The 7 Fastest-Growing Jobs Right Now In Wisconsin

Wisconsin's job market is quietly outperforming much of the country. The state's unemployment rate held at just 3.3% in July 2026 — a full 0.8 points below the national 4.1%.

Wisconsinites are working at a high rate, too. The state's labor force participation rate of 64.5% towers over the national 61.4%, and employers added 26,500 jobs over the past year. State workforce officials noted the jobless rate has stayed "below the national unemployment rate of 4.1%" all summer long.

Looking forward to the decade ahead, the fastest-growing careers in America lean heavily on two fields: health care and technology. In fact, six of the ten fastest-growing U.S. jobs are in a single industry — health care, not tech or AI. Wisconsin's own outlook leans even harder that way.

So if you're weighing a new job or a full-blown career change, here are the 7 occupations projected to grow fastest in Wisconsin over the coming decade — with what they pay here and what it takes to break in.

One honest note before the list: percentages can look amazing, but there can be an asterisk on those numbers. A field can post an eye-popping growth rate while adding only a handful of actual jobs, so we've included the real numbers alongside the percentages.

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The 7 Fastest-Growing Jobs In Wisconsin

7. Operations Research Analysts

Opening the countdown are the problem-solvers who use math and modeling to help organizations run smarter. Wisconsin projects 21% growth and about 360 openings a year. Most roles call for a bachelor's degree, with a Wisconsin median around $71,820.

6. Physical Therapist Assistants

Helping patients recover from injury and surgery, PTAs are in steady demand as the population ages. Wisconsin expects 21% growth and roughly 370 openings a year. This one needs only an associate's degree — a two-year path — and pays a Wisconsin median near $64,080.

5. Medical and Health Services Managers

Someone has to run the clinics and hospitals, and Wisconsin's demand for health care administrators is climbing 24% — with a hefty 650 openings a year, one of the biggest hauls on the list. A bachelor's degree is the typical entry point, with a Wisconsin median around $128,320.

4. Information Security Analysts

As cyberattacks multiply, the specialists guarding company networks make the list at 25% growth and about 150 openings a year. A bachelor's degree is the usual requirement, and the Wisconsin median runs near $101,550.

3. Physician Assistants

PAs examine patients, diagnose illnesses, and prescribe medication alongside physicians. Wisconsin anticipates 33% growth and roughly 270 openings a year. The job takes a master's degree, and it's the best-paid on this entire list, with a Wisconsin median of about $133,950.

2. Data Scientists

The lone tech heavyweight near the top, data scientists turn raw data into business decisions. Wisconsin projects 33% growth and about 360 openings a year. Most positions require a bachelor's degree, often in math, statistics, or computer science, with a Wisconsin median around $106,680.

1. Nurse Practitioners

And Wisconsin's fastest-growing job of all? Nurse practitioners. The state projects a striking 51% jump over the coming decade — and unlike some of the flashier percentages, this one is backed by real volume, at roughly 530 openings a year.

NPs are taking on more and more primary and specialty care, a role that requires a master's degree and an RN license, and rewards them with a Wisconsin median near $131,980.

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A clear pattern jumps off Wisconsin's list: health care runs the table, claiming four of the top spots, with data and analytics filling in the rest.

It's a different mix than the list from Wisconsin's neighbors in Minnesota, where wind power and data led the way, but one underlying theme is that both states' economies keep outrunning the nation's, and the fastest-growing careers reward training and a willingness to retool.