Top 10 Jobs With the Most Growth Potential In Dallas, Texas

Anyone entering the working world has probably considered if their preferred profession has staying power. In light of rapid technological advancements, even those who have been working for many years may be thinking about the longevity of their chosen career path. As we enter an era with high levels of automation, the door is opening many new types of careers. But there are also many careers that have withstood the test of time and will continue to be very important in the future. 

With an eye on the top jobs in Dallas, Texas, we took a look at the professions and opportunities that have great growth potential in the next ten years and beyond. We pulled in data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, as well as anecdotal evidence from business experts across multiple industries. This is a great list to check out if you are starting your career in Dallas, or if you are thinking of jumping into a new role soon. 

Top 10 Jobs With the Most Growth Potential In Dallas, Texas

1. Healthcare Professional

• • Highlighted Fields: Nurse Practitioner and Occupational Therapist
  • Why healthcare? 
    • Healthcare is a popular, well-paying field. In fact, 9 of the top 10 highest paying jobs in Dallas are in the healthcare field. Nurse practitioners and occupational therapy assistants are both in the top ten fastest-growing occupations in the U.S. according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 
  • What the experts have to say:
    • “Nowadays people are living longer and life expectancy is trending upwards on a regular basis. This is thanks in large part to better health education, global infrastructure improvements, and advances in healthcare across the board. However, this does present something of a catch-22. While people live longer lives, this also elongates the amount of time in which they are likely to need bodily maintenance and medical care. That’s where Occupational Therapy, or OT, comes into play. OTs are more in-demand than ever due to the nature of people living longer and longer – there is more and more need for physical therapy, rehabilitation, and regular care. The demand for OTs will only grow as life expectancy continues to heighten, which makes it a totally bullet-proof career choice with immense growth potential.” – Nate Masterson, Marketing Manager at Maple Holistics
    • “Of course, healthcare jobs have always been quite lucrative. But what’s relatively new is that it’s no longer just high-profile professionals like surgeons or anesthesiologists who are in high demand. On the contrary. In the U.S., as well as the rest of the developed world, nursing and other low to mid-tier medical jobs are popping up faster than we’re able to train people to do them. And this trend shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.” – Tomas Ondrejka, co-founder of Kickresume.

2. Software Engineer

1. • Highlighted Fields: Artificial Intelligence and Automation 
   • Why software? 
     • The software industry continues to be a highly paid field, and there is a lot of flexibility in the type of role you can take on. Plus, as more artificial intelligence is used in common products, there will be more opportunities for programmers that specialize in AI. 
   • What the experts have to say:
     • “A software programming job can put someone in the driver’s seat in nearly any industry over the next decade. Software is the backbone to everything from agriculture to zookeeping, and there’s a codebase that now touches virtually every department of a growing population of U.S. companies. As a result, the current demand for well-trained, quality developers is incredible, and all forecasts indicate that it’s going to continue to grow in many tech centers around the U.S. and abroad. A top software programmer can pursue any industry that truly interests them and still easily earn well over six figures. There are not many other occupations that present this type of opportunity – now and in the coming future.” – Jeff Winkler, founder of Origin Code Academy
     • “After 9 years of work in the technological part of the company, I can assure you that the work with the greatest growth potential in the next decade is Artificial Intelligence Programmer/Designer. The world started with the internet, then moved to mobile, and is now going to AI. That is where intelligence can help us all to be more efficient, from cars that are driving alone, to technology that translates different languages in an automated way, and listening devices like Alexa that respond to our needs (personal assistant). That will definitely be the best job of the next decade!” – Cristian Rennella, CEO & CoFounder of elMejorTrato.com.ar.

3. Data Analyst 

1. • Highlighted Fields: Blockchain and big data
   • Why data?
     • The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that Data Analyst opportunities will grow 31% from 2019 to 2029. As companies collect more and more data in an automated way, they will need people to make sense of it and apply it to real-world scenarios. 
   • What the experts have to say:
     • “Without a doubt, the best field I would recommend people getting into is some form of programming or data analysis fields. You only need to take a look at LinkedIn’s list of the most-searched-for opportunities to find people working with blockchain technology or ‘big data’ to see how popular these sectors currently are. Then there’s the emergence of schools just training people in these fields so companies like Facebook and Google have more staff in the pipeline. It’s hard to think technology isn’t going to become even more integral in the future.” – Glen Allsopp, founder of Detailed.com
     • “Today we generate data very easily; every purchase, every product we consume, every message we receive and even every click we make generates a piece of information. We have a huge amount of data, but we do not know what to do with it. Data Science involves some enlargement of academic statistics and machine learning to face unusually difficult problems in many fields at the same time. The core motivation for the expansion to Data Science is intellectual. In the next ten years, there may be great industrial demand for these skills; however, the core questions that drive the field are scientific, not industrial. Data Science will be the science of learning from data; study of methods involved in the analysis and processing of data and proposes technology to improve methods in an evidence-based manner.” – Sophie Miles, CEO of QuotesAdvisor.com.

4. Marketing Professional

1. • Highlighted Fields: Search Engine Optimization and Content  
   • Why marketing?
     • There are a plethora of opportunities available for marketing organizations, so there is something for everyone. Marketing has shifted a lot with the rise of search engine optimization, and that is an area that will continue to grow.
   • What the experts have to say:
     • “In our day in age, technology has become a part of our daily lives, truly ingrained in society. There are many lucrative opportunities for job growth in many industries, but as for marketing, a digital strategist will have the best growth potential. The digital strategist role will be someone who is fluent in new social and digital trends, specializes in a certain niche, and manipulates content successfully.” – Tracy Julien, VP of Marketing for GuidedChoice
     • “We are trending towards an e-commerce-based shopping preference on a global level, which means that more and more consumers will turn to the internet to make purchasing decisions and to discover new brands. It is imperative that brands implement a strong SEO strategy in order to out-rank their competitors on Google, Amazon, and the like. So while blackhat SEO tactics and exploits may be a thing of the past, SEO is only becoming more and more valuable as e-commerce becomes more and more utilized.” – Nate Masterson, Marketing Manager for Maple Holistics
     • “The job with the most growth potential in the next decade is Marketing Technologist. These versatile team members are proficient with tech and marketing fundamentals (copywriting, design, campaign planning/management, etc). They’ve become essential to most businesses, but the need is much higher than the supply right now. There is a growth in education and training to create more people who fit this profile.” – Michael Shearer, VP of Marketing Operations at Effin Amazing.

5. Copywriter

1. • Highlighted Field: Digital Marketing 
   • Why copywriting?
     • Copywriting is a more traditional field that has undergone a big transformation with the advent of online content. Great writers and editors will always be in demand to make sure that content is compelling and correct. 
   • What the experts have to say:
     • “One of the jobs which have the best growth potential over the next decade is content writing. More and more companies are beginning to see the value of content marketing, because not only does it help to engage your customers with your company better, but if done right, it has a lot of SEO value, too. Properly optimizing your content will help to improve your position on Google’s search rankings, which will increase traffic to your website and give you the opportunity to increase your sales as well. Now that more companies are realizing this, we are likely to see more job opportunities open up in this area, as companies seek to hire people who can optimize their content in a way that will improve their search rankings.” – Grant van der Harst, Managing Director for Anglo Liners
     • “The job with the most growth potential in the next decade is copywriting, the unsung hero, the job that will continue to be relevant in years to come. Why? Because there is always going to be a need for content. After all, the writing copy comes in so many different forms, such as email marketing copy, product descriptions, press release copy, and outreach journalist requests. Thus, there is an endless need now and in the future for content to be created for business, products, and services to thrive and stay relevant.” – Katie Derrick, Content Marketer at The London School of Make-Up.

6. Financial Professional

1. • Highlighted Field: Cryptocurrency 
   • Why finance?
     • New financial technology companies (sometimes called Fintech) have changed the landscape and opened up new opportunities in finance.
   • What the experts have to say:
     • “Just look at how Fintech has changed the industry landscape. Think about the possibilities blockchain offers. Consider how cryptocurrencies are going to upend the finance system. The examples go on and on. There’s so much innovation going on in this industry. And it’s an industry the economy depends upon. Finance cannot disappear or the economy grounds to a halt.” – Alexander Lowry, Executive Director of the Master of Science in Financial Analysis program for Gordon College
     • “There’s a huge amount of interest in the crypto-coin industry. I’d say that there’s the huge growth potential for genuine thought leaders who can come up with brilliant ways of using bitcoins/crypto coins in innovative ways.” – Max Soni, founder, and CEO of Delancy Street.

7. Lawyer

1. • Highlighted Field: Family Lawyer
   • Why the legal field?
     • There are a wide variety of career paths that a lawyer can take, and there is continued demand for legal services.
   • What the experts have to say:
     • “I would say that the best job for the next decade with the best growth potential is a lawyer. I believe that lawyers have flexibility and options. They may not even practice law, but I have found my law degree to be extremely valuable in business. Being able to understand the law and the nuances can be beneficial in so many careers – writing, business, business development, product management, leadership, government, and corporate.” – Deborah Sweeney, CEO of MyCorporation.

8. Insurance Agent

1. • Highlighted Field: Health insurance
   • Why insurance?
     • New technologies are enabling innovations in the very traditional insurance industry. With more data and info available online than ever, the insurance field will likely experience growth over the next decade. 
   • What the experts have to say:
     • “The US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates employment of insurance sales agents overall will grow 10% by 2026. There are so many types of careers available in the insurance industry and so much potential for growth.” – Doug Abercrombie, Senior Vice President and Chief Agency Officer of Combined Insurance.

9. Sustainability Professional

1. • Highlighted Fields: Oil and Gas, Government
   • Why sustainability?
     • The world is becoming more aware of sustainability issues, and now major corporations and governments must face their own actions and make plans for the future. 
   • What the experts have to say:
     • “A job that has been growing and will continue to see massive growth is the sustainability professional. We have seen enormous growth in this industry like businesses, higher education institutions, and the government has all been working to embed sustainable practices in their operations. Nearly every Fortune 500 company now has a sustainability department or team, and Green MBA and graduate programs in sustainability are popping up at universities around the world. The world is facing complex social and environmental problems which are interconnected and interdependent, and organizations of all types and sizes are understanding that they need to adopt more sustainable practices to help address these issues. Chief Sustainability Officers, directors, managers, and coordinators of sustainability are becoming more and more common in organizations across all sectors. As issues like climate change, environmental degradation, resource depletion, food and water shortages, and soil loss continue to worsen, the sustainability professional field will only continue to grow.” – Josh Prigge, CEO of Sustridge.

10. Freelancer or Gig Worker

1. • Highlighted Fields: Writing, Coding, and Frontline Jobs
   • Why freelance?
     • The world of work is changing. People are looking for more flexibility and opportunities, and they are finding that through freelance work. 
   • What the experts have to say:
     • “The number one job over the next decade is an independent worker or freelancer. You may have heard that an enormous percentage of the workforce is freelance. Those freelance statistics usually include people in traditional jobs who freelance on the side, maybe a lot and maybe only once in the last year. In fact, full-time freelancers account for 11 percent of the U.S. workforce. That means that 1 in 9 of the people who left your company in the last couple of years are probably working independently now. That population has doubled in the last 10 years and the growth projections are 3.5 percent annually. Many people go freelance for lifestyle reasons – they don’t feel engaged at work; they want more flexibility; they want better work/life balance.” – Robert McGuire, Publisher at Nation1099.