Wind Turbine Techs and Nurse Practitioners Lead Fastest-Growing Jobs

Wind turbine service technicians top the Bureau of Labor Statistics'list of the fastest-growing occupations in the United States through2034, with projected employment growth of 60 percent over the decade —more than 10 times the average growth rate for all occupations,according to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Solar photovoltaicinstallers rank second with 48 percent projected growth, and nursepractitioners rank third at 46 percent, reflecting simultaneousexpansion in two of the economy's fastest-moving sectors: clean energyand healthcare.

The BLS releases its occupational growth projections every two years,and the current edition — covering the decade through 2034 —reflects the structural shifts reshaping the American labor market: theenergy transition away from fossil fuels, an aging population drivinghealthcare demand, and the rapid expansion of data-intensive industriescreating new technical roles with no established precedent.

The Full Top 10

The BLS fastest-growing occupations through 2034, by projectedpercentage growth, are: wind turbine service technicians (60%), solar PVinstallers (48%), nurse practitioners (46%), data scientists (36%),information security analysts (33%), home health and personal care aides(22%), physician assistants (28%), statisticians (32%), physicaltherapist assistants (24%), and medical and health services managers(28%), according to BLS.

The list spans three broad economic sectors — clean energy,healthcare, and data science — and reflects a labor market that issimultaneously electrifying, aging, and digitizing. The fastest-growingoccupations are those positioned at the intersection of at least two ofthese forces: home health aides and nurse practitioners benefit fromboth the aging population and the expansion of community-based caredelivery; data scientists and information security analysts benefit fromboth the digitization of industry and the growing complexity ofcybersecurity threats.

Why Wind and Solar Lead

Wind turbine service technicians and solar PV installers occupy the toptwo spots not because of the absolute number of jobs — both remainrelatively small occupational categories — but because of the growthrate relative to their current employment base. The clean energy sectoris expanding from a relatively small foundation, which produces highpercentage growth numbers even when the absolute job counts are modest.

That said, the absolute numbers are growing quickly. The BLS projectsthat the United States will need tens of thousands of additional windand solar technicians by 2034 to meet the pace of new installationdriven by state renewable portfolio standards, federal clean energyincentives, and utility-scale solar and wind development that continuedaccelerating through 2025, per BLS.

Healthcare's Structural Surge

Nurse practitioners' 46 percent projected growth reflects theconvergence of two sustained trends: the retirement of Baby Boomgeneration Americans who are entering high-need healthcare years, and apolicy shift toward expanded scope of practice for nurse practitionersin more than 25 states, which has allowed NPs to practice independentlywithout physician oversight. That regulatory change has dramaticallyexpanded the settings where nurse practitioners can work — includingrural areas that have historically struggled to attract physicians —multiplying both job openings and the geographic reach of theoccupation, according to BLS.

Physician assistants, home health aides, and medical and health servicesmanagers all rank in the top 10 for similar structural reasons. TheAmerican population is aging, healthcare delivery is shifting towardoutpatient and community settings, and the clinical workforce requiredto serve that shift is expanding accordingly.

References: Fastest Growing | https://www.bls.gov/