Indeed
1 / 3Key Takeaways
- This year, health care and engineering endure as dominant sectors, reflecting society's continued need for wellbeing and innovation.
- Most jobs on this year's list of top jobs require specialized education and training.
- Soft skills and the ability to build human connections are valued in roles that don't require specialized education and training.
This Year's Top Job: Veterinarian
Job listings for veterinarians have surged 124% over the past three years, and the BLS projects the role will grow by an additional 19% over the next nine years. This is much faster than the average 4% expected growth for all other occupations.
With reports of younger generations increasingly opting to parent pets rather than children and a generally higher bar for the quality of life standards for pets, it's no surprise that demand for veterinarians is rising. And with three-quarters of U.S. households owning a pet, the love for furry companions is multi-generational, suggesting likely stability in the veterinarian sector for years to come.
The American Veterinary Medical Association notes, however, that the economy's strength directly affects how much consumers are willing to spend—and the veterinary industry is no exception.
With patterns in veterinary spending tied to major economic events, such as, most recently, stimulus packages during COVID-19, the demand for veterinary services during the last few years has been particularly elevated. As a result, several universities have announced plans to open veterinary programs to address the growing demand for vets. However, if all these schools are accredited, the supply of companion veterinarians may outpace pet-owning households in 10 years.
Why Health Care Jobs Are More Essential Than Ever
On the human side of health care, this year's top jobs include physician, clinical psychologist, radiologist, registered nurse, and director of clinical services. These positions show the sustained and ongoing need for health care professionals amid the changing demographic makeup of the U.S.
According to an analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the health care sector has grown 8.2% in the last two years, more than double the rate of all other industries combined. The increased demand for health care professionals can be primarily attributed to an aging population for several reasons. By 2030, one out of every five Americans will be 65 or older, and as the U.S. population continues to age, older individuals tend to need increased care for chronic conditions, further fueling the demand for health care services.
The aging population also means many health care professionals are retiring. This has a dual impact: Not only does it shrink the active workforce, but it also reduces the pool of experienced professionals available to train the next generation of physicians, nurses, and other essential workers.
Personnel shortages are already evident across most of the health care roles on this year's list of top jobs, including clinical psychologists, physicians, nurses, and radiologists. Unlike in some industries, where advances in Generative AI could be deployed to help bridge worker gaps, many health care tasks require a human touch and cannot be easily outsourced, underscoring the continued stability and importance of the health care sector.
If you're interested in joining the health care industry, check out Indeed's Careers in Care hub for additional resources.
Building Tomorrow: The Engineering Jobs Shaping 2025 and Beyond
Engineering roles beyond the tech industry comprise five of this year's top 25 jobs, which is on pace with last year. There are many parallels between the health care and physical system engineering industries—shortages of engineers continue to drive demand, and aging infrastructure within the United States is accelerating that demand.
An analysis of the makeup of engineering in the U.S. found an ongoing mismatch of in-demand and available skills. Lack of sufficient supply in certain engineering specialties, including civil and electrical engineering, will result in unfilled positions over the next decade.
Shortages could further be exacerbated by the fact that engineering occupations are projected to grow faster than average, according to the BLS. Due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave their occupations permanently, about 195,000 openings are projected each year.
