The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.5% in December 2019, unchanged from the multi-decade low the previous month. For many working Americans, job security is better now than it has ever been — particularly those in certain occupations.
Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed unemployment rates by occupation to identify the jobs with the best job security. To be counted among a certain occupation, an unemployed individual needed to have held that specific job immediately prior to being unemployed. For each occupation on this list, the unemployment rate is below 1%.
The average unemployment rate across all occupations is at a historic low, largely because of strong underlying economic conditions. Currently, the U.S. economy is undergoing the longest period of sustained growth in its history. While these conditions have contributed to the low unemployment rates among the jobs on this list, there are other factors at play.
Many of the jobs on this list are primarily or entirely in the public sector. According to the BLS, government jobs have lower churn rates than any single industry in the private sector. High employee retention leads to lower frictional unemployment, which is the base level unemployment in an occupation, resulting from churn. Here is a look at the states where the most people work for the government.
Growing demand for personnel among the jobs on this list has also contributed to lowering the unemployment rates in these jobs. According to BLS projections, total employment — the number of people working — is expected to grow by 5.2% across all occupations between 2018 and 2028. In the vast majority of the occupations on this list, employment is also projected to climb in the coming years, and in over half, employment growth is expected to exceed the average growth.
Another common trait many of the jobs with the lowest unemployment rates share is their high degree of specialization. About half of these jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree, and many require a PhD or masters degree. Such high educational attainment requirements for jobs like dentists, lawyers, and physicians reduce the number of people competing for these jobs and help contribute to a tighter labor market. Partly because of the high level of training, these jobs are also high paying. Here is a look at the 79 jobs with six-figure salaries.
Click here to see the jobs with the best job security
Click here to see the jobs with the worst job security
Click here to read our methodology
33. Bailiffs, correctional officers, and jailers
> Unemployment rate: 0.9% (33rd lowest)
> Labor force: 376,000
> Median annual wage: $44,400
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: -6.9%
> Typical entry level edu. required: High school diploma or equivalent
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32. Speech-language pathologists
> Unemployment rate: 0.8% (tied – 27th lowest)
> Labor force: 181,000
> Median annual wage: $77,510
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +27.3%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Master’s degree
31. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
> Unemployment rate: 0.8% (tied – 27th lowest)
> Labor force: 153,000
> Median annual wage: $62,920
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +3.1%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Postsecondary nondegree award
30. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers
> Unemployment rate: 0.8% (tied – 27th lowest)
> Labor force: 142,000
> Median annual wage: $115,670
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +5.6%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Bachelor’s degree
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29. Appraisers and assessors of real estate
> Unemployment rate: 0.8% (tied – 27th lowest)
> Labor force: 85,000
> Median annual wage: $54,980
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +7.0%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Bachelor’s degree
28. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
> Unemployment rate: 0.8% (tied – 27th lowest)
> Labor force: 77,000
> Median annual wage: $58,770
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: -23.8%
> Typical entry level edu. required: High school diploma or equivalent
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27. Tool and die makers
> Unemployment rate: 0.8% (tied – 27th lowest)
> Labor force: 55,000
> Median annual wage: $52,750
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: -6.1%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Postsecondary nondegree award
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26. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
> Unemployment rate: 0.7% (tied – 19th lowest)
> Labor force: 969,000
> Median annual wage: $67,950
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: -0.9%
> Typical entry level edu. required: High school diploma or equivalent
25. Police and sheriff’s patrol officers
> Unemployment rate: 0.7% (tied – 19th lowest)
> Labor force: 721,000
> Median annual wage: $61,380
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +5.0%
> Typical entry level edu. required: High school diploma or equivalent
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24. Architectural and engineering managers
> Unemployment rate: 0.7% (tied – 19th lowest)
> Labor force: 155,000
> Median annual wage: $140,760
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +2.8%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Bachelor’s degree
23. Barbers
> Unemployment rate: 0.7% (tied – 19th lowest)
> Labor force: 138,000
> Median annual wage: $27,960
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +7.4%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Postsecondary nondegree award
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22. Other healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
> Unemployment rate: 0.7% (tied – 19th lowest)
> Labor force: 134,000
> Median annual wage: $62,420
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +9.5%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Postsecondary nondegree award
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21. Physician assistants
> Unemployment rate: 0.7% (tied – 19th lowest)
> Labor force: 132,000
> Median annual wage: $108,610
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +31.1%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Master’s degree
20. Computer network architects
> Unemployment rate: 0.7% (tied – 19th lowest)
> Labor force: 107,000
> Median annual wage: $109,020
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +5.3%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Bachelor’s degree
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19. Pest control workers
> Unemployment rate: 0.7% (tied – 19th lowest)
> Labor force: 97,000
> Median annual wage: $35,610
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +6.9%
> Typical entry level edu. required: High school diploma or equivalent
18. Lawyers
> Unemployment rate: 0.6% (tied – 16th lowest)
> Labor force: 1,248,000
> Median annual wage: $120,910
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +6.1%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Doctoral or professional degree
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17. Respiratory therapists
> Unemployment rate: 0.6% (tied – 16th lowest)
> Labor force: 113,000
> Median annual wage: $60,280
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +20.8%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Associate’s degree
16. Statistical assistants
> Unemployment rate: 0.6% (tied – 16th lowest)
> Labor force: 58,000
> Median annual wage: $48,330
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +8.0%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Bachelor’s degree
15. Dental hygienists
> Unemployment rate: 0.5% (tied – 12th lowest)
> Labor force: 209,000
> Median annual wage: $74,820
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +10.8%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Associate’s degree
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14. Computer operators
> Unemployment rate: 0.5% (tied – 12th lowest)
> Labor force: 72,000
> Median annual wage: $45,840
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: -24.1%
> Typical entry level edu. required: High school diploma or equivalent
13. Precision instrument and equipment repairers
> Unemployment rate: 0.5% (tied – 12th lowest)
> Labor force: 69,000
> Median annual wage: $48,100
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +0.4%
> Typical entry level edu. required: High school diploma or equivalent
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12. Chiropractors
> Unemployment rate: 0.5% (tied – 12th lowest)
> Labor force: 61,000
> Median annual wage: $71,410
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +7.4%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Doctoral or professional degree
11. Personal financial advisors
> Unemployment rate: 0.4% (tied – 7th lowest)
> Labor force: 553,000
> Median annual wage: $88,890
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +7.0%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Bachelor’s degree
10. Compliance officers
> Unemployment rate: 0.4% (tied – 7th lowest)
> Labor force: 299,000
> Median annual wage: $68,860
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +5.8%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Bachelor’s degree
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9. Phlebotomists
> Unemployment rate: 0.4% (tied – 7th lowest)
> Labor force: 124,000
> Median annual wage: $34,480
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +23.0%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Postsecondary nondegree award
8. Flight attendants
> Unemployment rate: 0.4% (tied – 7th lowest)
> Labor force: 110,000
> Median annual wage: $56,000
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +10.0%
> Typical entry level edu. required: High school diploma or equivalent
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7. Chemical engineers
> Unemployment rate: 0.4% (tied – 7th lowest)
> Labor force: 87,000
> Median annual wage: $104,910
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +6.3%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Bachelor’s degree
6. Physicians and surgeons
> Unemployment rate: 0.3% (tied – 5th lowest)
> Labor force: 1,102,000
> Median annual wage: $00
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +7.3%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Doctoral or professional degree
5. Purchasing managers
> Unemployment rate: 0.3% (tied – 5th lowest)
> Labor force: 228,000
> Median annual wage: $118,940
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +3.9%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Bachelor’s degree
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4. Dentists
> Unemployment rate: 0.2% (tied – 3rd lowest)
> Labor force: 162,000
> Median annual wage: $156,240
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +7.5%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Doctoral or professional degree
3. Travel agents
> Unemployment rate: 0.2% (tied – 3rd lowest)
> Labor force: 82,000
> Median annual wage: $38,700
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: -5.7%
> Typical entry level edu. required: High school diploma or equivalent
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2. Veterinarians
> Unemployment rate: 0.1% (tied – the lowest)
> Labor force: 104,000
> Median annual wage: $93,830
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +18.4%
> Typical entry level edu. required: Doctoral or professional degree
1. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
> Unemployment rate: 0.1% (tied – the lowest)
> Labor force: 70,000
> Median annual wage: $46,020
> Projected employment change 2018-2028: +4.4%
> Typical entry level edu. required: High school diploma or equivalent
Methodology
To identify the 33 jobs with the best job security, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2018 unemployment rates for 330 occupations from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. We only considered occupations with a labor force of 50,000 or more. Unemployed members of an occupational labor force need to have been last employed in this occupation prior to unemployment.
Data on projected job growth from 2018 to 2028 and the typical entry-level education requirement for each occupation came from the BLS Employment Projections program. Data on median annual wage came from the BLS Occupational Employment Statistics program and are current as of May 2018. Annual wages exclude part-time workers in a given profession. Occupations that represent the remainder of a broader classification, defined by the BLS as “all other,” were excluded from our analysis.
Data on median annual wage, 10-year projected job growth, and typical educational attainment required were not always available from the BLS for the exact job listed. We used the data for the closest matching occupational categories in some of those cases when possible.
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