The hardest jobs to fill in 2027 sit at the intersection of aging workforces, fast-changing technology, and too few people entering certain careers. Many industrial countries face years of tight labor markets, with low labor-force participation, slower immigration in some places, and waves of baby boomer retirements.

If you are choosing a major or planning a career move, knowing where employers cannot find enough people can be a real advantage. This guide ranks five of the hardest majors and careers to hire for using current survey and government data, and explains what each shortage means for students and job seekers.

Key Takeaways

• In ManpowerGroup’s 2026 survey, 72%of employers worldwide and 69% in the United States reported difficulty finding talent 
• AI skills now top the global list of the hardest skills to find, ahead of engineering, sales and marketing, and manufacturing.
• Skilled trades, health care and manufacturing remain under pressure because of retirements and fewer new entrants.
• The old idea that STEM careers are safe from shortages no longer holds: demand for data and AI talent is outrunning supply.

How We Ranked the Hardest Jobs to Fill

We looked at three things: how many employers say they cannot find workers in the field, how fast the government expects the occupations to grow, and how large the projected gap between jobs and qualified people could be. No single list covers every country, so the order below is our editorial judgment based on the sources linked in each section.

5 Jobs That Will Be The Hardest To Fill In 2027

1. AI, Data and Technology Roles

For the first time, AI skills top the global talent shortage. In its 2026 Talent Shortage survey, ManpowerGroup found that employers found AI model and application development (20%) and AI literacy (19%) the hardest skills to find, followed by engineering at 19%. The information sector reported the highest overall shortage rate at 75%.

Government projections point the same way. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects data scientists to grow 34.6% between 2025 and 2035, one of the fastest-growing occupations, according to a summary of the 2025 to 2035 projections. Older reports claimed computer science was the one field not at risk. That is no longer true because employers want people who can build, manage, and question AI tools, not just write code.

What it means for students: pair a technical major with real project work. Data analysis, machine learning, and cybersecurity skills are in demand across almost every industry.

2. Skilled Trades

Electricians, machinists, welders, and similar workers remain hard to replace. Many are close to retirement, fewer young people choose these paths, and the work is difficult to outsource or fully automate. Tools are changing too, as modern welding and machining equipment becomes more automated and rewards workers who can run advanced systems.

The numbers support the trend. The BLS projects electrician jobs to grow 9% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, with about 72,700 openings a year and a median wage of $63,190 as of May 2025. The entry requirement is a high school diploma plus an apprenticeship. Newer trades such as solar installers (36.5% projected growth) and wind turbine technicians (29.5%) are also expanding quickly.

What it means for students: A paid apprenticeship can lead to a good income without university debt, and demand will likely stay strong as power grids, data centers, and housing all need more skilled labor.

3. Health Care

As populations age, demand for care grows faster than the number of trained providers. Nurse practitioners top the BLS list of the fastest-growing jobs for 2025 to 2035 at 41%, while physical therapist assistants are projected to grow 23%, according to the same projections summary. Those assistant roles were already flagged as high-risk in older shortage research, and the trend has continued.

Nursing supply is uneven. The federal HRSA nursing projections show a small projected registered nurse shortage of 3% in 2038, but a much larger 30% shortfall for licensed practical nurses. Doctors and advanced nurses need years of education that many students cannot reach, while support roles such as home health aides often pay too little to attract enough workers.

What it means for students: assistant and technician programs are shorter and cheaper than medical school, and they feed into many bridge programs for nurses and therapists later.

4. Manufacturing and Engineering

Manufacturing keeps surprising people. The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte estimate the sector could need as many as 3.8 million additional employees between 2024 and 2033, and 1.9 million of those jobs could go unfilled if skills and applicant gaps go unaddressed. That is about half of the skilled openings.

The causes are familiar: retiring baby boomers, a modern workforce that expects flexibility, and rising demand for digital skills as factories adopt automation. In the ManpowerGroup survey, 72% of manufacturers reported difficulty hiring, and manufacturing and production appear among the hardest skill groups to find. Many young people still see factory work as dirty or dated, even though modern plants pay well and use advanced technology.

What it means for students: engineering, robotics, and production management offer clear career paths, and 47% of manufacturers surveyed say apprenticeships and internships are the best way to build interest in the field.

5. Sales and Marketing

Online shopping doesn’t eliminate the need for salespeople. It changed what they do. Sales and marketing ranked fourth among the hardest skills to find in the ManpowerGroup survey, at 18%. Employers want people who understand social media and data and who also have the psychology skills to position a product so buyers actually want it.

What it means for students: a business, marketing, or communications degree combined with analytics and AI tools is a strong mix, since the shortage is in people who can do both the human and the technical sides of selling.

How to Choose a Career Where Jobs Are Hard to Fill

A shortage does not guarantee a good job, but it does improve your bargaining power. Start by matching your strengths to one of the five areas, then check local demand, because shortages vary by region. Compare training time and cost, since an apprenticeship, a two-year program, and a four-year degree lead to different starting points. If you live in Canada, our guide to in-demand jobs in Canada shows where local employers are hiring.

Frequently Asked Questions

What jobs are hardest to fill in 2027?

Based on current survey and government data, the hardest roles to fill are AI and data jobs; skilled trades such as electricians; health care roles, including nursing and therapy assistants; manufacturing and engineering jobs; and sales and marketing positions.

Why are so many jobs hard to fill?

The main causes are baby-boomer retirements, fewer young people entering trades and manufacturing, an aging population that needs more health care, and technology changing skills faster than training programs can keep up.

Are STEM jobs still safe from shortages?

STEM careers have strong demand, but they are no longer shortage-free. Employers now say AI, engineering, and data skills are among the hardest to find, so graduates with those skills are well positioned.

Which hard-to-fill job needs the least schooling?

According to the BLS, electricians typically need a high school diploma and an apprenticeship. Many health care support roles also need only short certificate programs.

Will AI make these jobs disappear?

Trades and hands-on health care roles are difficult to automate fully. AI is more likely to change how work is done in tech, sales, and marketing, so workers who learn to use it will have the advantage.

The Bottom Line

The hardest jobs to fill in 2027 are the ones where demand is growing faster than the pipeline of trained workers. If you can build skills in AI and data, a skilled trade, health care, manufacturing, or modern sales, you’ll likely have options for years to come.\