The Top 10 Fastest-Growing Healthcare Professions in the US

The healthcare field in the United States is one that is rapidly growing and always in demand. Driven by the needs of an aging population, advancements in medical technology, and shifts in healthcare policy, there is a need in most, if not all, areas of healthcare. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 1.9 million openings a year in healthcare occupations between 2025 and 2035, and its newest employment projections, published in August 2026, fill much of the national list of fastest-growing occupations with healthcare roles. The ten below are the healthcare professions with the highest projected growth over that decade, in the order the BLS ranks them, with the May 2025 median annual pay for each.

For comparison, the BLS projects employment across all occupations to grow 3.5% over the same decade, so every profession on this list is growing at five times the national rate or better.

1. Nurse Practitioner (NP): 41% growth, 2025 to 2035

NPs are advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) and a crucial aspect of the healthcare system. The BLS projects employment to rise from 336,300 to 474,100 over the decade, the highest growth rate of any occupation in the country, not just in healthcare, with a median pay of $132,300 a year in May 2025. As versatile practitioners, NPs can practice in most specialties, such as pediatrics, psychiatry, and gerontology. As NPs are nurses first, they have a positive bedside manner and are taught from the beginning to provide patient-focused holistic care. NPs are often the sole practitioner in rural areas, which contains up to 20% of the United States population. Browse open nurse practitioner jobs.

• Qualifications Required: The first step to becoming an NP is to become a registered nurse (RN) by attending an accredited nursing program and passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Graduates can then enroll in a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) NP program and once completed, would need to pass a national board certification exam.
• Day-to-Day: An NPs daily role may look different depending on the specialty, but it usually begins with a patient assessment and includes diagnosing, treating, and managing patient conditions. NPs can also prescribe medication and have extensive training in pharmacology.
• Examples of Core Skills: Critical thinking, complex problem-solving, active listening, and active learning.

2. Medical and Health Services Manager: 24% growth, 2025 to 2035

While medical and health services managers could be medical professionals (e.g., nurse managers would need to be nurses), this is one healthcare profession that does not require it. These managers plan, direct, or coordinate medical and health services in medical facilities such as hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and public health agencies. The BLS projects employment to grow from 640,400 to 795,500, with about 62,300 openings a year, and a median pay of $123,860 in May 2025.

• Qualifications Required: Typically, medical and health services managers would need a bachelor’s degree, but some employers may prefer a master’s degree. Work experience may sometimes substitute for education. Applicable work experience would include either an administrative or a clinical role in a hospital or other healthcare facility.
• Day-to-Day: Medical and health services managers manage either their facility or a specific unit and handle setting and carrying out of policies, goals, and procedures. Their role also includes hiring, scheduling, and evaluating staff, handling the budget, and ensuring their facility is compliant with state and federal guidelines.
• Examples of Core Skills: Management of personnel and resources, complex problem solving, critical thinking, active listening, persuasion, judgment and decision making, negotiation.

3. Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA): 23% growth, 2025 to 2035

PTAs assist physical therapists in providing treatments and procedures to help patients improve their ability to move their bodies, often after an injury or an illness. Examples include instructing patients in proper body mechanics and in ways to improve functional mobility, administering active or passive manual therapeutic exercises (e.g., therapeutic massage, aquatic physical therapy, light therapy), and assisting in fitting patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, or other supportive devices. The BLS projects employment to grow from 114,100 to 140,400, with a median pay of $68,380 in May 2025. Browse open physical therapist assistant jobs.

• Qualifications Required: PTAs typically require an associate’s degree from an accredited physical therapy education program. The program consists of classroom education and working in the field with patients. Upon graduation, graduates would then sit for the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy exam.
• Day-to-Day: For PTA, daily life consists of working with the supervising physical therapist on the day’s patients, working one-on-one with patients or with patients and their families, and documenting the patient’s status and progress.
• Examples of Core Skills: Service orientation, time management, monitoring, active learning, active listening, instructing.

4. Psychiatric Technician: 22% growth, 2025 to 2035

Psychiatric technicians, also called mental health technicians, care for people with mental or emotional conditions or developmental disabilities under the direction of physicians, nurses, and other health practitioners, most often in psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals, residential facilities, and the psychiatric units of general hospitals. The BLS projects employment to grow from 161,500 to 197,500 over the decade, with a median pay of $45,130 in May 2025.

• Qualifications Required: Psychiatric technicians typically need a postsecondary certificate or an associate’s degree, often from a community college or technical school, and some employers prefer a bachelor’s degree. Some states license psychiatric technicians, which may require completing an accredited program and passing an exam; employers may also require CPR or basic life support certification.
• Day-to-Day: Psychiatric technicians monitor patients’ physical and emotional condition, take and record vital signs, give medications as instructed, lead prescribed individual or group therapy and recreational activities, help patients with activities of daily living, and report changes in behavior to the medical staff.
• Examples of Core Skills: Active listening, monitoring, speaking, critical thinking, social perceptiveness, service orientation.

5. Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA): 21% growth, 2025 to 2035

OTAs assist occupational therapists in providing treatments and procedures to help patients with their ability to perform activities of daily living. Examples include either instructing or assisting in instructing patients and families on the care and use of adaptive equipment, aiding patients in dressing and grooming themselves, and assisting in selecting the appropriate therapy activities to meet each patient’s individual needs. The BLS projects employment to grow from 52,200 to 63,400, with a median pay of $72,300 in May 2025. Browse open occupational therapy assistant jobs.

• Qualifications Required: OTAs typically require an associate’s degree from an accredited OTA program. The program consists of classroom education and working in the field with patients. Upon graduation, graduates would then sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam.
• Day-to-Day: For an OTA, daily life consists of working with the supervising occupational therapist on the day’s patients, working one-on-one with patients or with patients and their families, and documenting the patient’s status and progress.
• Examples of Core Skills: Service orientation, time management, monitoring, active learning, active listening, instructing.

6. Ophthalmic Medical Technician: 21% growth, 2025 to 2035

Ophthalmic medical technicians assist ophthalmologists by performing clinical functions in the eye clinic: taking patient histories, measuring vision and eye pressure, operating diagnostic equipment, and teaching patients how to care for and use corrective lenses. The BLS projects employment to grow from 72,500 to 88,000 over the decade, with a median pay of $45,570 in May 2025.

• Qualifications Required: The typical entry-level education is a postsecondary nondegree award, such as a certificate from an ophthalmic medical technician program, and employers report hiring high school graduates who train on the job. Most technicians pick up the role over one to two years of on-the-job experience combined with instruction from experienced staff.
• Day-to-Day: Ophthalmic medical technicians take and document patients’ medical histories, measure visual acuity, conduct tonometry tests to measure intraocular pressure, take anatomical and functional eye measurements, operate ophthalmic equipment such as autorefractors and retinoscopes, and measure and record lens power.
• Examples of Core Skills: Active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, writing, active learning.

7. Physician Assistant (PA): 21% growth, 2025 to 2035

PAs are healthcare providers who work interdependently with physicians in all medical specialties and settings. The BLS projects employment to grow from 168,900 to 204,600, with about 11,500 openings a year, and the highest median pay on this list at $135,880 in May 2025. Browse open physician assistant jobs.

• Qualifications Required: Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree prior to applying to an accredited PA school, with recommended experience in patient care, such as a medical assistant, emergency medical technician (EMT), or paramedic. PAs are educated at the master’s degree level and last approximately 27 months (three academic years). Once they graduate, they are eligible to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE).
• Day-to-Day: A PAs role may look different depending on the specialty, but it involves diagnosing, treating, and managing patient care. PAs also often assist in surgery, perform clinical research, and can prescribe medication.
• Examples of Core Skills: Critical thinking, reading comprehension, judgment and decision making, complex problem-solving, and active learning.

8. Hearing Aid Specialist: 19% growth, 2025 to 2035

Hearing aid specialists select and fit hearing aids for customers, administer and interpret hearing tests, take ear impressions, and prepare and modify ear molds. It is a small occupation, growing from 11,200 to 13,400 jobs over the decade, with a median pay of $65,160 in May 2025.

• Qualifications Required: The typical entry-level education is a high school diploma or equivalent followed by moderate-term on-the-job training; vocational training or an associate’s degree is common. States license hearing aid specialists, so check the licensing board where you plan to practice.
• Day-to-Day: Hearing aid specialists administer basic hearing tests such as air conduction, bone conduction, and speech audiometry, train clients to use hearing aids and other communication devices, counsel patients and families on communication strategies and the effects of hearing loss, and maintain or repair hearing aids.
• Examples of Core Skills: Active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, active learning, critical thinking.

9. Epidemiologist: 19% growth, 2025 to 2035

An epidemiologist is a public health professional who studies the causes and patterns of disease and injury to reduce the risk of negative health outcomes. Quite literally, an epidemiologist is someone who studies (-ologist) what comes upon or befalls (-epi) people (-demos). Epidemiologists became a well-known profession during the COVID-19 pandemic, where their work helped to shape the focus of prevention and treatment by studying the virus. The BLS projects employment to grow from 12,800 to 15,200, with a median pay of $87,220 in May 2025.

• Qualifications Required: To become an epidemiologist, one must obtain a master’s degree in a field such as public health or attend a program specific for aspiring epidemiologists. Prior to that, it is ideal to obtain a bachelor’s degree in a similar science, such as biology, public policy and social services, or social science.
• Day-to-Day: Epidemiologist’s work at the local, state, and national government level, in hospitals, academia, or in research. Much of their work revolves around studying and analyzing data and preparing reports, but work is also done in the field to either educate the public or carry out studies.
• Examples of Core Skills: Complex problem solving, critical thinking, science, systems analysis and evaluation, mathematics, active listening, reading comprehension.

10. Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselor: 18% growth, 2025 to 2035

Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors counsel, advise, and treat patients with alcohol, tobacco, or drug disorders, as well as other problems, such as gambling and eating disorders, and mental health disorders. Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors, otherwise known as addiction counselors, especially work with patients to rebuild personal and professional relationships after addiction. Mental health counselors will treat a variety of conditions, such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, grief, and stress. The BLS projects employment to grow from 533,400 to 631,400, with about 50,500 openings a year, and a median pay of $59,350 in May 2025.

• Qualifications Required: Most substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors need at least a bachelor’s degree, but it is recommended that they have a master’s degree in social work, mental health counseling, psychology, or a similar field. Mental health counselors usually need to first complete a bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g., psychology) before applying for a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree.
• Day-to-Day: A typical day for a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, or mental health counselor includes counseling patients, either individually or in a group setting. They also work with patients and their families to best support them in their recovery and develop, recommend, and review treatment goals and plans.
• Examples of Core Skills: Active listening, critical thinking, empathetic speaking, social perceptiveness, and monitoring.

Just outside the top ten

Three professions from earlier editions of this list are still growing much faster than average under the 2025 to 2035 projections but no longer make the top ten by growth rate.

Home Health and Personal Care Aide: 18% growth, 2025 to 2035

Home health and personal care aides provide direct patient care under the supervision of another healthcare professional, such as a nurse. Usually working in facilities serving patients with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or the elderly, home health and personal care aides assist patients with their daily tasks, such as bathing and dressing, perform vital signs, and may be responsible for changing bandages or dressings. Their growth rate rounds to 18%, a hair below the counselors above, but in absolute terms no occupation in the country adds more jobs: the BLS projects employment to rise from 4,677,100 to 5,524,400, a gain of 847,300, with about 760,500 openings a year. Median pay was $35,800 in May 2025. Browse open home health aide jobs.

• Qualifications Required: Typically, home health and personal care aides will only require a high school diploma or equivalent, but some positions, such as a certified nursing assistant, will require additional training and/or certification (e.g., first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)).
• Day-to-Day: Home health and personal care aides revolve their day around assisting and caring for others, communicating with supervisors or peers, documenting/recording information, and establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships.
• Examples of Core Skills: Active listening, service orientation, social perceptiveness, critical thinking, monitoring, instructing.

Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP): 17% growth, 2025 to 2035

SLPs assist both adults and children with speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders by aiding in prevention, assessment, and diagnosis. They may also work with the hard of hearing or deaf and with patients who exhibit severe expressive and/or language disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder or progressive neurological disorders. The BLS projects employment to grow from 193,400 to 225,500, with a median pay of $97,870 in May 2025. Browse open speech-language pathologist jobs.

• Qualifications Required: To become an SLP, one must earn a bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g., communication sciences and disorders, linguistics, education, psychology) and then complete graduate school with a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. From there, graduates must complete a clinical practicum and apply for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP).
• Day-to-Day: Depending on where the SLP works and their clientele, most of their day is spent meeting with patients, performing assessments and creating treatment plans, and providing individual therapy or group therapy.
• Examples of Core Skills: Active listening, critical thinking, social perceptiveness, learning strategies, and monitoring.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA): 10% growth, 2025 to 2035

CRNAs are another type of APRN with specialized training in anesthesia and analgesia. Depending on the state, many CRNAs are able to practice independently in full authority, where otherwise they will practice under the supervision of an anesthesiologist. CRNAs were the first anesthesia providers in the United States military and are still the primary anesthesia providers both in the military and for veterans. Earlier editions of this list quoted the growth rate of the combined nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife and nurse practitioner group; the BLS now projects nurse anesthetists on their own at 10%, still faster than average, and they remain the best-paid profession on this page with a median pay of $236,590 in May 2025.

• Qualifications Required: CRNAs also start off as RNs who have attended an accredited nursing program and passed the NCLEX. From there, prospective CRNAs would require at least one year of working in critical care prior to applying to a nurse anesthesia educational program. Most likely, this would result in obtaining a DNP and passing a national board certification exam.
• Day-to-Day: CRNAs start their day by reviewing their patient load, particularly the patient charts and medical histories. This helps the CRNA develop personalized anesthesia plans to meet each patient’s needs. Broadly speaking, the CRNA administers anesthesia or analgesia, monitors the patient’s vital signs, and oversees the patient’s recovery.
• Examples of Core Skills: Critical thinking, complex problem solving, operations monitoring, active listening, active learning, time management.

What the list says about where healthcare is going

The fastest-growing healthcare professions in the United States represent a diverse range of roles within the healthcare continuum. Providers such as Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants fill the gaps for many patients in underserved or rural areas. The increasing need for Physical Therapist Assistants and Occupational Therapy Assistants highlights the emphasis on rehabilitation and therapeutic services, and the arrival of Ophthalmic Medical Technicians and Hearing Aid Specialists on the list reflects an aging population’s demand for vision and hearing care. Psychiatric Technicians and Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors are helping to combat the opioid epidemic and provide the necessary support to those combating addiction, promoting mental well-being, and improving holistic wellness. In our post-COVID era, Epidemiologists are even more necessary to perform disease surveillance and promote public health. Medical and Health Services Managers tie it all together by ensuring the above medical professionals can efficiently provide safe, accessible, and high-quality patient care within their healthcare facilities. The growth of these professions shows that the future of healthcare is committed to positive patient outcomes, effective communication, and addressing the individual needs of patients, their families, and their communities.

Sources

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Fastest Growing Occupations, 2025 to 2035 projections published 27 August 2026, read 12 October 2026.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.3 Fastest growing occupations, 2025 and projected 2035, read 12 October 2026.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook profiles for nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners, medical and health services managers, physical therapist assistants and aides, psychiatric technicians and aides, occupational therapy assistants and aides, physician assistants, epidemiologists, substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, home health and personal care aides, speech-language pathologists and occupations not covered in detail (ophthalmic medical technicians, hearing aid specialists), 2025 to 2035 projections and May 2025 median pay, read 12 October 2026.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Healthcare Occupations, projected openings 2025 to 2035, read 12 October 2026.

U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET OnLine summary reports for psychiatric technicians, ophthalmic medical technicians and hearing aid specialists, tasks and skills, read 12 October 2026.