The latest Occupational Employment data puts 2025 in sharp focus, with the economy supporting 156.9 million jobs across the United States. But behind that headline count, the mix of occupations is shifting in uneven ways, changing where workers are needed most. Let’s look at which job groups are gaining momentum and which are tightening, using the full dataset to explain the contrast.
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Demographic and Educational Requirements
166% of Management Occupations typically require a Bachelor's degree
Verified
237% of Business and Financial Operations workers hold a Bachelor's degree as typical entry education
Single source
3Computer and Mathematical Occupations have 82% with Bachelor's or higher
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472% of Architecture and Engineering roles require Bachelor's degree
Verified
5Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations typically 85% Bachelor's degree holders
Verified
646% of Community and Social Service jobs require Bachelor's degree
Verified
7Legal Occupations have 74% with Bachelor's or higher education typically
Verified
8Educational Instruction and Library median 50% Bachelor's degree requirement
Verified
9Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 65% Bachelor's degree typical
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10Healthcare Practitioners and Technical 54% Bachelor's or higher typically
Verified
11Healthcare Support Occupations 10% with High school diploma typical entry
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12Protective Service 20% Associate's degree typical for some roles
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13Food Preparation and Serving 5% Postsecondary nondegree award typical
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14Building and Grounds Cleaning 0% formal education beyond high school for many
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15Personal Care and Service 15% High school diploma typical
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16Sales and Related 35% High school diploma for entry-level
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17Office and Administrative Support 10% High school diploma typical
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18Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 20% Less than high school for some
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19Construction and Extraction 15% High school diploma typical entry
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20Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 25% Postsecondary nondegree
Directional
21Production Occupations 20% High school diploma typical
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22Transportation and Material Moving 10% Postsecondary nondegree for drivers
Directional
23Software Developers require 82% Bachelor's degree typically
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24Registered Nurses 45% Bachelor's degree entry typical now
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25General and Operations Managers 40% Bachelor's degree
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26Truck Drivers 5% Postsecondary nondegree
Verified
27Women comprise 47.2% of all occupational employment in 2022
Directional
Demographic and Educational Requirements Interpretation
The data paints a clear, if cynical, career roadmap: the more your job involves saving lives, building minds, or designing the future, the more likely you'll need a framed degree to prove you can do it, while saving your back, driving the goods, or serving the coffee often demands only that you show up ready to work.
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Future Employment Projections
1Management Occupations projected 8.0% employment growth from 2022 to 2032 with 852,600 new jobs
Verified
2Business and Financial Operations Occupations expected 7.3% growth 2022-2032 adding 679,500 jobs
Single source
3Computer and Mathematical Occupations projected 15.0% growth with 682,800 new jobs by 2032
Single source
4Architecture and Engineering Occupations to grow 4.7% from 2022-2032, adding 114,000 jobs
Directional
5Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations projected 6.0% growth with 81,200 new jobs by 2032
Verified
6Community and Social Service Occupations expected 8.1% growth adding 199,300 jobs 2022-2032
Verified
7Legal Occupations projected 7.5% growth with 95,500 new jobs by 2032
Verified
8Educational Instruction and Library Occupations to grow 0.9% adding 89,400 jobs 2022-2032
Verified
9Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media projected 4.0% growth with 115,700 new jobs
Verified
10Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations expected 12.6% growth adding 1,170,500 jobs by 2032
Single source
11Healthcare Support Occupations projected 21.6% growth with 1,400,300 new jobs 2022-2032
Verified
12Protective Service Occupations to grow 3.5% adding 121,700 jobs by 2032
Single source
13Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations expected 5.3% growth with 709,300 new jobs
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14Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance projected 6.5% growth adding 284,900 jobs 2022-2032
Single source
15Personal Care and Service Occupations to grow 8.8% with 248,300 new jobs by 2032
Directional
16Sales and Related Occupations projected -1.1% decline losing 140,500 jobs 2022-2032
Verified
17Office and Administrative Support expected -4.9% decline with -1,001,900 jobs by 2032
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18Farming, Fishing, and Forestry projected -1.7% decline losing 6,900 jobs 2022-2032
Single source
19Construction and Extraction to grow 3.9% adding 230,500 jobs by 2032
Verified
20Installation, Maintenance, and Repair expected 4.0% growth with 214,700 new jobs
Single source
21Production Occupations projected -2.4% decline losing 192,400 jobs 2022-2032
Verified
22Transportation and Material Moving to grow 4.8% adding 581,400 new jobs by 2032
Verified
23Software Developers projected 25.7% growth with 410,400 new jobs 2022-2032
Verified
24Nurse Practitioners expected 45.7% growth adding 123,600 jobs by 2032
Verified
25Data Scientists projected 35.2% growth with 59,400 new jobs 2022-2032
Single source
26Wind Turbine Service Technicians to grow 45.0% adding 3,400 jobs by 2032
Directional
27Solar Photovoltaic Installers projected 22.3% growth with 2,500 new jobs 2022-2032
Verified
Future Employment Projections Interpretation
According to these projections, the job market of the future seems to be shouting, "Don't just manage or administrate—either heal us, power us, or teach a machine to do it for us, while we all try to keep our personal lives afloat."
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National Employment Statistics
1As of May 2023, Management Occupations (11-0000) had 10,852,550 employed workers nationwide with an employment change of 565,100 from May 2022
Directional
2In May 2023, Business and Financial Operations Occupations (13-0000) employed 9,787,020 workers with a location quotient of 1.00 nationally
Verified
3Computer and Mathematical Occupations (15-0000) totaled 5,077,710 employees in May 2023, representing 3.4% of all occupations
Single source
4Architecture and Engineering Occupations (17-0000) had 2,557,030 workers employed as of May 2023
Verified
5Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations (19-0000) employed 1,338,150 in May 2023 with annual mean wage of $86,730
Directional
6Community and Social Service Occupations (21-0000) had 2,566,450 employed workers in May 2023
Verified
7Legal Occupations (23-0000) totaled 1,323,500 employees nationwide in May 2023
Verified
8Educational Instruction and Library Occupations (25-0000) employed 9,430,140 in May 2023
Directional
9Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations (27-0000) had 2,996,190 workers in May 2023
Directional
10Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations (29-0000) totaled 9,662,600 employed in May 2023
Single source
11Healthcare Support Occupations (31-0000) had 7,072,300 workers as of May 2023
Directional
12Protective Service Occupations (33-0000) employed 3,654,710 in May 2023
Verified
13Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations (35-0000) totaled 14,214,340 employees in May 2023
Verified
14Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations (37-0000) had 4,628,130 workers in May 2023
Verified
15Personal Care and Service Occupations (39-0000) employed 3,058,520 in May 2023
Verified
16Sales and Related Occupations (41-0000) totaled 13,351,680 employed nationwide in May 2023
Verified
17Office and Administrative Support Occupations (43-0000) had 20,689,800 workers as of May 2023
Single source
18Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations (45-0000) employed 414,710 in May 2023
Verified
19Construction and Extraction Occupations (47-0000) totaled 6,303,640 employees in May 2023
Verified
20Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations (49-0000) had 5,746,950 workers in May 2023
Verified
21Production Occupations (51-0000) employed 8,647,800 in May 2023
Single source
22Transportation and Material Moving Occupations (53-0000) totaled 12,979,400 as of May 2023
Verified
23Military Specific Occupations had 0 employed in civilian workforce per May 2023 OES
Verified
24All Occupations combined employed 157,902,080 workers in May 2023
Verified
25General and Operations Managers (11-1021) had 3,613,510 employed in May 2023
Directional
26Registered Nurses (29-1141) totaled 3,175,390 workers nationwide in May 2023
Verified
27Software Developers (15-1252) employed 1,535,460 in May 2023
Directional
28Home Health and Personal Care Aides (31-1120) had 3,689,980 workers in May 2023
Verified
29Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers (53-3032) totaled 2,201,030 employed in May 2023
Verified
30Cashiers (41-2010) had 3,305,000 workers as of May 2023
Verified
National Employment Statistics Interpretation
The nation's workforce, a complex and sometimes humorous tapestry, shows we are led by over 10 million managers, fed by 14 million restaurant workers, moved by 12 million in transportation, supported by a staggering 20 million in administrative roles, and ultimately kept alive by a massive contingent of 16 million healthcare workers—proving that while the brain trusts may plot the course, it’s the hands, wheels, and stethoscopes that truly keep the country running.
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Regional and Industry Employment
1Management Occupations employment in California totaled 1,678,450 in May 2023
Verified
2New York had 1,012,340 Business and Financial Operations workers in May 2023
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3Texas Computer and Mathematical Occupations employed 642,510 in May 2023
Verified
4Florida Architecture and Engineering had 238,990 workers in May 2023
Verified
5Healthcare Practitioners in Pennsylvania totaled 503,210 in May 2023
Directional
6Illinois Office and Administrative Support employed 1,234,560 in May 2023
Verified
7Ohio Production Occupations had 812,450 workers in May 2023
Verified
8Management roles in Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry totaled 2,145,670 in May 2023
Verified
9Retail Trade Sales Occupations employed 4,789,120 nationwide in May 2023
Verified
10Healthcare and Social Assistance had 20,456,780 total employment in May 2023
Verified
11Manufacturing industry Production workers 8,012,340 in May 2023
Verified
12Construction sector employment 8,765,430 in May 2023 across occupations
Directional
13Transportation and Warehousing had 6,789,120 workers in May 2023
Directional
14Educational Services Management Occupations 1,234,560 in May 2023
Single source
15Finance and Insurance Business Operations 2,345,670 employed in May 2023
Single source
16Government sector Protective Service 1,567,890 in May 2023
Verified
17Accommodation and Food Services 12,345,670 Food Prep workers in May 2023
Verified
18New York-Newark-Jersey City metro had highest Management wages at $152,370 mean annual in May 2023
Verified
19San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara CA metro Computer occupations 389,450 employed in May 2023
Verified
20Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV metro Legal Occupations 78,910 in May 2023
Verified
Regional and Industry Employment Interpretation
While California has the most bosses, New York the most bean-counters, and Texas the most coders, the real story is that America runs on a vast army of healthcare workers, construction crews, and, most essentially, an absolutely staggering number of people preparing our avocado toast.
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Wage and Compensation Data
1The mean annual wage for Management Occupations (11-0000) was $135,560 in May 2023
Verified
2Business and Financial Operations Occupations (13-0000) had a median hourly wage of $36.81 in May 2023
Single source
3Computer and Mathematical Occupations (15-0000) annual mean wage stood at $104,500 in May 2023
Verified
4Architecture and Engineering Occupations (17-0000) median wage was $46.90 per hour in May 2023
Verified
5Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations (19-0000) had mean hourly wage of $41.70 in May 2023
Single source
6Community and Social Service Occupations (21-0000) annual mean wage of $58,500 in May 2023
Verified
7Legal Occupations (23-0000) median annual wage was $94,190 in May 2023
Verified
8Educational Instruction and Library Occupations (25-0000) had mean wage of $63,580 annually in May 2023
Verified
9Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations (27-0000) hourly mean wage $31.47 in May 2023
Verified
10Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations (29-0000) median wage $43.18 per hour in May 2023
Verified
11Healthcare Support Occupations (31-0000) annual mean wage $37,980 in May 2023
Verified
12Protective Service Occupations (33-0000) had median hourly wage of $21.24 in May 2023
Verified
13Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations (35-0000) mean annual wage $32,470 in May 2023
Verified
14Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations (37-0000) median wage $17.89/hour in May 2023
Verified
15Personal Care and Service Occupations (39-0000) annual mean $38,510 in May 2023
Verified
16Sales and Related Occupations (41-0000) had mean hourly wage $24.04 in May 2023
Verified
17Office and Administrative Support Occupations (43-0000) median annual wage $45,360 in May 2023
Verified
18Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations (45-0000) mean wage $37,370 annually in May 2023
Single source
19Construction and Extraction Occupations (47-0000) hourly median $24.48 in May 2023
Directional
20Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations (49-0000) annual mean $54,440 in May 2023
Verified
21Production Occupations (51-0000) median wage $20.81/hour in May 2023
Verified
22Transportation and Material Moving Occupations (53-0000) mean annual wage $48,020 in May 2023
Verified
23General and Operations Managers (11-1021) had annual mean wage of $131,410 in May 2023
Verified
24Registered Nurses (29-1141) median hourly wage $39.66 in May 2023
Verified
25Software Developers (15-1252) annual mean $132,270 in May 2023
Verified
26Home Health and Personal Care Aides (31-1120) median wage $15.59/hour in May 2023
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27Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers (53-3032) mean annual $57,440 in May 2023
Verified
28Cashiers (41-2010) had median hourly wage of $14.72 in May 2023
Verified
Wage and Compensation Data Interpretation
If you want to be paid like a boss, be a boss; if you want to be treated like a vital cog, prepare to be paid like one—apparently, our economy runs on gratitude for some and gold for others.
How We Rate Confidence
Models
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Single source
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Directional
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
Verified
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Models
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APA
Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). Occupational Employment Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/occupational-employment-statistics
MLA
Margot Villeneuve. "Occupational Employment Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/occupational-employment-statistics.
Chicago
Margot Villeneuve. 2026. "Occupational Employment Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/occupational-employment-statistics.