Fastest Growing Occupations

Overall - Texas

Listed below are the 25 occupations projected to grow the fastest during the 1998-2008 time period. Click on an occupation to learn more about it, including state data.

#	Occupation	Employment		Percent change *
#	Occupation	1998	2008	Percent change *
1	Desktop publishing specialists	2,050	4,000	98%
2	Computer support specialists, which also incorporates: Computer Support Specialists Network and Computer Systems Administrators	34,250	57,500	68%
3	Systems analysts, which also incorporates: Computer Systems Analysts Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts	44,100	73,600	67%
4	Surgical technologists	3,800	5,950	56%
5	Cardiovascular technologists and technicians	1,200	1,850	54%
6	Respiratory therapists	6,050	9,300	54%
7	Paralegals and legal assistants	10,800	16,350	51%
8	Parking lot attendants	5,100	7,700	51%
9	Medical assistants, which also incorporates: Healthcare Support Workers, All Other Medical Assistants Medical Equipment Preparers	18,900	28,150	49%
10	Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs	5,050	7,500	49%
11	Central office and PBX installers and repairers	2,300	3,450	48%
12	Computer engineers, which also incorporates: Computer Hardware Engineers Computer Software Engineers, Applications Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software	24,650	36,550	48%
13	Database administrators	7,300	10,800	48%
14	Locomotive engineers	2,800	4,150	47%
15	Telephone and cable TV line installers and repairers	15,500	22,750	47%
16	Physical therapy assistants and aides, which also incorporates: Physical Therapist Aides Physical Therapist Assistants	5,250	7,550	44%
17	Police patrol officers	29,900	42,950	44%
18	Physician assistants	4,650	6,650	43%
19	Social and human service assistants, which also incorporates: Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other Counselors, All Other Marriage and Family Therapists Mental Health Counselors Rehabilitation Counselors Social and Human Service Assistants Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors	10,500	15,050	43%
20	Correctional officers	44,850	63,100	41%
21	Occupational therapy assistants and aides, which also incorporates: Occupational Therapist Aides Occupational Therapist Assistants	900	1,250	41%
22	Speech-language pathologists and audiologists, which also incorporates: Audiologists Speech-Language Pathologists	7,150	10,000	40%
23	Engineering, natural science, and computer and information systems managers, which also incorporates: Computer and Information Systems Managers Engineering Managers Managers, All Other Natural Sciences Managers	22,850	31,650	39%
24	Medical records and health information technicians	5,800	8,100	39%
25	Numerical control machine tool operators and tenders, metal and plastic, which also incorporates: Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic Numerical Tool and Process Control Programmers	4,300	5,900	38%

* Note: The national average percent change is 14% for the 1998-2008 employment projection series.

Source: Texas Workforce Commission, Labor Market Information and Other Data

Career and Technical Education

Fastest Growing Occupations

Overall - Texas