Fastest-growing jobs that don't require a college degree
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.0%
- Total employment in 2024: 1,215,000
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +73,000
- 2024 median annual income: $42,010
Department of Labor job description: "Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in preparing and serving food."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.0%
- Total employment in 2024: 3,900
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +200
- 2024 median annual income: $48,690
Department of Labor job description: "Recruit and hire seasonal or temporary agricultural laborers. May transport, house, and provide meals for workers."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.0%
- Total employment in 2024: 43,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +2,600
- 2024 median annual income: $52,370
Department of Labor job description: "Gather, analyze, compile, and report information regarding individuals or organizations to clients, or detect occurrences of unlawful acts or infractions of rules in private establishment."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.0%
- Total employment in 2024: 26,200
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +1,600
- 2024 median annual income: $54,950
Department of Labor job description: "Repair and adjust electrical and mechanical equipment of inboard or inboard-outboard boat engines."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.0%
- Total employment in 2024: 35,800
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +2,100
- 2024 median annual income: Data not available
Department of Labor job description: "All entertainers and performers, sports and related workers not listed separately."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.1%
- Total employment in 2024: 4,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +300
- 2024 median annual income: $55,600
Department of Labor job description: "Create new dance routines. Rehearse performance of routines. May direct and stage presentations."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.1%
- Total employment in 2024: 216,700
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +13,100
- 2024 median annual income: $102,010
Department of Labor job description: "Plan, direct, or coordinate transportation, storage, or distribution activities in accordance with organizational policies and applicable government laws or regulations. Includes logistics managers."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.2%
- Total employment in 2024: 41,700
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +2,600
- 2024 median annual income: $45,690
Department of Labor job description: "Mold, shape, form, cast, or carve products such as food products, figurines, tile, pipes, and candles consisting of clay, glass, plaster, concrete, stone, or combinations of materials."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.3%
- Total employment in 2024: 123,300
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +7,800
- 2024 median annual income: $46,900
Department of Labor job description: "Directly supervise and coordinate activities of entertainment and recreation related workers."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.4%
- Total employment in 2024: 94,400
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +6,000
- 2024 median annual income: $37,900
Department of Labor job description: "All personal care and service workers not listed separately."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.4%
- Total employment in 2024: 449,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +28,900
- 2024 median annual income: $45,120
Department of Labor job description: "Assist other social and human service providers in providing client services in a wide variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, or social work, including support for families. May assist clients in identifying and obtaining available benefits and social and community services. May assist social workers with developing, organizing, and conducting programs to prevent and resolve problems relevant to substance abuse, human relationships, rehabilitation, or dependent care."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.4%
- Total employment in 2024: 352,800
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +22,600
- 2024 median annual income: $65,310
Department of Labor job description: "Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.4%
- Total employment in 2024: 490,400
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +31,500
- 2024 median annual income: $43,460
Department of Labor job description: "Prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications according to prescription orders."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.5%
- Total employment in 2024: 25,100
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +1,600
- 2024 median annual income: $61,340
Department of Labor job description: "All personal service managers not listed separately."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.6%
- Total employment in 2024: 127,400
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +8,400
- 2024 median annual income: $92,560
Department of Labor job description: "Install or repair cables or wires used in electrical power or distribution systems. May erect poles and light or heavy-duty transmission towers."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.7%
- Total employment in 2024: 243,900
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +16,400
- 2024 median annual income: $36,670
Department of Labor job description: "Drive a motor vehicle to transport passengers on a planned or scheduled basis. May collect a fare. Includes nonemergency medical transporters and hearse drivers."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.7%
- Total employment in 2024: 149,100
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +10,000
- 2024 median annual income: $47,080
Department of Labor job description: "Supervise and coordinate activities of personal service workers."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 6.9%
- Total employment in 2024: 173,500
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +11,900
- 2024 median annual income: $40,790
Department of Labor job description: "Set up and operate equipment that mixes or blends ingredients used in the manufacturing of food products. Includes candy makers and cheese makers."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 7.1%
- Total employment in 2024: 197,300
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +14,000
- 2024 median annual income: $60,990
Department of Labor job description: "Direct and may participate in the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. May plan and price menu items, order supplies, and keep records and accounts."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 7.2%
- Total employment in 2024: 7,100
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +500
- 2024 median annual income: $40,160
Department of Labor job description: "Operate or tend equipment such as cooling and freezing units, refrigerators, batch freezers, and freezing tunnels, to cool or freeze products, food, blood plasma, and chemicals."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 7.3%
- Total employment in 2024: 1,079,800
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +78,900
- 2024 median annual income: $44,140
Department of Labor job description: "Drive a light vehicle, such as a truck or van, with a capacity of less than 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), primarily to pick up merchandise or packages from a distribution center and deliver. May load and unload vehicle."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 7.3%
- Total employment in 2024: 1,457,000
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +106,500
- 2024 median annual income: $46,730
Department of Labor job description: "Perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites. May operate hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments. May clean and prepare sites, dig trenches, set braces to support the sides of excavations, erect scaffolding, and clean up rubble, debris, and other waste materials. May assist other craft workers."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 7.6%
- Total employment in 2024: 30,400
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +2,300
- 2024 median annual income: $49,140
Department of Labor job description: "Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or drains. May patch walls and partitions of tank, replace damaged drain tile, or repair breaks in underground piping."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 7.7%
- Total employment in 2024: 65,200
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +5,000
- 2024 median annual income: $42,580
Department of Labor job description: "Drive and control equipment to support agricultural activities such as tilling soil; planting, cultivating, and harvesting crops; feeding and herding livestock; or removing animal waste. May perform tasks such as crop baling or hay bucking. May operate stationary equipment to perform post-harvest tasks such as husking, shelling, threshing, and ginning."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 8.1%
- Total employment in 2024: 55,800
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +4,500
- 2024 median annual income: $36,660
Department of Labor job description: "Escort individuals or groups on sightseeing tours or through places of interest, such as industrial establishments, public buildings, and art galleries."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 8.2%
- Total employment in 2024: 247,200
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +20,400
- 2024 median annual income: $38,340
Department of Labor job description: "Pick up and deliver messages, documents, packages, and other items between offices or departments within an establishment or directly to other business concerns, traveling by foot, bicycle, motorcycle, automobile, or public conveyance."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 8.5%
- Total employment in 2024: 2,764,800
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +235,000
- 2024 median annual income: $37,090
Department of Labor job description: "Receive, store, and issue merchandise, materials, equipment, and other items from stockroom, warehouse, or storage yard to fill shelves, racks, tables, or customers' orders. May operate power equipment to fill orders. May mark prices on merchandise and set up sales displays."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 8.5%
- Total employment in 2024: 100,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +8,600
- 2024 median annual income: $49,900
Department of Labor job description: "Expedite and route movement of incoming and outgoing cargo and freight shipments in airline, train, and trucking terminals and shipping docks. Take orders from customers and arrange pickup of freight and cargo for delivery to loading platform. Prepare and examine bills of lading to determine shipping charges and tariffs."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 8.5%
- Total employment in 2024: 31,900
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +2,700
- 2024 median annual income: $58,440
Department of Labor job description: "Collect data on work environments for analysis by occupational health and safety specialists. Implement and conduct evaluation of programs designed to limit chemical, physical, biological, and ergonomic risks to workers."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 8.7%
- Total employment in 2024: 117,800
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +10,300
- 2024 median annual income: $37,320
Department of Labor job description: "Feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics. Clean and disinfect cages and work areas, and sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment. May provide routine postoperative care, administer medication orally or topically, or prepare samples for laboratory examination under the supervision of veterinary or laboratory animal technologists or technicians, veterinarians, or scientists."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 8.8%
- Total employment in 2024: 451,500
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +39,800
- 2024 median annual income: $37,130
Department of Labor job description: "Drive truck or other vehicle over established routes or within an established territory and sell or deliver goods, such as food products, including restaurant take-out items, or pick up or deliver items such as commercial laundry. May also take orders, collect payment, or stock merchandise at point of delivery."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 9.2%
- Total employment in 2024: 130,800
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +12,100
- 2024 median annual income: $67,130
Department of Labor job description: "Monitor safety of the aircraft cabin. Provide services to airline passengers, explain safety information, serve food and beverages, and respond to emergency incidents."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 9.5%
- Total employment in 2024: 33,700
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +3,200
- 2024 median annual income: $54,340
Department of Labor job description: "Apply blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative coverings to floors."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 9.5%
- Total employment in 2024: 818,700
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +77,400
- 2024 median annual income: $62,350
Department of Labor job description: "Install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes. May install or service street lights, intercom systems, or electrical control systems."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 10.0%
- Total employment in 2024: 76,500
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +7,600
- 2024 median annual income: $46,490
Department of Labor job description: "Prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 10.1%
- Total employment in 2024: 52,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +5,300
- 2024 median annual income: $52,240
Department of Labor job description: "Apply hard tile, stone, and comparable materials to walls, floors, ceilings, countertops, and roof decks."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 10.4%
- Total employment in 2024: 85,900
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +8,900
- 2024 median annual income: $59,300
Department of Labor job description: "Install, program, maintain, and repair security and fire alarm wiring and equipment. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 10.9%
- Total employment in 2024: 31,900
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +3,500
- 2024 median annual income: $51,180
Department of Labor job description: "Perform any or all of the following functions in the manufacture of electronic semiconductors: load semiconductor material into furnace; saw formed ingots into segments; load individual segment into crystal growing chamber and monitor controls; locate crystal axis in ingot using x-ray equipment and saw ingots into wafers; and clean, polish, and load wafers into series of special purpose furnaces, chemical baths, and equipment used to form circuitry and change conductive properties."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 11.0%
- Total employment in 2024: 39,000
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +4,300
- 2024 median annual income: $52,080
Department of Labor job description: "Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, dairy equipment, and irrigation systems."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 11.1%
- Total employment in 2024: 204,000
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +22,600
- 2024 median annual income: $36,220
Department of Labor job description: "Drive a motor vehicle to transport passengers on an unplanned basis and charge a fare, usually based on a meter."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 11.3%
- Total employment in 2024: 65,100
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +7,400
- 2024 median annual income: $51,030
Department of Labor job description: "Promote health within a community by assisting individuals to adopt healthy behaviors. Serve as an advocate for the health needs of individuals by assisting community residents in effectively communicating with healthcare providers or social service agencies. Act as liaison or advocate and implement programs that promote, maintain, and improve individual and overall community health. May deliver health-related preventive services such as blood pressure, glaucoma, and hearing screenings. May collect data to help identify community health needs."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 11.4%
- Total employment in 2024: 28,400
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +3,200
- 2024 median annual income: $51,050
Department of Labor job description: "Install, service, or repair automatic door mechanisms and hydraulic doors. Includes garage door mechanics."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 11.5%
- Total employment in 2024: 19,500
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +2,200
- 2024 median annual income: $50,540
Department of Labor job description: "Diagnose, inspect, adjust, repair, or overhaul recreational vehicles including travel trailers. May specialize in maintaining gas, electrical, hydraulic, plumbing, or chassis/towing systems as well as repairing generators, appliances, and interior components. Includes workers who perform customized van conversions."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 11.9%
- Total employment in 2024: 370,100
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +44,100
- 2024 median annual income: $46,180
Department of Labor job description: "Instruct or coach groups or individuals in exercise activities for the primary purpose of personal fitness. Demonstrate techniques and form, observe participants, and explain to them corrective measures necessary to improve their skills. Develop and implement individualized approaches to exercise."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 14.6%
- Total employment in 2024: 2,900
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +400
- 2024 median annual income: $52,380
Department of Labor job description: "Enforce fire regulations, inspect forest for fire hazards, and recommend forest fire prevention or control measures. May report forest fires and weather conditions."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 14.9%
- Total employment in 2024: 1,460,200
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +217,000
- 2024 median annual income: $36,830
Department of Labor job description: "Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 16.1%
- Total employment in 2024: 439,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +70,700
- 2024 median annual income: $63,760
Department of Labor job description: "Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems. May also install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to plans."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 17.0%
- Total employment in 2024: 4,347,700
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +739,800
- 2024 median annual income: $34,900
Department of Labor job description: "Monitor the health status of an individual with disabilities or illness, and address their health-related needs, such as changing bandages, dressing wounds, or administering medication. Work is performed under the direction of offsite or intermittent onsite licensed nursing staff. Provide assistance with routine healthcare tasks or activities of daily living, such as feeding, bathing, toileting, or ambulation. May also help with tasks such as preparing meals, doing light housekeeping, and doing laundry depending on the patient's abilities."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 18.4%
- Total employment in 2024: 10,700
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +2,000
- 2024 median annual income: $61,560
Department of Labor job description: "Select and fit hearing aids for customers. Administer and interpret tests of hearing. Assess hearing instrument efficacy. Take ear impressions and prepare, design, and modify ear molds."
- Projected job growth rate, 2024-34: 42.1%
- Total employment in 2024: 28,600
- Projected employment change, 2024-34: +12,000
- 2024 median annual income: $51,860
Department of Labor job description: "Assemble, install, or maintain solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on roofs or other structures in compliance with site assessment and schematics. May include measuring, cutting, assembling, and bolting structural framing and solar modules. May perform minor electrical work such as current checks."