Industry & Market Data
Fastest-Growing Trades Through 2034
We ranked 18 home-service trades by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected employment growth through 2034, alongside annual job openings and median pay. Solar Photovoltaic Installers grow fastest (+42.1%); the trades add about 1,262,500 openings a year.
By Ihor Lavrenenko · Founder, Smarfle CRM
Published June 24, 2026 · Data current as of 2024-2034
18
Trades ranked
Solar
Fastest growing
1263k
Openings / year
423k
Net new jobs by 2034
Key findings
- Solar Photovoltaic Installers are the fastest-growing trade (+42.1% by 2034), well ahead of Security & Fire Alarm Systems Installers (+10.4%) and Electricians (+9.5%).
- The biggest sources of work are openings, not just growth: Janitors & Building Cleaners (~351,300/yr) and Maids & Housekeeping Cleaners lead, driven by replacement of workers who leave.
- Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters pay the most (median $62,970), with Electricians and Sheet Metal Workers close behind.
- Across all 18 trades: about 1,262,500 openings a year and +423,400 net new jobs by 2034, most needing no college degree.
The trades, ranked by projected growth
Sort by growth, openings, or pay. Trade names link to the CRM built for that trade.
| Solar Photovoltaic Installers | 28,600 | +42.1% | 4,100 | $51,860 |
| Security & Fire Alarm Systems Installers | 85,900 | +10.4% | 9,400 | $59,300 |
| Electricians | 818,700 | +9.5% | 81,000 | $62,350 |
| HVAC Mechanics & Installers | 425,200 | +8.1% | 40,100 | $59,810 |
| Roofers | 166,700 | +5.9% | 12,700 | $50,970 |
| Pest Control Workers | 102,400 | +4.9% | 13,400 | $44,730 |
| Carpenters | 959,000 | +4.5% | 74,100 | $59,310 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters | 504,500 | +4.5% | 44,000 | $62,970 |
| Automotive Service Technicians & Mechanics | 805,600 | +4.2% | 70,000 | $49,670 |
| Painters (Construction & Maintenance) | 342,200 | +3.8% | 28,100 | $48,660 |
| Maintenance & Repair Workers, General | 1,629,700 | +3.8% | 159,800 | $48,620 |
| Landscaping & Groundskeeping Workers | 1,192,500 | +3.6% | 158,200 | $38,090 |
| Tree Trimmers & Pruners | 60,100 | +3.3% | 7,400 | $50,430 |
| Home Appliance Repairers | 37,300 | +2.6% | 3,100 | $49,410 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | 127,000 | +2.4% | 10,600 | $60,850 |
| Janitors & Building Cleaners | 2,447,700 | +2% | 351,300 | $35,930 |
| Maids & Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,356,800 | +0.4% | 193,500 | $34,660 |
| Locksmiths & Safe Repairers | 18,800 | -8.3% | 1,700 | $50,490 |
Projected growth to 2034, by trade
Most annual job openings
Average annual openings (growth plus replacement). High-turnover trades generate the most hiring even at modest growth rates.
Which trades pay the most
2024 median annual wage by trade.
What this means
For anyone choosing a trade, growth and openings point in slightly different directions. The fastest growth is in solar photovoltaic installers and the electrical and HVAC trades, riding electrification and clean energy. The most sheer hiring is in cleaning, maintenance, and landscaping, where high turnover keeps openings enormous regardless of growth.
For owners, the same data is a staffing forecast: demand for technicians keeps rising while many trades face retirements, so recruiting and retention are competitive. Operators that run tight schedules, pay on time, and keep crews busy will win the labor as much as the customers.
Methodology
Projected employment growth by occupation from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections program (2024-2034 National Employment Matrix, Table 1.2). For each trade we report 2024 employment, projected 2034 employment, percent change, average annual job openings (growth plus replacement), and the 2024 median annual wage. Trades are SOC detailed occupations selected for relevance to local home-service businesses.
Openings are average annual openings, combining new growth jobs with replacement needs (workers who retire or leave the occupation). Caveats: projections are BLS estimates, not guarantees; we selected SOC detailed occupations relevant to local home-service businesses, so this is not the full national occupation list.
Source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024-2034 National Employment Matrix (Table 1.2).
Program: BLS Employment Projections.
Frequently asked questions
Which trade is growing the fastest?+
Solar Photovoltaic Installers is projected to grow 42.1% from 2024 to 2034, by far the fastest of the trades, on the clean-energy build-out. Next come Security & Fire Alarm Systems Installers (+10.4%) and Electricians (+9.5%).
Which trades have the most job openings?+
Janitors & Building Cleaners lead with about 351,300 openings a year, followed by Maids & Housekeeping Cleaners and Maintenance & Repair Workers, General. Openings combine growth with replacement of workers who retire or leave, so high-turnover trades can have huge openings even with modest growth.
Which trades pay the most?+
Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters have the highest median wage at $62,970, followed by Electricians ($62,350) and Sheet Metal Workers ($60,850). Most of these trades require only a high-school diploma plus an apprenticeship, not a college degree.
Are the skilled trades a good career?+
The data says yes: across these 18 trades there are roughly 1,262,500 openings every year, most paths need no college degree, and several trades pay above the national median wage. The trade-off is physical work and, for many, licensing or apprenticeship.
Where does this data come from?+
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections program, 2024-2034 National Employment Matrix (Table 1.2). Figures are projected employment, average annual openings, and 2024 median annual wage by detailed occupation. See the methodology below.
Cite this study
Free to reference with a link back. Please credit Smarfle Research as the source.
Ihor Lavrenenko (2026). Fastest-Growing Trades Through 2034. Smarfle Research. https://www.smarfle.com/small-business-statistics/fastest-growing-trades
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