Wind Turbine Techs and Nurse Practitioners Lead Fastest-Growing Jobs

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Wind turbine service technicians top the Bureau of Labor Statistics'
list of the fastest-growing occupations in the United States through
2034, 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 photovoltaic
installers rank second with 48 percent projected growth, and nurse
practitioners rank third at 46 percent, reflecting simultaneous
expansion in two of the economy's fastest-moving sectors: clean energy
and 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: the
energy transition away from fossil fuels, an aging population driving
healthcare demand, and the rapid expansion of data-intensive industries
creating new technical roles with no established precedent.

The Full Top 10

The BLS fastest-growing occupations through 2034, by projected
percentage growth, are: wind turbine service technicians (60%), solar PV
installers (48%), nurse practitioners (46%), data scientists (36%),
information security analysts (33%), home health and personal care aides
(22%), physician assistants (28%), statisticians (32%), physical
therapist 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 is
simultaneously electrifying, aging, and digitizing. The fastest-growing
occupations are those positioned at the intersection of at least two of
these forces: home health aides and nurse practitioners benefit from
both the aging population and the expansion of community-based care
delivery; data scientists and information security analysts benefit from
both the digitization of industry and the growing complexity of
cybersecurity threats.

Why Wind and Solar Lead

Wind turbine service technicians and solar PV installers occupy the top
two spots not because of the absolute number of jobs — both remain
relatively small occupational categories — but because of the growth
rate relative to their current employment base. The clean energy sector
is expanding from a relatively small foundation, which produces high
percentage growth numbers even when the absolute job counts are modest.

That said, the absolute numbers are growing quickly. The BLS projects
that the United States will need tens of thousands of additional wind
and solar technicians by 2034 to meet the pace of new installation
driven by state renewable portfolio standards, federal clean energy
incentives, and utility-scale solar and wind development that continued
accelerating through 2025, per BLS.

Healthcare's Structural Surge

Nurse practitioners' 46 percent projected growth reflects the
convergence of two sustained trends: the retirement of Baby Boom
generation Americans who are entering high-need healthcare years, and a
policy shift toward expanded scope of practice for nurse practitioners
in more than 25 states, which has allowed NPs to practice independently
without physician oversight. That regulatory change has dramatically
expanded the settings where nurse practitioners can work — including
rural areas that have historically struggled to attract physicians —
multiplying both job openings and the geographic reach of the
occupation, according to BLS.

Physician assistants, home health aides, and medical and health services
managers all rank in the top 10 for similar structural reasons. The
American population is aging, healthcare delivery is shifting toward
outpatient and community settings, and the clinical workforce required
to serve that shift is expanding accordingly.

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