Methodology note: North Texas in this analysis follows the Texas Workforce Commission’s breakdown: Dallas County, Tarrant County and North Central (14 counties: Collin, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, Wise).
North Texas is on track to keep adding jobs as the population surges toward 12 million by 2050. That’s good for the economy, but it presents a sense of urgency for residents seeking skills for in-demand work.
Workforce advocates say the barriers to good jobs include access to training, credentials and clear pathways to employment. The Texas Workforce Commission projects high annual openings through the decade, driven by company growth and job replacements.
Below is a breakdown of which jobs in North Texas are expected to add the most openings and which are set to grow fastest through 2032, as well as what they typically pay and require.
Business Briefing
Most added jobs
Across North Texas, the roles projected to have the most annual openings through 2032 are largely entry‑level and high‑turnover: fast-food and counter workers, stockers and order fillers, and laborers or material movers, according to the commission.
Fast-food workers and physical laborers typically require short-term on-the-job training and no formal education; stockers generally need a high school diploma or equivalent.
Across North Texas, fast-food and counter workers earn roughly $27,000 a year, laborers a little over $38,000 and stockers about $36,000.
TiAnna Yeldell, a 44-year-old single mom of three, works in the kitchen at Pizza Hut, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Missouri City, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay / AP
Workforce development leaders point to population gains and expansions in the food service, retail and e-commerce sectors as the drivers behind these trends.
Advocates know these are low-wage, entry-level jobs. That’s why they encourage residents to pursue certifications and training programs that lead to higher-paying jobs, such as software developers and general and operations managers.
“This reflects the region’s economic growth and the need for leadership roles across industries,” said Phedra Redifer, executive director of Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas.
A bachelor’s degree is typically required for software developers and managers, with at least five years of experience for the latter. Across North Texas, these roles typically make over $100,000, according to the commission.
Fastest-growing jobs
The fastest-growing roles across North Texas skew toward health care and data. These occupations are projected to grow the fastest through 2032 with employment greater than or equal to 1,000 jobs in 2022, according to the commission.
In Dallas County, nurse practitioners, data scientists and operations research analysts lead the fastest-growing occupations, according to the commission.
Mother Martha Penturf holds her 4-month-old son Atlas, who had open heart surgery in November 2024 performed by Dr. Kristine Guleserian, as nurse practitioner Casey Cox checks his heart beat during a checkup appointment at Medical City Children’s Hospital in Dallas on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024.
Juan Figueroa / Staff Photographer
Nurse practitioners require a master’s degree and are advanced clinicians who diagnose, treat and prescribe, often in primary care or specialty clinics.
Data scientists typically require a bachelor’s degree; they analyze datasets and build models to guide decisions and personalize products.
Operations research analysts usually require a bachelor’s degree and use math and statistics to improve deliveries, staffing and other processes.
All three roles pay over $100,000 in Dallas County, according to the commission.
Across the rest of North Texas, growth is led by physician assistants, personal financial advisers and operations research analysts. Each of these roles pays over $90,000, according to the commission.
Physician assistants typically require a master’s degree. Advisers usually require a bachelor’s degree, and officials note long‑term on‑the‑job training is also typical.
Workforce leaders say suburban growth, aging demographics and broader digital adoption are driving demand.
“This surge in tech, health care and finance jobs highlights a strong demand for specialized skills and signals where future workforce investments may need to focus,” said Robert Sturns, executive director of Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County.
What’s next
Residents can reach out to the Dallas, Tarrant and North Central Texas workforce boards to learn more about the programs available for anyone seeking employment.
This reporting is part of the Future of North Texas, a community-funded journalism initiative supported by the Commit Partnership, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Lisa and Charles Siegel, the McCune-Losinger Family Fund, The Meadows Foundation, the Perot Foundation, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the University of Texas at Dallas. The News retains full editorial control of this coverage.