The 20 Fastest Growing Jobs this Decade
Just how good is a dream job if it’s unnecessary to society? Not much good at all, and therein lies the reason hiring demand is the most pervasive factor U.S. News uses when selecting and ranking occupations annually. Every one of our Best Job is expected to create new openings between 2012 and 2022, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the best of the bunch will produce those openings at a percentage rate that’s faster than 10.8 percent, the average for all occupations. The BLS estimates total employment will increase by 15.6 million by 2022. For a handful of occupations on our list, new positions will sprout particularly fast. Here’s the skinny, by industry, on those jobs where employment should spike by 30 percent or more:
Healthcare Jobs
The cause for job growth in this industry is easy to figure out a large and aging population plus more insured people stemmed from health care reform but specific reasons for the growth of particular branches of health care are more complex. For instance, there should be openings in healthcare such as physical therapy, occupational therapy and nursing, because the qualified professionals who fill these jobs will enable rehabilitation centers and nursing homes to treat more patients. Overall, healthcare and social assistance jobs should account for one-third of the projected increase for jobs.