Best Jobs in the World
We're not literally listing the best jobs in the world here. That list would likely include such pipe dreams as bed tester, beer taster, or cheese consultant. This list is more practical: highest-paying jobs, fastest-growing jobs, promotion potential, and more.
Top 10 Fastest Growing Jobs
The table below ranks the occupations projected to have the fastest percentage growth in the United States from 2025 to 2035, along with the number of new jobs expected to be created and median annual pay.
Healthcare dominates many of the fastest-growing and highest-paying occupations, while technology and renewable energy continue to create some of the strongest job-growth opportunities.
| Occupation | Median Annual Pay | Growth (2025 - 2035) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | Jobs | ||
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 | 41.0% | 137,800 |
| Solar Photovoltaic Installer | $53,140 | 36.5% | 11,300 |
| Data Scientist | $120,230 | 34.6% | 95,400 |
| Wind Turbine Service Technician | $64,120 | 29.5% | 3,500 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | $123,860 | 24.2% | 155,100 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | $68,380 | 23.0% | 26,200 |
| Psychiatric Technician | $45,130 | 22.3% | 36,000 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientist | $140,300 | 21.8% | 8,400 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | $72,300 | 21.5% | 11,200 |
| Ophthalmic Medical Technician | $45,570 | 21.4% | 15,500 |
The average projected growth rate for all U.S. occupations over the same period is about 3.5%, making every occupation above substantially faster-growing than the overall labor market.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections and Occupational Outlook Handbook. The 2025–2035 projections were released August 27, 2026.Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs
The table below ranks the highest-paying occupations based on 2025 median annual pay, the latest annual wage data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, along with projected employment growth through 2035.
| Occupation | Median Annual Pay | Growth (2025 - 2035) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | Jobs | ||
| Pediatric Surgeon | $559,030 | 2.0% | 0 |
| Cardiologist | $496,010 | 4.8% | 900 |
| Radiologist | $420,860 | 3.4% | 1,000 |
| Surgeon, All Other | $414,010 | 4.0% | 1,100 |
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 | 3.6% | 1,500 |
| Orthopedic Surgeon, Except Pediatric | $358,550 | 4.0% | 600 |
| Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon | $352,220 | 5.6% | 300 |
| Emergency Medicine Physician | $335,550 | 3.2% | 1,100 |
| Dermatologist | $328,730 | 6.8% | 800 |
| Pathologist | $312,400 | 4.8% | 600 |
Healthcare now completely dominates the top of the BLS highest-paying occupation rankings. Pediatric surgeons have the highest reported median annual pay, followed by cardiologists and radiologists.
Projected growth and employment-change figures are based on BLS 2025–2035 projections.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsStates with the Strongest Employment Growth
The list below ranks states by their 12-month percentage change in nonfarm payroll employment from July 2025 to July 2026, the latest state employment data available as of September 2026.
- Minnesota (1.4%)
- Louisiana (1.3%)
- South Carolina (1.3%)
- Texas (1.2%)
- Nevada (1.1%)
- Missouri (1.0%)
- North Carolina (1.0%)
- Utah (1.0%)
- Alabama (0.8%)
- Connecticut (0.8%)
Texas added the largest number of jobs among the states during this period, approximately 165,600, while Minnesota recorded the highest percentage increase at 1.4%.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, July 2026 State Employment and Unemployment data.States with the Weakest Employment Growth
The list below ranks states with the lowest 12-month change in nonfarm payroll employment from July 2025 to July 2026.
- Montana (-1.1%)
- Virginia (-1.1%)
- Oregon (-0.9%)
- Indiana (-0.5%)
- New Jersey (-0.4%)
- Georgia (-0.3%)
- Rhode Island (-0.3%)
- Delaware (-0.2%)
- Nebraska (-0.2%)
- Iowa, Kentucky & Maine (-0.1% each)
Virginia experienced the largest numerical decline among the states, with approximately 47,900 fewer payroll jobs than a year earlier. BLS cautions that many state-level changes are small enough that they are not statistically significant; these rankings simply compare the reported 12-month percentage changes.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, July 2026 State Employment and Unemployment data.