The United States has the world’s largest economy. It is dynamic and diverse. Some industries rise while others fall, and with them the job market can have ups and downs. Similarly, jobs can become more in high demand or less, and sometimes the in-demand jobs depend on the local economy.
To find the fastest growing job in each state between 2015 and 2020, 24/7 Wall St. used Bureau of Labor Statistics data from its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics as well as the Employment Projections program. We only used occupations where the relative standard error was smaller than 10% in both years. (This city has the fastest job growth in America.)
The results are very interesting. For example, who would have guessed that New York needs atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, while neighboring New Jersey needs highway maintenance workers. Of course the New Jersey Turnpike is famous enough to have made it into the lyrics of a Simon and Garfunkel song.
Things look very different on the other side of the country. The fastest growing job in California is marriage and family therapist, which suggests not everybody there is California Dreaming. (These are the fastest growing and shrinking clean energy jobs.)
Things are a bit more predictable in the neighboring states of Nevada, where there’s a need for mining machine operators, and Oregon, where forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists are in demand. The former state has the largest mining program in the Bureau of Land Management, while the latter is known for its forestry and logging industry. In fact, forests cover almost half of Oregon’s landmass.
Click here to see fastest growing job in each state
Alabama: Property, real estate, and community association managers
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 328.9%
> Employment, 2020: 1,930 (2015: 450)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $47,430 (2015: $103,810)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 3.1%
[in-text-ad]
Alaska: First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 120.0%
> Employment, 2020: 330 (2015: 150)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $87,590 (2015: $54,160)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 8.2%
Arizona: Eligibility interviewers, government programs
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 156.7%
> Employment, 2020: 3,620 (2015: 1,410)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $34,130 (2015: $33,300)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 3.8%
Arkansas: Statisticians
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 213.3%
> Employment, 2020: 470 (2015: 150)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $* (2015: $58,080)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 35.4%
[in-text-ad-2]
California: Marriage and family therapists
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 291.1%
> Employment, 2020: 32,620 (2015: 8,340)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $49,230 (2015: $59,600)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 16.4%
Colorado: Environmental science teachers, postsecondary
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 216.7%
> Employment, 2020: 190 (2015: 60)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $60,250 (2015: $77,140)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 6.8%
[in-text-ad]
Connecticut: Order clerks
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 225.8%
> Employment, 2020: 5,180 (2015: 1,590)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $36,810 (2015: $36,590)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: -18.2%
Delaware: Social and human service assistants
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 54.0%
> Employment, 2020: 770 (2015: 500)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $34,730 (2015: $38,510)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 16.6%
Florida: Education administrators, postsecondary
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 718.5%
> Employment, 2020: 9,740 (2015: 1,190)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $83,700 (2015: $75,870)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 7.5%
[in-text-ad-2]
Georgia: Educational instruction and library workers, all other
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 802.6%
> Employment, 2020: 10,380 (2015: 1,150)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $24,990 (2015: $28,860)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 8.0%
Hawaii: Production, planning, and expediting clerks
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 86.5%
> Employment, 2020: 970 (2015: 520)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $53,540 (2015: $72,110)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 7.6%
[in-text-ad]
Idaho: Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 142.9%
> Employment, 2020: 340 (2015: 140)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $61,790 (2015: $26,360)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 4.4%
Illinois: Fundraisers
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 116.9%
> Employment, 2020: 2,950 (2015: 1,360)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $57,460 (2015: $28,550)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 15.9%
Indiana: Psychiatric technicians
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 75.6%
> Employment, 2020: 2,740 (2015: 1,560)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $30,310 (2015: $34,920)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 12.8%
[in-text-ad-2]
Iowa: Legal support workers, all other
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 240.9%
> Employment, 2020: 750 (2015: 220)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $50,540 (2015: $32,150)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 0.5%
Kansas: Bailiffs
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 875.0%
> Employment, 2020: 390 (2015: 40)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $55,910 (2015: $31,830)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 0.4%
[in-text-ad]
Kentucky: Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 120.0%
> Employment, 2020: 110 (2015: 50)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $55,790 (2015: $18,380)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 8.8%
Louisiana: Urban and regional planners
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 188.9%
> Employment, 2020: 260 (2015: 90)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $69,260 (2015: $56,780)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 6.8%
Maine: Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 700.0%
> Employment, 2020: 320 (2015: 40)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $48,550 (2015: $39,410)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: -15.1%
[in-text-ad-2]
Maryland: Bailiffs
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 307.7%
> Employment, 2020: 530 (2015: 130)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $42,720 (2015: $25,280)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 0.4%
Massachusetts: Flight attendants
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 94.7%
> Employment, 2020: 2,920 (2015: 1,500)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $59,720 (2015: $61,350)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 30.4%
[in-text-ad]
Michigan: Psychiatric technicians
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 220.2%
> Employment, 2020: 2,690 (2015: 840)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $33,790 (2015: $30,370)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 12.8%
Minnesota: Court, municipal, and license clerks
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 228.8%
> Employment, 2020: 7,660 (2015: 2,330)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $47,410 (2015: $28,600)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 5.8%
Mississippi: Market research analysts and marketing specialists
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 99.2%
> Employment, 2020: 2,410 (2015: 1,210)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $40,160 (2015: $50,690)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 22.1%
[in-text-ad-2]
Missouri: First-line supervisors of correctional officers
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 361.5%
> Employment, 2020: 600 (2015: 130)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $47,600 (2015: $95,240)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: -2.8%
Montana: Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 116.0%
> Employment, 2020: 3,910 (2015: 1,810)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $32,880 (2015: $27,690)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 10.6%
[in-text-ad]
Nebraska: Chief executives
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 150.8%
> Employment, 2020: 1,580 (2015: 630)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $187,180 (2015: $35,520)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: -5.7%
24/7 Wall St.
Nevada: Continuous mining machine operators
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 133.3%
> Employment, 2020: 2,730 (2015: 1,170)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $67,130 (2015: $19,710)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 5.7%
New Hampshire: Packers and packagers, hand
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 174.3%
> Employment, 2020: 4,170 (2015: 1,520)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $24,210 (2015: $35,240)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 0.2%
[in-text-ad-2]
New Jersey: Highway maintenance workers
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 176.0%
> Employment, 2020: 4,140 (2015: 1,500)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $48,140 (2015: $40,990)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 6.0%
New Mexico: Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 209.1%
> Employment, 2020: 340 (2015: 110)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $96,300 (2015: $173,320)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 3.4%
[in-text-ad]
New York: Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 211.8%
> Employment, 2020: 2,370 (2015: 760)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $108,370 (2015: $59,190)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 6.4%
24/7 Wall St.
North Carolina: Crossing guards and flaggers
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 261.9%
> Employment, 2020: 1,520 (2015: 420)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $28,100 (2015: $85,660)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 13.4%
North Dakota: Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 221.4%
> Employment, 2020: 450 (2015: 140)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $93,580 (2015: $72,700)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 24.3%
[in-text-ad-2]
Ohio: Conservation scientists
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 135.3%
> Employment, 2020: 800 (2015: 340)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $56,650 (2015: $39,440)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 6.1%
Oklahoma: Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 227.5%
> Employment, 2020: 2,260 (2015: 690)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $31,310 (2015: $43,530)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: -6.5%
[in-text-ad]
Oregon: Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 200.0%
> Employment, 2020: 120 (2015: 40)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $56,080 (2015: $42,810)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 23.9%
Pennsylvania: Nurse practitioners
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 86.1%
> Employment, 2020: 8,150 (2015: 4,380)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $104,020 (2015: $24,090)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 52.2%
Rhode Island: Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 275.0%
> Employment, 2020: 150 (2015: 40)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $* (2015: $38,220)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 4.3%
[in-text-ad-2]
South Carolina: Highway maintenance workers
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 915.4%
> Employment, 2020: 2,640 (2015: 260)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $31,200 (2015: $29,680)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 6.0%
South Dakota: Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 133.3%
> Employment, 2020: 2,310 (2015: 990)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $34,980 (2015: $45,680)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: -5.5%
[in-text-ad]
Tennessee: Fish and game wardens
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 169.2%
> Employment, 2020: 350 (2015: 130)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $68,470 (2015: $52,460)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 0.2%
Texas: Sales and related workers, all other
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 244.1%
> Employment, 2020: 21,060 (2015: 6,120)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $28,830 (2015: $27,670)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 1.7%
Utah: Engineers, all other
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 200.0%
> Employment, 2020: 1,680 (2015: 560)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $90,900 (2015: $18,090)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 2.7%
[in-text-ad-2]
Vermont: Chief executives
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 125.0%
> Employment, 2020: 630 (2015: 280)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $131,090 (2015: $52,710)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: -5.7%
Virginia: Architecture teachers, postsecondary
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 137.5%
> Employment, 2020: 190 (2015: 80)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $84,240 (2015: $36,300)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 8.3%
[in-text-ad]
Washington: Avionics technicians
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 168.3%
> Employment, 2020: 3,730 (2015: 1,390)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $92,980 (2015: $23,700)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 9.7%
West Virginia: Psychologists, all other
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 240.0%
> Employment, 2020: 340 (2015: 100)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $37,430 (2015: $75,750)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 2.0%
Wisconsin: Psychiatric technicians
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 143.2%
> Employment, 2020: 3,600 (2015: 1,480)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $36,690 (2015: $90,830)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: 12.8%
[in-text-ad-2]
Wyoming: Chemical equipment operators and tenders
> Employment growth, 2015-2020: 287.5%
> Employment, 2020: 310 (2015: 80)
> Median annual wages, 2020: $91,800 (2015: $26,920)
> Projected national employment growth 2020-2030: -5.3%
The #1 Thing to Do Before You Claim Social Security (Sponsor)
Choosing the right (or wrong) time to claim Social Security can dramatically change your retirement. So, before making one of the biggest decisions of your financial life, it’s a smart idea to get an extra set of eyes on your complete financial situation.
A financial advisor can help you decide the right Social Security option for you and your family. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you optimize your Social Security outcomes.
Have questions about retirement or personal finance? Email us at [email protected]!
By emailing your questions to 24/7 Wall St., you agree to have them published anonymously on a673b.bigscoots-temp.com.
By submitting your story, you understand and agree that we may use your story, or versions of it, in all media and platforms, including via third parties.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
