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13 Dying Professions That Aren’t Worth Pursuing in 2026

Steer clear of these disappearing careers if you want to retire on time.

Cash desk with cashier serves customer in modern supermarket
Michelle Smith
By Michelle Smith
Calista Headrick
Edited by Calista Headrick
Updated Jan. 7, 2026
Fact check checkmark icon Fact checked

Whether you're new to the job market or hoping to switch careers to better prepare yourself financially for a successful retirement, choosing the right career field is essential. But in an ever-shifting job market, it's hard to know whether the field you're interested in is viable long-term.

Fortunately, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) frequently releases information on industry-specific job trends, which makes it easier to pinpoint careers worth pursuing in the new year.

Below, we list several professions that BLS data indicates are already trending downwards — and that are likely to continue to do so in the new year and beyond.

Editor's note: Job and industry information comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

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Bank tellers

Decline: 13%

The rise of online, app-based banking means fewer and fewer Americans are interacting with in-person tellers. As a result, bank-telling jobs are projected to drop 13% between now and 2034, which means a decrease of nearly 45,000 jobs.

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Bill collectors

Decline: 10%

If you owe money to a creditor, you're much more likely to be harassed by daily robocalls or automated texts than by a real person. While there are 166,900 bill and account collectors today, the industry is expected to decline by 10% over the next decade.

Cashiers

Decline: 10%

Plenty of grocery and department stores still employ human cashiers, but most stores also have automated self-checkout services for customers. While those self-service counters are still overseen by employees, the total number of cashier jobs is expected to drop 10%, which means a decrease of 313,600 jobs over time.

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Computer programmer

Decline: 6%

Programming was once recommended as a steady, lucrative career for STEM-minded college graduates, but the recent rise of generative AI has left fewer programming jobs for real humans. Since GenAI is not as gifted with creative tasks, it's not likely to eliminate all software programming jobs forever, but for now, the job market is trending downward at a rate of 6%.

Tailors

Decline: 4%

While tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers will likely always be in demand for weddings and other big events, tailoring everyday clothes has gone out of style. While sewing could be a useful side gig for some, a projected 4% decline in sewing jobs means you probably shouldn't try to make a career out of it.

Customer service representatives

Decline: 5%

Having a hard time reaching an actual person when you call a customer service line? Expect your quest to speak with a real human to get harder over the next 10 years. Jobs in the customer service industry are expected to drop 5% between now and 2034, which is a decrease of 153,700 jobs.

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Door-to-door sales workers

Decline: 10%

Picking up a newspaper route and selling pest control in the summers were once staples of American adolescence, but all door-to-door sales jobs are trending down. The 2,500-job decline includes not just door-to-door salespeople but news and street vendors as well.

Floral designers

Decline: 6%

Unless you work in a part of the country that sees a lot of weddings, you might need to put your dreams of becoming a florist on hold for the foreseeable future. The field is expected to shrink 6% over the next 10 years. According to the BLS, that means 2,600 fewer jobs from 2024 to 2034.

Jewelers

Decline: 5%

Consumers cut back on almost all luxury purchases in 2025, except for jewelry. But in spite of booming sales, nearly 2,000 jewelry-related jobs are expected to drop off the market in the next decade. If you've been dreaming of repairing or crafting jewelry, approaching it as a hobby instead of a career might be the smarter financial move.

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Locksmiths

Decline: 8%

Smart locks are more affordable and more popular than ever, which could help explain why traditional locksmithing jobs are going away. The BLS anticipates an 8% decline in jobs like safe installation, keymaking, and lock repair.

Non-emergency dispatchers

Decline: 1%

Although emergency dispatchers (those who answer 911 calls) remain in high demand, non-emergency dispatchers who help schedule work crews and service calls are dropping. The projected 1% decline includes a decrease of 2,100 jobs.

School bus monitors

Decline: 3%

While school bus drivers are still very much in demand, fewer of them have ride-along monitors who keep an eye on the kids in the backseats. For now, around 74,100 school bus monitor jobs exist, but the BLS anticipates a 3% decline.

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Telecommunications technicians

Decline: 3%

While telecommunications companies still rely heavily on repair workers to deal with internet and cell phone outages, the field is shrinking year over year. Of the 268,500 technician jobs today, 8,600 are expected to disappear.

Bottom line

While small and incremental changes can go a long way toward reducing money-related anxiety, sometimes the best way to eliminate money stress is to pivot into an entirely new career. Whether your career is on the list above or you're just eager for a job change, think about making job hunting your number-one New Year's resolution.

It could take a few months to find something you truly love, but dusting off your resume, practicing your interview skills, and targeting jobs in growing industries is a great start.

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