20 Jobs That Are Unlikely To Exist in 10 Years — and How To Make Money Instead

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According to the most recent report, the Bureau of Labor Statistics declared that the American economy added 175,000 jobs in April, the slowest increase in six months.

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The unemployment rate reached 3.9%, and the data indicated that the labor market has cooled off from earlier this year.

With those numbers in mind and college graduation season upon us, GOBankingRates decided to take a look at the future of the job market and making money.

Using BLS projections from 2022 to 2032, here are 20 jobs that are unlikely to exist in 10 years and jobs that you should focus on instead.

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Why Some Jobs Might Not Exist in the Future

Certain types of work might not exist in the future due to technology, automation, evolving industry needs, changing consumer behavior and environmental shifts.

“Tasks that are repetitive and manual are prime candidates for automation,” said Justin Marcus, CEO and co-founder of Big 4 Talent. “The shift towards digital communication and advanced technology reduces the need for traditional roles such as telephone operators, making them obsolete.”

Technology increasingly replaces roles such as word processors, telephone operators and anything that can be automated.

Marcus added, “As industries move towards sustainability, jobs heavily reliant on non-renewable resources, such as certain mining positions, are being phased out in favor of greener alternatives.”

Here are jobs that might disappear over the next decade.

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Word Processors and Typists

2022 Total Employment: 44,000
Projected Change in Number: -17,000
Projected Change Percent: -38.6%

Watch and Clock Repairers

2022 Total Employment: 2,100
Projected Change in Number: -600
Projected Change Percent: -29.8%

Roof Bolters

2022 Total Employment: 1,800
Projected Change in Number: -500
Projected Change Percent: -28.5%

Cutters and Trimmers (Hand)

2022 Total Employment: 8,300
Projected Change in Number: -2,300
Projected Change Percent: -28.2%

Telephone Operators

2022 Total Employment: 4,100
Projected Change in Number: -1,100
Projected Change Percent: -26.6%

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Data Entry People

2022 Total Employment: 165,600
Projected Change in Number: 43,100
Projected Change Percent: -26.0%

Switchboard Operators

2022 Total Employment: 48,400
Projected Change in Number: -12,100
Projected Change Percent: -25.1%

Foundry Mold and Coremakers

2022 Total Employment: 11,500
Projected Change in Number: -2,700
Projected Change Percent: -23.5%

Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

2022 Total Employment: 161,400
Projected Change in Number: -35,300
Projected Change Percent: -21.8%

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Pressers, Textile, Garment and Related Workers

2022 Total Employment: 29,800
Projected Change in Number: -6,500
Projected Change Percent: -21.8%

Patternmakers (Metal and Plastic)

2022 Total Employment: 2,300
Projected Change in Number: -500
Projected Change Percent: -21.6%

Refractory Materials Repairers

2022 Total Employment: 600
Projected Change in Number: -100
Projected Change Percent: -21.4%

Executive Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

2022 Total Employment: 511,100
Projected Change in Number: -108,100
Projected Change Percent: -21.1%

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Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers

2022 Total Employment: 4,100
Projected Change in Number: -900
Projected Change Percent: -21.0%

Telemarketers

2022 Total Employment: 97,700
Projected Change in Number: -20,100
Projected Change Percent: -20.6%

Grinding and Polishing Workers

2022 Total Employment: 14,500
Projected Change in Number: -2,800
Projected Change Percent: -19.5%

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Engine and Other Machine Assemblers

2022 Total Employment: 50,900
Projected Change in Number: -9,600
Projected Change Percent: -18.9%

Model Makers (Metal and Plastic)

2022 Total Employment: 3,400
Projected Change in Number: -600
Projected Change Percent: -18.8%

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Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters

2022 Total Employment: 400
Projected Change in Number: -100
Projected Change Percent: -18.7%

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators and Tenders

2022 Total Employment: 6,600
Projected Change in Number: -1,200
Projected Change Percent: -18.3%

How To Make Money Instead

Some jobs will grow as demands shift and technology changes over the next decade. With organizations relying heavily on data analytics, the demand for positions in related fields will increase.

“The surge in online shopping continues to drive growth in e-commerce platforms and logistics management,” Marcus said. “Roles in supply chain optimization and fulfillment center operations are expanding rapidly.”

With an aging population and the growing complexity of financial planning, many roles in these industries will have to be filled.

Here are 20 jobs that likely will grow in the next decade.

Wind Turbine Service Technicians

2022 Total Employment: 11,200
Projected Change in Number: 5,000
Projected Change Percent: 44.9%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $57,320

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Nurse Practitioners

2022 Total Employment: 266,300
Projected Change in Number: 118,600
Projected Change Percent: 44.5%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $121,610

Data Scientists

2022 Total Employment: 168,900
Projected Change in Number: 59,400
Projected Change Percent: 35.2%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $103,500

Statisticians

2022 Total Employment: 33,300
Projected Change in Number: 10,500
Projected Change Percent: 31.6%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $98,920

Information Security Analysts

2022 Total Employment: 168,900
Projected Change in Number: 53,200
Projected Change Percent: 31.5%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $112,000

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Medical and Health Services Managers

2022 Total Employment: 509,500
Projected Change in Number: 144,700
Projected Change Percent: 28.4%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $104,830

Epidemiologists

2022 Total Employment: 10,000
Projected Change in Number: 2,700
Projected Change Percent: 26.7%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $78,520

Physician Assistants

2022 Total Employment: 148,000
Projected Change in Number: 39,300
Projected Change Percent: 26.5%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $126,010

Physical Therapist Assistants

2022 Total Employment: 100,700
Projected Change in Number: 26,300
Projected Change Percent: 26.1%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $62,770

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Software Developers

2022 Total Employment: 1,594,500
Projected Change in Number: 410,400
Projected Change Percent: 25.7%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $127,260

Occupational Therapy Assistants

2022 Total Employment: 45,100
Projected Change in Number: 10,800
Projected Change Percent: 24.0%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $64,250

Actuaries

2022 Total Employment: 30,000
Projected Change in Number: 7,000
Projected Change Percent: 23.2%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $113,990

Computer and Information Research Scientists

2022 Total Employment: 36,500
Projected Change in Number: 8,300
Projected Change Percent: 22.7%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $136,620

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Operations Research Analysts

2022 Total Employment: 109,900
Projected Change in Number: 24,700
Projected Change Percent: 22.5%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $85,720

Solar Photovoltaic Installers

2022 Total Employment: 29,400
Projected Change in Number: 6,600
Projected Change Percent: 22.3%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $45,230

Home Health and Personal Care Aides

2022 Total Employment: 3,715,500
Projected Change in Number: 804,500
Projected Change Percent: 21.7%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $30,180

Taxi Drivers

2022 Total Employment: 177,300
Projected Change in Number: 36,400
Projected Change Percent: 20.6%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $30,670

Veterinary Technologists and Technicians

2022 Total Employment: 122,900
Projected Change in Number: 25,200
Projected Change Percent: 20.5%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $38,240

Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers

2022 Total Employment: 114,800
Projected Change in Number: 23,500
Projected Change Percent: 20.5%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $34,740

Personal Care and Service Workers (All Other)

2022 Total Employment: 87,000
Projected Change in Number: 17,900
Projected Change Percent: 20.5%
2022 Median Annual Wage: $34,670

Methodology: In order to find jobs that will disappear this decade, GOBankingRates used the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ occupational projections and worker characteristics dataset to find the occupations with the largest (1) projected percent decline in employment for 2022-32. Once these jobs were identified, GOBankingRates also found the following factors for each occupation: (2) 2022 total employment; (3) total employment change projection for 2022-32; (4) 2022 median annual wage; (5) typical entry-level education required; (6) work experience in a related occupation required; and (7) typical on-the-job training required. GOBankinRates also found the same data for the 20 fastest-growing jobs. All data was sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and is up to date as of Feb. 28, 2024.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 20 Jobs That Are Unlikely To Exist in 10 Years — and How To Make Money Instead