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Two new reports released this week from the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics offers a peek into which careers will be in highest demand across the state through 2034.
Dubbed Michigan’s “Hot 50″ list and “Career Outlook” for 2026, the publications aim to serve as a tool for both job-seekers and stakeholders in education and workforce development alike — including those in state government.
“Our goal is to provide our education and workforce partners with the information they need to help Michiganders find their path to high-demand, high-wage jobs,” said Scott Powell, director of the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics and the state’s chief data officer. “The state is continuing its focus on all students and jobseekers as they make informed decisions about their futures, and this information is an invaluable resource for them.”
The Hot 50 report highlights the top high-demand, high-wage careers in the state, with details including job titles, projected annual openings, hourly wage range, job growth information and the education or training level needed.
Of the careers included in the Hot 50 list, the top 10 with the highest rate of projected long-term growth included:
Nurse Practitioner (41.5%)
Data Scientist (28.3%)
Medical & Health Services Manager (25.1%)
Physical Therapist Assistant (23.2%)
Physician Assistant (22.9%)
Information Security Analyst (21.8%)
Substance, Behavioral, & Mental Health Counselor (18.1%)
Respiratory Therapist (17.1%)
Occupational Therapist (15.3%)
Massage Therapist (12.6%)
The top 10 with the highest rate of projected annual job openings included:
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver (6,650)
Registered Nurse (6,505)
Construction Laborer (3,110)
Electrician (2,450)
Software Developer (2,445)
Human Resources Specialist (2,290)
Market Research Analyst & Marketing Specialist (2,190)
Automotive Service Technician & Mechanic (2,090)
Industrial Engineer (2,035)
Industrial Machinery Mechanic (1,900)
The Career Outlook report similarly includes the highest-demand and highest paying jobs, but also breaks the data down into categories based on the level of education a job-seeker has completed. The report also includes a category specific to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers.
Of the jobs included in the Career Outlook report, the top five STEM careers with the highest rate of projected long-term growth included:
Data Scientist (28.3%)
Information Security Analyst (21.8%)
Operations Research Analyst (18.5%)
Computer & Information Systems Manager (9.9%)
Software Developer (7.7%)
The top five STEM careers with the highest rate of projected annual job openings included:
Software Developer (2,445)
Industrial Engineer (2,035)
Mechanical Engineer (1,845)
Computer & Information Systems Manager (1,240)
Computer Systems Analyst (945)
Click here to view the full Career Outlook report to see a breakdown by education level.
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