Life expectancy in the United States rebounded in 2022, rising from 76.4 years in 2021 to 77.5 years — a 1.1 year increase. But COVID-19 and drug overdoses remained deadly. Still, COVID-related deaths dropped to the fourth-leading cause of death, while unintentional injury, which mostly comprises drug overdoses, became the third-leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer, according to data published this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Also see: Countries Where Pollution Reduction Would Increase Life Expectancy the Most.)
“Drug overdoses are one of the leading causes of injury death in adults and have risen over the past several decades in the United States,” the CDC notes, mentioning specifically, overdoses involving synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, and stimulants, such as cocaine and methamphetamine.
According to the CDC data, 107,941 drug overdose deaths occurred in 2022, resulting in an age-adjusted rate of 32.6 deaths per 100,000 people — nearly quadruple the rate in 2002 of 8.2 deaths per 100,000. In a glimmer of hope, the CDC says the rate did not significantly change between 2021 and 2022. Of course, these rates are not uniform across the country and differ by geography, gender, racial background — and even jobs.
To determine the jobs with the most overdose deaths, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on drug overdose mortality by usual occupation from the National Vital Statistics System of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The 22 major occupation groups are ranked here based on the age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate per 100,000 workers aged 16 to 64 in 2020. Supplemental data on total employment and median annual wage is from the May 2022 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
No occupation — be it low wage or high wage, blue collar or one that requires an advanced degree — is immune to drug use, and drug overdose deaths occur in every single major job group. The drug overdose death rate for all occupations is 42.1 deaths per 100,000 workers. However, it ranges among occupations from 5.9 deaths per 100,000 education, training, and library workers to a whopping 162.6 deaths per 100,000 construction and extraction workers. (Also see: Most Dangerous Jobs in the United States.)
Though no occupation is immune to drug overdose deaths, it seems lower-income jobs tend to have higher drug overdose death rates. Seven of the nine jobs with a drug overdose death rate above the average rate have a lower median wage than the median wage for all jobs of $46,310. Similarly, among the 10 jobs with the lowest death rate, only one has a lower median wage than the national median. Meanwhile, seven of the 10 jobs with the lowest death rates have a median wage above $74,000, including two that have an annual median wage above $100,000.
22. Education, training, and library
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 5.9 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 547
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 8.5 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $57,490
21. Computer and mathematical
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 9.1 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 519
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 5.0 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $100,440
20. Business and financial operations
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 10.9 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 900
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 9.7 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $76,850
19. Life, physical, and social science
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 15.9 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 244
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 1.3 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $74,330
18. Architecture and engineering
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 16.8 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 503
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 2.5 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $83,700
17. Healthcare practitioners and technical
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 17.2 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 1,637
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 9.0 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $77,760
16. Management
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 18.6 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 2,922
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 9.9 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $107,360
15. Legal
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 19.1 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 271
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 1.2 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $95,170
14. Office and administrative support
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 22.6 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 3,277
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 18.7 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $40,910
13. Community and social services
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 22.6 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 563
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 2.3 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $49,380
12. Protective service
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 27.4 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 755
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 3.4 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $45,450
11. Healthcare support
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 37.5 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 1,674
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 6.8 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $33,600
10. Sales and related
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 39.0 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 4,902
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 13.2 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $35,290
9. Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 45.7 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 1,370
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 2.1 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $58,030
8. Farming, fishing, and forestry
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 51.3 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 542
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 461,750
- Annual median wage in 2022: $33,970
7. Production
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 53.3 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 3,843
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 8.7 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $39,910
6. Installation, maintenance, and repair
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 69.9 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 3,314
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 5.8 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $50,080
5. Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 70.0 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 3,387
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 4.3 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $33,870
4. Transportation and material moving
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 70.7 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 7,355
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 13.6 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $37,940
3. Personal care and service
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 74.0 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 2,479
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 2.8 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $31,340
2. Food preparation and serving-related
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 117.9 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 6,459
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 12.5 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $29,640
1. Construction and extraction
- Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in 2020: 162.6 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Total annual drug overdoses in 2022: 12,660
- Total occupational employment in 2022: 6.1 million
- Annual median wage in 2022: $50,570
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