Great Job Bets: Fastest Growing Careers in the USA

The fastest growing careers in the country are those with the greatest increases in actual job numbers or in percentage of jobs from 2008 to 2018. This is according to the U.S. Department of Labor. This should make it easier to locate positions for these jobs than any others, regardless of the economic climate. However, job growth does not necessarily predict salary increases, and the range of pay for these jobs range from minimum wage to six figures.

© 2012 by Aurelio Locsin.

The following are the fastest growing careers in actual numbers. Most of the increases will be due to population growth, especially in the elderly, who typically require more medical attention and assistance with daily tasks.

1. Registered Nurses

RNs assist doctors and treat patients. They are the largest healthcare occupation and are expected to show an increase of 581,500 jobs for the decade. They make a mean $32.56 per hour or $67,720 per year. The lowest paid 10 percent earn $21.24 per hour or $44,190 per year, and the highest paid 10 percent make $45.74 per hour or $95,130 per year.

2. Home Health Aides

Home health aides provide support for people who are elderly, disabled or chronically ill. They typically work for certified home health agencies that must meet government regulations because they receive government funding. They are expected to increase by almost 461,000 jobs. Their mean wages are $10.46 per hour or $21,760 per year, with a low of $7.84 per hour or $16,300 per year, and a high of $14.13 per hour or $29,390 per year.

3. Customer Service Representatives

CSRs respond to customer questions and solve problems by mail, email, phone or in-person. Their jobs will grow by almost 400,000. Average wages run $15.76 per hour or $32,780 per year, with a high of $9.40 per hour or $19,550 per year, and a low of $23.71 per hour or $49,320 per year.

4. Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers

These workers both prepare and serve foods, with the most common examples being those who work behind fast food counters. Though the job itself is not a long-term career, it can be a stepping-stone to a higher position in the fast food industry. Jobs will increase by over 394,000. The mean wages are $8.95 per hour or $18,610 per year, with a low of $7.52 per hour or $15,650 per year, and a high of $11.19 per hour or $23,270 per year.

5. Personal and Home Care Aides

Personal and home care aides also take care of people who are elderly, disabled or chronically ill. However, they do not typically work for government-funded agencies, and often work independently. Their numbers are expected to grow by almost 376,000. Average wages run a mean $9.82 per hour or $20,420 per year, with a low $7.68 per hour or $15,970 per year, and a high of $12.45 per hour or $25,900 per year.

The following are the fastest growing careers in terms of percentages, if not actual numbers. The increases in medical careers also come from the increases in population, especially the elderly. But the growth in technical jobs is due to the increasing use and complexity of computers in business and daily life.

1. Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts

This job category includes network architects and engineers, web administrators and web developers, and others who design computer communications systems such as wireless networks. Their numbers are expected to grow by over 53 percent or almost 156,000. Mean wages are $38.16 per hour or $79,370 per year, with a low of $20.76 per hour or $43,190 per year, and a high of $57.67 per hour or $119,940 per year.

2. Home Health Aides

These workers, which were described previously, will show job growth of 50 percent or almost 461,000.

3. Personal and Home Care Aides

These workers, which were described previously, will increase at 46 percent or almost 476,000.

4. Applications Software Engineers

Application software engineers design and develop end-user applications including business productivity suites, graphics programs and games. Their positions will grow by 34 percent or over 175,000. They make a mean $43.47 per hour or $90,410 per year, with a low of $26.14 per hour or $54,360 per year, and a high of $63.99 per hour or $133,110 per year.

5. Medical Assistants

Medical assistants help out in medical offices by performing administrative and clinical tasks such as updating medical records, filling out insurance forms, recording vital signs and preparing lab specimens. Their jobs will increase by almost 34 percent or 164,000. Average pay is $14.31 per hour or $29,760 per year, with a low of $10.01 per hour or $20,810 per year, and a high of $19.32 per hour or $40,190 per year.