4 Growing Career Fields Where a Ph.D. Increases Job Options
Despite years of advanced training, many Ph.D. graduates face a tough job market, especially those pursuing tenure-track positions in higher education. Still, some doctoral fields are bucking that trend.
“There are several areas where Ph.D.-educated job seekers are in high demand right now, both nationally and globally,” says career counselor Josh Henkin, who has a Ph.D. and is founder of STEM Career Services, which helps STEM professionals find and sustain careers.
Here are four fields that stand out for offering especially promising job opportunities for doctoral graduates.
[Read: How Long Does it Take to Get a Ph.D. Degree and Should You Get One?]
AI and Machine Learning
Careers tied to artificial intelligence and data technologies are growing faster than other segments of the U.S. labor market, experts say. Data scientists are in particularly high demand as companies expand their use of AI and data analytics.
Data scientists earned a median annual salary of about $112,590 in 2024 and are projected to see 34% job growth through 2034, per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Computer and information research scientists earned a higher median salary, about $140,910, with employment projected to grow 20% over the same period.
Those job growth forecasts are far higher than the average across all occupations, which is just 3.1%. Although you need only a bachelor’s degree to earn these salaries, a Ph.D. will often boost your salary, Henkin says.
“Ph.D.s are a bit more specialized and it is more difficult to acquire that training and experience unless you have that academic training,” he says.
While AI may automate some tasks, the BLS projects continued strong demand for workers who develop, maintain and analyze AI systems.
“The demand for Ph.D.s in this space goes beyond traditional software engineering roles to filling positions as AI research scientists, machine learning architects and AI ethics leads,” Henkin says.
These roles demand complex problem-solving, original thinking and new knowledge, which are skills that advanced degree programs are designed to develop, he says.
“Candidates with Ph.D.s are well-positioned to excel in these types of environments because they bring both deep technical expertise and the research mindset needed to push boundaries.”
Nursing
BLS data shows strong growth in health care and research roles that doctoral-prepared nurses typically hold, such as medical scientists, postsecondary nursing faculty and other advanced positions. The median annual wage for postsecondary nursing instructors and teachers in 2024 was $79,940 and employment is projected to grow by about 16.8% from 2024 to 2034.
Nurses in the U.S. with a Ph.D. often earn significantly higher, with a current average annual salary of $108,675, but pay can vary widely by location and job, according to data from ZipRecruiter, a virtual employment marketplace. The top 6% of nurses with a Ph.D. earn more than $150,000 a year on average, per ZipRecruiter.
A Ph.D. enables nurses to play a leading role in shaping the nursing profession and the health care system, says Robert Rosseter, spokesperson for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
“With less than 2% of registered nurses currently holding a Ph.D., RNs with this terminal degree are in high demand to serve as researchers, faculty, organizational leaders, policy advocates and innovators,” he says.
[READ: 7 Critical Steps to Find the Right Grad School]
Ph.D. nurses strengthen the scientific foundation of nursing by advancing evidence-based care, informing policy and addressing the needs of diverse patients, Rosseter says.
AACN data indicate that about half of Ph.D. nursing graduates take roles in schools of nursing, including teaching, research and postdoctoral fellowships, he says. About 20% work in clinical roles, Rosseter adds, while others go into government, corporate, military, consulting and leadership positions.
Biotechnology and Biomedical Sciences
BLS data shows solid prospects across biotechnology and biomedical fields. Medical scientists earned about $100,590 in median annual wages in 2024 with 9% projected job growth through 2024, while biochemists and biophysicists earned roughly $103,650 with 6% growth. Biomedical engineers and microbiologists see slower but steady growth of about 5% and 4%, respectively.
ZipRecruiter estimates that the average annual pay for a Ph.D. in biotech in California, a major biotech hub, is $126,463, though compensation can vary, particularly based on location.
The biotechnology industry is constantly growing to meet the needs of patients, and Ph.D.-trained researchers are central to moving medical discoveries from basic research to licensed products, Henkin says.
“One area of particular growth right now is in the cell and gene therapy space,” he says, adding that advancements in cell therapies and immunotherapies “require people with sophisticated training who can lead cutting-edge research.”
Henkin notes that a recent summary of the 2026 J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in California pointed to cell therapies and advanced combined drug treatments as among top technological methods. “This growth would not be possible without the work of Ph.D. graduates to develop, refine and push the boundaries of the application of these technologies.”
Climate Science and Sustainability
Climate and sustainability efforts are driving demand for Ph.D.s in roles in renewable energy research, clean energy, carbon capture technology development, climate modeling and environmental policy analysis, Henkin says.
“Ph.D.s are particularly valuable here because climate solutions require interdisciplinary thinking, sophisticated data analysis and the ability to translate complex science into actionable strategies,” he says.
Environmental scientists and specialists, who typically are involved in climate research, sustainability analysis and environmental policy work, had a median annual wage of about $80,060 in 2024 and are projected to have a 4% job growth from 2024 to 2034, according to BLS figures.
There’s growing demand for Ph.D. science fellows at state and federal government levels, and in private industry and climate-focused organizations, Henkin says.
Before jumping into a Ph.D. program, Henkin recommends, “start working in an industry and gain some real-world experience and then determine if an advanced degree is needed to advance as far as you want professionally.”
[Read: Why Go to Graduate School? The Best and Worst Reasons.]
Ph.D.-bound students should understand that the job landscape can change during your studies, says Annie Maxfield, director of the graduate school’s Office of Career and Life Design at The University of Texas at Austin.
“What may be true when they enter has the potential to be vastly different when they leave,” says Maxfield, who also is design and development lead for ImaginePhD, a career exploration and planning platform for social sciences and humanities. “We are living in a time of immense change, and the Ph.D. is a credential that is rigorous and all consuming.”
While a Ph.D. is not something a student will regret achieving, it’s important to approach career paths with some flexibility, she says.
For students who know what they want in a workplace and can effectively articulate their value to employers, Maxfield says, “the Ph.D. is training that will support their growth for the rest of their life.”
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4 Growing Career Fields Where a Ph.D. Increases Job Options originally appeared on usnews.com