Top Industries Hiring Right Now in 2026 and How to Break In

TL;DR

• Healthcare (+8.4%), tech and AI (+6.5%), clean energy, finance, cybersecurity, and professional services are the six industries adding the most jobs through 2034, according to BLS Employment Projections.

• The U.S. economy will add 5.2 million jobs by 2034, but growth is concentrated in specific sectors. This guide covers the six that matter most for students and new grads.

• NACE's 2026 Job Outlook reports that 70% of employers now use skill-based hiring, and 35% of entry-level postings require AI literacy. Your major matters less than your skills.

• You can start building industry experience right now through Externships, certifications, and project-based learning. No relocation or full-time commitment required.

Externships are short, remote professional experience programs where you work on real projects with real companies. A Pfizer AI-Powered Document Intelligence Externship, TruBridge Healthcare Data Analytics Externship, or Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense Externship gives you resume-ready experience before applications open. Explore all Externships.

What Industries Are Hiring the Most Right Now?

Here's the thing about the 2026 job market: it's growing, but the growth is wildly uneven across industries and regions. Some sectors are adding thousands of positions every month while others are quietly shrinking. The difference between a booming sector and a stagnant one can mean the difference between three callbacks and zero. And if you're a student or recent grad sending applications without thinking about where the jobs actually are, you're making this harder on yourself than it needs to be.

The 2026 Job Market at a Glance

The U.S. economy is still creating jobs. Just not as fast as before. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections for 2024 to 2034, the country will add 5.2 million jobs over that decade, representing 3.1% total growth. That might sound reasonable on its own, but compare it to the 13% growth recorded between 2014 and 2024 and the slowdown becomes obvious.

So the pie is growing slower. But certain slices are getting much bigger.

So where are those jobs going? They're clustering around sectors driven by aging populations, AI adoption, and the clean energy transition. At Extern, we've worked with over 70,000 students trying to figure out exactly this question: where should I focus? One pattern keeps coming up. Students who pick a growing industry early and build one targeted skill get hired faster than those who spray applications everywhere.

That's not a knock on casting a wide net. It's just what we've seen play out, again and again, with real students trying to break into competitive fields.

Six Industries Leading Job Growth

Six sectors stand out for their mix of strong projected growth, entry-level accessibility, and relevance to students and new grads.

Healthcare and social assistance leads the pack at 8.4% projected growth, roughly 2 million new jobs. Technology and information services follow at 6.5%, fueled almost entirely by AI and software demand. Professional and business services clock in at 7.5%. Clean energy? Fastest growing individual occupations in the entire economy. Finance remains steady with strong starting pay, and cybersecurity has a talent shortage so severe that one in four positions sits empty right now.

We'll break down each one below: what the growth numbers look like, which entry-level roles you can actually land, and how to start building experience before you graduate.

Why Is Healthcare the Biggest Industry for Job Growth?

Healthcare isn't just growing. It's growing faster and adding more raw jobs than every other sector in the country combined. If you care about job security and doing work that matters, this is the field to pay attention to.

Healthcare Growth by the Numbers

The BLS projects healthcare and social assistance to add roughly 2 million jobs between 2024 and 2034, growing at 8.4%. That's the largest absolute gain of any sector. Within healthcare, the numbers get even more striking: services for the elderly and persons with disabilities alone will add 528,500 positions, growing at 21%. Healthcare support occupations are on track for 12.4% growth, and healthcare practitioners and technical roles will grow 7.2%.

And why so much growth? Three words: aging, chronic, mental. An aging population needs more care providers at every level of the system. Chronic disease rates keep climbing, and mental health services are finally expanding to meet demand that's been building for years. These aren't cyclical trends that reverse in a recession. They're structural shifts.

Entry-Level Healthcare Roles Hiring Now

You don't need a medical degree to work in healthcare. Worth repeating. You don't need a medical degree.

Several high-demand roles are accessible with a bachelor's degree or relevant certifications:

• Health information technologists manage electronic records and patient data systems

• Medical assistants handle both clinical and administrative work in doctor's offices

• Community health workers connect underserved populations with health resources

• Healthcare administrators coordinate operations at clinics, hospitals, and health systems

The BLS reports median pay for healthcare support roles ranging from $35,000 to $60,000, with administrators earning significantly more depending on facility size.

How to Start Building Healthcare Experience

If healthcare interests you but you don't have clinical experience yet, project-based programs can bridge that gap faster than you might think. The TruBridge Healthcare Data Analytics Externship lets you work on real healthcare data projects remotely. No scrubs required. The Institute of Mental Health Healthcare Operations Consulting Externship gives you hands-on exposure to how healthcare organizations actually run behind the scenes, and neither program requires prior healthcare background to apply.

What Tech and AI Jobs Are in Demand Right Now?

Technology isn't just its own sector anymore. It's reshaping every single industry on this list, from healthcare record systems to financial modeling to sustainability tracking. But within tech itself, the demand for people who can build, manage, and work alongside AI tools keeps accelerating.

Why Tech Hiring Keeps Accelerating

The BLS projects the information sector to grow 6.5% through 2034, while computer and mathematical occupations will grow 10.1%. Solid numbers. But those are just the aggregates, and the real story is what's happening specifically with AI-related roles.

According to CNBC's analysis of NACE data, 35% of entry-level job postings now mention AI skills, and that share nearly doubled year over year. Let that sink in. IBM announced it's tripling U.S. entry-level hiring in 2026, and Accenture is specifically expanding its recruiting pipeline to bring in more AI-savvy new graduates across multiple business units.

So yes, the "learn AI" advice you keep hearing? It's backed by real hiring data.

Tech Roles You Can Land Without a CS Degree

Here's what a lot of students don't realize: you don't need a computer science degree to work in tech. Really. NACE reports that 70% of employers now use skill-based hiring at least some of the time, which fundamentally changes who gets in the door. If you're a communications major who taught yourself SQL, or a psych student who built a data dashboard for a class project, you're already more qualified than you think.

Roles worth targeting:

• Data analysts (median salary $85,000+, strong demand across every industry)

• UX researchers (combine psychology, design, and user testing skills)

• IT support specialists (entry-level stepping stone into broader tech careers)

• AI prompt engineers (emerging role with no formal degree path yet)

• QA testers (quality assurance roles that reward attention to detail over credentials)

For a deeper look at the computer science job market in 2026, including salary breakdowns and alternative paths, check out our full guide. And if data analytics specifically interests you, our data analyst internship guide covers how to get started with zero prior experience.

Building Tech Skills as a Student

The fastest path into tech is deceptively simple: pick one skill, get good at it, then prove you can use it on a real project with a real company.

The Pfizer AI-Powered Document Intelligence Externship gives you hands-on AI project work with a Fortune 500 company. The Wayfair AI Agent Engineering Externship focuses on business intelligence applications. And the Beats by Dre Data Analytics Externship combines consumer insights with quantitative analysis in the entertainment industry. All remote, no CS background required.

Why Is Clean Energy the Fastest Growing Sector?

Clean energy doesn't have the biggest total job numbers on this list. It has something arguably better: the fastest growth rate of any sector in the entire economy, which means less competition and more room to grow into senior roles early in your career.

Clean Energy Growth Projections

According to BLS Employment Projections, wind turbine service technicians and solar photovoltaic installers are the two fastest growing occupations in the entire U.S. economy through 2034. Solar, wind, geothermal, and other renewable electric power generation industries top the list of fastest growing detailed industries by percentage growth.

The sector is still small in absolute terms. Yet it's scaling fast as federal and state clean energy mandates kick in, and massive infrastructure spending starts flowing to solar, wind, and battery storage projects across the country. When an industry grows this quickly from a small base, it means one important thing for your career: less competition for early positions.

Green Jobs Students Can Actually Get

And no, you don't need an engineering degree for this. Several clean energy roles are open to students with business, policy, or science backgrounds:

• Sustainability analysts track environmental metrics and ESG reporting for companies

• Environmental consultants advise organizations on regulatory compliance

• Solar sales representatives work in a booming commercial and residential market

• ESG reporting specialists prepare data for investors who screen for environmental standards

And many of these roles are remote-friendly, which means you're not limited to jobs in Texas or California. If the environmental consulting path interests you, our environmental consulting jobs career guide breaks down the full career trajectory from entry-level to senior consultant.

What Finance and Professional Services Roles Are Hiring?

Finance hasn't gone anywhere. If anything, the field has gotten more interesting as fintech, venture capital, and digital banking have created roles that didn't exist five years ago. Traditional and non-traditional finance pathways are both hiring, with entry-level positions that reward sharp analytical thinking.

Where the Finance Jobs Are in 2026

The BLS projects professional, scientific, and technical services to grow 7.5% through 2034, making it the second-fastest-growing major sector behind only healthcare. Banks are hiring. So are consulting firms and fintech startups. LinkedIn's Top Companies 2026 list was dominated by banks and technology companies, which tells you something about where the demand for analytically sharp people is heading. Financial services saw especially strong payroll expansion through the second half of 2025.

Breaking Into Finance as a Student

Getting your foot in the door in finance follows a pretty clear playbook:

1. Build financial modeling skills. Learn Excel-based modeling and valuation fundamentals. Structured courses accelerate this, but free resources work too.

2. Earn a relevant certification. The Bloomberg Market Concepts certificate or CFA Level 1 prep tells recruiters you're serious.

3. Get project-based experience. The Attronica Financial Planning & Analysis Externship gives you hands-on experience with private company valuation. The HP Tech Ventures Deal Sourcing Externship focuses on startup analysis and venture capital.

4. Network within the industry. Attend virtual events, connect with professionals on LinkedIn, ask for informational interviews. This part feels awkward at first. Do it anyway.

Does real-world experience actually make a difference in finance interviews? Juliana Phillips-Acie, a student at Spelman College, completed Externships with Beats by Dre and igniteXL Ventures before landing a Global Private Bank Summer Analyst role at J.P. Morgan and a Wealth & Investment Management position at Wells Fargo. As she put it: "Every single time that I interviewed, my externships were the one thing that really captivated them."

Why Are There So Many Unfilled Cybersecurity Jobs?

Cybersecurity has one of the widest talent gaps of any professional field in the world right now, and organizations across every sector genuinely can't hire fast enough to keep up with the threat landscape. That creates real, tangible opportunity for you.

The Cybersecurity Talent Shortage

The numbers here are staggering. The ISC2 2024 Cybersecurity Workforce Study found 5.5 million cybersecurity professionals working globally, with a gap of 4.8 million unfilled positions. That gap grew 19% in just one year. Think about what that means: organizations worldwide are running at a 72% fill rate for security roles. One in four positions? Empty.

The sectors hit hardest? Healthcare, finance, and government, precisely the industries handling the most sensitive data in the economy. Budget constraints and a thin candidate pipeline are the main bottlenecks. But here's the silver lining for students: because the shortage is so severe, employers are increasingly willing to hire non-traditional candidates who can show practical skills rather than holding out for candidates with five years of experience.

Cybersecurity Roles That Don't Require a Degree

Several cybersecurity entry points are open to people without a four-year CS degree:

• SOC analysts monitor security operations centers for threats and incidents

• GRC analysts (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) focus on policy and regulatory frameworks

• Penetration testers (entry-level) identify vulnerabilities in systems and applications

• Incident response analysts investigate and contain security breaches

But certifications carry a lot of weight here. CompTIA Security+ is the most widely recognized entry-level credential, and it's often the single thing that gets your resume past the initial screen. Starting from scratch? The Google Cybersecurity Certificate provides a solid structured learning path. And the Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense Externship lets you work on real cybersecurity projects in the growing IoT space. For more on this career path, our cybersecurity career tips guide covers everything from certifications to salary expectations.

How Do You Break Into a Growing Industry With No Experience?

OK, so now you know which industries are hiring. That's a good start, but it's only half the equation. Knowing where the jobs are and actually getting one of them are very different challenges. So here's what actually works when you're starting from zero.

Four Steps to Industry Experience Before You Graduate

Over 7 years at Extern, we've watched thousands of students go from "I don't have any experience" to "I just got an offer." Honestly, the pattern that works is simpler than most people expect:

1. Pick your target industry. Choose one, maybe two sectors from this guide that match your interests. Trying to be a generalist across all six will slow you down.

2. Build one marketable skill. Not five. One. Targeting tech? Learn SQL or Python basics. Finance? Financial modeling. Healthcare? Health data management. Go deep, not wide.

3. Get real project experience. This is where Externships, research assistantships, or freelance projects come in. One completed project with a real company carries more weight in interviews than three semesters of coursework. That might sound unfair. But it's how hiring works right now.

4. Network within the industry. Attend virtual events, join relevant LinkedIn groups, connect with people doing the work you want to do. Your network compounds over time. Start early.

These steps map directly to NACE's career readiness competencies, the same framework employers use to evaluate early-career candidates.

Why Skills Matter More Than Your Major in 2026

The data on this is pretty clear, and honestly it's probably the most encouraging trend in the entire 2026 job market for students without traditional credentials. NACE reports that 70% of employers now use skill-based hiring. Seventy percent. And 71% of those employers apply it at least half the time when evaluating candidates. Among employers who are actively increasing their headcount, 72.7% say succession planning and talent pipeline building are their top reasons for bringing people on.

What does that actually mean for you? A psychology major who can run SQL queries and has completed a data analytics Externship is a stronger candidate for a data analyst role than a CS major with no projects outside of class. That's not a hypothetical. We've seen that exact scenario play out with students on our platform. Employers want proof you can do the work, and your projects show them what you're capable of in a way that transcripts simply can't.

Build skills. Get project experience. Show your work. Explore Externships to find project-based experience matched to your target field.

What Does the 2026 Job Market Actually Mean for New Grads?

The big picture for the Class of 2026? Cautiously positive. It's not a hiring boom and it's not a crisis, but it's competitive enough that being strategic about your approach genuinely matters.

NACE Hiring Projections for the Class of 2026

The NACE 2026 Job Outlook Spring Update projects a 5.6% increase in new graduate hiring for the Class of 2026 compared to the previous year. That's up from the fall survey, which showed only a 1.6% bump. A plurality of employers (45%) describe the market as "fair." Not great, not terrible.

But the biggest hiring increases are coming from large companies. Those with over 5,000 employees are boosting new grad hiring by 8.7%. So if you're targeting mid-to-large companies, the odds are slightly in your favor.

Which Industries Give New Grads the Best Shot

Not every growing industry is equally easy to break into right out of school. Healthcare administration and tech? Strong entry-level pipelines already in place. Cybersecurity actively recruits non-traditional candidates because the talent gap is that severe, so your background matters less than your willingness to learn. Finance has well-established pathways from internship to full-time offer if you follow the playbook we outlined earlier. Clean energy is still building out its formal early-career programs, but demand is already outpacing the talent supply.

The bottom line? Pick an industry, build targeted skills, get real experience, and start now rather than waiting for conditions to be perfect. The students who do well in this market aren't the ones waiting for the perfect opportunity. They're the ones building toward one.

Frequently Asked Questions

What industries are hiring the most right now?

Healthcare, technology and AI, clean energy, finance, cybersecurity, and professional services are adding the most jobs in 2026. Healthcare leads all sectors with 8.4% projected growth and roughly 2 million new positions expected through 2034, according to the BLS Employment Projections released in late 2025.

What is the best industry to get into in 2026?

It depends on your skills and interests, but technology and AI offer the broadest entry points for students right now. With 70% of employers using skill-based hiring and computer occupations growing 10.1% through 2034, you don't necessarily need a CS degree to get started in tech.

What jobs are in demand right now for entry-level candidates?

Data analysts, healthcare administrators, cybersecurity analysts, sustainability consultants, and AI-adjacent roles like prompt engineers are all in high demand right now. These positions prioritize demonstrable skills and industry certifications over specific degrees, which makes them accessible to recent graduates and career changers across most majors.

Is the job market good for new grads in 2026?

NACE projects a 5.6% increase in new graduate hiring for the Class of 2026. While 45% of employers describe the overall market as "fair," large companies with over 5,000 employees are boosting hiring by 8.7%, so real opportunities exist even if competition remains strong across most fields.

How do I break into an industry with no experience?

Start by building one marketable skill through online courses or certifications, then gain real project experience through an Externship or similar program. Employers increasingly value proven skills over formal degrees, so focus on building a portfolio of work that clearly shows what you can actually do.

What industries will grow the most in the next 10 years?

BLS projects healthcare and social assistance at 8.4% growth, professional and technical services at 7.5%, and information services at 6.5% as the fastest growing major sectors through 2034. Clean energy occupations like solar PV installers and wind turbine service technicians are the two fastest growing individual roles.

Do you need a degree to work in tech or cybersecurity?

Not necessarily. NACE reports that 70% of employers now use skill-based hiring at least some of the time. Certifications like CompTIA Security+, Google Data Analytics, and hands-on project experience through Externships can qualify you for entry-level roles in both tech and cybersecurity without a traditional four-year degree.