It's always exciting when the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists out the top 20 fastest-growing occupations. This glimpse into a future with so many job openings can be reassuring, especially with the predicted 2016-2026 growth rates ranging from 105% for solar photovoltaic installers to 26% for massage therapists.
But you know what's more exciting than the prospect of jobs, jobs and more jobs? Fast-growing occupations that also pay ample wages. And there are four on that list of 20 that don't measure up. If the BLS predictions work out, there will be lots of these positions – but people who fill them might not be able to pay their bills.
These jobs have earnings dangerously close to the federal poverty level guideline for Georgia, which was $25,750 for a family of four in 2019. Here are four on the list of the fastest-growing occupations that pull in less than $30,000 per year:
Median pay in 2018: $24,200
Predicted growth rate from 2016-2026: 47%
Typical education required: High school diploma or equivalent
Median pay in 2018: $24,020
Predicted growth rate from 2016-2026: 39%
Education required: High school diploma or equivalent
Median pay in 2018: $26,240
Predicted growth rate from 2016-2026: 29%
Education required: High school diploma or the equivalent, with clinical experience through on-the-job training that lasts between a week and a month.
Median pay in 2018: $28,960 per year
Predicted growth rate from 2016-2026: 29%
Education required: High school diploma or the equivalent, on-the-job training according to College Grad.
As for fast-growing occupations that will pay at least $100,000 on average, there are a few of those in the BLS Top 20. Physician assistants, for example, had an average median pay of $108,610 in 2018 with an anticipated 10-year growth rate of 37%.
There are also a fair number of fast-growth fields that offer solid (if not inspiring) pay. One example: physical therapist assistants, whose 2018 median pay was $58,040 per year in a field predicted to grow by almost a third (31%) over 10 years. With those salaries and lots of available jobs, they'll probably be able to buy the bicycles that will guarantee positions for all those bike repairers.
