Table 21
United States
Fastest Growing Occupations, 1998-2008
(In thousands)
Occupation	Employment		Numerical Change	Percent Change
	1998	2008
Computer engineers	299	622	323	108
Computer support specialists	429	869	439	102
Systems analysts	617	1,194	577	94
Database administrators	87	155	67	77
Desktop publishing specialists	26	44	19	73
Paralegals and legal assistants	136	220	84	62
Personal care and home health aides	746	1,179	433	58
Medical assistants	252	398	146	58
Social and human service assistants	268	410	141	53
Physician assistant	66	98	32	48
Data processing equipment repairers	79	117	37	47
Residential counselors	190	278	88	46
Electronic semiconductor processors	63	92	29	45
Medical records and health information technicians	92	133	41	44
Physical therapy assistants and aides	82	118	36	44
Engineering, natural science, and computer and information systems	326	468	142	43
Respiratory therapists	86	123	37	43
Dental assistants	229	325	97	42
Surgical technologists	54	77	23	42
Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents	303	427	124	41
Dental hygienists	143	201	58	41
Occupational therapy assistants and aides	19	26	7	40
Cardiovascular technologists and technicians	21	29	8	39
Correction officers	383	532	148	39
Speech-language pathologists and audiologists	105	145	40	38
Social workers	604	822	218	36
Bill and account collectors	311	420	110	35
Ambulance drivers and attendants exc. EMTs	19	26	7	35
Biological Scientists	81	109	28	35
Occupational therapists	73	98	25	34
Source: Monthly Labor Review, November 1999, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics