What to study in the United States based on job demand in 2026
The field with the most open jobs in the United States is Medicine and Health, and the best paid is Accounting and Finance. Below, what to study to get into each one.
Data from jobs posted on Saplic as of September 29, 2026. They show what's being sought today, not what will happen in five years.
Figures cover private employers only: public sector agency postings are excluded from the calculation, though they remain published and searchable.
Fields in highest demand
| Field | Jobs | % of total | Median salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Health | 177 | 24% | $8,578 |
| Administration and Office | 54 | 7% | $8,828 |
| Legal Services | 44 | 6% | $12,870 |
| IT and Telecommunications | 28 | 4% | $10,242 |
| Production, Operations and Manufacturing | 25 | 3% | $6,575 |
| Customer Service and Call Center | 21 | 3% | $3,897 |
| Engineering | 21 | 3% | $11,133 |
| General Services, Cleaning and Security | 19 | 3% | $3,504 |
| Sales | 19 | 3% | $3,118 |
| Maintenance and Technical Repairs | 18 | 2% | $5,765 |
Degrees with the best prospects
| Degree or training | Level |
|---|---|
| Medicine and Health Jobs: 177 | |
| Bachelor of Nursing | University |
| Medical Degree (MD) | University |
| Clinical Laboratory Technician | Technical |
| Nursing Assistant | Trade |
| Pharmacy | Technical |
| Administration and Office Jobs: 54 | |
| Business Administration | University |
| Administration Technician | Technical |
| Executive Secretarial Studies | Technical |
| Administrative Assistant | Trade |
| Legal Services Jobs: 44 | |
| Law | University |
| Notarial Studies | University |
| Paralegal Studies | Technical |
| Compliance Management | Technical |
| IT and Telecommunications Jobs: 28 | |
| Systems Engineering | University |
| Software Development | Technical |
| Networks & Telecommunications | Technical |
| Technical Support | Trade |
| Data Analytics | Technical |
| Production, Operations and Manufacturing Jobs: 25 | |
| Production Engineering | University |
| Industrial Process Technician | Technical |
| Manufacturing Operator | Trade |
| Industrial Garment Making | Trade |
| Customer Service and Call Center Jobs: 21 | |
| Customer Service Technician | Technical |
| Conversational English | Trade |
| Business Administration | University |
| Call Center Agent | Trade |
Careers without a university degree
Fields where most listings don't require a university degree, with the short courses they do ask for.
Best-paid fields
| Field | Median salary | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Finance | $13,541 | 10 |
| Legal Services | $12,870 | 44 |
| Research and Quality | $12,117 | 17 |
| Engineering | $11,133 | 21 |
| IT and Telecommunications | $10,242 | 28 |
| Administration and Office | $8,828 | 54 |
| Medicine and Health | $8,578 | 177 |
| Production, Operations and Manufacturing | $6,575 | 25 |
| Maintenance and Technical Repairs | $5,765 | 18 |
| Customer Service and Call Center | $3,897 | 21 |
How to read these figures
These numbers show what's being sought TODAY in the United States, not what will be needed when you finish studying. They're useful for ruling things out: if a field has three open jobs in the whole country, that fact is worth more than any degree ranking.
Demand and pay don't go together. The fields with the most jobs tend to be the ones with the highest turnover, and the best-paid ones tend to have few openings and require experience. Look at both tables before deciding: the sweet spot is almost always where they overlap.
If you're not going to university, start with the short courses in the block above and look for an entry-level position in that field. In most industries, two years of real work count for more than a degree that isn't used.
Frequently asked questions
What should I study in the United States?
Based on today's open jobs, the field in highest demand is Medicine and Health. But it's worth also looking at each field's median salary and how many listings require a degree: that's what the two tables on this page are for.
Which degree has the best job prospects?
The ones that lead to the fields with the most open jobs. In the United States, today that's Medicine and Health. The degrees block lists the typical training for each of the most in-demand fields.
Can I work without a university degree?
Yes. A significant share of listings don't require a university degree: they ask for a technical qualification, completed secondary education or nothing at all. The block on careers without a degree shows which fields that happens in.
Which field pays best in the United States?
Among the fields with enough listings stating a salary, the one with the highest median is Accounting and Finance. It's the median of what listings publish, not a market average.
Are these official figures?
No. They come from the jobs posted on Saplic and show what companies are looking for on this platform. They're a demand signal, not a national statistic.
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