Happy New Year 🎉

If 2026 has you thinking about a career change, you’re not alone! Nearly 7 in 10 workers either changed or seriously considered changing careers in 2025, with the trend continuing into 2026.

And who can blame us? Between layoffs, AI panic headlines, and overall rising costs, it can feel impossible to tell which careers are safe or worth pursuing.

So we dug into the data, and this week, we’re breaking down the 10 hottest jobs of 2026: roles with strong demand, solid paychecks, and paths that don’t rely on wishful thinking or hustle culture. Keep reading!

Oncology Nurse Practitioner, MedStar Health: $115K-$143K (Washington, DC)

Financial Examiner 4, State of Washington: $7K-$10K/month (Seattle, WA)

Industrial Electrician, Aerotek: $24-$28/hr (Bakersfield, CA)

Veterinarian, Caring Hands Animal Hospital: $120K-$150K (Arlington, VA)

Physician Assistant, NewYork-Presbyterian: $157K-$193K (New York City, NY)

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The Hottest Jobs of 2026

Below are 10 of the hottest jobs of 2026, spanning healthcare, tech, trades, business, and crime-fighting! 🥋

For each role, we’re breaking down pay, expected growth (for comparison, the average job growth is 3%), unemployment rates, and how to get started. Let’s get into it!

Veterinarian 🦴

Best for: Animal lovers, healthcare-minded workers

Why it’s hot: Pet ownership surged during COVID…and it never slowed down. Veterinary care is now essential infrastructure.

• Unemployment rate: 0.2%

• Growth outlook: 10%

• Median pay (2024): $125,510/year

• How to get started:

  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) for veterinarians

  • Or start sooner as a Veterinary Technician (2-year program)

Pilot ✈️

Best for: Travel lovers, military, or technical-minded workers

Why it’s hot: There’s a global pilot shortage, and the pay reflects it.

• Unemployment rate: Very low, but can fluctuate (like during the pandemic)

• Growth rate: 4%

• Median pay (2024): $198,100/year

• How to get started:

  • Bachelor’s degree or flight training (college, military, or civilian)

  • Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) license

  • Must pass a medical exam (critical step before investing)

Electrician ⚡

Best for: Anyone who wants practical, hands-on work with clear skills, steady demand, and results you can physically see at the end of the day.

Why it’s hot: The U.S. is short 500,000+ construction workers, and electricians, in particular, are critical to infrastructure, factories, and clean energy.

• Unemployment rate: 3.4%

• Growth rate: 9%

• Median pay (2024): $62,350/year

• How to get started:

  • Apprenticeship (often paid)

  • Union or non-union pathways

IT Manager 💻

Best for: Those who prefer desk-based, problem-solving work, where attention to detail, systems thinking, and decision-making are central to the job.

Why it’s hot: As companies rely more on cloud systems, cybersecurity, and complex tech stacks, IT managers are essential to keeping operations secure, efficient, and online.

• Unemployment rate: 1.4%

• Growth outlook: 15%

• Median pay (2024): $171,200/year

• How to get started:

  • Bachelor’s in Computer Science, IT, Software Development, or related

  • MBA or advanced experience boosts earning potential

Nurse Practitioner 🩺

Best for: Healthcare workers who want autonomy, stability, and earning power.

Why it’s hot: Nurse practitioners fill massive gaps in primary care, especially women’s health.

• Unemployment rate: 0.6%

• Growth rate: 40%

• Median pay (2024): $132,050/year

• How to get started:

  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) required

  • Master’s degree or doctoral degree from an accredited nursing program

  • Board certification in your speciality

Data Scientist 📊

Best for: People who enjoy working deeply with data, coding, and systems to solve complex problems in structured, analytical environments.

Why it’s hot: They’re not just analyzing data, they’re building the algorithms and systems behind AI, making them essential in a tech-driven, automation-heavy economy.

• Unemployment rate: 5%

• Growth rate: 34%

• Median pay (2024): $112,590/year

• How to get started:

  • Bachelor’s degree (math, statistics, CS, engineering)

  • Or break in with bootcamps, online courses, and hands-on project experience.

Information Security Analyst 🔐

Best for: Detail-oriented problem solvers who like protecting systems, investigating threats, and working behind the scenes in fast-changing, tech-heavy environments.

Why it’s hot: Cybercrime is on the rise, and someone has to protect digital infrastructure.

• Unemployment rate: 0.5%

• Growth rate: 29%

• Median pay (2024): $124,910/year

• How to get started:

  • Bachelor’s degree (preferred in, but not limited to, cybersecurity, criminal justice, digital forensics)

  • Consider industry certifications like CISSP, CISA, or CISM to boost your credentials and career growth

Medical & Health Services Manager 🏥

Best for: Organized, business-minded workers who prefer managing people, budgets, and processes in healthcare settings rather than providing direct patient care.

Why it’s hot: With more hospitals, clinics, and outpatient centers opening, skilled managers are increasingly needed, making this a stable, growth-oriented career path.

• Unemployment rate: 1.5%

• Growth rate: 23%

• Median pay (2024): $117,960/year

• How to get started:

  • Associate’s or bachelor’s degree (business, management, healthcare administration, etc.)

  • Or break in through experience in a relevant healthcare environment

Physician Assistant (PA) 🧑‍⚕️

Best for: Professionals who want hands-on patient work, clinical responsibility, and team-based environments without the time commitment of medical school.

Why it’s hot: PAs can practice medicine in every healthcare setting, so they help reduce a lot of pressure on overworked systems and fill critical care gaps nationwide.

• Unemployment rate: 1.6%

• Growth rate: 20%

• Median pay (2024): $133,260/year

• How to get started:

  • Bachelor’s degree (healthcare or related field) and Master’s degree

  • Must pass a qualifying exam and maintain a state license (PA-C)

Financial Examiner 💰

Best for: People who like structured analysis, rule-based work, and investigating financial systems in desk-based, compliance-focused environments.

Why it’s hot: Thousands of openings are expected each year for the next decade, driven largely by retirements.

• Unemployment rate: 1.4%

• Growth rate: 19%

• Median pay (2024): $90,400/year

• How to get started:

  • Bachelor’s degree (finance, accounting, criminal justice)

  • Not required but credentials like Certified Financial Examiner (CFE) or other regulatory/compliance certifications can boost career prospects

Bottom Line?

No matter which industry you’re interested in, healthcare, trades, tech, business (or even crime 👀), there’s something out there that fits your skills, work style, and career goals.

Already working in one of these roles? We’d love to hear from you in the comments! Your real-world perspective might be exactly what someone needs to hear. 💚

Want to hear our two cents on the hottest jobs of 2026?

Tune in on YouTube below, or on your preferred podcast platform here!

• Who are the highest-paid workers? 💰 Our top 10 interviews from 2025

• Performance review coming up? 📝 6 steps you need to prepare

• The job market is totally broken 🩹 How to land a job anyway

• Buying a home in 2026? 🏠 11 cities where prices are expected to rise

• Will the job market improve in 2026? Takeaways from J.P. Morgan

See you next week for more career tips, money moves, and transparent advice! 💚