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AI Takes the Lead: The 25 Fastest-Growing Jobs in the U.S.

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If shifting careers or finding a new job is on your 2025 to-do list, we’ve got you covered. LinkedIn has just released its annual fastest-growing jobs report, featuring the 25 most promising roles this year. No surprise here: AI jobs top the list. But there are plenty of opportunities outside tech, too.

Traditional roles like physical therapist, travel advisor, and event coordinator landed in the top 10. Plus, in-person jobs like security guard and outside sales representative are on the rise, hinting that demand for roles that are impossible to do remotely might be growing.

Here are the fastest-growing jobs by 2025, according to LinkedIn, with a description of each one plus the experience you need to get hired.

1. Artificial intelligence engineer

Artificial intelligence engineering consists of developing and implementing AI algorithms. The day-to-day activities of this role involves a lot of coding, data analysis, and problem solving.

What you need: a bachelor's degree in computer science, mathematics, machine learning, or a similar field; fluency in coding languages like C++ and Python; experience with natural language processing (NLP), deep learning libraries, and software development.

2. Artificial intelligence consultant

AI consultants help companies and organizations adopt and implement artificial intelligence to achieve a certain goal, which could be improving efficiency or optimizing time, for example.

What you need: basic AI skills like natural language processing, large language models (LLM), and prompt engineering; a bachelor's degree in computer science, data science, engineering, or a related field; soft skills like communication, problem-solving, and proactive thinking.

3. Physical therapist

A physical therapist (PT) helps patients recover after an accident, stroke, injury, or surgery. Their work involves planning and facilitating personalized rehabilitation programs to relieve pain and improve mobility or strength.

What you need: a bachelor's or master's degree in physical therapy; a state physical therapy license; and previous PT experience with a specific population, depending on the hospital or clinic (for example, senior patients, children, or athletes).

4. Workforce development manager

A workforce development manager trains employees. Most commonly known as learning and development managers, these professionals create, plan, and execute development programs that help staff grow in areas that improve their efficiency and benefit the organization.

What you need: certification in professional training organizations, servant leadership, program development, and management skills; a bachelor's degree in HR, business administration, or related areas might also be required.

5. Travel advisor

Travel advisors or travel agents plan and book trips (which might include flight tickets, transportation, hotel accommodations, and activities) based on the client's wants and needs.

What you need: strong knowledge of all things travel-related, such as documentation, ticketing, and resources for domestic and international destinations; sales skills; and previous experience in travel agencies.

6. Event coordinator

The job title says it all: Event coordinator plan, strategize, and coordinate events—whether they're social, corporate, or nonprofit. Day-to-day activities might include managing schedules and budgets, planning activities, leading stakeholder meetings, and creating reports.

What you need: previous experience in the industry; project management skills; and strong interpersonal skills. Some companies might require a bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or a related field.

7. Director of development

Director of development is a broad job title that has different meanings in different industries. According to LinkedIn's research on growing jobs and opportunities, the specific “director of development” role that is currently on the rise is in the fundraising space. In this type of role, you’d find donors and secure financial donations to a company or nonprofit organization.

What you need: proven experience in fundraising, community outreach, and grant writing; strong leadership, communication, and persuasion abilities; and a bachelor's degree in a related field.

8. Outside sales representative

Outside sales representatives or field sales representatives sell products or services in the most traditional way ever: with face-to-face interactions. They might have to prospect new customers and clients, or reach out to existing ones.

What you need: proven experience and success in sales positions, prospecting, and cold calling; key sales skills like communication, persuasion, and proactiveness; and basic computer skills.

9. Sustainability specialist

With a global environmental crisis emerging, sustainability is one of the growing job fields at the moment, with the potential to keep growing in years to come. A sustainability specialist helps companies assess their environmental impact and develop strategies to reduce potential damage to the environment.

What you need: green skills, such as environmental and climate data analysis, sustainability reporting, or corporate environmental policy; and industry-specific skills and degrees.

10. Security guard

Monitoring premises to prevent theft, rules violation, trespassing, or violence is the core responsibility of a security guard. Depending on the company or industry, you may be required to work night shifts.

What you need: a high school diploma and prior security experience; some companies might require a security guard license and CPR/AED certification.

11. Community planner

Community planner is another job title that has different meanings across industries. According to LinkedIn, the market has a rising demand for community planners who specialize in infrastructure and land design.

What you need: a bachelor's or master's degree in civil engineering, architecture, or a related field; urban planning and zoning skills; plus any industry-specific knowledge.

12. Artificial intelligence researcher

Artificial intelligence researchers analyze prototypes and develop solutions with AI to solve real world problems. Daily tasks may include employment of software libraries and tools, and experimentation of algorithms.

What you need: a PhD or master's degree in computer science, computer engineering, mathematics, or a related field; knowledge of large language models (LLM), Python code, and scientific machine learning.

13. Treasury manager

The gist of a treasury manager role is to oversee, manage, and optimize a company or organization cash flow. They often partner with the tax and accounting teams to execute capitalizations, settlements, and integrations.

What you need: experience with treasury operations, cash management, and financial reporting systems; basic computer skills, including Excel, Google Docs, and Sheets; and a bachelor's or master's degree in finance, accounting, or a related field.

14. Land agent

Also known as land acquisition managers, land agents oversee the sales and acquisition of land—from defining a sales and acquisition plan to contacting and negotiating with sellers and potential buyers.

What you need: a bachelor's or master's degree in business administration or a related field; previous experience in real estate, land acquisition, or land management; and strong knowledge of land-use regulations and real estate law.

15. Grants consultant

Like directors of development, grants consultants help companies find funding opportunities. However, these professionals focus more on grant writing and preparing grant applications, ensuring all requirements are being met.

What you need: a bachelor's degree in a business-related field; excellent writing skills and knowledge of contractual documents; and experience with grant writing.

16. Director of employer relations

A director of employer relations will partner with companies or institutes to improve their recruitment initiatives. This role is different than a director of employee relations, which typically focuses on guiding management through difficult employer-employee relations, such as terminations and performance reviews, for example.

What you need: previous work experience in the field and business acumen; strong interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills; and a bachelor's degree (which might also be required).

17. Chief growth officer

The main responsibility of a chief growth officer is finding and pursuing opportunities to increase revenue and expand market presence. They work closely with the CEO developing business strategies to drive innovation and promote long-term growth.

What you need: previous experience with go-to-market strategy, business development, and growth strategy; and a bachelor's degree in business, economics, or marketing (which might be required depending on the company or industry).

18. Bridge engineer

Bridge engineers supervise and manage the construction of bridges. Their main responsibility is to ensure that safety, durability, functionality, and regulatory compliance standards are being met.

What you need: a bachelor's or master's degree in civil engineering, plus proven experience in the field; some employers may require a specialization in structural engineering and structural design.

19. Private equity analyst

Private equity analysts are like wealth managers. They research and identify investment opportunities that could help a business grow their portfolio. Day-to-day activities include financial analysis, market research, and preparation of reports to make recommendations.

What you need: a strong background in the financial market; knowledge of co-investment structures and investment strategies; analytical and quantitative skills; and an undergraduate degree in finance, accounting, economics, or a related field (which is often required).

20. Research librarian

Most research librarians work at colleges, universities, or other educational and research institutions. They assist students and researchers to find books or other educational materials, and help them develop an efficient research strategy. Research librarians may also handle acquisitions for the library.

What you need: you must be a subject specialist with a master’s degree or PhD and a master’s of library science; plus, strong knowledge of basic library and research practices, such as library research and cataloging.
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21. Nuclear engineer

Nuclear engineers oversee nuclear energy operations. The exact job description will vary between companies but generally, you should expect to be involved in the production of nuclear energy, research, and documentation of the process.

What you need: a PhD, master's, or bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering or a related field; plus, proven experience in the industry.

22. Advanced practice provider

Most commonly known as nurse practitioners or physician assistants, advanced practice providers do medical assessments, provide diagnoses, and prescribe treatments. They're also responsible for ordering lab tests, educating patients on medical conditions, and providing support during the entire patient stay at the hospital or clinic.

What you need: the proper nurse and/or physician degrees and licenses; plus, previous work experience in healthcare; you might also be required to have a CPR certification and experience with a specific population (e.g., children, elderly, addicts).

23. Chief revenue officer

A chief revenue officer's biggest challenge and main responsibility is to help the company increase revenue in a strategic and sustainable way. They usually interact with other departments, such as marketing and sales, to create and align strategies to maximize the business’ financial growth.

What you need: previous experience and college education in accounting, finance, or both; knowledge of legal tax regulations; proficiency in Excel and other financial-related software; and financial modeling.

24. Instrumentation and control engineer

Instrumentation and control (I&C) engineering revolves around designing and implementing software and hardware, usually in manufacturing. The I&C engineer oversees the whole process, from brainstorming meetings to the documentation and application.

What you need: a bachelor's or master's degree in computer engineering or a related field; previous experience with I&C and project management.

25. Commissioning manager

Commissioning managers oversee all the activities related to construction—from site mobilization to preparing the commissioning documentation. Their goal is to guarantee budget, regulatory, and company's standards are being met.

What you need: previous experience with project commissioning, construction management, or similar; plus, a college degree in engineering and any industry-specific training and knowledge.

FAQs

What type of programming jobs are growing?

AI-related programming jobs are growing in 2025. AI engineers, AI trainers, AI researchers, and machine learning specialists are some examples of professionals in demand right now.

What are the growing job fields currently?

According to LinkedIn's 2025 Job Trends report, growing job fields include artificial intelligence (encompassing computer science, coding, natural language processing, and software engineering), healthcare, finance (with a focus on treasury, revenue, and growth maximization), construction, and fundraising.