The United States government has been taking an active role in growing the trades over the last few years. That’s for good reason since you can get educated and start making money faster than a traditional college. Not to mention the shortage of many tradespeople has boosted the potential earnings for these professions increasing the ROI.
All of the jobs on this list require either an Associate’s degree or a certificate degree. That means there is some schooling involved, but less than two years in most cases. In some cases, you can attain a certificate in a year or less. That’s a pretty good way to quickly increase your market value and start earning more money.
To make them even more appealing, many community colleges and local trade schools offer training for these jobs. That means you can avoid costly living expenses that can come with living on campus. It also means you may have an easier time taking these classes while still holding down a job to help pay for school. So if you’re just looking at college for the first time, or are looking for a new career, you should consider some of these fast-growing trade jobs with high demand.
Occupational Therapist Assistant
If you like helping people in need this could be the job for you. They treat patients with injuries, illnesses, or disabilities using different therapeutic techniques. And according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, you can make well over the national average earnings with this job.
Median Pay: $57,620
10 Year Growth: 33%
Entry-Level Education: Associate’s Degree
Annual Job Openings: 7,000
Physical Therapist Assistant
Another profession where you get to help people and make a decent salary at the same time. These positions typically work under the direction of a licensed physical therapist in a related facility. As with many jobs in rehabilitation, you’ll spend a decent amount of time on your feet, so make sure you’re physically preparted.
Median Pay: $48,090
10 Year Growth: 27%
Entry-Level Education: Associate’s Degree
Annual Job Openings: 16,500
Respiratory Therapist
The next fast growing trade job in high demand also is in the medical industry. Respiratory therapists help people with breathing related illnesses. Some examples include COPD, asthma or emphysema.
Median Pay: $60,280
10 Year Growth: 21%
Entry-Level Education: Associate’s Degree
Annual Job Openings: 10,600
Phlebotomist
If blood makes you uneasy then steer away from this one. A phlebotomist is typically responsible for drawing blood for various different purposes. If you’re interested in getting into the medical field relatively quickly, then consider this job.
Median Pay: $34,480
10 Year Growth: 23%
Entry-Level Education: Postsecondary nondegree award
Annual Job Openings: 18,100
Medical Assistants
Working in hospitals and doctor’s offices, medical assistants help with a variety of tasks. Some of these job functions may be administrative and others may be clinical in nature. Regardless, if you want to help people on a daily basis with their medical problems, then this might be a job for you. Once you complete your training, you’ll need to take the CMA exam before getting your license.
Median Pay: $33,610
10 Year Growth: 23%
Entry-Level Education: Postsecondary nondegree award
Annual Job Openings: 99,700
Massage Therapists
Everybody loves a massage, and it appears more people are starting to partake in this trend. This high demand trade job uses touch to manipulate muscles and tissues within the body. You’ll likely have a lot of happy clients in this profession.
Median Pay: $41,420
10 Year Growth: 22%
Entry-Level Education: Postsecondary nondegree award
Annual Job Openings: 24,200
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
Another fast-growing trade job is a diagnostic medical sonographer. This job has taken off with the increase of imaging equipment to diagnose medical conditions. That trend isn’t going to slow down, so there should be plenty of job opportunities. You also may need to take the ARRT or ARDMS exam before getting your license.
Median Pay: $68,080
10 Year Growth: 19%
Entry-Level Education: Associate’s Degree
Annual Job Openings: 5,800
Related: Best Careers to Start at 40
Web Developer
If you are a technical person who likes to code, then being a web developer might be the job for you. Not only are they in high demand, but there are more tools than ever to help developers. With open source software like WordPress in the world, you can develop websites with minimal coding experience. You will also find more options than ever to get educated in this space, especially an ever-growing number on online course platforms
Median Pay: $69,430
10 Year Growth: 13%
Entry-Level Education: Associate’s Degree
Annual Job Openings: 15,100
Veterinary Technologist and Technicians
If you like animals but don’t have the time or desire to become a veterinarian, a Vet Tech is a good option. With this job you will be able to spend time helping animals on a daily basis. With America’s infatuation with their pets, it’s also a fast growing trade that’s likely to be in high demand for some time.
Median Pay: $34,420
10 Year Growth: 19%
Entry-Level Education: Associate’s Degree
Annual Job Openings: 11,800
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
If the law is your thing, but law school isn’t going to happen, consider becoming a paralegal. You will get to spend your time in a legal environment helping lawyers with a variety of tasks.
Median Pay: $50,940
10 Year Growth: 12%
Entry-Level Education: Associate’s Degree
Annual Job Openings: 40,400
Related: Best Work From Home Jobs
Dental Hygienist
If you like to have shiny white grill at all times, maybe becoming a dental hygienist is a good career choice. You will have a chance to care for patients, examine them for signs of dental issues, and provide preventive care.
Median Pay: $74,820
10 Year Growth: 11%
Entry-Level Education: Associate’s Degree
Annual Job Openings: 17,200
Industries with High Demand for Trades
Healthcare
You’ll notice there is no shortage of medical trades that are in high demand. It shouldn’t come as a shock since the baby boomers are driving massive growth in the 50+ age group. In fact, the U.S. Census is now predicting that in 2030 older people are expected to outnumber children. That’s the first time this has happened in history.
If you want to work in an area with fast growing trade job opportunities, then Healthcare is the place to start. You won’t have any shortage of job opportunities, and the market should remain stable for a long time.
Technology
As with healthcare, technology isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. As more technologies are developed, more trades in high demand are going to pop up in this space. Being in a part of the country where technology jobs are more plentiful can’t hurt either. California, Texas, and North Carolina are all great places to look for tech jobs today. That said, every state is going to see exponential growth in these jobs over the next 10 years.
The Bottom Line
There are lots of fast growing trade jobs with high demand. Take special notice of the fact that many of the trades don’t even require an Associate’s Degree. That means you can get trained quickly with minimal cost, but with good earnings potential. That leads to a great ROI on your education.
You are in especially good shape if healthcare or technology are your passions. These two industries have been growing at a fast pace for years, and are expected to continue. That said, other great trade opportunities exist in the advanced manufacturing, construction, renewable energy, and many other sectors.