Job Market · November 12, 2026 · 4 min read

Job Market Outlook for 2027: Where the Jobs Are

Planning your next move for 2027? This guide pulls together the newest 10-year job projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the latest hiring numbers. You'll see which fields are growing, which are shrinking, and what that could mean for your search.

Projections vs. today's numbers

You'll see two kinds of numbers below. Projections are BLS estimates of how jobs will change from 2025 to 2035, released on Aug. 27, 2026. They describe a 10-year trend, not what will happen in 2027 alone. Current data comes from the October 2026 jobs report and recent company and industry reports.

Over the decade, BLS projects the U.S. will add about 5.9 million jobs, taking total employment from 170.3 million to 176.2 million. That's 3.5% growth, much slower than the 10.9% from 2015 to 2025. BLS suggests focusing on the direction and relative size of these changes rather than the exact numbers.

In the latest jobs report, employers added 165,000 jobs in October 2026, and the unemployment rate was 4.1%. Still, about 2.0 million people had been jobless for 27 weeks or more. If your search is taking a while, you're not alone.

Healthcare: the biggest source of new jobs

Healthcare leads the projections. BLS expects private healthcare and social assistance to grow 9.5% and add over 2.2 million jobs by 2035, about 37% of all new jobs. It points to an aging population and high rates of chronic disease and behavioral health disorders.

Home health and personal care aides are projected to add about 847,300 jobs, more than any other occupation, though their median pay was $35,800 in 2025. Physical therapist assistants (+23.0%), psychiatric technicians (+22.3%), occupational therapy assistants (+21.5%) and ophthalmic medical technicians (+21.4%) are among the 10 fastest-growing occupations.

The current numbers point the same way. The healthcare industry added 42,000 jobs in October 2026, more than its average gain of 31,000 a month over the prior 12 months.

Skilled trades: steady demand, aging workforce

BLS projects industrial machinery mechanics will add about 79,700 jobs (+17.8%) and electricians about 75,900 (+9.2%) from 2025 to 2035. Solar photovoltaic installers (+36.5%) and wind turbine service technicians (+29.5%) are among the fastest-growing jobs, but both fields are small. Together they're projected to add fewer than 15,000 jobs.

Electricity demand is part of the story. BLS projects utilities will be the fastest-growing industry sector (+9.8%), driven by rising demand for electricity, including power for artificial intelligence (AI).

A fall 2026 report from Jobs for the Future and the Burning Glass Institute, covered by CNBC, estimates that 1.7 million skilled trade jobs will open each year through 2035. Nearly a quarter of trade workers are 55 or older, and big infrastructure projects like AI data centers are a major source of demand.

Logistics: online shopping keeps goods moving

BLS expects growing online shopping, and the shipments and deliveries that come with it, to support 3.1% job growth in transportation and warehousing by 2035. Stockers and order fillers are projected to add about 250,700 jobs, the second-most of any occupation. Retail trade, meanwhile, is projected to lose about 27,500 jobs as e-commerce continues to limit jobs in stores.

Driving jobs are projected to grow too. BLS projects about 83,800 more heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver jobs and 67,800 more light truck driver jobs over the decade.

In current data, transportation and warehousing added 25,000 jobs in October 2026, reflecting growth among couriers and messengers. For the 2026 holidays, CNBC reported that Amazon plans to employ more than 300,000 full-time, part-time and seasonal workers, and UPS plans to hire 100,000 seasonal workers.

Warehouse roles are also a bigger slice of holiday hiring. Indeed data cited by CNBC shows loading and stocking roles made up 9% of holiday job listings as of Sept. 30, 2026, up from 3.5% of seasonal hiring posts in 2019.

AI: less office work, new demand elsewhere

BLS expects automation tools, including those powered by AI, to reduce demand for several office and administrative support jobs. That group is projected to shrink 4.0% and lose 752,100 jobs from 2025 to 2035, the most of any major job group.

Customer service representatives are projected to decline 5% over the decade. Even so, BLS expects about 289,500 openings a year, all from the need to replace workers who move to other occupations or leave the workforce, such as by retiring.

Layoff announcements show a mixed picture. Employers cited AI in 121,401 announced job cuts through October 2026, about 20% of all cuts, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, an outplacement firm. But in October, AI was cited for 1,265 cuts, its lowest monthly total of the year, and market and economic conditions were the top reason.

AI is also creating demand for some workers, through rising electricity needs and building projects such as data centers. Still, as BLS puts it, "Developments in AI are proceeding rapidly, and the uncertainty about potential impacts remains very high."

What this means for your job search

• Healthcare: This is where BLS expects the most new jobs. Compare pay, schedules and training needs before you pick a role.
• Skilled trades: Demand is projected to stay steady, and many current workers are 55 or older. Look for apprenticeships and training programs near you.
• Warehouse and delivery: Big shippers announced holiday hiring plans in October, and longer-term growth is tied to online shopping. If you take a seasonal job, ask whether it could become permanent.
• Office and customer service: Customer service jobs are projected to shrink, but BLS still expects many openings each year as people leave. Getting comfortable with the software and AI tools employers use may help you stand out.

The bottom line: job growth over the next decade is projected to be slower, with healthcare leading and steady demand in the trades and logistics. Pick a direction that fits your skills, then check local pay and training requirements before you commit.

When you're ready, search jobs near you on JobMatchUSA.

Sources

1. Employment Projections - 2025-2035 (news release, Aug. 27, 2026) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
2. Table 1.3 Fastest growing occupations, 2025 and projected 2035 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. Table 1.4 Occupations with the most job growth, 2025 and projected 2035 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
4. Customer Service Representatives, Occupational Outlook Handbook — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
5. The Employment Situation - October 2026 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
6. 1.7 million skilled trade jobs will open annually through 2035, report says—experts don't know who will fill them — CNBC
7. As holiday shopping approaches, seasonal hiring gives 'mixed signals,' experts say — CNBC
8. October Layoffs at Three-Year Low; Seasonal Hiring Plans Up 26% — Challenger, Gray & Christmas