Understanding current employment trends is crucial for both individuals navigating their careers and policymakers shaping the future. This report delves into the most common jobs in every US state, shedding light on the nation's diverse job market and providing insights into shifting employment patterns.
The job market is in a constant state of flux, influenced by factors such as technological advancements, demographic shifts, and economic changes.
By examining government data, this report aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the employment landscape. This will allow readers to grasp the nuances of job prevalence and opportunities across the United States.
In this section, we delve into the overarching employment trends in the United States, drawing from the latest data and forecasts.
By exploring the sectors driving job growth, the dynamics of the labor market, and the broader economic factors at play, we offer a comprehensive snapshot of the current and future state of employment across the nation.
While trade jobs are often very hands-on, many people equate a trade job with a job demanding a lot of manual labor but this is a misconception. Plenty of well-paying trades are not physically demanding (such as many of the trades featured below).
As of December 2023, the U.S. employment landscape is dominated by several key sectors, each contributing significantly to the workforce. Based on Statista's data, here's a breakdown of the top seven industries by the number of employees:
The Conference Board's economic forecast provides a nuanced perspective on future economic and consumer behavior trends. As consumers struggle with dwindling pandemic savings and household debt, it predicts “two quarters of slightly negative GDP growth in Q2 and Q3 2024” that will “be broadly felt across the economy.”
The Conference Board further comments “overall consumer spending growth will slow in Q1 2024 and then contract in Q2 and Q3 2024.” But they don’t anticipate labor market conditions to significantly deteriorate, as they did in prior recessions. Also, as “inflation and interest rates abate, consumption should expand once again in late 2024.”
According to the IMF, global inflation is forecast to “decline steadily” down to 5.8 percent in 2024, largely because of “tighter monetary policy aided by lower international commodity prices.”
Domestically, some economists believe the inflation “battle has largely been won” although others predict a “mild recession” in 2024.
Per the The Conference Board's forecast, the labor market tightness that was so persistent in 2023, may be showing some signs of moderation. In fact, we may see conditions conducive to economic rebound in the future.
The Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) July 2023 Economic Outlook predicts unemployment to increase to 4.7% by the end of 2024 before falling to 4.5% in 2025. As of the end of 2023, the unemployment rate according to the BLS December 2023 report stood at 3.7%, which is .4 lower than the CBO’s July prediction.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the majority of the employment gains over the next decade will occur in industries like healthcare and social services; the professional, scientific, and technical services sector; and the transportation and warehousing sectors.
Healthcare, in particular, will see rapid employment growth of 45% due to “an aging population and the growing prevalence of chronic conditions.” As for the professional, scientific, and technical services sector, it will likely be “driven by the growing demand for information technology (IT) products and services.”
Meanwhile, the transportation and warehousing sector is expected to be the fourth-fastest-growing from 2022 to 2032, adding nearly 570,000 jobs – the third-largest increase across all sectors. Most of these job gains will come from couriers, express delivery services, and warehousing and storage industries.
Warehouses are increasingly integrating automated systems such as robotic shuttle carts and packaging machines to enhance efficiency in picking, sorting, and packaging functions. The surge in demand for warehouse automation during the pandemic-driven e-commerce boom is expected to continue with a particular emphasis on the widespread adoption of warehouse robotics, creating demand for roles like robotics technicians.
In fact, demand for warehousing and storage is expected to be so strong that, despite jobs being replaced due to increased AI and automation, the substantial growth in e-commerce is anticipated to outweigh this effect, supporting “strong job growth in the industry overall.”
While the short-term outlook indicates some economic challenges, the US job market's long-term prospects remain robust, driven by sectoral shifts, technological advancements, and demographic changes.
In this section, we present a detailed alphabetical breakdown of each US state, highlighting the top three jobs as of May 2022. This data, the latest available from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, provides a revealing glimpse into the unique employment landscapes across the nation.
As we conclude this comprehensive report, the patterns that emerge offer valuable insights for both job seekers and policymakers. The state-by-state analysis, underpinned by the latest data from the BLS, reveals a multifaceted job market. It offers a glimpse into how regional nuances and industry-specific trends shape the employment landscape in each state.
Several findings emerge at the end of our exploration, each shedding light on different aspects of the US job market. These insights provide a clearer picture of the current employment dynamics and forecast future trends. Let’s go over the highlights:
The jobs listed below consistently appear among the top three occupations across multiple US states, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The percentages represent how frequently each job appears in the top three across the 50 states, providing an indication of their prevalence in state job markets.
Appearing in the top three jobs in 64% of states, retail salespersons are responsible for selling merchandise and assisting customers in retail environments. They are often the first point of contact for customers and play a vital role in the consumer industry.
Fast food and counter workers appeared in the top three jobs in 42% of states. These workers manage tasks such as taking orders, serving food and beverages, and handling payments, primarily in fast-food and quick-service establishments.
General and operations managers appeared in the top three jobs in 40% of states. They oversee the operations of organizations, including formulating policies, managing daily activities, and planning the use of resources.
Being in the top three jobs in 34% of the states, cashiers handle transactions and are often the final point of contact for customers making purchases, playing a crucial role in the shopping experience.
Registered nurses appeared in the top three jobs in 30% of the states; they assess and monitor patient health, develop nursing care plans, and provide education and preventative care services.
For individuals navigating the job market, understanding these key findings can be instrumental in planning a successful career path.
For policymakers, these findings offer valuable guidance for shaping future economic and workforce development strategies.
The employment landscape in the US is as diverse as it is dynamic. By staying informed about these patterns and trends, individuals and policymakers can navigate the complexities of the job market more effectively. This report offers a detailed look at the employment scenario across the nation and provides a foundation for strategic planning and decision-making.
Keep reading for more insightful analyses and detailed reports illuminating the intricacies of the job market and paving the way toward a prosperous economic future.
In determining the most common jobs across different US states, our methodology was both straightforward and data-driven. Using the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as our primary source, we accessed the State and Area Employment (SAE) program's extensive database. This program offers detailed, state-specific employment and wage information, presenting data in an easily interpretable format.
For each state, the BLS produces bar graphs that visually depict employment numbers across various job categories. These graphs serve as an efficient tool for identifying the most common jobs. Our process involved analyzing these bar graphs state by state.
To select the top three jobs in each state, we identified the jobs represented by the tallest bars in these graphs. This approach ensured that our findings are rooted in the latest available data, reflecting the current employment landscape in each state without the need for complex statistical analyses.