The federal government’s own jobs forecasters now say healthcare will create the largest share of new U.S. jobs over the next decade.
Story Snapshot
- The U.S. economy is projected to add 5.9 million jobs from 2025 to 2035.
- Private healthcare and social assistance is projected to add over 2.2 million jobs.
- Healthcare roles will account for about 37 percent of all new jobs, led by care support.
- Growth will be slower than past decades, making job matching and training more important.
What The Government Projects For Jobs Through 2035
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects total employment will rise from 170.3 million in 2025 to 176.2 million in 2035, a gain of 5.9 million jobs. That equals about 3.5 percent growth over the decade, which is slower than in many past periods. The BLS report identifies private healthcare and social assistance as the top source of new jobs over the next ten years, reflecting steady demand for care and support services.
Private healthcare and social assistance is projected to add more than 2.2 million jobs, growing about 9.5 percent. That would be the most of any major sector and roughly 37 percent of all new jobs. The government’s analysts expect gains across care settings, including home health and personal care, outpatient services, and facilities that support older adults and people with disabilities. This reflects population aging and long-running shifts in how Americans receive care.
Where The Jobs Are Likely To Cluster Inside Healthcare
Care support roles are expected to expand the most in raw numbers. Government data and summaries point to large increases for home health and personal care aides, medical and health services managers, and selected practitioner roles such as nurse practitioners. Media analyses of the new data cite hundreds of thousands of added positions in these categories as care moves closer to the home and as chronic conditions require more ongoing support.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook underscores that healthcare occupations as a group are expected to grow much faster than average. It also notes that many openings will come from people leaving the field or retiring, not only from new growth. That means training pipelines, licensing timelines, and clinical placements will shape how fast employers can fill roles. It also means mid-career workers could find on-ramps through certificate programs and apprenticeships if supply chains for talent improve.
Why Slower Overall Growth Raises The Stakes
Even with millions of new jobs, the full economy’s slower pace makes matching people to roles more urgent. Analyses of the BLS release stress that a 3.5 percent decade gain is modest by history, so wasted time between jobs, skills gaps, or licensing delays carry higher costs. In plain terms, the country cannot afford friction in hiring pipelines, especially when care needs are rising and families already feel squeezed by costs and access limits.
The August jobs report significantly lowered the risk of the US economy rapidly sliding into a jobs recession. Nonfarm payrolls at 162k, private payrolls at 127k, upward revisions of 55k for the previous two months, a rebound in the participation rate and employment-to-population…
— Williams_Wang (@williamswjt) September 4, 2026
Both conservatives and liberals can see the same risk from different angles. Conservatives worry that heavy regulation, credential creep, and hospital consolidation raise prices and choke small providers. Liberals worry that wage pressure and burnout push caregivers out and widen gaps in poor or rural areas. The projections do not solve those problems. They do confirm the demand is coming. Leaders who want less bureaucracy and better training pathways will find fresh evidence here that speed matters.
How Communities And Workers Can Prepare Now
Local colleges and high schools can expand short, stackable programs in care support, emergency services, and health technology. States can review licensing rules to remove steps that do not protect patients. Employers can raise retention by fixing scheduling, childcare, and tuition support. Families and mid-career adults can look for roles that build from existing skills into care coordination, records management, or home-based support, which often train on the job and lead to steady hours.
These projections are not guarantees. Past reviews show long-run forecasts are generally directionally right but can miss shocks or policy changes. Still, the pattern tied to an aging population has held for years in the United States and abroad. Planning against that pattern is safer than ignoring it. If lawmakers, schools, and employers cut red tape and open more training seats now, the country can meet care needs while giving millions a clear path to stable work.
