Workforce & Labor Outlook · 2026

Future-Ready Labs - Data-Driven
Professional Development

A data-driven dashboard of workforce data, pay, and in-demand skills across: AI & Technology · Business · Design & Multimedia · Research & Writing · Sales & Development · Marketing · Software & Systems — plus how the Brand Evangelist marketplace and future-ready labs are meeting the demand.

Business

+8.7%

Projected 2024–34 growth

$79,050

Median pay

1.1M/yr

U.S. openings/yr

On our board157 roles · 35% →

Sales & Marketing

+6.4%

Projected 2024–34 growth

$72,310

Median pay

780K/yr

U.S. openings/yr

On our board54 roles · 12% →

Design & Multimedia

+4.1%

Projected 2024–34 growth

$60,420

Median pay

215K/yr

U.S. openings/yr

On our board71 roles · 16% →

AI / Technology

+17.9%

Projected 2024–34 growth

$112,720

Median pay

377K/yr

U.S. openings/yr

On our board170 roles · 38% →

Research

+13.2%

Projected 2024–34 growth

$76,540

Median pay

94K/yr

U.S. openings/yr

On our board0 roles · 0% →

Business

Business operations, project management, and people-ops roles remain the connective tissue of every growth-stage company. Operations Research Analysts and Project Management Specialists are among the fastest-growing occupations through 2034.

+8.7%

Growth

$79,050

Median

1.1M/yr

Openings/yr

Most in-demand roles

Operations Manager$98,100
Project Manager$95,370
Business / Ops Analyst$87,660
HR / People Ops$74,580
Executive Assistant$66,870

How our marketplace covers it

Live roles on the board157

35% of marketplaceView →

Upskill pathway → Brand Evangelist's Upskill Appalachia suite provides professional development curriculum to institutions and professionals in the Southern Appalachia region.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook (2024-34 projections); LinkedIn Jobs on the Rise 2025.

Sales & Marketing

Marketing managers, growth analysts, and partnership leads are in the top 15% of fastest-growing professional roles. Content, lifecycle, and partnerships hiring outpaces broad sales — especially at impact-driven brands.

+6.4%

Growth

$72,310

Median

780K/yr

Openings/yr

Most in-demand roles

Marketing Manager$159,660
Growth / Lifecycle$112,400
Account Executive$84,210
Partnerships Lead$101,300
Content Strategist$74,800

How our marketplace covers it

Live roles on the board54

12% of marketplaceView →

Upskill pathway → Brand Evangelist's Upskill Appalachia suite provides professional development curriculum to institutions and professionals in the Southern Appalachia region.

Source: BLS OOH (Marketing Managers, Sales Managers); HubSpot State of Marketing 2025; LinkedIn Talent Insights.

Design & Multimedia

Demand is bifurcating: generalist graphic and production roles are flat, while brand designers, motion designers, and video producers grew 18–24% YoY on LinkedIn. AI fluency is now table stakes for the top creative roles.

+4.1%

Growth

$60,420

Median

215K/yr

Openings/yr

Most in-demand roles

Brand / Product Designer$92,500
Video Producer / Editor$71,640
Motion Designer$84,200
Content Creator$58,300
Art Director$106,500

How our marketplace covers it

Live roles on the board71

16% of marketplaceView →

Upskill pathway → Brand Evangelist's Upskill Appalachia suite provides professional development curriculum to institutions and professionals in the Southern Appalachia region.

Source: BLS (Graphic Designers, Producers & Directors); LinkedIn Most In-Demand Skills 2025; AIGA Design Census 2024.

AI / Technology

AI-related roles are the single fastest-growing job family in the U.S. labor market. The WEF Future of Jobs 2025 projects 86% of employers expect AI to transform their business by 2030 — with AI/ML specialists, data engineers, and security engineers leading net job growth.

+17.9%

Growth

$112,720

Median

377K/yr

Openings/yr

Most in-demand roles

Software Engineer$132,270
AI / ML Engineer$165,000
Data Engineer$119,830
DevOps / Platform$127,400
Security Engineer$124,910

How our marketplace covers it

Live roles on the board170

38% of marketplaceView →

Upskill pathway → Brand Evangelist's Upskill Appalachia suite provides professional development curriculum to institutions and professionals in the Southern Appalachia region.

Source: BLS OOH (Computer & Information Tech); World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2025; LinkedIn Jobs on the Rise 2025.

Research

Research is one of the fastest-growing professional families: market research analysts, UX researchers, and data/insights roles are all projected to grow far above the U.S. average through 2034. AI is amplifying — not replacing — the need for rigorous human research and synthesis.

+13.2%

Growth

$76,540

Median

94K/yr

Openings/yr

Most in-demand roles

Market Research Analyst$74,680
UX Researcher$108,200
Insights / Data Analyst$83,640
Survey Researcher$60,860
Research Scientist$118,900

How our marketplace covers it

Live roles on the board0

0% of marketplaceView →

Upskill pathway → Brand Evangelist's Upskill Appalachia suite provides professional development curriculum to institutions and professionals in the Southern Appalachia region.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook (Market Research Analysts, Survey Researchers); Nielsen Norman Group UX Salary Report 2024.

Skills on the rise (2025–2030)

Share of employers reporting increasing demand for these skill clusters over the next five years. AI fluency is the single largest mover across every sector we cover.

AI & Big Data87%
Networks & Cybersecurity70%
Technological Literacy68%
Creative Thinking66%
Resilience, Flexibility & Agility65%
Curiosity & Lifelong Learning64%
Leadership & Social Influence61%
Talent Management58%
Analytical Thinking57%
Environmental Stewardship54%

Source: World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report 2025 (employer survey, n=1,041 employers in 55 economies).

Marketplace match

A live look at how Brand Evangelist's curated job board and talent network are filling the roles above.

452

Open roles tracked

418

Hiring brands

73%

Remote share

14%

Hybrid + on-site

Open roles by sector

Business157 · 35%
Sales & Marketing54 · 12%
Design & Multimedia71 · 16%
AI / Technology170 · 38%
Research0 · 0%

Top hiring brands (last 500 roles)

Prolific28 roles
Aisle and Abroad10 roles
Mercor6 roles
Gympass5 roles
Deel4 roles
Cubos Tecnologia3 roles
Empresa Confidencial3 roles
Belle Muse Agency3 roles
Plain Concepts3 roles
Customer.io3 roles

Source: Brand Evangelist marketplace — live aggregation from 9 RSS feeds and direct brand submissions. Updated daily at 8am EST.

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