Popular Job Sectors in US 2024: Top Sectors, Highest Salary & Fastest Growing Occupations

Technology and healthcare are the two major industries with the most job openings and highest emoluments considered as the most popular job sectors in USA. As an international student, it is important to know about the job and employment opportunities that exist in the chosen academic field. This article will talk about how to get a job in USA for Indians, what are the popular job sectors and the salaries.  

Being a Physician/doctor is the most prestigious and well-paying job in the US with a base salary starting from $212,000 per year. However, medical studies are tough, and passing USMLE is mandatory to get the ‘license to practice’ in the US. Number two most popular job is the Pharmacy Manager, but it has a comparatively smaller number of job openings per year. The third most popular high-paying job is that of the Software Architect. Lawyers too earn a median salary above $125,000. So clearly those students looking for careers in Medicine, Computer Science, Law, and Business Management benefit the most in the US after they finish their courses.

Related Read: High Salary Courses After 12th

Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs in USA 2024

If we consider US jobs by sector, Tech and IT, Energy, Lifesciences, Marketing/Creative, Healthcare, E-commerce, Retail, and Business Services are the most popular job sectors in the USA in 2024. By looking at the data, it is clear that Medicine, Computer Science, Law, and Business Management are the most popular jobs in the USA. The average salaries of various universities also indicate the same. The following is a list of the 10 highest paying jobs in USA which are widely by students after studying at US universities:

Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs in USA	Average Base salary
Lawyer	$126,930
Front-end engineer	$105,240
Management Consultant	$110,980
Data Scientist	$107,801
Product Manager	$117,713
Devops Engineer	$107,310
Data Engineer	$102,472
Software Engineer	$105,563
Finance Manager	$120,644
Accounting Manager	$85,794

Check out:

• Average Salary of Dentist in USA
• Average Salary of Cardiologist in USA

10 Popular Job Industries in the USA

Based on the employment number, the following is a list of the top 10 popular job industries in USA which applicants can consider:

• Public Schools: 6,830,651
• Hospitals: 5,788,604\
• Fast Food Restaurants: 4,842,018
• Professional Employer Organizations: 3,661,570
• Office Staffing & Temp Agencies: 3,222,052
• Colleges & Universities: 3,108,685
• Supermarkets & Grocery Stores: 2,802,273
• Commercial Banking: 2,595,852
• Management Consulting: 2,580,118
• IT Consulting: 2,501,663

Top 5 Job Sectors in USA 2024

Check out the popular job sectors in the USA, which have high demand for applicants and offer many jobs.

Information Technology Sector in USA

The IT industry has played a key role in the economic recovery and has influenced other industries as well with digitalization and advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. Placements have been lucrative for Computer Science students. The information technology job sector has made tremendous progress as technology has become a more integral component of the economy. Important job sectors including health, retail, education, and professional services make use of technology on a large scale. The necessary skills required in the information technology job sector are data analysis, analytical thinking, and research. Employment in the IT and computer sector is expected to grow 11% between 2019 to 2029.

Top 5 Paying Jobs in Information & Technology in USA

Top 5 Jobs in IT Sector in USA	Average Annual Salary (USD)
Information Systems Security Manager	$150,000+
Software Engineering Manager	$140,000+
Data Scientist	$130,000+
Cloud Architect	$120,000+
DevOps Engineer	$115,000+

Check out: Average Salary of Engineers in USA

Healthcare Sector in USA

The healthcare sector has made considerable progress due to new technologies and a demand for increased products and services due to the growing and ageing population. The healthcare job sector is one of the fastest-growing sectors due to the availability of new medical treatments and technologies. An increasing and ageing population also adds to the growth of the health industry. This has helped the United States to recover from the financial crisis of 2008. The sector added almost 3 million jobs between 2006 and 2016 and is set to grow by 5% more by 2032. Check out the highest paying jobs in USA for the healthcare sector:

Top 5 Paying Jobs in Healthcare in USA

Top 5 Paying Jobs in Healthcare Sector in USA	Median Annual Salary (USD)
Anesthesiologist	$341,400
Orthopedic Surgeon	$321,500
Surgeon	$291,300
Cardiologist	$285,000
Obstetrician/Gynecologist	$275,000

Check out Doctors' Salary in USA 

Real Estate Sector in USA

Real estate development is also a growing industry. As the population grows, the need for infrastructure grows exponentially. Additionally, as new businesses open, real estate developers require additional property. The real estate development industry is more than just buying and selling real estate property. Real estate requires few business skills like verbal and nonverbal communication, sales, and planning. Overall, as per BLS, the employment of real estate brokers and sales agents is projected to grow by 2% from 2023 to 2033. Check out the highest paying jobs in USA for the real estate sector:

Top 5 Highest Paying Jobs in Real Estate in USA

Top 5 Highest Paying Jobs in Real Estate Sector in USA	Average Annual Salary
Commercial Real Estate Broker	$110,000 - $280,000
Real Estate Developer	$100,000 - $300,000
Real Estate Attorney	$80,000 - $250,000
Real Estate Appraiser	$65,000 - $150,000
Mortgage Loan Officer	$60,000 - $150,000

Retail Sector in USA 

Retail trade accounts for 6% of the nation's GDP. According to World Atlas, the retail industry is the largest employer in the United States and 10% of total employment is in the retail sector. Online retailers such as Amazon and eBay, and brick-and-mortar establishments are the major players in this sector. Around, 7,900 jobs increase is projected between 2023-2033, at the moment, around 582,200 openings for retail sales workers are projected annually. Check out the highest paying jobs in USA for the retail sector:

Top 5 Highest Paying Jobs in Retail in USA

Top 5 Highest Paying Jobs in Retail Sector in USA	Average Annual Salary
Retail Store Manager	$70,000 - $100,000
District Manager	$80,000 - $120,000
Buyer	$60,000 - $90,000
Visual Merchandiser	$45,000 - $70,000
Loss Prevention Manager	$50,000 - $80,000

Education Sector in USA

Education is also one of the popular job sectors of the US as it is responsible for developing the skills of the nation’s future working individuals. Education is crucial to the U.S. economy because it develops the future workforce. Crucial skills that are required in the education sector include teamwork, communication, organization, research, and creativity. Though the demand for workers in the education sector is high, the growth is still slower in comparison to other sectors in the USA. Despite a slower growth rate, there is still an opening of 868,000 jobs annually to replace those who have left the jobs. Check out the highest paying jobs in USA for the education sector:

Top 5 Highest Paying Jobs in Education in USA

Top 5 Highest Paying Jobs in Education Sector in USA	Average Annual Salary
College Administrator	$111,260
School Principal	$101,320
Postsecondary Teacher	$80,790
Instructional Coordinator	$66,970
School Counselor	$60,510

In short, it can be concluded that there are ample opportunities for international students in the USA. Students can either work part-time in US while studying or apply for a post-study permit after graduating to work full-time.

Fastest Growing Jobs in USA 2023-2033

Some of the fastest growing occupations in USA which have recorded maximum growth rate between 2023-2033 are as follows:

Fastest Growing Occupations in USA	Growth Rate between 2023-33	Median Salary 2023
Wind turbine service technicians	60%	$61,770 per year
Solar photovoltaic installers	48%	$48,800 per year
Nurse practitioners	46%	$126,260 per year
Data scientists	36%	$108,020 per year
Information security analysts	33%	$120,360 per year
Medical and health services managers	29%	$110,680 per year
Physician assistants	28%	$130,020 per year
Computer and information research scientists	26%	$145,080 per year
Physical therapist assistants	25%	$64,080 per year
Operations research analysts	23%	$83,640 per year
Occupational therapy assistants	22%	$67,010 per year
Actuaries	22%	$120,000 per year
Financial examiners	21%	$84,300 per year
Home health and personal care aides	21%	$33,530 per year
Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers	19%	$36,440 per year
Veterinary technologists and technicians	19%	$43,740 per year
Logisticians	19%	$79,400 per year
Veterinarians	19%	$119,100 per year
Substance abuse, behavioural disorder, and mental health counsellors	19%	$53,710 per year
Epidemiologists	19%	$81,390 per year

This list has come from BLS for 20 occupations with the highest projected employment percentage change between 2023-33. Thus, applicants have the option of choosing these occupations as well after they graduate. 

How to get Jobs in USA for Indian Students?

There are various ways to counter the question as to how to get a job in USA for Indian students. The Indian students passing out from US universities can look for jobs in USA through their university career placement cells or through job search websites and through even professional networking websites. Check out - How to Find Jobs in USA from India?