America's 25 Thriving Industries

This industry is primarily involved in manufacturing either the body, chassis, or both for a range of vehicles, including pick-up trucks, minivans, SUVs, and light duty vans. In the last decade, the number of Americans working in the industry in climbed from 36,772 to 70,807. Many of the top selling vehicles in the United States in 2018 were trucks and SUVs.

Seating and interior trim manufacturing is a burgeoning industry in the United States. The industry, which is involved in making a range of products from seat belts and seat frames to interior trimmings, now employs 77,652 Americans, up from 40,148 a decade ago.

Overall employment in manufacturing of batteries, including lithium, rechargeable nickel-cadmium, and lead acid, nearly doubled between 2009 and 2018. Batteries such as these are used in smartphones and electric cars.

The other urban transit system industry makes transit vehicles other than traditional commuter rail systems and buses. These modes of transit include cable car systems, tramways, trolley systems, and monorails. Though it is a small industry, employing only about 700 Americans, the number of people working in it nearly doubled since 2009.

The number of Americans working as translators or interpreters doubled over the last decade, from 20,198 in 2009 to 40,368 in 2018. As employment in the industry expanded, the average wage declined. In 2009, the average annual wage among translators and interpreters was nearly $50,000. In 2018, it was less than $46,000.

With the advent of smartphone apps that allow users to order food delivery from just about any local restaurant with the push of a button, employment opportunities have surged. Employment in the local delivery industry more than doubled between 2009 and 2018.

There was a surge in employment in motor home manufacturing, with the number of Americans working in the industry more than doubling between 2009 and 2018. The employment spike is attributable to growing demand for motor homes. Last year, there were 483,700 RV shipments in the United States, up from 165,700 in 2009.

Miscellaneous ambulatory health care services includes such occupations as fitness evaluation and health screening services, smoking cessation services, and pacemaker monitoring. Demand for such services has been driven up by the aging and growing population, which will likely continue to grow and further increase demand.

Other nonscheduled air transportation is a niche industry that includes charter aircraft services and aviation clubs that provide a variety of services to the public. In the last decade, the number of people working in the industry more than doubled, from 2,664 to 5,502.

Last year, there were 483,700 RV shipments in the United States, up from 165,700 in 2009. The growing popularity of RVs explains not only the employment surge in motor home manufacturing, but also the surge in the camper and travel trailer manufacturing and employment. There are now nearly 50,000 Americans working in the industry, more than double the 2009 figure.

The all other professional and technical services industry is something of a catchall that includes a diverse range of occupations, including non-real estate appraisal services, marine surveyors, commodity inspection, weather forecasting, consumer credit counseling, and handwriting analysis. In the last decade, the number of people working in this broad category more than doubled.

Though employment in the other marine fishing industry more than doubled in the last 10 years, it remains very small. The industry includes businesses engaged in the taking of marine animals that are not shellfish or finfish and employs fewer than 500 Americans.

Employment in non-veterinary pet care climbed from about 58,800 in 2009 to over 125,000 in 2018. The industry includes a range of occupations, including pet grooming, boarding, and training.

The number of Americans working in barber shops more than doubled in the last decade. Over the same period, the number of barber shops in the United States climbed by 58%, from 3,507 to 5,534. Demand for barbers and hairstylists is projected to continue to grow faster than average as the population grows.

Industrial grade sand is a general term for high purity silica sand that has controlled sizing. It is used in a variety of capacities, including construction, water filtration, glass making, and metal production. In the last decade, the number of Americans working in industrial sand mining more than doubled, from 3,665 to nearly 8,000.

Between 2009 and 2018, the number of distilleries operating in the United States exploded from 132 to 964 — a 630% increase. Not surprisingly, the number of people working in distilleries also spiked in the last 10 years, from 7,189 to 15,839.

All other information services is an industry category that includes a broad range of occupations that do not fit neatly into other categorizations. They include stock photo agencies, news clipping services, and telephone-based information services. In the last 10 years, the number of Americans working in such jobs climbed by 128.3%.

Between 2009 and 2018, the number of people working at dry pea and bean farms in the United States climbed by a staggering 135%. Still, the industry remains niche, employing only about 853 Americans.

The other food crops grown under cover industry includes almost anything grown under glass or protective cover, with the exception of mushrooms. These crops include alfalfa sprouts, melons, hydroponics, and assorted fruits and vegetables, so long as they are grown under cover. Growing such crops in a protected environment allows farmers and gardeners to plant and harvest during times of year when doing so outdoors would not necessarily be possible due to unsuitable temperature and other weather conditions. In the last decade, the number of Americans working in the industry climbed by 143.3%.

Demand for beauty and personal care services has grown in recent years. The number of nail salons in the United States climbed by 93% in the last decade, from 12,673 to 24,413. Over the same period, the number of people working in nail salons increased by a staggering 164.3%.

HMO medical centers, which typically provide outpatient care for those with health insurance, employed about 133,000 more people in 2018 than in 2009, a 175.6% increase. The Affordable Care Act, implemented within the last decade, considerably reduced the number of Americans without health insurance and with it likely increased demand for HMO services.

As the baby boomer generation ages, the demand for services for the elderly and disabled has grown — a trend that will likely continue in the coming years. In addition to in-home elderly care, this industry also includes occupations involved in caretaking as well as job training for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Between 2009 and 2019, employment in the industry spiked by 190%.

The mobile food services industry is made of businesses that serve food for immediate consumption from trucks, vans, or carts. Food trucks and carts are increasingly popular options and have common sites in certain parts of urban areas — the number of mobile food vending establishments climbed by 231% between 2009 and 2018. Over the same period, the number of Americans working in the industry increased by 198%.

Internet publishing and web search portals is one of only two industries in the United States to report a tripling in employment between 2009 and 2018. The proliferation of online content, made more accessible than ever through smartphones, has decimated the newspaper industry and industries that support it and allowed the internet publishing industry to flourish.

Overall employment in breweries climbed by 211% in the last decade, more than any other in the United States. The spike is likely largely due to the booming popularity of micro and craft brews. The number of breweries operating in the United States increased by 762% since 2009.