Start with what the numbers can tell you
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes ten-year projections for industries and occupations. The current cycle covers 2025 through 2035. The data can help you compare broad direction, but it cannot predict a specific vacancy, salary offer, or result in your city.
Use it to answer a few practical questions. Is the occupation expanding? Are most openings tied to growth or to people leaving the field? What education is typically needed? Which industries employ the most people in that role?
Read all three numbers
- Percent growthThis shows how quickly an occupation is expected to expand relative to its current size.
- Number of jobs addedThis shows the estimated change in employment. A large occupation may add many jobs with a modest growth rate.
- Average annual openingsThis includes expected openings from growth and from people who leave the occupation.
Check the entry point, not only the field
A field can be growing while its easiest entry point still requires a degree, license, apprenticeship, or prior experience. Read growth, openings, typical entry education, training, and wages together.
Then look at the work itself. Schedule, physical environment, customer contact, technical training, licensing, and day-to-day tasks can matter more to your decision than a place on a fastest-growing list.
Check jobs near you
- Look at state and regional labor-market information for the occupation.
- Read current postings from employers in the area where you want to work.
- Check whether remote jobs are available at the level you can realistically enter.
- Compare local pay with the cost and time of any required training.
- Talk with people doing the work because the same title can describe very different jobs.
Choose with more than one number
Put two occupations side by side. Compare the daily work, openings, pay, schedule, entry requirements, local demand, and the experience you already have. Write down the part of each choice that still needs more research.
A salary headline or growth percentage can get your attention. It should not make the decision for you.