Discover the Top 10 Best Jobs in the US for 2026 as Ranked by Indeed
Panelists Taylor Riggs, Kenny Polcari, and Jason Chaffetz discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs and children on ‘FOX Business In Depth.’
As hiring slows across much of the U.S., certain jobs are emerging as particularly resilient. Roles that require hands-on expertise and a human touch are proving to be especially durable, as highlighted in Indeed’s 2026 Best Jobs in the U.S. list. This ranking analyzed thousands of job postings nationwide to identify roles where workers are most likely to “get hired and thrive,” according to Indeed.
The job search platform evaluated these roles based on key factors such as above-average pay, immediate demand, wage growth, hiring momentum, and remote work flexibility.
Here are the 10 best jobs in the U.S. for 2026, according to Indeed:
1. Cardiac Medical Tech
- Estimated median annual salary: $133,907
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 224
- Share of remote postings: 2%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 34%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): 34%
AI WON’T KILL YOUR JOB, BUT IT WILL CHANGE WHAT ‘REAL WORK’ MEANS, ROBINHOOD CEO SAYS
A nurse tends to a patient. (iStock / iStock)
2. Truck Driver Owner-Operator
- Estimated median annual salary: $160,000
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 7,529
- Share of remote postings: 1%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): -5%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): 39%
3. Nurse Practitioner
- Estimated median annual salary: $143,183
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 2,874
- Share of remote postings: 10%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 10%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): -2%
4. Speech Language Pathologist
- Estimated median annual salary: $109,431
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 191
- Share of remote postings: 8%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 14%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): 11%
5. Licensed Professional Counselor
- Estimated median annual salary: $107,812
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 286
- Share of remote postings: 32%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 33%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): -17%
Trucks parked at a truck stop in Missouri (iStock / iStock)
CONSUMER SENTIMENT RISES ABOVE EXPECTATIONS IN JANUARY BUT REMAINS BELOW LAST YEAR’S LEVEL
6. Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- Estimated median annual salary: $119,618
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 1,016
- Share of remote postings: 32%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 20%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): -32%
7. Physical Therapist
- Estimated median annual salary: $110,848
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 6,299
- Share of remote postings: 2%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 8%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): 0%
8. Occupational Therapist
- Estimated median annual salary: $105,580
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 4,147
- Share of remote postings: 3%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 6%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): 13%
9. Radiation Therapist
- Estimated median annual salary: $115,923
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 239
- Share of remote postings: 3%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 26%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): 8%
US ECONOMY ADDED 50K JOBS IN DECEMBER AS UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DECLINES
Data scientists working on computers. (iStock / iStock)
10. Data Scientist
- Estimated median annual salary: $115,079
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 958
- Share of remote postings: 35%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): -3%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): 15%
Healthcare jobs overwhelmingly dominated the full list, which also includes roles such as sign language interpreter, HVAC technician, attorney, software engineer, field engineer, project manager, business analyst, electrical foreman, and more.
“The labor market overall has been in this low-hire, stagnant space for the last year,” stated Laura Ullrich, North America research director for the Indeed Hiring Lab. “One major exception is healthcare. Only 11% of total jobs are in healthcare, but it represents 72% of the job growth [in the broader job market].”
The ranking comes as the U.S. labor market shows signs of cooling.
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The Labor Department reported that employers added 50,000 jobs in December, a figure that fell short of economists’ expectations, who had projected an addition of 60,000 jobs for the month.
FOX Business’ Eric Revell contributed to this report.
Panelists Taylor Riggs, Kenny Polcari, and Jason Chaffetz discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs and children on ‘FOX Business In Depth.’
As hiring slows across much of the U.S., certain jobs are emerging as particularly resilient. Roles that require hands-on expertise and a human touch are proving to be especially durable, as highlighted in Indeed’s 2026 Best Jobs in the U.S. list. This ranking analyzed thousands of job postings nationwide to identify roles where workers are most likely to “get hired and thrive,” according to Indeed.
The job search platform evaluated these roles based on key factors such as above-average pay, immediate demand, wage growth, hiring momentum, and remote work flexibility.
Here are the 10 best jobs in the U.S. for 2026, according to Indeed:
1. Cardiac Medical Tech
- Estimated median annual salary: $133,907
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 224
- Share of remote postings: 2%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 34%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): 34%
AI WON’T KILL YOUR JOB, BUT IT WILL CHANGE WHAT ‘REAL WORK’ MEANS, ROBINHOOD CEO SAYS
A nurse tends to a patient. (iStock / iStock)
2. Truck Driver Owner-Operator
- Estimated median annual salary: $160,000
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 7,529
- Share of remote postings: 1%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): -5%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): 39%
3. Nurse Practitioner
- Estimated median annual salary: $143,183
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 2,874
- Share of remote postings: 10%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 10%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): -2%
4. Speech Language Pathologist
- Estimated median annual salary: $109,431
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 191
- Share of remote postings: 8%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 14%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): 11%
5. Licensed Professional Counselor
- Estimated median annual salary: $107,812
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 286
- Share of remote postings: 32%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 33%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): -17%
Trucks parked at a truck stop in Missouri (iStock / iStock)
CONSUMER SENTIMENT RISES ABOVE EXPECTATIONS IN JANUARY BUT REMAINS BELOW LAST YEAR’S LEVEL
6. Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- Estimated median annual salary: $119,618
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 1,016
- Share of remote postings: 32%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 20%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): -32%
7. Physical Therapist
- Estimated median annual salary: $110,848
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 6,299
- Share of remote postings: 2%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 8%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): 0%
8. Occupational Therapist
- Estimated median annual salary: $105,580
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 4,147
- Share of remote postings: 3%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 6%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): 13%
9. Radiation Therapist
- Estimated median annual salary: $115,923
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 239
- Share of remote postings: 3%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): 26%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): 8%
US ECONOMY ADDED 50K JOBS IN DECEMBER AS UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DECLINES
Data scientists working on computers. (iStock / iStock)
10. Data Scientist
- Estimated median annual salary: $115,079
- Share of job postings per 1 million on Indeed: 958
- Share of remote postings: 35%
- Wage growth (past 3 years): -3%
- Job postings growth (past 3 years): 15%
Healthcare jobs overwhelmingly dominated the full list, which also includes roles such as sign language interpreter, HVAC technician, attorney, software engineer, field engineer, project manager, business analyst, electrical foreman, and more.
“The labor market overall has been in this low-hire, stagnant space for the last year,” stated Laura Ullrich, North America research director for the Indeed Hiring Lab. “One major exception is healthcare. Only 11% of total jobs are in healthcare, but it represents 72% of the job growth [in the broader job market].”
The ranking comes as the U.S. labor market shows signs of cooling.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
The Labor Department reported that employers added 50,000 jobs in December, a figure that fell short of economists’ expectations, who had projected an addition of 60,000 jobs for the month.
FOX Business’ Eric Revell contributed to this report.
