These 10 jobs are expected to see the fastest growth over the next decade - a majority of which pay less than $27,000 a year

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Food prep workers, including fast food — Median annual pay: $21,250

Food prep workers, including fast food — Median annual pay: $21,250

The Department of Labor estimates that the food preparation workforce will have 640,100 jobs added over the next decade.

It would be the second fastest growing occupation at that rate.

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Waiters and waitresses — Median annual pay: $21,780

Waiters and waitresses — Median annual pay: $21,780

The Labor Department estimates that 170,200 waiter jobs will be added over the course of the 2020s.

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Personal care aides — Median annual pay: $24,020

Personal care aides — Median annual pay: $24,020

Personal care aides help people with chronic disabilities go about their daily activities. The Labor Department projects 881,000 jobs in this line of work will be added between 2018 and 2028.

That's the highest growth rate of any of the ten jobs, the product of an aging nation and a booming retirement population that will need attentive care.

Home health aides: Median annual pay — $24,200

Home health aides: Median annual pay — $24,200

Home health aides will see their ranks swell by 304,800 jobs over the next decade, according to Labor Department data.

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Janitors and cleaners — Median annual pay: $26,110

Janitors and cleaners — Median annual pay: $26,110

By the end of 2028, the Labor Department projects an additional 159,800 janitor and cleaning jobs in the American workforce.

Cooks — Median annual pay: $26,530

Cooks — Median annual pay: $26,530

Cooks will see their workforce balloon by an additional 299,000 jobs through the end of 2028, Labor Department data says.

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Medical assistants — Median annual pay: $33,610

Medical assistants — Median annual pay: $33,610

Medical assistants regularly complete administrative and clinical tasks within hospitals and other types of healthcare facilities.

The Labor Department projects that they'll experience 154,000 jobs added through 2028, or around 23% of the current size of their workforce.

The department cites the growing need for health workers as a result of an aging population and a booming demand for preventive healthcare.

Registered nurses — Median annual pay: $71,730

Registered nurses — Median annual pay: $71,730

There will be an additional 371,500 registered nurses by the end of 2028 in the US workforce, the Labor Department projects.

Its the third-fastest growing occupation of the 2020s but unlike other jobs, it affords a decent wage depending on the circumstances.

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General and operations managers — Median annual pay: $100,930

General and operations managers — Median annual pay: $100,930

The Labor Department estimates there will be around 165,000 more general and operations managers in the workforce at the end of 2028.

Software developers — Median annual pay: $103,620

Software developers — Median annual pay: $103,620

The BLS projects 241,500 software development jobs will be added onto the US economy through the end of 2028.

Out of all the jobs projected to grow the fastest, software development is the best-paid one.

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