To find the best jobs for the future, this list weighs three things equally: projected job growth to 2035, median pay, and how much the work still needs a human. Each job is placed on a 0-100 scale for each measure against all the jobs we cover, and the three are averaged. We only include jobs with at least 25,000 workers that are projected to grow.
| # | Job | Still needs a human | Evidence | Could be largely automated | Future score | Projected change, 2025–35 | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nurse AnesthetistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 81↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2042–2060+ | 86 | +9.7% | $236,590 |
| 2 | Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersInstallation, Maintenance, and Repair | 85↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2045–2060+ | 85 | +10.3% | $95,320 |
| 3 | Physician AssistantsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 78↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2042–2060+ | 83 | +21.1% | $135,880 |
| 4 | OptometristsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 79↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2042–2060+ | 83 | +9.5% | $136,570 |
| 5 | VeterinariansHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 79↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2042–2060+ | 81 | +9.4% | $130,100 |
| 6 | Dental HygienistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 82↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2042–2060+ | 80 | +8.0% | $98,100 |
| 7 | Diagnostic Medical SonographersHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 81↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2042–2060+ | 80 | +13.9% | $96,590 |
| 8 | Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersTransportation and Material Moving | 76↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2044–2060+ | 79 | +8.3% | $232,140 |
| 9 | Biochemists and BiophysicistsLife, Physical, and Social Science | 76↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2038–2060+ | 79 | +12.3% | $127,410 |
| 10 | Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsLife, Physical, and Social Science | 77↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2038–2060+ | 78 | +12.6% | $103,410 |
| 11 | Dentists, GeneralHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 79↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2042–2060+ | 78 | +5.7% | $170,950 |
| 12 | Respiratory TherapistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 82↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2042–2060+ | 77 | +8.5% | $82,280 |
| 13 | Physical Therapist AssistantsHealthcare Support | 83↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2045–2060+ | 77 | +23.0% | $68,380 |
| 14 | Natural Sciences ManagersManagement | 74↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2036–2050 | 76 | +8.2% | $167,220 |
| 15 | PsychiatristsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 74↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2040–2055 | 76 | +7.2% | $281,870 |
| 16 | Physical TherapistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 75↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2042–2060+ | 75 | +11.9% | $102,760 |
| 17 | Occupational TherapistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 75↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2042–2060+ | 75 | +14.8% | $100,330 |
| 18 | Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard TilesConstruction and Extraction | 87↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2048–2060+ | 74 | +9.0% | $56,460 |
| 19 | Occupational Therapy AssistantsHealthcare Support | 79↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2045–2060+ | 73 | +21.5% | $72,300 |
| 20 | AnesthesiologistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 80↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2042–2060+ | 73 | +3.6% | $391,490 |
| 21 | Registered NursesHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 80↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2042–2060+ | 72 | +5.6% | $97,550 |
| 22 | Computer and Information Systems ManagersManagement | 67↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2036–2048 | 72 | +15.8% | $175,140 |
| 23 | Medical and Health Services ManagersManagement | 70↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2036–2050 | 72 | +24.2% | $123,860 |
| 24 | Nurse PractitionersHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 69↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2041–2055 | 72 | +41.0% | $132,300 |
| 25 | Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsLife, Physical, and Social Science | 75↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2039–2060+ | 72 | +18.5% | $90,150 |
| 26 | Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansInstallation, Maintenance, and Repair | 83↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2045–2060+ | 72 | +5.4% | $79,870 |
| 27 | Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersInstallation, Maintenance, and Repair | 82↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2045–2060+ | 71 | +10.9% | $61,010 |
| 28 | Architectural and Engineering ManagersManagement | 74↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2036–2051 | 71 | +5.5% | $171,270 |
| 29 | Speech-Language PathologistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 73↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2040–2055 | 71 | +16.6% | $97,870 |
| 30 | Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesInstallation, Maintenance, and Repair | 83↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2045–2060+ | 71 | +6.7% | $65,510 |
| 31 | Massage TherapistsHealthcare Support | 83↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2045–2060+ | 71 | +15.3% | $58,450 |
| 32 | Tile and Stone SettersConstruction and Extraction | 84↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2048–2060+ | 71 | +9.8% | $55,690 |
| 33 | Computer and Information Research ScientistsComputer and Mathematical | 67↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2034–2045 | 71 | +21.8% | $140,300 |
| 34 | ElectriciansConstruction and Extraction | 81↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2047–2060+ | 70 | +9.2% | $63,190 |
| 35 | Construction ManagersManagement | 72↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2036–2051 | 70 | +9.1% | $114,990 |
| 36 | Computer Hardware EngineersArchitecture and Engineering | 70↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2037–2052 | 70 | +9.1% | $161,740 |
| 37 | Aerospace EngineersArchitecture and Engineering | 70↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2036–2050 | 70 | +8.3% | $134,960 |
| 38 | Commercial PilotsTransportation and Material Moving | 76↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2043–2060+ | 70 | +5.2% | $123,220 |
| 39 | ActuariesComputer and Mathematical | 70↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2034–2048 | 70 | +9.2% | $130,000 |
| 40 | Judges, Magistrate Judges, and MagistratesLegal | 81↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2036–2053 | 70 | +2.8% | $153,990 |
| 41 | Financial ManagersManagement | 67↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2036–2048 | 69 | +9.7% | $166,570 |
| 42 | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersConstruction and Extraction | 82↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2047–2060+ | 69 | +6.8% | $63,800 |
| 43 | Electrical EngineersArchitecture and Engineering | 70↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2036–2050 | 69 | +9.9% | $120,630 |
| 44 | Surgical TechnologistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 85↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2042–2060+ | 69 | +5.0% | $64,650 |
| 45 | ChemistsLife, Physical, and Social Science | 76↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2038–2060+ | 69 | +6.4% | $91,240 |
| 46 | Medical Equipment PreparersHealthcare Support | 86↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2046–2060+ | 69 | +10.8% | $47,700 |
| 47 | Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 74↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2041–2060+ | 69 | +7.7% | $95,480 |
| 48 | Construction LaborersConstruction and Extraction | 87↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2048–2060+ | 68 | +7.3% | $47,120 |
| 49 | Industrial Machinery MechanicsInstallation, Maintenance, and Repair | 77↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2045–2060+ | 68 | +17.8% | $64,520 |
| 50 | Civil EngineersArchitecture and Engineering | 73↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2037–2052 | 68 | +6.4% | $100,840 |
How this list is built
- The future score averages three equal parts, each a 0 to 100 position among all the jobs we cover: projected growth from 2025 to 2035 (BLS), median pay (BLS, May 2025) and our Still needs a human score.
- Only jobs with at least 25,000 workers that are projected to grow are included.
Related
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, occupation workbook. https://www.bls.gov/emp/ind-occ-matrix/occupation.xlsx
- NeedsAHuman occupation scores, release 2026-Q4. https://needsahuman.com/data/