Healthcare support will grow the fastest of all occupational groups over the next 10 years, and nurse practitioner will be the fastest-growing occupation, according to new data released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Healthcare support occupations, such as physical therapist assistants and personal care aides, are projected to grow the fastest at 17.8%. Demand for home health and personal care aides is expected to grow the most, adding 924,000 jobs. This growth is largely attributed to the aging Baby Boomer population.
Demand for nurse practitioners is expected to increase by 112,700 positions, driven by the practice of healthcare facilities increasingly using team-based healthcare models where physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare practitioners provide care in place of a doctor.
Across industries, these 5 occupations projected to grow the fastest through 2031:
- Nurse practitioners (45.7%)
- Wind turbine service technicians (44.3%)
- Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers (40.5%)
- Motion picture projectionists (40.3%)
- Cooks, restaurant (36.6%)
A total addition of 8.3 million jobs is projected by 2031, and total employment is projected to increase to 166.5 million from 158.1 million. An annual growth rate of 0.5% is expected, slower than the previous decade’s 1.0%.
