Fastest-Growing Jobs 2026: BLS Spotlights Health, Tech

Speech-language pathologists, health information technologists and computer systems managers top the list of the fastest-growing jobs in the United States, according to new Bureau of Labour Statistics employment projections for 2025 to 2035. The data, highlighted by GoLayoffs on October 11, show health care and technology roles dominating the growth rankings.

Speech-language pathologists lead the pack with projected employment growth of 16.6 per cent, adding an estimated 32,100 new jobs over the decade. The occupation's median pay of $97,870 makes it one of the best-compensated high-growth fields that does not require a medical degree. Health information technologists follow at 15.9 per cent growth, while computer systems managers are projected to grow 15.8 per cent, adding 108,100 jobs at a median salary of $175,140.

Fastest-growing jobs cluster in health care

The fastest-growing jobs share a common thread: an ageing population and a digitised health system. Demand for speech-language pathologists is driven by ageing baby boomers facing stroke and dementia-related communication disorders, alongside growing recognition of speech and language needs among children. Schools, hospitals and long-term care facilities are all competing for qualified therapists.

Health IT roles are expanding as providers race to modernise electronic health records, deploy AI-assisted diagnostics and meet stricter data reporting requirements. Health information technologists sit at the intersection of clinical care and data systems — a niche that employers say is chronically hard to fill.

The BLS employment projections underline a structural shift: the occupations adding jobs fastest are those that combine specialised credentials with services that cannot easily be automated or offshored.

Technology roles among the fastest-growing jobs

Computer systems managers rank among the fastest-growing jobs as organisations expand their digital infrastructure and cybersecurity defences. With a median salary of $175,140 and more than 108,000 new positions projected, the role offers one of the strongest combinations of growth and compensation in the entire BLS dataset.

Broader tech occupations also feature prominently in the projections, reflecting continued business investment in software, data analytics and network security even as the industry cycles through periodic layoffs. The data suggest that while headline tech employment can be volatile, managerial and infrastructure roles remain on a steady upward path.

The new figures also highlight health IT jobs as a standout for workers without advanced clinical degrees: employers increasingly need staff who can manage patient data systems, a role blending IT skills with health care knowledge. Training programmes report strong placement rates for health IT jobs graduates.

What the BLS employment projections mean for workers

For jobseekers, the fastest-growing jobs list is a practical guide to where training pays off. Speech-language pathology requires a master's degree and state licensure — a significant investment, but one the BLS data suggest is well rewarded. Health information technology and systems management offer pathways through bachelor's degrees and professional certifications.

Career counsellors note that the fastest-growing jobs are not necessarily the largest occupations: 32,100 new speech-language pathologist positions is modest next to the hundreds of thousands of openings in retail or food service. But for workers choosing a field, growth rate plus pay is the combination that signals durable opportunity.

The 2025-35 BLS employment projections will be updated as economic conditions evolve, but the underlying drivers — demographics, digitisation and the premium on specialised skills — point to health and tech remaining the engine of US job growth for the rest of the decade.