BLS Data Shows Healthcare and Tech Roles Leading High-Pay Growth Through 2035
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that healthcare and technology roles will dominate job growth and high salaries through 2035. Nurse practitioners and computer systems managers lead in pay and volume, while AI exposure remains a factor for data roles. The overall labor force is shrinking, but demand for specialized skills is rising.
Key points
- Nurse practitioner roles are projected to grow by 41% through 2035, the fastest rate of any occupation, with a median wage of $132,300.
- Computer and information systems managers command the highest median salary at $175,140, while physician assistants earn approximately $135,880.
- Healthcare and social assistance are expected to add 2.2 million jobs by 2035, accounting for 37% of all new positions, driven by an aging population.
- Data scientists and computer research scientists face 'very high' AI exposure but remain in demand, with data scientist hiring expected to grow by 34.6%.
- The US labor force shrank by over 250,000 people in the past year, hitting a post-pandemic low, despite a 4.1% unemployment rate in July.
Background
Recent labor trends have shown volatility in specific sectors. For instance, construction workers saw significant pay growth in mid-2026 due to skilled-trade shortages, while legal disputes over H-2A wage formulas highlighted ongoing tensions in agricultural labor standards. These developments underscore the broader shift toward specialized, high-demand roles in healthcare and technology, as seen in the current BLS projections.
How outlets are covering it
The New York Post emphasizes the six-figure potential of 13 specific careers, highlighting physician assistants and nurse practitioners as top earners. CNBC focuses on the structural drivers, noting that healthcare leads job creation while AI exposure does not necessarily equate to job loss for data roles. Business Insider provides a broader ranking of 20 high-paying jobs, including software developers and registered nurses, which the other sources omit. While all sources agree on the dominance of healthcare, they differ in scope: the Post lists 13 roles, CNBC highlights the top 10 fastest-growing, and Business Insider ranks 20 by a combined metric of pay and growth.
Why it matters
These projections signal a structural shift in the US economy toward healthcare and specialized tech roles. As the labor force shrinks, demand for high-skill positions in medicine and data security will likely drive wage inflation in these sectors. Workers in entry-level tech and finance may face disruption from AI, but specialized roles remain secure, influencing career choices and education investments for the coming decade.
What to watch
The Bureau of Labor Statistics will continue monitoring these projections, with the next major update expected in 2027. Policymakers may adjust training programs to align with the projected 2.2 million new healthcare jobs. Employers in tech and healthcare are likely to increase recruitment efforts for data scientists and nurse practitioners to meet the 2035 demand targets.
- Fastest-growing careers paying over $100K revealed — including a $135k assistant New York Post
- 6 of the 10 U.S. jobs projected to grow fastest over the next decade are in one industry—and it's not tech or AI CNBC
- These 30 occupations could see the fastest job decline in the next decade: Labor Department The Hill
- 20 high-paying jobs that are projected to grow a lot over the next decade businessinsider.com
- BLS Expands List of Jobs Threatened by AI to 45 Roles Bloomberg.com
Want the full story? Read the original reporting
Read on New York Post