10 Jobs That Will Keep Getting Raises Year After Year

Are you hoping to stop living paycheck to paycheck in the next year? Perhaps it is time to consider a career change while the market still shows plenty of opportunities.

Careers with greater projected growth rates both provide job security and offer an increased probability for higher raises year after year.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects faster-than-average growth rates for the following 10 jobs through 2032. These might be good career choices for those looking for stable, lucrative work.

Occupational therapy assistants help those with injuries or disabilities. Practice areas range from mental health to working with children with developmental delays.

Occupational therapy assistants help people improve motor skills and increase mobility through exercises and activities.

There were approximately 49,000 occupational therapy assistant and aide jobs in 2021. That number will increase by 23% (resulting in 11,000 new job openings) through 2033.

Demand for software developers is also expected to keep climbing over the next 10 years, with the BLS projecting that demand for these positions will rise 25% from 2022 to 2032.

Software developers can work in many different fields, such as developing computer applications or programs, quality assurance analysts, and testers identifying problems with applications or programs and reporting defects.

Some companies require a bachelor’s degree, but other employers prefer to hire developers who have a master’s degree. The average salary for these gigs in 2022 was $127,260 per year.

The BLS projects that there will be a big need for PAs over the next decade, with employment expected to grow 27% from 2022 to 2032. The annual median wage for PAs in 2022 was $126,010 per year.

Physician assistants (PAs), who see patients in doctor’s offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and other healthcare settings, work under a supervising physician. 

After obtaining a master’s degree (usually after undergoing a rigorous postgraduate program) and passing the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, PAs can perform many of the same functions as a doctor.

The BLS projects that there will be a big need for epidemiologists over the next decade, with employment expected to grow 27% from 2022 to 2032. The median annual wage for epidemiologists was $78,520 in 2022.

Epidemiologists are public health workers who investigate patterns and causes of disease and injury. 

To be an epidemiologist you'd typically need at least a master’s degree to enter the occupation, like having a master’s degree in public health (MPH) or a related field.

Medical and health services managers are also fast-growing jobs in the healthcare field. The BLS projects that employment for these positions will be up 28% from 2022 to 2032.

The employees typically work in hospitals, nursing homes, or for group medical practices and help plan, direct, and coordinate business activities.

Most of these employees have at least a bachelor’s degree, though some facilities may require a master’s. Pay in 2022 averaged $104,830 per year.

Statisticians use statistical methods to help solve problems in the real world. There are many industries in which someone in this profession might work, including medicine and environmental science.

Becoming a statistician likely will require you to obtain a master’s degree. The projected growth rate for this job of 30% is much faster than the average, with 10,600 positions expected to be added through 2032.

Information security analysts help protect computer systems from threats. If you work in this field, you might install firewalls and identify weaknesses in computer networks.

The median annual salary for information security analysts was $112,000 in 2022. A projected growth rate of 32% means 53,200 jobs will be added through 2032.

Data scientists analyze data to provide insight and draw conclusions. If you work in this profession, you will identify patterns in data and discover solutions based on your analyses. Relevant degrees for this job include computer science, mathematics, and statistics.

In 2022, the median yearly pay for data scientists was $103,500, and there were more than 168,900 jobs. The number of openings for this occupation will increase by a projected 35% resulting in 59,400 new jobs by 2032.

Nurse practitioners aren’t medical doctors, but they share many of the same responsibilities. They treat patients, order diagnostic tests, and even prescribe medications. 

Nurse practitioners must complete at least a master’s degree and obtain special certification.

The projected growth rate for nurse practitioners and similar occupations is 38%, with close to 2,900 new openings projected each year through 2032.

Wind turbine service technicians install and maintain wind turbines. Technicians might also perform repairs when needed. It’s an excellent job if you’re passionate about the environment and like to work outdoors.

The annual median salary for wind turbine service technicians is $57,320. There were just over 11,000 jobs in this field in 2022. That number is expected to grow by a total of nearly 5,000 in the 10 years ending in 2032.

While this remains a relatively small profession, it has a growth rate of 45%, which is much faster than for other professions.

If you choose a job from this list, expect to increase your income over the next decade at least.

People often fail to consider job growth estimates when choosing a career. Other factors to consider when making a career change are the cost of education, the time it takes to make the change, and the salary.

Just remember, it's not just because a job is in demand now that opportunities will continue to grow.