Most In-Demand Jobs
Occupations with the most job openings each year on average — including openings from workers who retire or change careers.
The 50 jobs below have a median salary of $44,770 — 12% below the $50,980 median for all U.S. workers. 52% of them are projected to grow faster than the 3.5% average through 2035, and together they are expected to have about 9,885,000 openings a year. The most common entry requirement on this list is: no formal educational credential (17 jobs).
| # | Job | Median salary | Take-home* | Education | Growth 2025–35 | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fast Food and Counter Worker | $31,200 | $27,249 | No formal educational credential | +5.8% | 827,400 |
| 2 | Home Health and Personal Care Aide | $35,800 | $30,945 | High school diploma or equivalent | +18.1% | 760,500 |
| 3 | Cashier | $32,880 | $28,599 | No formal educational credential | -6.5% | 521,300 |
| 4 | Retail Salesperson | $35,410 | $30,632 | No formal educational credential | -0.3% | 520,600 |
| 5 | Stocker and Order Filler | $37,330 | $32,175 | No formal educational credential | +8.9% | 430,700 |
| 6 | Waiter and Waitress | $35,230 | $30,487 | No formal educational credential | +2.0% | 423,100 |
| 7 | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $40,240 | $34,513 | No formal educational credential | +1.8% | 340,500 |
| 8 | Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $36,840 | $31,781 | No formal educational credential | +2.2% | 321,800 |
| 9 | Customer Service Representative | $44,770 | $38,153 | High school diploma or equivalent | -5.3% | 289,500 |
| 10 | General and Operations Manager | $105,770 | $83,239 | Bachelor's degree | +5.0% | 285,000 |
| 11 | Office Clerks, General | $45,010 | $38,346 | High school diploma or equivalent | -6.0% | 249,000 |
| 12 | Cooks, Restaurant | $37,390 | $32,223 | No formal educational credential | +12.1% | 218,600 |
| 13 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver | $58,640 | $49,297 | Postsecondary nondegree award | +3.8% | 214,500 |
| 14 | Nursing Assistant | $42,260 | $36,136 | Postsecondary nondegree award | +2.6% | 196,200 |
| 15 | Registered Nurse | $97,550 | $77,456 | Bachelor's degree | +5.6% | 180,800 |
| 16 | Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | $36,780 | $31,733 | Some college, no degree | -0.3% | 176,200 |
| 17 | Maid and Housekeeping Cleaner | $35,510 | $30,712 | No formal educational credential | +0.6% | 175,500 |
| 18 | First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,080 | $37,598 | High school diploma or equivalent | +5.4% | 171,500 |
| 19 | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,540 | $40,378 | High school diploma or equivalent | -6.0% | 163,900 |
| 20 | Security Guard | $38,020 | $32,729 | High school diploma or equivalent | +0.9% | 156,000 |
| 21 | Childcare Worker | $34,980 | $30,286 | High school diploma or equivalent | -2.0% | 150,300 |
| 22 | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker | $39,150 | $33,637 | No formal educational credential | +4.7% | 149,500 |
| 23 | Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | $49,590 | $42,026 | High school diploma or equivalent | +4.2% | 148,700 |
| 24 | Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $50,670 | $42,893 | Some college, no degree | -5.6% | 144,100 |
| 25 | Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator | $44,650 | $38,056 | High school diploma or equivalent | +1.1% | 138,700 |
| 26 | Food Preparation Worker | $35,320 | $30,560 | No formal educational credential | -3.0% | 135,700 |
| 27 | First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $69,500 | $57,723 | High school diploma or equivalent | +0.1% | 127,400 |
| 28 | Bartender | $34,340 | $29,772 | No formal educational credential | +5.0% | 121,200 |
| 29 | Construction Laborer | $47,120 | $40,041 | No formal educational credential | +7.3% | 120,000 |
| 30 | Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $69,990 | $58,068 | High school diploma or equivalent | +2.7% | 115,700 |
| 31 | Accountant and Auditor | $83,680 | $67,699 | Bachelor's degree | +5.0% | 115,300 |
| 32 | First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers | $48,520 | $41,166 | High school diploma or equivalent | -3.7% | 113,500 |
| 33 | Medical Assistant | $45,690 | $38,892 | Postsecondary nondegree award | +12.9% | 109,700 |
| 34 | Light Truck Driver | $44,860 | $38,225 | High school diploma or equivalent | +6.3% | 107,200 |
| 35 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,200 | $27,249 | No formal educational credential | +3.4% | 107,100 |
| 36 | Receptionist and Information Clerk | $38,010 | $32,721 | High school diploma or equivalent | -1.7% | 105,100 |
| 37 | Managers, All Other | $141,900 | $108,255 | Bachelor's degree | +4.9% | 100,900 |
| 38 | Amusement and Recreation Attendant | $32,150 | $28,013 | No formal educational credential | +3.7% | 100,400 |
| 39 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $72,080 | $59,538 | High school diploma or equivalent | -0.9% | 99,800 |
| 40 | Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $83,050 | $67,256 | Bachelor's degree | +3.9% | 98,700 |
| 41 | Software Developer | $135,980 | $104,208 | Bachelor's degree | +10.2% | 95,300 |
| 42 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper | $33,980 | $29,483 | No formal educational credential | +5.3% | 95,300 |
| 43 | Management Analyst | $101,860 | $80,489 | Bachelor's degree | +10.1% | 94,100 |
| 44 | Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $45,930 | $39,085 | High school diploma or equivalent | +4.8% | 89,200 |
| 45 | Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,970 | $53,580 | Bachelor's degree | -0.4% | 87,500 |
| 46 | Cooks, Fast Food | $30,890 | $27,000 | No formal educational credential | +0.6% | 86,400 |
| 47 | Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist | $78,760 | $64,238 | Bachelor's degree | +7.0% | 82,000 |
| 48 | Project Management Specialist | $102,320 | $80,812 | Bachelor's degree | +6.7% | 76,500 |
| 49 | Human Resources Specialist | $75,940 | $62,254 | Bachelor's degree | +6.4% | 73,700 |
| 50 | Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists | $35,790 | $30,937 | Postsecondary nondegree award | +7.7% | 73,400 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal tax and FICA, no state income tax. Pick your state in the calculator below to see your own number. Average growth for all jobs: 3.5%.
What would #1 take home in your state?
Your take-home pay
$27,249
per year · effective tax rate 12.7%
$2,271Monthly
$1,135Twice a month
$1,048Every 2 weeks
$13.10Hourly
- Federal income tax$1,564
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,934
- Medicare (1.45%)$452
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$27,249
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Frequently asked questions
Which job has the most openings?
Fast Food and Counter Workers have about 827,400 openings a year, the most of any occupation, with a median salary of $31,200.
Where does this data come from?
Salaries are U.S. median wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). Education, openings and growth come from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Take-home pay uses 2026 federal tax rules for a single filer in a state with no income tax.