Career Paths by Education Level: What BLS Projected for 2024–2034
Career opportunities in the U.S. span a wide range of education levels.
In September 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published projections showing occupations expected to have large numbers of openings from 2024 to 2034, organized by the education typically required to enter them.
BLS projects about 19 million occupational openings per year, on average, across the economy during that period.
Here’s what the data showed.
What education levels did BLS examine?
BLS grouped occupations into five broad entry-level education categories:
No formal educational credential
High school diploma or equivalent
Postsecondary education below a bachelor’s degree
Bachelor’s degree
Graduate degree
Each occupation is assigned to the education level BLS says is typically required for entry.
BLS notes that occupational openings come both from employment growth and from the need to replace workers who permanently leave an occupation, such as by transferring to another occupation or leaving the labor force.
Which occupations had large projected openings without a college degree?
Among occupations that typically require no formal educational credential, BLS projected the most annual openings for:
Fast food and counter workers — 904,300
Retail salespersons — 555,800
Cashiers — 542,600
Stockers and order fillers — 472,300
Waiters and waitresses — 456,700
BLS also notes that occupations in this category may still require training on the job even when formal education is not typically required for entry.
What about jobs that typically require a high school diploma?
BLS classified 326 occupations as typically requiring a high school diploma or equivalent for entry.
Among those projected to have the most openings annually were:
Home health and personal care aides — 765,800
Customer service representatives — 341,700
General office clerks — 282,400
Secretaries and administrative assistants — 202,800
First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers — 183,900
BLS also reports that many occupations at this education level typically require some form of on-the-job training.
What pathways exist below a bachelor’s degree?
BLS also grouped together occupations that typically require:
A postsecondary nondegree award, such as a certificate
An associate’s degree
Some college but no degree
Among the occupations with the largest projected annual openings were:
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers — 237,600
Nursing assistants — 204,100
Teaching assistants — 170,400
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks — 170,000
Medical assistants — 112,300
What does the data show?
The BLS projections show that occupations with substantial projected openings exist across multiple education levels.
These figures are BLS projections for average annual occupational openings from 2024 to 2034.
From Education Pathways to Career Opportunity
BLS data shows that projected openings span different typical education requirements.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many occupational openings does BLS project each year?
BLS projects about 19 million occupational openings per year, on average, from 2024 to 2034 across all occupations.
Does every occupation require a bachelor’s degree?
No.
BLS organizes occupations across five typical entry-level education categories, ranging from no formal educational credential through graduate degrees.
Do jobs without college-degree requirements still require training?
Some do.
BLS separately reports whether occupations typically require on-the-job training or related work experience.
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Sources & References
Torpey, E. (2025, September). Education level and projected openings, 2024–34. Career Outlook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2025/article/education-level-and-openings-2024-34.htm
