The Fastest Growing Jobs in 2018

The fastest growing jobs for 2018 include healthcare and STEM professions.

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The fastest growing jobs in 2018 are projected to grow at least 25 percent through 2026, according to a recent report by Flexjobs.com. The job site specializing in remote and flexible work opportunities compared the most recent fastest growing occupations data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to its own data.

At the close of 2016, state and federal labor data put renewable energy and healthcare professions at the top of the 100 fastest growing professions. Last year’s assessment (compiled by Zippia) was in-part based on the most current BLS projections for labor forces, found in the agency’s Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) at that time. Back then, the OOH was created with 2014 wage data (provided by Occupational Employment Statistics).

The current OOH, used in the following list of the 2018 fastest-growing jobs, reflects May 2016 wages. The list is ordered from highest to lowest in terms of projected growth:

#1 Physician Assistants, 37 percent projected growth, media salary: $101,480

#2 Nurse Practitioners, 36 percent projected growth, median salary: $100,910

#3 Physical Therapist Assistants, 31 percent projected growth, median salary: $56,610

#4 Software Developers, Applications: 30 percent projected growth, median salary: $100,080

#5 Mathematicians, 29 percent projected growth, median salary: $105,810

#6 Medical Assistants, 29 percent projected growth, median salary: $31,540

#7 Occupational Therapy Assistants, 29 percent projected growth, median salary: $59,010

#8 Information Security Analysts, 28 percent projected growth, median salary: $92,600

#9 Genetic Counselors, 28 percent projected growth, median salary: $74,120

#10 Operations Research Analysts, 27 percent projected growth, median salary: $79,200

#11 Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary, 26 percent projected growth, median salary: $99,360

Read the original story on Flexjobs website.

The OOH will now include annual wage information updates. Wage data through May 2017 will be added in the next forecast -- sometime in the spring of 2018, according to BLS.

Andrea Fox is Editor of Gov1.com and Senior Editor at Lexipol. She is based in Massachusetts.

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