These are the most in-demand jobs: the ones with the most openings each year, on average, in the official 2025-2035 projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Openings include new jobs and the much larger number left by people who retire or change careers. Each job also shows how much it still needs a human.
| # | Job | Still needs a human | Evidence | Could be largely automated | Openings a year | Projected change, 2025–35 | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fast Food and Counter WorkersFood Preparation and Serving Related | 82↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2044–2060+ | 827,400 | +5.8% | $31,200 |
| 2 | Home Health AidesHealthcare Support | 85↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2045–2060+ | 760,500 | +18.1% | $35,800 |
| 3 | CashiersSales and Related | 74↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2036–2060+ | 521,300 | −6.5% | $32,880 |
| 4 | Retail SalespersonsSales and Related | 69↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2054 | 520,600 | −0.3% | $35,410 |
| 5 | Stockers and Order FillersTransportation and Material Moving | 79↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2044–2060+ | 430,700 | +8.9% | $37,330 |
| 6 | Waiters and WaitressesFood Preparation and Serving Related | 79↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2044–2060+ | 423,100 | +2.0% | $35,230 |
| 7 | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandTransportation and Material Moving | 84↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2044–2060+ | 340,500 | +1.8% | $40,240 |
| 8 | Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersBuilding and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | 86↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2046–2060+ | 321,800 | +2.2% | $36,840 |
| 9 | Customer Service RepresentativesOffice and Administrative Support | 51↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2034–2041 | 289,500 | −5.3% | $44,770 |
| 10 | General and Operations ManagersManagement | 72↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2036–2051 | 285,000 | +5.0% | $105,770 |
| 11 | Office Clerks, GeneralOffice and Administrative Support | 65↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2053 | 249,000 | −6.0% | $45,010 |
| 12 | Cooks, RestaurantFood Preparation and Serving Related | 83↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2044–2060+ | 218,600 | +12.1% | $37,390 |
| 13 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversTransportation and Material Moving | 79↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2044–2060+ | 214,500 | +3.8% | $58,640 |
| 14 | Nursing AssistantsHealthcare Support | 84↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2045–2060+ | 196,200 | +2.6% | $42,260 |
| 15 | Registered NursesHealthcare Practitioners and Technical | 80↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2042–2060+ | 180,800 | +5.6% | $97,550 |
| 16 | Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special EducationEducational Instruction and Library | 79↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2036–2060+ | 176,200 | −0.3% | $36,780 |
| 17 | Maids and Housekeeping CleanersBuilding and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | 88↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2047–2060+ | 175,500 | +0.6% | $35,510 |
| 18 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersFood Preparation and Serving Related | 72↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2044–2060+ | 171,500 | +5.4% | $44,080 |
| 19 | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveOffice and Administrative Support | 61↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2047 | 163,900 | −6.0% | $47,540 |
| 20 | Security GuardsProtective Service | 80↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2042–2060+ | 156,000 | +0.9% | $38,020 |
| 21 | Childcare WorkersPersonal Care and Service | 81↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2043–2060+ | 150,300 | −2.0% | $34,980 |
| 22 | Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersBuilding and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | 88↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2046–2060+ | 149,500 | +4.7% | $39,150 |
| 23 | Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralInstallation, Maintenance, and Repair | 83↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2046–2060+ | 148,700 | +4.2% | $49,590 |
| 24 | Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksOffice and Administrative Support | 60↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2046 | 144,100 | −5.6% | $50,670 |
| 25 | Team AssemblersProduction | 79↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2046–2060+ | 138,700 | +1.1% | $44,650 |
| 26 | Food Preparation WorkersFood Preparation and Serving Related | 85↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2044–2060+ | 135,700 | −3.0% | $35,320 |
| 27 | First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersOffice and Administrative Support | 67↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2047 | 127,400 | +0.1% | $69,500 |
| 28 | BartendersFood Preparation and Serving Related | 83↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2044–2060+ | 121,200 | +5.0% | $34,340 |
| 29 | Construction LaborersConstruction and Extraction | 87↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2048–2060+ | 120,000 | +7.3% | $47,120 |
| 30 | Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelSales and Related | 54↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2034–2042 | 115,700 | +2.7% | $69,990 |
| 31 | Accountants and AuditorsBusiness and Financial Operations | 66↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2047 | 115,300 | +5.0% | $83,680 |
| 32 | First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersSales and Related | 71↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2036–2052 | 113,500 | −3.7% | $48,520 |
| 33 | Medical AssistantsHealthcare Support | 78↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2045–2060+ | 109,700 | +12.9% | $45,690 |
| 34 | Light Truck DriversTransportation and Material Moving | 80↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2044–2060+ | 107,200 | +6.3% | $44,860 |
| 35 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee ShopFood Preparation and Serving Related | 74↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2044–2060+ | 107,100 | +3.4% | $31,200 |
| 36 | Receptionists and Information ClerksOffice and Administrative Support | 60↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2047 | 105,100 | −1.7% | $38,010 |
| 37 | Amusement and Recreation AttendantsPersonal Care and Service | 77↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2042–2060+ | 100,400 | +3.7% | $32,150 |
| 38 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsSales and Related | 57↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2034–2044 | 99,800 | −0.9% | $72,080 |
| 39 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender HelpersFood Preparation and Serving Related | 86↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2045–2060+ | 95,300 | +5.3% | $33,980 |
| 40 | Software DevelopersComputer and Mathematical | 62↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2034–2044 | 95,300 | +10.2% | $135,980 |
| 41 | Management AnalystsBusiness and Financial Operations | 62↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2046 | 94,100 | +10.1% | $101,860 |
| 42 | Medical Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsOffice and Administrative Support | 62↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2046 | 89,200 | +4.8% | $45,930 |
| 43 | Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationEducational Instruction and Library | 75↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2052 | 87,500 | −0.4% | $63,970 |
| 44 | Cooks, Fast FoodFood Preparation and Serving Related | 83↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2044–2060+ | 86,400 | +0.6% | $30,890 |
| 45 | Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBusiness and Financial Operations | 54↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2034–2042 | 82,000 | +7.0% | $78,760 |
| 46 | Project Management SpecialistsBusiness and Financial Operations | 66↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2047 | 76,500 | +6.7% | $102,320 |
| 47 | Human Resources SpecialistsBusiness and Financial Operations | 61↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2045 | 73,700 | +6.4% | $75,940 |
| 48 | Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPersonal Care and Service | 81↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2043–2060+ | 73,400 | +7.7% | $35,790 |
| 49 | ElectriciansConstruction and Extraction | 81↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2047–2060+ | 72,700 | +9.2% | $63,190 |
| 50 | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseFarming, Fishing, and Forestry | 83↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2046–2060+ | 72,500 | −2.4% | $35,660 |
How this list is built
- Openings are the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ average openings a year from 2025 to 2035: new jobs plus the places left by people who retire or move to other work.
- Where BLS groups several of our jobs under one code, the list shows the job once and its page says so.
- The score is our Still needs a human score, 0 to 100, higher is safer, with its evidence grade and replacement range.
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/