A quick review of business media shows conflicting news about the jobs market. In February 2023, unemployment remained low at 3.6%, though up slightly from the previous month. On the other hand, large employers, including Amazon, Walmart, Meta, McDonald’s and Google announced major layoffs.
Whether you’re entering the job market or someone making a change, it’s logical to target your search to careers that are in high demand. You’ll have better luck finding a job now, and if you choose a growth industry, there will be even more opportunities in the future.
We’ll list industries in the U.S. labor market expected to have the most growth and careers that are taking off in 2023.
Industries With The Largest Employment Growth
If you’re deciding which industry to pursue, these have the largest employment growth in the US labor market in January 2023.
- Leisure and hospitality
- Education and health services
- Professional and business services
- Government
- Construction
- Transportation and warehousing
- Manufacturing
- Other Services
- Wholesale trade
- Financial activities
- Mining and logging
While the leisure and hospitality sector had the most growth, it still has fewer jobs than before the pandemic. The construction industry gained 25,000 jobs, but rising interest rates could lead to a slowdown in construction. Growth in financial activities careers corresponds to increased use of financial planners for consumers and accounting services for businesses.
Careers That Are Taking Off in 2023
Within each industry, there are jobs expected to show fast growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists the fastest growing occupations through 2031. US News took that data and also considered salary level, open positions, and the likelihood of being promoted. Here are the top 10 of the US News best jobs of 2023.
Title | Median Annual Salary | Education |
| $120,730 | Bachelor’s degree |
| $120,680 | Master’s degree |
| $101,340 | Bachelor’s degree |
| $121,530 | Master’s degree |
| $102,600 | Bachelor’s degree |
| $95,620 | Doctorate |
| $131,710 | Bachelor’s degree |
| $159,010 | Bachelor’s degree |
| $77,030 | Bachelor’s degree |
| $160,370 | Doctorate |
This list of top 10 jobs is almost all positions in healthcare, or IT. The exception is the financial manager role. While it’s easy to see why businesses need IT support or why consumers need healthcare, it’s less obvious why there’s growing demand in the financial category.
Financial managers include accountants and other professionals who report financial data for businesses. Some definitions also place financial planners in this category. Business managers and entrepreneurs need accountants and auditors to keep their data in order. Consumer demographics drive the demand for financial planners. Baby boomers seek guidance for retirement planning. Younger families want to plan for retirement and stay on track with college savings.
Fastest Growing Occupations
Some lists of fast-growing occupations use salary criteria that exclude entry-level jobs. Here are the top 15 fastest growing jobs through 2031 according to BLS.
Title | Median Annual Salary | Education |
Nurse practitioners | $120,680 | Master’s degree |
Wind turbine service technicians | $ 56,260 | Postsecondary training |
Ushers, lobby attendants, ticket takers | $24,440 | No data provided |
Motion picture projectionists | $29,350 | No data provided |
Cooks, restaurant | $30,010 | On-the-job training |
Data scientists | $100,910 | Bachelor’s degree |
Athletes and sports competitors | $77,300 | No formal training, on-the-job training |
Information security analysts | $102,600 | Bachelor’s degree |
Statisticians | $95,570 | Master’s degree |
Umpires, referees, sports officials | $35,860 | High school diploma, on-the-job training |
Web developer | $77,030 | Bachelor’s degree |
Animal caretakers | $28,600 | High school diploma |
Choreographers | $42,700 | Dance experience, on-the-job training |
Taxi drivers | $37,540 | No formal education |
Medical and health services manager | $101,340 | Bachelor’s degree |
Finding a Career in High Demand
If you’re entering the job market, it seems even the economists are confused. Is the economy growing or shrinking? Is the job market strong or slowing down? The answer is all of the above. Some industries are actively recruiting, while others announce layoffs. Target your search to the sectors of the economy that are growing to find a new job more efficiently.