversee and administer care to patients. As more of the baby boomer generation ages into retirement, the demand for nurse practitioners is predicted to increase by 46% in the next 8 years.

• Median Salary: $56,260 annually

Climate change has not only increased the U.S.’s drive to find alternative sources of fuel and energy, but also opened up a wide range of new jobs. Workers on turbines help build, fix and maintain the infrastructure of wind power. With fossil fuels on their way out and the price of wind power dropping off, there’s more need for skilled workers in this field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects to see a 44% growth for wind turbine service technicians by 2031.

• Median Salary: $24,440-$29,350 annually

The show must go on, and luckily, there will be lots of jobs to help make it a stellar performance. Over the next decade the jobs of box office attendants, front of house managers, ushers and theater staff is predicted to go up to 41%. The need for projectionists at movie houses alone is estimated to have a 40% increase within the next decade.  

• Median Salary: $30,000 annually

No one wants to cook at home every night, and after spending many nights in the home kitchen over the course of the last few years, Americans are back to eating out. That means the need for cooks in restaurants is going up and will continue to do so by an estimated 37% by 2031.

• Median Salary: $100,910 annually

A data scientist is a unique position where someone in that field uses large data sets to mine, research and analyze information. From this, they can predict trends, measure markets or assist industries with new ways to advance forward. By the end of the decade, this job is predicted to grow by 36%.

• Median Salary: $35,860-$77,300 annually

Mega stars in basketball, football and baseball will always make millions of dollars. However, there is a whole other set of jobs within professional sports that are looking to hire on a number of different leagues. By 2031, 36% more athletes are projected to be competing against one another and 32% more officials will be there to make sure the games are played fairly.

• Median Salary: $102,600 annually

We are all living our lives online these days — from work to shopping to play and beyond. That means there are more cyberattacks as well, calling for an increase in security to protect our data and information. Analysts in this field can predict that it will grow 35% in the next eight or so years, since it does not seem like the internet or the world’s connection to it is slowing down any time soon.

• Median Salary: $95,570 annually

Mathematicians and statisticians are able to look at numbers, then make predictions and project outcomes based on what they see in the calculations. Luckily for them, if they are looking at their own jobs, there is an estimated 33% growth to come by 2031.

Gabrielle Olya contributed to the reporting for this article.