Fastest growing jobs in Connecticut, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Connecticut. Percent growth favours small occupations, so the openings column is often the more useful number — a fast-growing job with few openings is harder to enter than a flat one with many.

State projections are produced by Connecticut's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in Connecticut run 3.6% above the national average (2024), so a Connecticut salary is worth about 0.97× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Connecticut.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Connecticut

OccupationMedian, Connecticut · Growth 2024–34

1Nurse Practitioners$138,470
Master's degree
$109,930 – $173,810+31.4%
2Data Scientists$126,340
Bachelor's degree
$75,700 – $204,680+26.9%
3Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$106,040
Bachelor's degree
$87,940 – $174,640+26.9%
4Information Security Analysts$130,570
Bachelor's degree
$79,780 – $175,590+25.0%
5Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$86,390
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,700 – $118,110+23.9%
6Architectural and Civil Drafters$76,290
Associate's degree
$51,220 – $90,590+23.2%
7Mechanical Engineers$105,090
Bachelor's degree
$77,340 – $157,980+23.1%
8Industrial Machinery Mechanics$69,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,310 – $101,490+22.2%
9Physical Therapist Assistants$75,880
Associate's degree
$62,070 – $82,870+21.7%
10Logisticians$85,450
Bachelor's degree
$61,490 – $126,880+21.6%
11Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$48,270
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,200 – $65,820+21.2%
12Occupational Therapy Assistants$72,780
Associate's degree
$60,180 – $81,400+21.0%
13Medical and Health Services Managers$130,790
Bachelor's degree
$82,890 – $219,010+20.8%
14Psychiatric Technicians$55,500
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,250 – $77,540+20.5%
15Electrical Engineers$104,160
Bachelor's degree
$82,300 – $162,290+20.1%
16Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$50,950
Associate's degree
$41,480 – $75,090+18.8%
17Veterinarians$126,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$46,960 – $218,720+18.4%
18Industrial Engineers$104,160
Bachelor's degree
$77,810 – $141,540+18.0%
19Massage Therapists$62,260
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,010 – $97,870+17.0%
20Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$44,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,920 – $59,950+16.4%
21Physician Assistants$139,860
Master's degree
$106,380 – $180,900+15.9%
22Food Batchmakers$39,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,960 – $55,870+15.6%
23Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$63,590
Master's degree
$44,080 – $99,540+14.9%
24Medical Equipment Repairers$71,220
Associate's degree
$47,210 – $99,630+14.7%
25Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$45,740
Associate's degree
$35,460 – $80,400+14.7%
26Home Health and Personal Care Aides$38,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,010 – $45,150+14.6%
27Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$96,110
Bachelor's degree
$63,230 – $146,810+14.1%
28Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$116,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$68,160 – $187,310+14.1%
29Occupational Therapists$102,440
Master's degree
$76,360 – $127,630+13.9%
30Software Developers$134,120
Bachelor's degree
$85,930 – $205,160+13.8%
31Surveyors$76,730
Bachelor's degree
$58,140 – $109,050+13.6%
32Animal Caretakers$37,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,150 – $62,540+13.5%
33Cargo and Freight Agents—
High school diploma or equivalent
—
— – —+13.5%
34Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$59,420
Bachelor's degree
$46,090 – $105,190+13.4%
35Computer and Information Systems Managers$171,750
Bachelor's degree
$105,920 – $290,600+13.2%
36Human Resources Specialists$82,890
Bachelor's degree
$51,000 – $134,810+13.1%
37Painters, Construction and Maintenance$58,480
No formal educational credential
$40,120 – $92,390+12.9%
38Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity$60,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,130 – $75,040+12.8%
39Financial Managers$174,830
Bachelor's degree
$98,540 – $333,370+12.8%
40Machinists$62,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,900 – $82,630+12.8%
41Pest Control Workers$49,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,470 – $58,590+12.6%
42Electricians$77,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,680 – $104,280+12.1%
43Civil Engineers$103,150
Bachelor's degree
$76,350 – $161,670+12.1%
44Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$39,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,060 – $61,150+12.0%
45Therapists, All Other$47,300
Bachelor's degree
$37,970 – $131,570+11.9%
46Personal Financial Advisors$129,720
Bachelor's degree
$59,890 – $388,240+11.9%
47Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$103,540
Bachelor's degree
$75,440 – $152,020+11.9%
48Speech-Language Pathologists$100,110
Master's degree
$65,400 – $130,290+11.9%
49Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$114,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$68,760 – $179,230+11.8%
50School Bus Monitors$35,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,010 – $49,570+11.7%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianConnecticut	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$138,470	$109,930 – $173,810	+31.4%
2	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$126,340	$75,700 – $204,680	+26.9%
3	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$106,040	$87,940 – $174,640	+26.9%
4	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$130,570	$79,780 – $175,590	+25.0%
5	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$86,390	$58,700 – $118,110	+23.9%
6	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$76,290	$51,220 – $90,590	+23.2%
7	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,090	$77,340 – $157,980	+23.1%
8	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,950	$47,310 – $101,490	+22.2%
9	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$75,880	$62,070 – $82,870	+21.7%
10	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$85,450	$61,490 – $126,880	+21.6%
11	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,270	$40,200 – $65,820	+21.2%
12	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$72,780	$60,180 – $81,400	+21.0%
13	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,790	$82,890 – $219,010	+20.8%
14	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$55,500	$41,250 – $77,540	+20.5%
15	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,160	$82,300 – $162,290	+20.1%
16	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$50,950	$41,480 – $75,090	+18.8%
17	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$126,190	$46,960 – $218,720	+18.4%
18	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,160	$77,810 – $141,540	+18.0%
19	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,260	$34,010 – $97,870	+17.0%
20	Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,250	$35,920 – $59,950	+16.4%
21	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$139,860	$106,380 – $180,900	+15.9%
22	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,110	$35,960 – $55,870	+15.6%
23	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$63,590	$44,080 – $99,540	+14.9%
24	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$71,220	$47,210 – $99,630	+14.7%
25	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$45,740	$35,460 – $80,400	+14.7%
26	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,990	$34,010 – $45,150	+14.6%
27	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$96,110	$63,230 – $146,810	+14.1%
28	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$116,990	$68,160 – $187,310	+14.1%
29	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$102,440	$76,360 – $127,630	+13.9%
30	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$134,120	$85,930 – $205,160	+13.8%
31	SurveyorsBachelor's degree	$76,730	$58,140 – $109,050	+13.6%
32	Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,310	$35,150 – $62,540	+13.5%
33	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	—	—— – —	+13.5%
34	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$59,420	$46,090 – $105,190	+13.4%
35	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$171,750	$105,920 – $290,600	+13.2%
36	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$82,890	$51,000 – $134,810	+13.1%
37	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$58,480	$40,120 – $92,390	+12.9%
38	Bus Drivers, Transit and IntercityHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,100	$44,130 – $75,040	+12.8%
39	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$174,830	$98,540 – $333,370	+12.8%
40	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,130	$43,900 – $82,630	+12.8%
41	Pest Control WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,010	$39,470 – $58,590	+12.6%
42	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,540	$47,680 – $104,280	+12.1%
43	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,150	$76,350 – $161,670	+12.1%
44	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,460	$35,060 – $61,150	+12.0%
45	Therapists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$47,300	$37,970 – $131,570	+11.9%
46	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$129,720	$59,890 – $388,240	+11.9%
47	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$103,540	$75,440 – $152,020	+11.9%
48	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$100,110	$65,400 – $130,290	+11.9%
49	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$114,210	$68,760 – $179,230	+11.8%
50	School Bus MonitorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,350	$34,010 – $49,570	+11.7%

More for Connecticut

Metro areas in Connecticut

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Connecticut

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Connecticut to rank honestly.

Fastest growing jobs in Connecticut, 2024–34

More for Connecticut

Metro areas in Connecticut

By field in Connecticut

Without a degree

Fastest growing jobs in each state, 2024–34