Special Report
The Most Iconic Job in Every State
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Within the nation’s robust and diverse economy, each state stands out in certain trades and industries. Texas has established itself as the country’s largest oil producer, California the largest agricultural producer, and Georgia one of the primary textile manufacturers. A state’s most iconic job can often provide a useful snapshot of its entire economy.
Using workforce composition data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the location quotient of every job in every state. A location quotient is a measure of relative concentration, which compares the state and national workforce compositions of a particular job. A state’s most iconic job is defined as the job with the highest location quotient, or the most unusually common, occupation in that state.
Iconic jobs tend to reflect the industrial composition of a geographic area. In West Virginia for example, where mining is the largest contributor to the state’s GDP, roof bolting — a legal requirement for all U.S. coal mines — is the most iconic job. In an interview with 24/7 Wall St., Martin Kohli, Chief Regional Economist at the BLS, explained that a state’s most iconic job is often within its largest industry. “The iconic occupations for Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma are also all associated with the oil and gas industry, and that’s not a surprise.”
Click here to see the most iconic jobs in every state.
Similarly, the game supervisor occupation is the most iconic job in Nevada, one of the few places with legalized gambling. The state’s art, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services industry is also the largest contributor to Nevada’s GDP, and employs over one quarter of the state’s workforce, the highest share compared to the same industry in other states by a significant margin.
In other cases, a state’s most iconic job is not in alignment with its dominant industry. For example, despite Silicon Valley’s well-known computer industry, California’s most iconic job is not in the technology sector. As Kohli explained, software design and web development jobs are simply more evenly distributed across the country than a lot people are aware of, making these occupations less unique to California than others.
A state’s most iconic job is by no means its most common job. In almost every case, the occupation with the highest location quotient comprises far less than 1% of the state’s workforce. While in New York, fashion designers jobs are more uniquely concentrated than any other occupation, they still comprise just 0.8% of the state’s workforce. A state’s iconic occupation tends to account for a major segment of all such jobs in the country, however. The 7,190 fashion designers in New York may be a small share of the state’s total workforce, but amount to 40.3% of the 17,840 fashion designers nationwide.
Employment in a state’s iconic occupation is no guarantee of a high wage. In about half of all states, the typical employee in the iconic occupation earns more than the national median salary for the position. In the other half of states, employees in the iconic occupation earn less.
To identify the most iconic job in each state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the highest location quotient for each job in each state with data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). If an occupation was identified as iconic, but only comprised one of every 2,000 jobs or fewer, the next most iconic job was considered instead. State and national median salaries also came from the BLS. GDP contribution by industry came from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). State workforce compositions came from the U.S. census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). All data are as of 2014, the most recent period for which data is available.
In the case of nine states, the iconic job listed was a subset of a broader BLS occupation class for which no greater level of detail was provided. These jobs included: mining machine operators, food processing workers, special education teachers, grounds maintenance workers, metal workers and plastic workers, extraction workers, logging workers, and legal support workers.
These are the most iconic jobs in each state.
1. Alabama
> Most iconic job: Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 1,850
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $46,320
About one in every 1,000 workers in Alabama is a metal or plastic layout worker. This share is about 10 times greater than the share of such workers nationwide, making metal or plastic layout worker the most iconic job in the state. Layout workers plan the various cuts, welds, and alterations to be made on metal and plastic workpieces during construction, and they are mostly employed in the shipbuilding, metals manufacturing, and aerospace industries.
2. Alaska
> Most iconic job: Mining Machine Operators
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 390
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $48,370
The share of Alaska’s workforce employed as mining machine operators is 66 times greater than the national proportion, making the job the most iconic profession in the state. The oil and gas industry is a major player in Alaska’s economy. While Alaska’s oil production has declined in recent years, the state remains one of the top crude oil producers in the country.
3. Arizona
> Most iconic job: Plasterers and Stucco Masons
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 1,830
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $33,320
Plasterers and stucco masons use plaster, cement, or stucco for interior and exterior siding projects. Stucco is suitable for hot, dry climates as it tends to crumble when exposed to excessive moisture. This likely explains the profession’s relative popularity in Arizona, where precipitation of any kind is rare and temperatures are very high.
4. Arkansas
> Most iconic job: Food Processing Workers, All Other
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 3,270
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $22,570
The most iconic job in Arkansas is food processing. The share of the state’s workforce employed as food processing workers is nearly nine times the comparable nationwide share. Food processors are not especially well paid. The typical food processor in Alabama earns $22,570 annually, less than the national median pay for food processors, which itself is one of the lower salaries of any job in the country. Arkansas is one of the nation’s largest poultry producers. The state slaughters more than 6 million pounds of broilers each year, among the highest productions nationwide.
24/7 Wall St.5. California
> Most iconic job: Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 180,040
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $18,850
More than two-thirds of all farmworkers and laborers employed in the United States work in California, by far the most of any state. This is the only case where a state’s most iconic job makes up a majority of a profession’s national labor force. In terms of cash paid for agricultural products California produces more than any other state. While the farming industry dominates the state’s economy by several measures, a typical farm worker in the state is paid only $18,850 annually.
6. Colorado
> Most iconic job: Atmospheric and Space Scientists
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 1,690
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $92,180
The most iconic job in Colorado is atmospheric and space scientists, many of whom find employment at the state’s universities. Of all U.S. public universities, Colorado University receives the most funding from NASA. Of atmospheric and space scientists working in the United States, 15.6% are employed in Colorado, a relatively large share.
7. Connecticut
> Most iconic job: Actuaries
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 1,180
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $105,470
Actuaries are nearly five times more common in Connecticut then they are across the country, and as such, are the most iconic job in the state. Actuaries use math and statistics to evaluate risk — an essential function in any insurance company, and the state’s capital Hartford is home to several insurance companies, including Aetna, a Fortune 500 health insurance giant. Connecticut’s capital city has earned the nickname The Insurance Capital of the World.
8. Delaware
> Most iconic job: Chemists
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 3,380
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $90,310
Delaware is home to a number of chemical facilities, including several Dow Chemical plants and seven DuPont plants, which are both headquartered in the state. Chemists are the most concentrated profession in Delaware’s workforce relative to the nation.
9. Florida
> Most iconic job: Special Education Teachers, All Other
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 9,550
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $47,580
The third largest state in the country by population, Florida has a relatively large public school system. But even accounting for population, special education teachers are unusually common. In Florida, there are more than four times as many special education teachers relative to the size of the workforce than there are across the country.
24/7 Wall St.10. Georgia
> Most iconic job: Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 8,500
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $27,730
As many manufacturers have moved much of their production overseas, textile manufacturing employment in the United States has steadily declined over the past two decades. With the introduction of new technology and a growing interest in made in the USA products, the nation’s textile industry is far from dead and gone. Textile production is strong in the Southeastern states, especially Georgia, where one-third of textile workers are employed.
11. Hawaii
> Most iconic job: Dancers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 730
> Annual median salary, iconic job: N/A
Dancers consist a very small share of Hawaii’s workforce, but compared with the share of dancers in most states, the profession is the most concentrated in the Aloha State. Also, of the 11,240 people employed as dancers across the nation, 6.5% work in Hawaii. The state relies more heavily on tourism than other states, and tourists tend to be larger consumers of entertainment. Of workers in the state, 16.6% work in the entertainment industry versus the less than 10% nationwide.
12. Idaho
> Most iconic job: Forest and Conservation Technicians
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 2,260
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $31,630
Forest and conservation technicians help preserve soil, water, forests, and other natural resources. The federal government is the largest employer of workers in this profession. As part of the Idaho’s agricultural and forestry industry, the most iconic job in Idaho has a substantial impact on the state’s economy. Some 5% of Idaho workers are employed in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industry, well above the national average proportion of 1%.
13. Illinois
> Most iconic job: Grounds Maintenance Workers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 2,980
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $31,380
While 4.3% of the U.S. workforce is employed in Illinois, 16% of all grounds maintenance workers nationwide are employed in the state. Grounds maintenance workers in Illinois are nearly four times more concentrated than the national average share, a higher concentration than any other job in the state.
14. Indiana
> Most iconic job: Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 5,540
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $51,510
Indiana is home to 16.6% of the nation’s 33,370 rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders. Such workers play an integral role in iron, steel, and plastic products manufacturing. No state economy relies more on manufacturing than Indiana’s, where the industry accounts for 29.0% of total GDP — compared to 12.0% nationally. Workers in the field earn more in Indiana than in most parts of the country. The typical rolling machine worker in Indiana makes $51,510 a year, almost $12,000 more than the national median salary for the occupation.
15. Iowa
> Most iconic job: Soil and Plant Scientists
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 2,500
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $65,500
Soil and plant scientists are uniquely concentrated in Iowa. Such scientists are primarily employed as researchers, professors, and consultants. Nearly half of Iowa’s soil and plant scientists — and about 8% of all such workers nationwide — live in the Des Moines metro area, where the Iowa division of the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is located. Iowa has been struggling with unsustainable soil erosion and may benefit from the large share of soil scientists. Over the past year, the number of soil and plant scientists in Iowa jumped from 1,897 to 2,500.
16. Kansas
> Most iconic job: Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 970
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $56,620
In Kansas, the share of the labor force that is working as metal and plastic layout workers is about seven times greater than it is nationwide, making it the most iconic job in the state. Layout workers draft the various cuts, welds, and alterations to be made on metal and plastic workpieces during construction. Kansas is one of the most lucrative state for layout workers in the country. The typical layout worker in the state makes $56,620 a year — about $12,000 more than the national median salary for the occupation.
17. Kentucky
> Most iconic job: Roof Bolters, Mining
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 1,170
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $54,210
Roof bolters install roof support bolts in underground mines and are an integral part of the mining industry. Roof bolting was introduced in the 1950s as a safer alternative to the wooden support system used often to roof mines. Although a safer support system, the job still accounts for the bulk of coal mining injuries. Legally, all coal mine entrances in the United States must be roof bolted. Although Kentucky’s coal industry has been dwindling since the 1980s, roof bolting is still the state’s most highly concentrated job. More than one in five of the nation’s roof bolters work in Kentucky.
18. Louisiana
> Most iconic job: Riggers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 6,110
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $34,300
Across the nation, riggers are employed in a variety of areas from construction sites and manufacturing plants to logging projects and shipyards. As is the case nationwide, riggers in Louisiana are primarily employed in the mining industry. Louisiana is a major U.S. producer of petroleum and coal. Of Americans working as riggers, 30% are employed in Louisiana.
19. Maine
> Most iconic job: Logging Equipment Operators
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 1,240
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $34,890
Logging equipment operators drive tractors and other equipment for the logging industry. It is the most uniquely concentrated job in Maine, where one of only three postsecondary training programs for the occupation nationwide exists. The typical logging equipment operator in Maine earns $34,890 annually, about the same as the national median salary for the occupation of $35,190.
20. Maryland
> Most iconic job: Subway and Streetcar Operators
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 2,410
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $55,790
Subway and streetcar operation is the most highly concentrated job in Maryland. Maryland has a 15.5-mile, 14-stop metro subway system and is connected to Washington D.C. and Virginia through the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. More than one in five of the nation’s subway and streetcar operators work in Maryland. The only state with a larger share of the national subway and streetcar operators workforce is New York.
21. Massachusetts
> Most iconic job: Psychiatric Technicians
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 7,280
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $37,350
Psychiatric technicians care for people with mental illness and developmental disabilities and are the most highly concentrated of any job in Massachusetts. More than one in 10 of the country’s psychiatric technicians are employed in Massachusetts, a higher share than in any state other than California. While the $37,350 annual salary for a typical psychiatric technician in Massachusetts is higher than the national median for the occupation of $31,130, it is far from the highest in the country.
22. Michigan
> Most iconic job: Commercial and Industrial Designers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 4,840
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $75,840
Michigan’s most iconic job is commercial and industrial design. Michigan is home to 16.5% of the nation’s commercial and industrial design workforce, the largest share of any state. It also offers numerous industrial design degree programs and is home to a number of design firms, including the Newell Rubbermaid Design Center, which is responsible for the product design of brands such as Sharpie, Rubbermaid, Irwin, and Elmer’s.
23. Minnesota
> Most iconic job: Food Scientists and Technologists
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 2,020
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $74,140
Food science and technology is the most highly concentrated job in Minnesota. The state is home to 2,020 of the country’s 14,170 food scientists and technologists, more than in any state other than California. Food scientists and technology jobs pay more in Minnesota than in any other part of the country. The typical food and science technologist in the state earns $74,140 a year, far more than the $61,480 national median salary for the occupation.
24. Mississippi
> Most iconic job: Upholsterers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 4,040
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $34,180
As companies have moved much of their textile manufacturing overseas in the past several decades, employment in the industry has also been on the decline. The industry is still active in the U.S., however, particularly in the Southeastern states. Automotive coverings such as upholstery manufacturing consists of a substantial portion of U.S. textile output — and the upholsterer job stands out in Mississippi. Of such workers nationwide, 13.6% are employed in Mississippi.
24/7 Wall St.25. Missouri
> Most iconic job: Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 1,490
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $51,830
Railroad operators ensure train safety by operating switches, signaling engineers, and inspecting brakes and couplings, among other responsibilities. Missouri has one of the most active and extensive railroad systems in the country. There are 1,490 railroad operators in Missouri, more than in any state other than Texas.
26. Montana
> Most iconic job: Forest and Conservation Technicians
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 2,100
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $31,630
Compared to all national workforce jobs, forest and conservation technicians are considerably more concentrated in Montana than any other job in the state. Federal and state governments are typically the largest employers of forest workers, and Montana is home to 10 national forests that cover nearly 20 million acres.
27. Nebraska
> Most iconic job: Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 11,090
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $28,010
Nebraska is the nation’s largest commercial meat producer. The share of the state’s workforce employed as meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers — one of the many professions in the industry — is more than 10 times greater than the comparable national share. In 2014, 6.7 million head of cattle, or 9.3 billion pounds, were slaughtered in the state — each the highest in the country.
28. Nevada
> Most iconic job: Gaming Supervisors
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 6,780
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $54,030
The entertainment sector employs one in every four workers in Nevada, the highest of any state’s entertainment industry. The gaming industry specifically is also a major driver of the state’s economy. The share of Nevada’s workforce employed as gaming supervisors — the state’s most iconic job — is more than 30 times greater than the national share.
29. New Hampshire
> Most iconic job: Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 1,070
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $31,440
New Hampshire’s metal and plastic workers comprise 4.8% of the profession’s national workforce. The job is part of the state’s manufacturing industry, which accounts for 11.8% of employment in New Hampshire, higher than the national average share. While state residents in these jobs make up a relatively small share of the workforce, the profession is more concentrated than any other job when compared to its share of the national workforce.
30. New Jersey
> Most iconic job: Marriage and Family Therapists
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 4,070
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $72,250
Marriage and family therapists diagnose and treat mental issues related to marriage and family and are the most highly concentrated in New Jersey. The prevalence of these counselors is also high in neighboring states. The typical marriage and family therapist in New Jersey makes $72,250 a year, considerably higher than the national median salary for the profession.
31. New Mexico
> Most iconic job: Mine Cutting and Channeling Machine Operators
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 620
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $48,350
Roughly 9% of the 6,960 mine cutting and channeling machine operators in the United States work in New Mexico. Though a seemingly small share, such jobs are about 15 times more common in New Mexico than they are across the rest of the country. Mine cutting and channeling machine operators use heavy machinery to dig mines and extract resources. From coal to uranium, mineral mining is, and has historically been, a pillar of the state’s economy.
32. New York
> Most iconic job: Fashion Designers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 7,190
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $68,440
There are more fashion companies and fashion retailers in New York City than in any other U.S. city. The city also boasts some of the world’s most numerous and prestigious design schools. It may therefore come as no surprise that fashion designers are the state of New York’s most iconic job. Of such workers nationwide, more than two in every five are employed in New York.
33. North Carolina
> Most iconic job: Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 6,780
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $23,640
More than one-quarter of all textile machine operators and tenders in the United States work in North Carolina. Though many textile industry jobs have been outsourced since peak employment in the mid-20th century, the industry has a considerable history and continuing importance in North Carolina. Partially because textile workers in North Carolina must compete with cheap labor abroad, textile machine operators are relatively low paid. The typical textile worker in the state earns only $23,640 a year.
34. North Dakota
> Most iconic job: Extraction Workers, All Other
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 860
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $44,420
Although extraction workers work in the energy sector, which dominates North Dakota’s economy, they do not comprise an especially large share of the state’s workforce. With the precipitous drop in the number of oil rigs and the price of crude in recent years, the job may not hold on to its iconic status. For now, however, the profession is still 50 times more prevalent in the state than it is across the nation.
24/7 Wall St.35. Ohio
> Most iconic job: Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 13,310
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $33,230
Long a manufacturing hub, Ohio’s iconic industry took a hit in the Great Recession. Since then, however, manufacturing has made a comeback in the Buckeye State. Today, 15.5% of the state’s workforce is employed in manufacturing, a larger share than in all but three other states. Those employed in the most iconic job in Ohio are responsible for setting up and operating such machines as lathes, drills, presses, borers and shears, among others, to make products out of plastic and metal.
36. Oklahoma
> Most iconic job: Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 2,970
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $50,790
As one of the nation’s largest energy producers, Oklahoma’s most iconic job — oil and gas rotary drill operators — is predictably related to the energy industry. According to the State Chamber of Oklahoma Research Foundation, there are 3,566 oil and gas establishments in the state, and the sector’s 123,680 jobs generates $14.8 billion annually. Of drill operators nationwide, 11.2% are employed in Oklahoma.
37. Oregon
> Most iconic job: Logging Workers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 1,420
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $35,920
Approximately half of Oregon’s 63 million acres is forestland. According to the Oregon Forest Resources Institute, a majority of this forestland is government-owned, although around three-quarters of the state’s timber output comes from privately-owned land. Oregon is the nation’s leading producer of plywood and softwood, and the share of the labor force employed as loggers is 42 times greater than the national share.
24/7 Wall St.38. Pennsylvania
> Most iconic job: Dietetic Technicians
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 2,970
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $21,530
Dietetic technicians plan menus for patients or clients based on specific nutritional guidelines. Annual salaries for such workers are about $4,000 lower in Pennsylvania than they are across the country. Lower wages may be the result of an oversaturated market, as roughly one in every 10 dietetic technicians in the United States works in Pennsylvania.
39. Rhode Island
> Most iconic job: Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 570
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $33,610
The most iconic job in Rhode Island is jewelers and precious stone and metal workers. Roughly 40% of those in the field are self employed, and the rest work in jewelry repair shops or manufacturing centers. Such jobs are about seven times more common in Rhode Island than they are across the country as a whole. Jewelry has also played a significant historical role in the state as Providence, Rhode Island’s capital, was once known as the jewelry capital of the world.
40. South Carolina
> Most iconic job: Tire Builders
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 3,410
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $49,060
Tire companies Michelin, Continental, and Bridgestone/Firestone all have manufacturing plants in South Carolina. With multiple companies operating in the state, tire building is a cornerstone of the state’s manufacturing sector, which employs 13.6% South Carolina’s workers. Nationwide, manufacturing employs 10.3% of the workforce. Tire building is also the most iconic job in South Carolina.
41. South Dakota
> Most iconic job: Forest and Conservation Workers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 450
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $26,130
In South Dakota, roughly 7.5% of the workforce is employed in agriculture, forestry, or fishing — several times the national share of 2.0%. Only 450 people are employed as forest and conservation workers in the state. But since this jobs is relatively uncommon across the country, the job is roughly 22 times more common in South Dakota than it is nationwide. South Dakota is home to parts of the 3.1 million acre Custer Gallatin National Forest, one of the larger in the country.
42. Tennessee
> Most iconic job: Conveyor Operators and Tenders
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 3,910
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $30,110
Conveyor operators and tenders are in charge of running machines and systems that move products and materials from stockpiles to processing stations or vehicles for shipment. Major online retailer Amazon has distribution centers in five cities across the state, undoubtedly employing some of the 3,910 conveyor operators and tenders in Tennessee.
43. Texas
> Most iconic job: Petroleum Engineers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 17,910
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $143,110
Petroleum engineers work in the most iconic job in Texas, the nation’s leader in oil reserves and crude production. Of all petroleum engineers in the United States, more than half are employed in Texas. The state is home to 27 refineries, the most of any state. The state’s mining industry accounts for 11.6% of the state’s GDP, far higher than the national average contribution of 2.3% from the sector. Of the iconic jobs on this list, petroleum engineers have some of the highest salaries. The typical Texan petroleum engineer earns $143,110 annually.
44. Utah
> Most iconic job: Telephone Operators
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 950
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $26,900
Nearly one in 10 telephone operators in the U.S. work in Utah, the most iconic job in the state. A relatively antiquated job, telephone operators assist customers by locating telephone numbers, handling emergency calls and addressing billing questions. In addition to fielding calls from those who dial 4-1-1, Utah residents who are hearing or speech impaired can dial 7-1-1 to speak with an operator for assistance making a call.
45. Vermont
> Most iconic job: Furniture Finishers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 320
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $27,640
There are only 320 professional furniture finishers in Vermont, comprising but a small fraction of the state’s workforce. However, since there are also so few furniture finishers across the country, their share in Vermont of the total workforce is nearly 10 times greater than their national prevalence. Furniture makers and woodworkers more generally likely benefit from Vermont’s heavily forested terrain.
46. Virginia
> Most iconic job: Legal Support Workers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 8,840
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $96,280
The federal government has a large impact on the economies of Virginia, Maryland, and other regions around Washington D.C. As Kohli suggested, this could partially explain the unusually high concentration of legal support workers in Virginia. Of individuals working in these jobs across the nation, nearly one in every five are employed in Virginia. Legal support workers include lawyers, paralegals, legal assistants, and court reporters. In Virginia, however, the iconic profession does not include these positions but rather more specialized occupations.
47. Washington
> Most iconic job: Aerospace Engineers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 8,540
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $107,440
Of the nearly 70,000 aerospace engineers nationwide, 12.4% are employed in Washington. The profession is the most iconic in the state. A number of these professionals are likely employed by aerospace giant Boeing. The company employs approximately 80,000 people in the state. Like a number of other iconic jobs, aerospace engineers tend to be highly educated and highly paid. The median annual salary for the profession is $107,440.
48. West Virginia
> Most iconic job: Roof Bolters, Mining
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 2,120
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $55,660
Roof bolters install roofing support systems in mines and are legally required to build the entrances to all U.S. coal mines. While roof bolting was introduced as a safer alternative to the traditional wooden roofing systems used until the 1950s, the job still accounts for a bulk of workplace injuries. Mining is the largest component of West Virginia’s economy, accounting for 17.1% of the state’s total GDP. More than 37% of the country’s roof bolters work in West Virginia, by far the largest share of any state.
49. Wisconsin
> Most iconic job: Foundry Mold and Coremakers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 1,410
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $31,110
Foundry mold and coremakers make molds in order to manufacture metal castings for metal products such as screws and bolts. Workers in Wisconsin’s most iconic job are typically employed in a variety of industries, including motor vehicle parts manufacturing, forging and stamping, and metal product manufacturing. Foundry mold and coremaking jobs are about six times more common in Wisconsin than they are across the country. Indeed, manufacturing contributes more to Wisconsin’s GDP than any other industry. About 19% of Wisconsin’s workforce is employed in manufacturing, the largest such share of any state in the country.
50. Wyoming
> Most iconic job: Extraction Workers
> Number of people employed in occupation in state: 410
> Annual median salary, iconic job: $44,380
Extraction workers, particularly those working in support activities for mining, stand out in Wyoming. The state is the nation’s largest producer of coal — around 40% of all coal mined in the United States comes from Wyoming. The share of the state’s workforce employed in this occupation is 37 times greater than the national concentration.
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