Occupational Outlook Quar ccupational Outlook Quarterly

U.S. Department of Labor

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Winter 2009–10

1 2 5 Y E A R S

Charting the projections:

2008-18

A special issue
U.S. Department of Labor

Hilda L. Solis, Secretary

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Keith Hall, Commissioner

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Overall economy

Occupational employment

Occupational Outlook Quarterly

Winter 2009–10 • Volume 53, Number 4

Projected output of the economy, including gross domestic product (GDP).

45

2 Getting started 

Editorial staff

Kathleen Green, Editor

John Mullins, Managing editor

Tamara Dillon, Contributing editor

Drew Liming, Contributing editor

Elka Maria Torpey, Contributing editor

Teri Morisi, Special editor

Maureen Soyars, Associate editor

Keith Tapscott, Design consultant

Occupational Outlook Quarterly

6

30 Labor force

How BLS develops and charts the projections.

Projected changes in the labor force by age, sex, race, and ethnic origin.

Projected employment change by occupation and occupational group, including:

37 Industry employment

Projected employment change by industry and industry sector.

by Dixie Sommers

12 Fastest growing occupations

14 Occupations with the most job openings

15 Job growth and openings by usual education or training

13 Occupations adding the most jobs

Charting the projections: 2008–18 

(A special issue)

49 Other publications describing the 2008–18 projections

50 Index to the OOQ, 2005–09
2 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

by Dixie Sommers

Dixie Sommers is the Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, 

BLS, (202) 691-5701.

Getting started

I

n almost anything you do, you’re more likely to succeed if you have a plan. Deciding on a career is no 

exception.

If you’re making a decision about education, training, or a career—or if you are helping someone else who 

is making such decisions—you need to know how the 

labor market is expected to unfold in the future. How 

many jobs are likely to be available in the career you 

want? How much will they pay? What kind of training 

will you need?

Projections and related information from the U.S. 

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provide the answers to 

these questions. In a changing economy, these projections help you to glimpse the future—and to plan for it.

This special issue of the Occupational Outlook 

Quarterly provides a graphic summary of the latest projections, those covering the decade from 2008 to 2018. 

We also invite readers to examine our detailed profiles 

of occupations in the 2010–11 Occupational Outlook 

Handbook and of industries in the 2010–11 Career 

Guide to Industries. The November 2009 issue of the 

Monthly Labor Review includes more detailed descriptions 

of the data, analysis, and methods BLS uses in the projections. (For details about these and related publications, see 

the list on page 49.)

Total employment is projected to reach 166 million by 

2018, reflecting the addition of about 15 million new jobs 

between 2008 and 2018. Behind this total employment 

projection are trends and major findings depicted in charts 

for four areas: occupations, the labor force, industries, and 

the overall economy. 

Occupations 

 Among all occupational groups, the professional 

and related occupations group and the service occupations 

group are expected to gain the most new jobs and produce 

the largest numbers of job openings. (See page 10.)

 Within the professional and related occupations 

group, healthcare practitioner and technical occupations 

are projected to gain the most jobs, about 1.6 million. 

Education, training, and library occupations are projected 

to gain more than 1.3 million jobs. (See page 11.) 
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 3

Defining the 

sections

The charts project 2008–18 

changes in occupational employment, the labor force, industry 

employment, and the overall 

economy. You will get the most 

out of the charts if you understand how BLS defines these 

areas. 

“Occupation” is a way of 

classifying jobs according to the 

type of work performed. People 

who supervise children are in the 

occupation of child care worker, 

for example. 

“Industry,” on the other 

hand, is a way of classifying jobs 

and businesses according to the 

type of good produced or service 

provided. For example, any job 

in a child daycare center—from 

child care worker to cook—is 

classified as part of the child 

daycare services industry. 

“Labor force” is a measure of 

the number of people available for work. It includes both 

individuals who are employed 

and those who are unemployed 

(those not working but actively 

looking for a job). 

“Overall economy” includes 

several concepts. The most 

important is the value of final 

goods produced and services 

provided, which is known as the 

gross domestic product, or GDP. 

(Continued on page 5)

 Registered nurses, home health 

aides, and customer service representatives are expected to gain the most new 

jobs. Registered nurses will add more than 

half a million jobs. (See page 13.)

 Most job openings for workers 

entering an occupation come from the 

need to replace workers who have left the 

occupation, rather than from the need to 

fill newly created jobs. The 20 occupations 

that are expected to have the most openings from growth and replacement include 

jobs in a variety of fields, such as office 

support, sales, and service occupations. 

(See page 14.) 

 The 20 occupations expected to 

have the most openings also range widely 

in median annual wages, from more than 

$91,000 for general and operations managers to nearly $59,000 for postsecondary 

teachers to less than $17,000 for waiters 

and waitresses. (See page 14.)

 Job openings are expected in 

occupations that require every level of 

education and training. But, in general, 

workers in occupations with higher education and training requirements earn higher 

wages. (See pages 15–27.)

The labor force

 By 2018, the number of people in 

the labor force—those working or looking for work—is expected to increase by 

nearly 13 million people between 2008 

and 2018. This is a smaller gain than the 

nearly 17 million people added to the labor force during the previous decade. (See 

page 30.)

 As the baby-boom generation 

ages, the number of people in the labor 

force aged 65 and older is projected to 

grow very rapidly, by 78 percent over 

the projections decade. At the same time, 

the labor force in younger age groups is 

expected to either decline or increase at 

much slower rates. (See page 32.)

 The labor force will continue to 

become more diverse. The share of the 

labor force that is Asian, black, or in other 

non-white race groups is expected to 

increase to 21 percent, up from 19 percent 

a decade earlier. And Hispanics are expected to constitute 18 percent of the labor 

force in 2018, up from 14 percent in 2008. 

(See pages 34 and 36.)

Industries 

 Job growth over the 2008–18 

decade will be concentrated in serviceproviding industries. In 2018, service-providing industries are expected to account 

for 131 million out of 154 million wage 

and salary jobs overall. (See page 38.)

 The professional and business 

services sector is projected to gain the 

most new jobs, nearly 4.2 million. Two 

sectors—health care and social assistance 

and professional and business services—

are each projected to grow 24 percent over 

the decade, the fastest rate for all sectors. 

(See pages 40 and 41.)

 Among goods-producing industries, construction is projected to gain 

about 1.3 million jobs from 2008 to 2018. 

Some of this growth will be recovering 

jobs lost between 2006 and 2008, however. Employment is expected to decline in 

manufacturing and natural resources and 

mining, the other goods-producing sectors. 

(See page 40.)

 Among detailed industries, the 

management, scientific, and technical 

consulting services industry is projected to 

be the fastest growing. It is also expected 

to provide the most new jobs. (See pages 

42 and 43.)
4 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

The charts provide graphic answers to some basic questions about 

employment: How many new jobs there will be, how fast the number of jobs is changing, and how many job openings will be available 

for new entrants to the labor force. 

How many new jobs there will be. Charts that show 

numeric change illustrate how many new jobs there will be (the 

actual number of jobs gained or lost over the projections decade). 

In general, the occupations and industries with the greatest numeric 

increases are those that already have large numbers of workers.

How fast the number of jobs is changing. Charts showing percent change illustrate how fast the number of jobs is changing 

(the rate of job growth or decline during the decade). The fastest 

rates of growth are usually found in occupations and industries that 

have fewer workers. 

Fast growth does not always mean many new jobs. See, for 

example, the charts below. They show the projected increase in 

employment for general office clerks compared with that for financial examiners. In numeric terms, as shown in the chart at upper left, 

more than 30 times as many new jobs are projected for office clerks 

as for financial examiners between 2008 and 2018. 

Percent change tells a different story. As the chart at lower left 

shows, employment of financial examiners is expected to grow more 

than 3 times as fast as that of general office clerks—even though 

financial examiners are projected to gain fewer jobs.

How many job openings there will be. Some charts go 

beyond showing the expected change in the total number of jobs 

and show how many job openings are expected for workers who are 

new to an occupation. Job openings for workers new to an occupation include not only openings from growth in the number of jobs 

but also openings from the need to replace workers who retire or 

leave an occupation permanently for some other reason. The chart 

below at right shows how many job openings for general office 

clerks are expected to result from job growth and how many are 

expected to result from the need to replace existing clerks who leave 

the occupation.

Oce clerks, general

Financial examiners

12

41%

Reading the charts

Numeric employment growth in two occupations, 

projected 2008–18

Percent employment growth in two occupations, 

projected 2008–18

(Thousands of jobs)

4 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009-10

Oce clerks, general

Financial examiners

359

11

Oce clerks, general 359 412

Openings from job growth

Openings from replacement needs

771

(Thousands of job openings)

Job openings for office clerks, projected 2008–18
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 5

(Continued from page 3)

Overall economy

 Personal consumption expenditures on goods are 

projected to grow an average of 2.3 percent each year 

between 2008 and 2018. The largest growth in personal 

consumption expenditures on goods is expected to be for 

computers and software. (See page 48).

 Personal consumption expenditures on services 

are projected to increase by 2.6 percent annually. Spending on medical care and insurance services will add the 

most to expenditures on services. (See page 48.)

How we develop the 

BLS projections

BLS economists in the Office of Occupational Statistics 

and Employment Projections develop the projections in 

a number of steps, first analyzing broad trends and then 

examining several hundred industries and occupations.

We begin with how much the U.S. population and 

labor force are expected to grow over the next 10 years. 

We use population projections from the U.S. Census 

Bureau, which take into account trends in births, deaths, 

and immigration. We combine the population projections 

with our own estimates of what portion of the population 

will be in the labor force, based on historical trends for 

each age, gender, and race or ethnic group. The result is 

a projection of the labor force—the total supply of workers to the future economy. 

We then create a model of an economy that is operating at full potential, given the labor force and several 

other factors. Using this framework, we estimate the 

dollar value of each industry’s total output of goods or 

services. Some of this output is used by other industries; 

for example, steel is used in making cars. Other output—

such as the cars themselves or the repair services for 

maintaining them—is sold directly to consumers. 

We also study trends in productivity—the amount of 

output produced per worker—and use this information to 

translate projected output into the number of jobs needed 

in each industry to produce these goods and provide 

these services. 

Next, we project how the jobs in each industry 

will be distributed by occupation. To do this, we make 

extensive use of the BLS Occupational Employment 

Statistics survey, as well as of information from other 

sources for sectors that are not covered by the survey, to 

depict how employment in each of nearly 300 industries 

is distributed across more than 700 occupations. (For the 

2008–18 projections, we used 2008 employment data.) 

We analyze how this distribution is likely to change over 

the decade by studying trends in technology, changing 

skill requirements, and other factors. Using this analysis 

along with the survey data and our industry employment 

projections, we project employment by occupation—in 

this set of projections, for 2018. 

Our projection methods are based on the fact that 

employment trends in most occupations are closely 

tied to the trends in particular industries. For example, 

in 2008, about 60 percent of registered nurses worked 

in hospitals. So an increase in the demand for hospital 

services between 2008 and 2018 will increase the need 

for these workers. Based on changes in demand, we 

project that the real output of the hospital industry will 

increase over the decade, and about 274,000 more registered nurses will be needed in hospitals to provide this 

output. As a result, this industry is projected to account 

for about 47 percent of the roughly 582,000 new jobs for 

registered nurses. 

A note about the economy

in 2008

Our usual practice is to prepare new projections every 

other year, with the base year of the projections period 

being an even-numbered year. For this set of projections, 

the base year, 2008, happens to be during a significant 

downturn in the U.S. economy. Total employment of 

wage and salary workers fell by 532,000 between 2007 

and 2008, and it continued to fall in 2009. The construction, manufacturing, and financial activities industry 

sectors, along with occupations that are concentrated in 

these industries, were hit particularly hard. 

When developing long-term projections, however, 

our focus is on long-term trends in population, labor 

force, productivity, and output growth. The population 

and the labor force have been aging and their growth 

rates slowing. These long-term trends are expected to 

continue, regardless of the fluctuations in the economy. 

Readers should keep in mind, however, that the projected 

changes in employment between 2008 and 2018 usually include regaining jobs that have been lost during the 

downturn. 
6 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Occupational

employment

When choosing a career, jobseekers often want 

to know which occupations offer the best 

prospects. Generally, occupations that have 

rapid job growth, many new jobs, or many job openings—and good wages—promise better opportunities.

This section shows how employment in particular 

occupations is projected to change over the 2008–18 

decade. Many of the charts that follow show which 

occupations or occupational groups are expected to grow 

fastest (highest percent growth) or gain the most jobs 

(highest numeric growth). 

Employment growth for all workers is projected to 

average about 10 percent between 2008 and 2018. This 

average is shown as a dotted vertical line in the chart on 

page 12.

But when it comes to employment prospects, job 

growth tells only part of the story. Job openings for 

workers also come from the need to replace workers who 

retire or leave an occupation permanently for other reasons. Some charts show which occupations are expected 

to have the most openings for workers who are entering 

the occupation for the first time. These charts show projected openings both from job growth and from replacement needs (the need to replace workers who leave).

Growth by occupational group 

Most charts in this section focus on detailed occupations. 

To better illustrate general employment trends, however, 

five charts at the beginning of the section show employment growth in broad groups of similar occupations. 

The following are descriptions of 10 broad 

occupational groups in the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC), a system used by the Federal Government to classify workers into occupational categories. 

The groups are listed in the same order used in the SOC:

 Management, business, and financial occupations. Many of these workers direct the activities of business, government, and other organizations and perform 

tasks related to finance and business. Examples include 

school administrators, financial managers, accountants, 

and food service managers.

 Professional and related occupations. These 

workers are in education, healthcare, science, information technology, the arts, and a variety of other jobs. 

Examples are physical therapists, engineering technicians, lawyers, writers, interior designers, and computer 

software engineers.

 Service occupations. This group includes workers who assist the public. Police, cooks, home health 

aides, flight attendants, child care workers, and cosmetologists are examples.

 Sales and related occupations. Workers in this 

group are involved in the sale of goods and services, 

both to businesses and to consumers. Examples include 

cashiers, insurance sales agents, retail salespersons, telemarketers, and real estate agents.
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 7

Occupational employment

 Office and administrative support occupations. 

Workers in this group prepare and file documents, interact with the public, and gather and distribute goods and 

information. Examples include secretaries, stock clerks, 

mail carriers, computer operators, and receptionists.

 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations. 

Workers in this group tend and harvest renewable 

resources. Examples include farmworkers, fishing vessel 

captains, and logging equipment operators. Workers who 

manage farms or ranches are counted in the management 

occupations group rather than in this group.

 Construction and extraction occupations. 

This group includes workers in construction and building trades, such as carpenters and electricians. It also 

includes occupations in oil and gas extraction and mining, such as roustabouts and mining machine operators.

 Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations. Workers in this group install and maintain all 

types of equipment. They include avionics technicians, 

automotive service technicians and mechanics, computer 

repairers, industrial machinery mechanics, and millwrights.

 Production occupations. Most people in these 

occupations work as assemblers or machine operators, 

primarily in manufacturing industries. Examples include 

computer-controlled machine tool operators, machinists, 

textile occupations, power plant operators, and chemical 

equipment operators.

 Transportation and material moving occupations. Workers in these occupations move people or 

materials. They include airline pilots, truck drivers, locomotive engineers, and parking lot attendants.

Classification by postsecondary education 

and training obtained 

As an aid to jobseekers and counselors, some charts 

focus on occupations that have similar education and 

training requirements. For each occupation they analyze, 

BLS economists choose the education and training category that is most significant for workers in that occupation—either the category that is most common among 

workers currently in the occupation or the category that 

gives new workers the best chance of qualifying for a 

job. In nearly all occupations, however, workers have a 

variety of educational backgrounds. 

Each occupation is assigned to one of several education and training categories, ranging from a doctoral 

degree to short-term on-the-job training. Definitions 

for the postsecondary education and training categories 

accompany the relevant charts.

Wages

Wages include hourly, weekly, or annual pay that people 

receive for the work that they do. Sales commissions, 

tips, and production bonuses also are part of wages, but 

overtime and nonproduction bonuses are not.

For individual occupations, most charts include 

2008 median annual wage data from the BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program. The 

median wage is the point at which half of the workers 

in an occupation earned more than the amount, and half 

earned less. In May 2008, the median annual wage for 

all workers was $32,390. 

The highest median annual wages among the occupations in a given chart are in boldface type. For occupations with a median annual wage of more than $166,400, 

a specific wage figure is not given because the OES 

survey does not publish wage data above this amount. In 

these cases, the charts show that the median wage was 

greater than or equal to (≥) $166,400. 

Wages in these charts are for wage and salary workers only. Self-employed workers are not included in 

these measurements.
8 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Farming, shing,

and forestry 

Installation, maintenance,

and repair

Construction and extraction

Transportation and

material moving

Production 

Management, business,

and nancial 

Sales and related

Oce and administrative support 

Service

Professional and related 

21

20

16

11

10

7

7

5

4

1

Percent distribution of employment by major occupational group, 2008

Employment, 2008

Occupations that have similar job duties are grouped according to the tasks that the workers in those 

occupations perform. Two major occupational groups—professional and related occupations and service 

occupations—accounted for almost half of total employment in 2008.

Occupational employment

Note: Components do not add to 100 percent due to rounding.
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 9

Occupational employment

Life, physical, and Legal

social science

Architecture and engineering

Community and social services

Arts, design, entertainment,

sports, and media

Computer and mathematical

science Healthcare practitioners

and technical

Education, training,

30 and library

11 24

9

9

8

5

4

Protective service

Healthcare support

Personal care and service

Building and grounds cleaning

and maintenance

Food preparation and

serving related

39

19

17

13

11

Within the professional and related group, occupations related to education and 

healthcare accounted for the largest proportion of jobs in 2008.

Workers involved in preparing and serving food made up the largest share of 

those in service occupations in 2008.

Percent distribution of employment in professional and related occupations, 2008

Percent distribution of employment in service occupations, 2008

Note: Components do not add to 100 percent due to rounding.
10 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Production

Farming, shing, and forestry

Transportation and material moving

Installation, maintenance, and repair

Sales and related

Construction and extraction

Management, business, and nancial

Oce and administrative support

Service

Professional and related 5,227

4,069

1,842

1,664

1,019

980

440

391

-9

-349

Numeric change in employment by major occupational group, projected 2008–18

The two occupational 

groups that were the 

largest in 2008 are also 

projected to add the 

most new jobs to the 

U.S. economy between 

2008 and 2018. Two 

occupational groups are 

projected to lose jobs, 

due in part to increasing 

worker productivity and an 

ongoing shift to a serviceproviding economy.

Employment prospects depend on more 

than job growth. 

Openings for new 

workers occur not 

only when jobs are 

added to the economy 

but also when current workers leave 

an occupation permanently. In fact, 

the need to replace 

workers who leave 

an occupation is 

expected to create 

more openings than 

job growth will.

(Thousands of jobs)

Farming, shing, and forestry

Installation, maintenance, and repair

Production

Construction and extraction

Transportation and material moving

Management, business, and nancial

Sales and related

Oce and administrative support

Service

Professional and related 11,923

11,718

7,255

5,713

5,035

2,857

2,396

2,156

1,586

291 From growth From replacement needs

Numeric growth in job openings by major occupational group, projected 2008–18

(Thousands of job openings)

Occupational employment
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 11

Occupational employment

Legal

Architecture and engineering

Life, physical, and social science

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media

Community and social services

Computer and mathematical science

Education, training, and library

Healthcare practitioners and technical 1,600

1,324

786

448

333

277

271

188

Numeric growth in employment in professional and related occupations, projected 2008–18

Protective service

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance

Food preparation and serving related

Personal care and service

Healthcare support 1,147

1,031

1,008

484

400

Numeric growth in employment in service occupations, projected 2008–18

(Thousands of jobs) Three occupations 

within this group 

are expected to gain 

more than 1 million 

new jobs from 2008 

to 2018. Much of the 

employment growth 

in healthcare support 

occupations will come 

from increased demand 

for basic medical 

services to older 

persons. Job growth 

in personal care and 

service occupations 

will be driven primarily 

by demand for personal 

and home care for the 

elderly and disabled 

and by demand for 

child care services.

(Thousands of jobs) Workers in 

professional and 

related occupations 

have a variety of 

specialized skills. 

Within this group, two 

occupations are each 

expected to gain more 

than 1 million new 

jobs between 2008 and 

2018.
12 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Compliance ocers, except agriculture, construction,

health and safety, and transportation

Self-enrichment education teachers

Veterinarians

Physical therapist assistants

Medical assistants

Computer software engineers, applications

Dental assistants

Veterinary technologists and technicians

Dental hygienists

Physical therapist aides

Athletic trainers

Biochemists and biophysicists

Skin care specialists

Physician assistants

Medical scientists, except

epidemiologists

Financial examiners

Personal and home care aides

Home health aides

Network systems and data

communications analysts

Biomedical engineers 72%

53

50

46

41

40

39

38

37

36

36

36

36

37

34

34

33

33

32

31

Average, all occupations = 10% 

$77,400

71,100

20,460

19,180

70,930

72,590

81,230

28,730

82,840

39,640

23,760

66,570

28,900

32,380

85,430

28,300

46,140

79,050

35,720

48,890

Median annual

wages, May 2008

Fastest growing occupations

Percent growth in employment, projected 2008–18

Many of the occupations projected to grow the fastest relate to healthcare and care of the elderly. Of all the 

projected fastest growing occupations, however, computer applications software engineers had the highest 

median annual wage in May 2008.

Occupational employment
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 13

Occupational employment

Carpenters

Receptionists and information clerks

Computer software

 engineers, applications

Management analysts

Executive secretaries and

administrative assistants

Bookkeeping, accounting,

and auditing clerks

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer

Elementary school teachers, except special education

Construction laborers

Postsecondary teachers

Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants

Accountants and auditors

Oce clerks, general

Retail salespersons

Personal and home care aides

Combined food preparation and

serving workers, including fast food

Customer service representatives

Home health aides

Registered nurses 582

461

400

394

376

375

359

279

276

256

244

233

217

257

212

204

178

175

173

165

$62,450

20,460

29,860

16,430

19,180

20,510

25,320

59,430

23,850

58,830

28,520

49,330

37,270

23,150

32,510

40,030

73,570

85,430

24,550

38,940

Median annual

wages, May 2008

Numeric growth in employment, projected 2008–18

These 20 occupations are projected to gain the most new jobs between 2008 and 2018 and account for almost 

38 percent of all new jobs projected over the decade. Although these occupations have a range of wages, 

responsibilities, and education and training requirements, many relate to healthcare and care of the elderly. 

As with the projected fastest growing occupations, computer applications software engineers had the highest 

wage in May 2008 among occupations projected to gain the most new jobs.

Most new jobs

(Thousands of jobs)
14 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Personal and home care aides

Receptionists and information clerks

First-line supervisors/managers of oce

and administrative support workers

Accountants and auditors

General and operations managers

Child care workers

Home health aides

Postsecondary teachers

Janitors and cleaners, except maids

and housekeeping cleaners

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer

Stock clerks and order llers

Elementary school teachers, except special education

Laborers and freight, stock,

and material movers, hand

Oce clerks, general

Combined food preparation and serving

workers, including fast food

Registered nurses

Customer service representatives

Waiters and waitresses

Retail salespersons

Cashiers, except gaming 1,720

1,627

1,466

1,108

1,039

967

771

746

597

563

555

553

553

553

523

502

498

489

480

478

Median annual

wages, May 2008

$17,660

20,510

16,660

29,860

62,450

16,430

25,320

22,660

49,330

20,800

37,270

21,450

58,830

20,460

18,970

91,570

59,430

45,790

24,550

19,180

From growth From replacement needs

Job openings due to growth and replacement needs, projected 2008–18

Two retail occupations—cashiers and retail salespersons—are expected to have the most job openings over the 

projections decade. For most of the occupations in this chart, the need to replace workers leaving the occupation 

is projected to create more openings than job growth will. Of the occupations shown, general and operations 

managers had the highest median annual wage in May 2008. All job openings in that occupation are expected to 

result from replacement needs.

Most job openings for workers new to an occupation

(Thousands of jobs)

Occupational employment
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 15

Occupational employment

Short-term on-the-job training

Moderate-term on-the-job training Long-term on-the-job training

Work experience in a related occupation

Postsecondary vocational award

Associate degree

Bachelor's degree

Bachelor's or higher degree,

plus work experience

Master's degree Doctoral degree First professional degree

14

14

39

1

6

8

6

5

4

1 2

Percent distribution of job openings due to growth and replacement needs 

by education or training level, projected 2008–18

Most job openings over the projections decade will be in occupations that require short-term on-the-job training. 

Occupations requiring moderate-term on-the-job training and those requiring a bachelor’s degree are also 

expected to have a large share of the projected job openings.

Charts on the following pages show projected employment growth, projected job openings, and 2008 annual 

wages for detailed occupations within these categories. Generally, workers in occupations with higher education 

and training levels earn higher wages than do those with lower levels of education and training. The median 

annual wage for all occupations in May 2008 was $32,390.
16 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Operations research analysts

Clinical, counseling, and

school psychologists

Dentists, general

Veterinarians

Speech-language pathologists

Environmental scientists and

specialists, including health

Rehabilitation counselors

Occupational therapists

Mental health and

substance abuse social workers

Mental health counselors

Physician assistants

Instructional coordinators

Educational, vocational,

and school counselors

Medical scientists, except

epidemiologists

Pharmacists

Physical therapists

Clergy

Lawyers

Physicians and surgeons

Postsecondary teachers 257

144

99

85

56

46

44

39

31

27

27

27

25

29

24

22

20

18

17

14

$58,830

≥166,400

110,590

41,730

72,790

106,410

72,590

51,050

56,880

81,230

36,810

37,210

66,780

30,930

59,750

62,930

79,050

142,870

64,140

69,000

Median annual

wages, May 2008

Occupations that have the most growth and that usually require a master’s, doctoral, or 

first-professional degree, projected 2008–18

Completion of a master’s degree usually requires 1 or 2 years of full-time academic study beyond a bachelor’s 

degree. A doctoral degree (such as a Ph.D.) or a first professional degree (such as a medical or law degree) 

usually requires at least 3 years of full-time academic study beyond a bachelor’s degree.

Most high-growth occupations in these educational categories are related to healthcare, education, and social 

services. The projected increase in the number of postsecondary teachers reflects expanding college enrollments. 

And the employment growth for physicians and surgeons and other medical occupations reflects an aging 

population’s increased demand for medical services.

(Thousands of jobs)

Graduate degree

Occupational employment
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 17

Occupational employment

Operations research analysts

Physician assistants

Speech-language pathologists

Occupational therapists

Environmental scientists and

specialists, including health

Mental health counselors

Rehabilitation counselors

Dentists, general

Librarians

Clinical, counseling, and

school psychologists

Instructional coordinators

Mental health and

substance abuse social workers

Medical scientists,

except epidemiologists

Physical therapists

Educational, vocational, and

school counselors

Pharmacists

Clergy

Lawyers

Physicians and surgeons

Postsecondary teachers 553

261

240

218

106

94

79

66

61

61

60

55

52

51

50

48

46

44

43

32

Median annual

wages, May 2008

$58,830

≥166,400

110,590

41,730

106,410

51,050

72,790

72,590

37,210

56,880

64,140

52,530

142,870

30,930

36,810

59,750

66,780

62,930

81,230

69,000

From growth From replacement needs

Occupations that have the most job openings and that usually require a master’s, doctoral, or 

first-professional degree, projected 2008–18

Between 2008 and 2018, nearly 300,000 job openings for postsecondary teachers are expected to arise from the 

need to replace existing teachers who retire or leave the occupation permanently for other reasons.

(Thousands of job openings)

Graduate degree
18 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Training and development managers

Actuaries

Agents and business managers of

artists, performers, and athletes

Music directors and composers

Natural sciences managers

Education administrators, preschool

and child care center or program

Public relations managers

Producers and directors

Vocational education teachers,

secondary school

Art directors

Engineering managers

Farm, ranch, and other

agricultural managers

Education administrators,

elementary and secondary school

Marketing managers

Administrative services managers

Financial managers

Medical and health services managers

Computer and information

systems managers

Sales managers

Management analysts 178

52

50

45

41

32

22

20

15

10

10

10

7

11

7

7

5

5

4

4

$73,570

97,260

112,210

80,240

99,330

73,520

108,580

83,880

56,230

115,270

76,980

51,580

64,430

89,430

39,940

112,800

41,270

62,940

84,810

87,700

Median annual

wages, May 2008

Occupations that have the most growth and that usually require a bachelor’s or 

graduate degree plus work experience, projected 2008–18

Occupations in this category often require a bachelor’s or graduate degree and experience in a closely related 

occupation.

Nearly all of these occupations have managerial responsibilities, and jobs are usually filled by experienced 

staff who are promoted into managerial positions.

(Thousands of jobs)

Bachelor’s or graduate degree plus work experience

Occupational employment
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 19

Occupational employment

Natural sciences managers

Public relations managers

Purchasing managers

Education administrators, preschool

and child care center or program

Art directors

Vocational education teachers,

secondary school

Education administrators, postsecondary

Producers and directors

Engineering managers

Marketing managers

Farm, ranch, and other agricultural managers

Administrative services managers

Education administrators,

elementary and secondary school

Computer and information systems managers

Medical and health services managers

Chief executives

Sales managers

Financial managers

Management analysts

General and operations managers 502

307

138

127

113

99

97

89

87

65

60

49

40

40

39

29

25

21

21

20

Median annual

wages, May 2008

$91,570

73,570

99,330

97,260

158,560

80,240

112,210

83,880

73,520

56,230

108,580

115,270

64,430

80,670

51,580

76,980

39,940

89,160

89,430

112,800

From growth From replacement needs

Occupations that have the most job openings and that usually require a bachelor’s or 

graduate degree plus work experience, projected 2008–18

Within this category, general and operations managers are expected to have the most job openings over the 

2008–18 decade. Because this occupation is large, many new workers will be needed to replace those who retire 

or leave permanently for other reasons.

(Thousands of job openings)

Bachelor’s or graduate degree plus work experience
20 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Graphic designers

Special education teachers, preschool,

kindergarten, and elementary school

Financial analysts

Training and development specialists

Cost estimators

Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists

Personal nancial advisors

Public relations specialists

Civil engineers

Market research analysts

Network and computer

systems administrators

Construction managers

Secondary school teachers, except

special and vocational education

Middle school teachers, except

special and vocational education

Computer systems analysts

Computer software engineers,

systems software

Network systems and data

communications analysts

Computer software engineers,

applications

Elementary school teachers, except special education

Accountants and auditors 279

244

175

156

120

108

101

96

95

70

68

66

63

79

58

55

51

50

44

37

$59,430

49,330

85,430

71,100

92,430

75,500

49,700

51,180

79,860

66,310

61,070

74,600

51,280

69,050

45,470

56,510

51,450

73,150

50,020

42,400

Median annual

wages, May 2008

Occupations that have the most growth and that usually require a bachelor’s degree, 

projected 2008–18

Completion of a bachelor’s degree usually requires at least 4 years of full-time academic study beyond 

high school.

Most of these occupations relate to business, computers, or education. As businesses continue to invest in 

information technology, demand for workers in several computer-related occupations will grow. Several 

occupations involved in recruiting, training, and managing a qualified workforce are also expected to have 

significant job growth over the projections decade.

(Thousands of jobs)

Bachelor’s degree

Occupational employment
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 21

Occupational employment

Occupations that have the most job openings and that usually require a bachelor’s degree, 

projected 2008–18

Thousands of openings for workers who have a bachelor’s degree are expected in a variety of occupations. The 

large number of projected openings for teachers reflects the size of teaching occupations, the need to replace 

teachers who are expected to retire, and rising student enrollments.

(Thousands of job openings)

Special education teachers, preschool,

kindergarten, and elementary school

Cost estimators

Training and development specialists

Child, family, and school social workers

Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists

Civil engineers

Graphic designers

Securities, commodities, and

nancial services sales agents

Public relations specialists

Network and computer

systems administrators

Market research analysts

Construction managers

Computer software engineers,

systems software

Network systems and data

communications analysts

Computer software engineers,

applications

Computer systems analysts

Middle school teachers, except

special and vocational education

Secondary school teachers, except

special and vocational education

Accountants and auditors

Elementary school teachers, except special education 597

498

412

251

223

218

208

153

138

137

136

131

127

125

115

112

110

107

104

103

Median annual

wages, May 2008

$49,330

59,430

51,180

49,700

75,500

85,430

71,100

92,430

79,860

61,070

66,310

51,280

68,680

42,400

74,600

45,470

39,530

51,450

56,510

50,020

From growth From replacement needs

Bachelor’s degree
22 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Occupations that have the most growth and that usually require an associate degree or 

postsecondary vocational award, projected 2008–18

Completion of an associate degree usually requires 2 years of full-time academic study beyond high school. 

Postsecondary vocational programs vary in length and range from several weeks to 1 year or more. Completion 

of these programs often leads to a certificate or other award but not an academic degree.

At this level of training, occupations that are projected to gain the most jobs are largely related to healthcare, 

reflecting the growing medical needs of an aging population.

(Thousands of jobs)

Surgical technologists

Massage therapists

Medical and clinical laboratory technicians

Veterinary technologists and technicians

Medical records and health

information technicians

Automotive service technicians

and mechanics

Radiologic technologists and technicians

Legal secretaries

Insurance sales agents

Dental hygienists

Real estate sales agents

Paralegals and legal assistants

Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors

Computer support specialists

Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration

mechanics and installers

Preschool teachers, except

special education

Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

Licensed practical and licensed

vocational nurses

Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants

Registered nurses 582

276

156

127

87

87

78

77

74

63

52

48

37

64

36

35

29

25

23

23

$62,450

23,850

39,030

23,140

23,870

39,680

43,450

29,210

46,120

40,150

66,570

45,430

39,860

52,210

35,100

30,610

28,900

35,380

34,900

38,740

Median annual

wages, May 2008

Associate degree or postsecondary vocational award

Occupational employment
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 23

Occupational employment

Emergency medical technicians and paramedics

Library technicians

Radiologic technologists and technicians

Medical records and health

information technicians

Bus and truck mechanics and

diesel engine specialists

Legal secretaries

Dental hygienists

Paralegals and legal assistants

Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors

Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

Real estate sales agents

Heating, air conditioning, and

refrigeration mechanics and installers

Insurance sales agents

Preschool teachers, except

special education

Automotive service technicians

and mechanics

Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

Computer support specialists

Licensed practical and

licensed vocational nurses

Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants

Registered nurses 1,039

422

391

235

220

182

178

153

136

128

126

124

104

98

84

75

70

68

65

62

Median annual

wages, May 2008

$62,450

23,850

39,030

43,450

23,140

35,100

23,870

45,430

39,680

40,150

33,560

29,210

46,120

66,570

39,860

39,390

30,610

52,210

28,820

29,330

From growth From replacement needs

Occupations that have the most job openings and that usually require an associate degree or 

postsecondary vocational award, projected 2008–18

Over the 2008–18 decade, more than 1 million job openings are expected for registered nurses seeking 

employment in the occupation for the first time.

(Thousands of job openings)

Associate degree or postsecondary vocational award
24 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Occupations that have the most growth and that usually require work experience or 

long-term on-the-job training, projected 2008–18

Occupations that require work experience are often supervisory, and workers’ experience usually must be in the 

occupation being supervised. Occupations in the long-term on-the-job training category usually require workers 

to have 1 year or more of on-the-job training. Apprenticeships and long-term employer-sponsored training are 

classified here.

Employment of executive secretaries and administrative assistants is expected to increase in part because the 

duties in this occupation are less likely than many other office and administrative support occupations to be 

affected by technological advances. Increased activity in building and remodeling is expected to create growth 

in construction occupations. Supervisory occupations are also projected to gain many jobs over the 2008–18 

decade.

(Thousands of jobs)

First-line supervisors/managers of

non-retail sales workers

First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping,

lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

First-line supervisors/managers of

personal service workers

Purchasing agents, except wholesale,

retail, and farm products

Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing,

technical and scientic products

First-line supervisors/managers of

food preparation and serving workers

Coaches and scouts

Police and sheri's patrol ocers

Fire ghters

Cooks, restaurant

Plumbers, pipetters, and steamtters

Compliance ocers, except agriculture, construction,

health and safety, and transportation

Self-enrichment education teachers

Electricians

First-line supervisors/managers of

retail sales workers

Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing,

except technical and scientic products

First-line supervisors/managers of

construction trades and extraction workers

First-line supervisors/managers of

oce and administrative support workers

Carpenters

Executive secretaries and administrative assistants 204

165

160

107

101

88

83

81

81

70

58

57

56

76

55

42

41

33

32

24

$40,030

38,940

45,790

58,140

51,330

35,310

46,420

35,720

48,890

45,640

21,990

44,260

51,410

28,340

28,970

70,200

53,940

34,910

39,920

68,100

Median annual

wages, May 2008

Work experience or long-term on-the-job training

Occupational employment
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 25

Occupational employment

Occupations that have the most job openings and that usually require work experience or 

long-term on-the-job training, projected 2008–18

Replacement needs are expected to account for most of the job openings in these occupations. Even 

occupations that are not expected to gain many new jobs—such as such as first-line supervisors of mechanics, 

installers, and repairers—will offer some job openings because of the need to replace existing workers who 

leave the occupation permanently.

(Thousands of job openings)

Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Coaches and scouts

Compliance ocers, except agriculture, construction,

health and safety, and transportation

Purchasing agents, except wholesale,

retail, and farm products

Self-enrichment education teachers

First-line supervisors/managers of

non-retail sales workers

First-line supervisors/managers of

food preparation and serving workers

First-line supervisors/managers of

mechanics, installers, and repairers

Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing,

technical and scientic products

Fire ghters

Plumbers, pipetters, and steamtters

Police and sheri's patrol ocers

First-line supervisors/managers of

construction trades and extraction workers

Electricians

Cooks, restaurant

Carpenters

Executive secretaries and administrative assistants

First-line supervisors/managers of

retail sales workers

Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing,

except technical and scientic products

First-line supervisors/managers of

oce and administrative support workers 489

458

450

419

325

304

251

242

228

176

153

142

137

134

130

120

119

109

99

96

Median annual

wages, May 2008

$45,790

51,330

35,310

40,030

38,940

21,990

46,420

58,140

51,410

45,640

44,260

70,200

57,300

28,970

68,100

35,720

53,940

48,890

28,340

55,760

From growth From replacement needs

Work experience or long-term on-the-job training
26 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Occupations that have the most growth and that usually require short- or moderate-term 

on-the-job training, projected 2008–18

For occupations that require moderate-term on-the-job training, workers develop the skills that they need 

during 1 to 12 months of combined on-the-job experience and informal training. 

For occupations in the short-term on-the-job training category, workers develop the skills that they need after a 

short demonstration of job duties or during 1 month or less of on-the-job experience or instruction.

Each of the occupations shown here is projected to gain more than 100,000 new jobs between 2008 and 2018.

(Thousands of jobs)

Medical secretaries

Cashiers, except gaming

Stock clerks and order llers

Teacher assistants

Child care workers

Maintenance and repair workers, general

Waiters and waitresses

Security guards

Medical assistants

Receptionists and information clerks

Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer

Construction laborers

Oce clerks, general

Retail salespersons

Personal and home care aides

Combined food preparation and

serving workers, including fast food

Customer service representatives

Home health aides 461

400

394

376

375

359

256

233

217

173

164

153

152

212

148

142

135

134

126

126

$20,460

29,860

16,430

19,180

20,510

25,320

28,520

37,270

23,150

32,510

24,550

28,300

23,460

16,660

33,710

18,970

22,200

20,800

17,660

29,680

Median annual

wages, May 2008

Short- or moderate-term on-the-job training

Occupational employment
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 27

Occupational employment

Occupations that have the most job openings and that usually require short- or moderate-term 

on-the-job training, projected 2008–18

Among occupations that require relatively little training, the need to replace workers is expected to account for 

the bulk of job openings. 

(Thousands of job openings)

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive

Security guards

Teacher assistants

Counter attendants, cafeteria,

food concession, and coee shop

Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks

Personal and home care aides

Receptionists and information clerks

Child care workers

Home health aides

Janitors and cleaners, except

maids and housekeeping cleaners

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer

Stock clerks and order llers

Laborers and freight, stock, and

material movers, hand

Oce clerks, general

Combined food preparation and

serving workers, including fast food

Customer service representatives

Waiters and waitresses

Retail salespersons

Cashiers, except gaming 1,720

1,627

1,466

1,108

967

771

746

563

555

553

553

523

480

478

460

435

413

374

366

362

Median annual

wages, May 2008

$17,660

20,510

16,660

29,860

16,430

25,320

22,660

20,800

37,270

21,450

20,460

18,970

24,550

19,180

32,510

17,520

22,200

23,460

29,050

23,150

From growth From replacement needs

Short- or moderate-term on-the-job training
28 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Decline in employment by occupation, projected 2008–18

The occupations that are expected to have the largest employment declines—in part because technology is 

increasing worker productivity—are primarily production occupations and office and administrative support 

occupations. Even in occupations that are not expected to gain new jobs, however, the need to replace existing 

workers who leave will create some opportunities.

Most job losses

(Thousands of jobs)

Switchboard operators,

including answering service

Inspectors, testers, sorters,

samplers, and weighers

Data entry keyers

Laborers and freight, stock,

and material movers, hand

Machinists

Computer operators

Paper goods machine setters,

operators, and tenders

Door-to-door sales workers, news and

street vendors, and related workers

Machine feeders and obearers

Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers

Cutting, punching, and press machine

setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

Packers and packagers, hand

First-line supervisors/managers of

production and operating workers

Telemarketers

Shipping, receiving, and trac clerks

File clerks

Postal service mail sorters, processors,

and processing machine operators

Order clerks

Sewing machine operators

-79 Farmers and ranchers

-72

-64

-55

-50

-49

-38

-36

-34

-31

-31

-27

-22

-33

-21

-19

-19

-17

-17

-17

Median annual

wages, May 2008

$33,550

19,870

27,990

50,020

23,800

27,660

21,960

50,440

19,060

28,160

27,490

25,570

20,990

33,080

36,210

35,600

22,660

26,120

31,240

24,220

Occupational employment
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 29

Occupational employment

Janitors and cleaners, except

maids and housekeeping cleaners

Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks

Door-to-door sales workers, news and

street vendors, and related workers

Property, real estate, and

community association managers

Food service managers

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer

Retail salespersons

Management analysts

Lawyers

Painters, construction and maintenance

First-line supervisors/managers of

non-retail sales workers

Real estate sales agents

Construction laborers

Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

Construction managers

Child care workers

Carpenters

First-line supervisors/managers of

retail sales workers

Farmers and ranchers 906

541

458

443

375

305

290

280

258

210

208

202

169

242

156

149

147

146

142

139

Occupations with the most self-employed workers, projected 2018

Most of the new jobs added to the economy are expected to be for wage and salary workers; employment of 

self-employed and unpaid family workers is projected to change little through 2018. Farmers and ranchers 

are projected to have the highest levels of self-employment in 2018. But self-employment is also expected 

to be common in business, construction, and personal service occupations.

(Thousands of workers)
30 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Population and labor force, 1998, 2008, and 

projected 2018

Both the population and the labor force are projected 

to continue growing slowly. By 2018, the number of 

people working or looking for work is expected to reach 

about 167 million. That number excludes people who are 

active-duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces, are in 

institutions, or are younger than 16 years of age. 

T (Millions of people)

he labor force is the number of people aged 16 or 

older who are either working or looking for work. 

It does not include active-duty military personnel or institutionalized people, such as prison inmates. 

Quantifying this total supply of labor is a way of determining how big the economy can get. 

The size of the labor force depends on two factors. 

The first is the size of the population, which is determined by rates of birth, immigration, and death. The 

second is the labor force participation rate—the percent 

of the population that is working or actively seeking 

employment. 

Labor force participation rates vary significantly 

between men and women and among different age, 

racial, and ethnic groups. Each group also has varying 

population growth rates. These variations change the 

composition of the labor force over time. 

The charts that follow show how the labor force is 

projected to change among age groups, between men and 

women, among racial groups (Asians, blacks, whites, 

and others), and among ethnic groups (Hispanics and 

non-Hispanics of any race). These are the categories that 

the U.S. Census Bureau uses to produce the demographic data on which BLS projections are based. 

Total labor force growth is expected to average about 

8 percent between 2008 and 2018. This average is shown 

as a dotted vertical line in the chart on page 32. 

As in previous years, the labor force is projected to 

grow more slowly than the number of jobs, but this is not 

an indication of a labor shortage. Instead, this discrepancy reflects that these two measures are based on different 

concepts.

Civilian noninstitutional Labor force

population, 16 years

and older

205

234

259

138

154

167

1998 2008 Projected 2018

Labor

force
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 31

Labor force

Numeric growth in population and labor force, 1998-2008 and projected 2008–18

Between 2008 and 2018, both the population and the labor force are expected to grow less 

than they did during the previous decade.

(Millions of people)

Civilian noninstitutional Labor force

population, 16 years

and older

29

25

17

13

1998–2008 Projected 2008–18
32 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Labor force

Numeric change in labor force by age, projected 2008–18

Percent change in labor force by age, projected 2008–18

The baby-boom generation—those born between 1946 

and 1964—is expected to remain in the labor force 

longer than previous generations. As this group ages, 

the number of people in the labor force aged 55 to 64 

is expected to increase by more than 7 million during the projections decade, and the number of people 

aged 65 and older is projected to increase by almost 5 

million. The numbers of 45- to 54-year-olds and 35- to 

44-year-olds are expected to shrink as baby boomers 

age and shift into older groups.

(Thousands of people)

Thanks to advances in medicine, people now enjoy 

better health as they age and, as a result, are able 

to remain in the labor force longer than workers in 

previous generations did. And a variety of economic 

factors—an increase in the Social Security eligibility age, for example—create incentives for people to 

keep working. Because of such factors, the number of 

people in the labor force aged 65 and older is expected 

to grow about 10 times faster than the total labor force.

Ages

65 and older

Ages

55 to 64

Ages

45 to 54

Ages

35 to 44

Ages

25 to 34

Ages

-901 16 to 24

3,482

-274

-1,660

7,139

4,839

Ages

65 and older

Ages

55 to 64

Ages

45 to 54

Ages

35 to 44

Ages

25 to 34

Ages

-4% 16 to 24

10%

-1%

-5%

33%

78%

Average, total labor force = 8%
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 33

Labor force

The labor force participation rates for both men and 

women are expected to decline slightly over the 

projections decade. By 2018, about 71 percent of 

men and 59 percent of women are expected to be in 

the labor force.

The aging of the population will be a factor driving 

down labor force participation rates. Despite working longer than previous generations, baby boomers 

will still have lower levels of labor force participation than those in younger age groups. The babyboom generation is becoming a larger segment of 

the total population, driving down overall participation in the labor force.

Labor force participation rates for men and women, 1958–2008 and projected 2018

(Percent of people in the labor force)

Percent growth in labor force for men and women, 

projected 2008–18

Between 2008 and 2018, the increase in the number of women in the labor force is expected to be 

greater than the increase in the number of men. But 

the rate of growth for both groups is expected to be 

about the same.

40

60

80

100%

Women

Total

Men

1958 1968 1978 1988 1998 2008 Projected

2018

40

60

80

100%

Women Men Total labor force

9%

8 8
34 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Labor force

Whites made up 81 percent of the labor force in 2008.

Although whites will continue to be the largest racial 

category in the labor force, other racial groups are projected to make up 21 percent of the labor force by 2018.

Percent distribution of labor force by race, 2008

Percent distribution of labor force by race, 

projected 2018

All other Asian

Black

White

81

12

5 2

All other

Asian

Black

White

79

12

6

3
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 35

Labor force

Total White Black Asian All other

8

6

14

30 30

Percent growth in labor force by race, projected 2008–18

Although Asians will remain a small part of the labor force, they—along with the “all 

other races” category—will have the fastest rate of labor force growth between 2008 and 

2018. This growth is due to increased immigration and both groups’ very high labor force 

participation rates.

The “all other races” category includes American Indians and Alaska Natives, Native 

Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, multiracial individuals, and any other people who 

do not identify themselves as white, black, or Asian.
36 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Labor force

Non-Hispanic

Hispanic

82

18

Total Hispanic Non-Hispanic

8

33

4

Percent growth in labor force by ethnic origin,

projected 2008–18

The Hispanic labor force is growing faster than any other 

ethnic group because of overall population growth—

from higher births and increased immigration—and 

because of significantly higher labor force participation 

rates. The growth rate of 33 percent for the Hispanic 

labor force is about 8 times that of non-Hispanic workers 

over the projections decade...

Percent distribution of labor force by 

ethnic origin, 2008

Percent distribution of labor force by 

ethnic origin, projected 2018

...increasing the Hispanic share of the 

labor force from 14 percent in 2008...

...to 18 percent in 2018.

Non-Hispanic

Hispanic

86

14
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 37

Industry 

employment

This section illustrates projected employment 

change from an industry perspective over the 

2008–18 decade. Workers are grouped into an 

industry according to the type of good produced or 

service provided by the establishment in which they 

work. Everyone who works in a hospital, for example, is 

part of the hospital industry, regardless of his or her job 

duties. The hospital industry includes not only healthcare 

workers, such as doctors and nurses, but also thousands 

of other workers, such as office managers and janitors.

Industry employment projections are shown in terms 

of numeric change (growth or decline in the total number 

of jobs) and percent change (the rate of job growth or 

decline). Unlike employment totals in the occupational 

charts, however, employment totals in this section cover 

only wage and salary workers and do not include selfemployed or unpaid family workers.

Employment growth for all wage and salary workers 

is projected to average about 11 percent between 2008 

and 2018. This average is shown as a dotted vertical line 

in two charts.

As discussed in the introduction to this issue of the 

Quarterly, job growth or decline in some industries 

affects particular occupations significantly. The number of jobs for registered nurses, for example, is highly 

dependent on the growth of the hospital industry. Many 

occupations, however—from human resources managers 

to computer systems analysts—are found in nearly every 

industry.

Employment growth in industries depends on industry output (the total amount produced) and worker productivity (how much each worker produces). Laborsaving technologies and methods can increase productivity, 

limiting employment growth even as output increases. 

For example, even as agricultural output is projected to 

increase, employment on farms is projected to decline as 

advanced methods and machines reduce the number of 

workers needed to raise crops and livestock.

Likewise, employment in one industry can be 

affected by changing practices in another. For example, 

increased use of contractors and consultants has led to 

greater employment in the management, scientific, and 

technical consulting services industry. But this practice 

has led to reduced employment in the many industries 

that previously hired management and technical analysts 

as employees.

Industries shown in the charts are defined primarily 

according to the 2007 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), a system used by the Federal 

Government to classify establishments into industry 

categories. Industries fall into either goods-producing or 

service-providing sectors.
38 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Industry employment

Wage and salary employment by industry type, 

2008 and projected 2018

(Millions of jobs)

The goods-producing sectors are:

 Construction. Examples of establishments in this 

sector include electrical contracting firms and construction companies.

 Manufacturing. Examples include businesses 

that make computer chips, machinery, and other goods.

 Natural resources and mining. Establishments in 

this sector include farms, aquaculture companies, and oil 

and gas extraction companies.

The service-providing sectors are:

 Educational services. This sector includes local, 

State, and private schools and other providers of education.

 Financial activities. Included in this sector are 

finance, insurance, real estate, and rental services organizations.

 Health care and social assistance. Health care 

and social assistance providers—including public and 

private providers of health care and private providers 

of social assistance—are part of this sector. Examples 

include hospitals, doctors’ offices, and assisted living 

facilities.

 Information. This sector includes print, software, 

and database publishing firms; movie, video, and sound 

production and distribution establishments; broadcasting 

and telecommunications providers; and information and 

data processing providers.

 Leisure and hospitality. Examples include hotels, 

restaurants, sports teams, theme parks, performing arts 

companies, and arcades.

 Professional and business services. Examples 

include temporary help firms, consulting services, and 

waste management establishments.

 Public administration. This sector consists of 

government establishments that administer programs and 

provide for public safety. Federal, State, and local government (except education and hospitals) are classified here.

 Trade, transportation, and utilities. Included 

here are wholesale and retail trade establishments, airports, messenger services, and power plants.

2008 Projected 2018

139

154

117

131

23 23

Service providing

Goods producing

Service-providing industries are projected 

to account for the most job growth between 

2008 and 2018. In goods-producing industries, employment is projected to stay about 

the same over the decade.
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 39

Industry employment

Percent distribution of wage and salary employment by industry sector, 2008

In 2008, about 15 percent of jobs were in retail and wholesale trade establishments.

Employment, 2008

State and local government,

except education and hospitals

Federal Government

Other services

Leisure and hospitality

Health care and social assistance

Educational services

Professional and business services

Financial activities

Information

Retail trade and wholesale trade

Transportation and utilities

Construction

Manufacturing 

Natural resources and mining

10

5

4

15

2

6

13

10

12

10

4

2

6

1 Service providing

Goods producing
40 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Industry employment

Numeric change in employment of wage and salary workers by industry sector, projected 2008–18

(Thousands of jobs)

Employment is projected to increase by more than 4 million in both the professional and business services 

sector and the health care and social assistance sector. Growth in professional and business services is expected 

to be led by providers of administrative support services and consulting services. Growth in health care and 

social assistance is expected to be driven by increased demand from an aging population.

Employment change

Manufacturing

Natural resources and mining

Federal Government

Information

Transportation and utilities

Financial activities

State and local government,

except education and hospitals

Other services

Retail and wholesale trade

Leisure and hospitality

Construction

Educational services

Health care and social assistance

Professional and business services 4,190

4,017

1,683

1,337

1,142

910

704

-109

-1,206

694

557

387

118

95

Service providing

Goods producing
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 41

Industry employment

Percent change in employment of wage and salary workers by industry sector, projected 2008–18

Both the health care and social assistance sector and the professional and business services sector are projected 

to grow more than twice as fast as the average for all industries between 2008 and 2018.

Manufacturing

Natural resources and mining

Federal Government

Information

Retail and wholesale trade

Financial activities

State and local government,

except education and hospitals

Transportation and utilities

Leisure and hospitality

Educational services

Other services

Construction

Professional and business services

Health care and social assistance 24%

24

19

13

12

8

8

-5

-9

8

7

4

4

3

Average, all wage and salary workers = 11% 

Service providing

Goods producing
42 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Industry employment

Fastest growing industries

As this and the next chart show, all of the detailed industries that are expected to have the 

fastest growth and the most gains in employment between 2008 and 2018 are serviceproviding ones. The management, scientific, and technical consulting services industry is 

projected to grow the fastest and to gain the most jobs. Firms in this industry help companies 

respond to globalization, technological changes, and other business challenges.

Percent growth in employment of wage and salary workers by detailed industry, projected 2008–18

Support activities for air transportation

Support activities for road transportation

Software publishers

Oces of chiropractors

Facilities support services

Personal care services

Oces of physicians

Waste treatment and disposal

Lessors of nonnancial intangible assets

(except copyrighted works)

Veterinary services

Medical and diagnostic laboratories

General merchandise stores,

except department stores

Oces of mental health practitioners

(except physicians)

Computer systems design and related services

Specialized design services

Home health care services

Data processing, hosting, and related services

Oces of physical, occupational, and

speech therapists and audiologists

Services for the elderly and

persons with disabilities

Management, scientic, and

technical consulting services 83%

74

56

53

46

46

45

43

41

35

34

34

34

40

32

31

31

30

30

30

Average, all wage and salary workers = 11% 
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 43

Industry employment

Pharmacies and drug stores

Landscaping services

Federal Government, excluding postal service

Personal care services

Accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping,

and payroll services

State government, excluding

education and hospitals

Wholesale electronic markets

and agents and brokers

Oces of dentists

Legal services

Limited-service eating places

Full-service restaurants

Nursing care facilities

Services for the elderly and

persons with disabilities

Home health care services

Local government, excluding

education and hospitals

Employment services

General merchandise stores,

excluding department stores

Computer systems design and related services

Oces of physicians

Management, scientic, and

technical consulting services 835

772

656

607

600

487

441

431

394

341

253

233

226

343

207

199

198

192

179

156

Numeric growth in employment of wage and salary workers by detailed industry, projected 2008–18

(Thousands of jobs)

Of the 20 industries projected to gain the most jobs, 5 relate to health care. These industries are offices 

of physicians, home health care services, services for the elderly and persons with disabilities, nursing 

care facilities, and offices of dentists. The employment gains in these industries reflect an aging population’s increasing demand for services.

Most new jobs
44 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Industry employment

Numeric decline in employment of wage and salary workers by detailed industry, projected 2008–18

(Thousands of jobs)

Declines in industry employment are usually the result of falling demand for specific goods 

and services, increased imports that reduce domestic production, or the use of technology 

that increases worker productivity. Declining employment may lead to unfavorable job 

prospects, but the need to replace workers who leave an industry often creates some job 

openings.

Most job losses

Plastics product manufacturing

Ventilation, heating, air-conditioning, and

commercial refrigeration equipment manufacturing

Specialty food stores

Oce supplies, stationery, and gift stores

Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills

Direct insurance (except life, health, and medical) carriers

Basic chemical manufacturing

Professional and commercial equipment and

supplies merchant wholesalers

Computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing

Converted paper product manufacturing

Automobile dealers

Wired telecommunications carriers

Gasoline stations

Newspaper publishers

Cut and sew apparel manufacturing

Printing and related support activities

U.S. Postal Service

Motor vehicle parts manufacturing

Semiconductor and other electronic

component manufacturing

-159 Department stores

-146

-101

-98

-95

-89

-81

-75

-73

-64

-58

-56

-52

-68

-50

-44

-42

-38

-37

-34

Service providing

Goods producing
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 45

Overall economy

Overall

economy

The economy’s need for workers originates in 

the demand for the goods and services that they 

provide. So, to project employment, BLS starts 

by projecting the gross domestic product (GDP) for 

2018. GDP is the value of the final goods produced and 

services provided in the United States.

Then, BLS estimates the size—in inflation-adjusted 

dollars—of the five major categories of production. The 

categories are:

 Personal consumption expenditures. This category includes purchases made by individuals, including 

goods (such as automobiles, clothes, and food) and 

services (such as education, healthcare, and rental payments).

 Gross private domestic investment. This category includes business investment in equipment and 

software; the construction of houses, factories, hospitals, 

and other structures; and changes in business inventories.

 Government consumption expenditures and 

gross investment. This category includes goods and services bought by Federal, State, and local governments.

 Exports. These are goods and services produced 

in the United States and purchased in foreign countries.

 Imports. Imports are goods and services produced abroad and purchased in the United States. 

Because GDP measures production in the United States, 

the value of imports is subtracted from the other four 

categories of GDP.

Next, BLS breaks down these major categories into 

more detailed ones, such as the production of automobiles or the provision of medical services.

Changes in the level and composition of production 

often affect industry employment levels. For example, an 

increased level of business investment in computer software may increase employment in the computer industry 

and in all those industries that provide inputs—either 

products or services—to the computer industry. In turn, 

employment in occupations in those industries would 

also grow.

Industry employment levels are also affected by 

changes in labor productivity—the amount an employee 

produces per hour of work. Because of technological advances, for example, some industries are able to 

increase output with fewer employees. 

Unlike previous sections, the growth charts in this 

section show annual rates of change instead of the percent change over the entire projections decade. Annual 

rates are used here, in part, because they are the measure 

used for other economic indicators, including inflation.

To show changes in demand more accurately, dollar 

amounts in these charts are given not in current dollars 

but in 2000 chain-weighted dollars. This means that 

amounts have been adjusted for changing prices over 

time.
46 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Projected

2018

1988 1998 2008

$6,743

9,067

11,652

14,751

Overall economy

By 2018, the value of goods produced and services provided (gross domestic product, or 

GDP) in the United States is projected to reach nearly $14.8 trillion.

GDP in 1988,1998, 2008, and projected 2018

(Billions of chained 2000 dollars)
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 47

Overall economy

Average annual percent change in productivity by decade, 1968–2008 and projected 2008–18

Growth in GDP is due, in part, to increasing productivity. Productivity is projected to grow 1.8 

percent annually over the 2008–18 decade. This rate is slower than the 2.6-percent average rate 

of growth over the 1998–2008 decade but is in line with growth rates from prior decades. 

1968-78

1.9%

1978-88 1988-98 1998-2008 Projected

2008-18

1.3

1.7

2.6

1.8
48 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

Overall economy

All other goods

Drugs

Clothing and jewelry

Household goods, appliances, and furniture

Video and audio goods

Food, beverages, and tobacco

Motor vehicles, parts, and gasoline and oil

Computers and software $724

158

149

144

142

137

96

106

Growth rate

(percent)

14.8%

2.5

1.2

6.1

2.6

2.6

3.5

2.6

Total, all goods = 2.3

All other services

Education

Transportation

Telephone

Recreation

Personal business

Housing and household operation

Medical care and insurance $558

300

192

110

58

56

37

96

Growth rate

(percent)

3.5%

1.9

2.7

2.9

3.4

1.7

1.8

3.0

Total, all services = 2.6

Of all goods components, computers and software expenditures are expected to have the largest and the 

fastest growth. Contributing to this growth will be the continued expansion of the Internet and ongoing 

development of mobile technologies.

Of the services components, spending on medical care and insurance is expected to have the largest and 

fastest growth as the population ages. 

Growth in services components of personal consumption expenditures, projected 2008–18

Growth in goods components of personal consumption expenditures, projected 2008–18

(Billions of chained 2000 dollars)

(Billions of chained 2000 dollars)
This issue of the Quarterly is one of several 

BLS publications that include projections 

data. The others give more detail or present 

the projections from another point of view.

 The November 2009 issue of the 

Monthly Labor Review contains five articles 

related to the projections. The first summarizes the projections and is followed by four 

more detailed articles, each focusing on one 

major component: labor force, economic 

growth, industry output and employment, and 

occupational employment.

 The 2010–11 edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook assesses job outlook 

for hundreds of occupations. It also discusses 

each occupation’s work activities, working 

conditions, earnings, and educational requirements that people need to enter and succeed in 

the occupation.

Other BLS publications describing the 2008–18 projections

 The 2010–11 edition of the Career 

Guide to Industries presents employment 

projections from an industry perspective. It 

provides details on employment, working conditions, occupations in the industry, training 

and advancement, earnings, and job outlook 

for 45 major industries.

 “The job outlook in brief” summarizes occupations covered in the Occupational 

Outlook Handbook. It includes employment data, projections, and a short description of prospective employment trends. The 

“Brief” will be presented in the spring 2010 

Quarterly.

Each of these publications will be available online at no cost. Price and ordering 

information for the print versions will be 

published on the Employment Projections 

program’s Web site, www.bls.gov/emp. 

Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 49
50 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

2005–09

Choosing and changing jobs

Career myths and how to debunk 

them. Fall 05

Career planning the second time 

around. Summer 09

Gap year: Time off, with a plan. Fall 

09

Employment matchmakers: Pairing 

people and work. Winter 07–08

Flexible work: Adjusting the when 

and where of your job. Summer 07

Job openings by industry, March 

2008 (chart). Summer 08

Résumés, applications, and cover 

letters. Summer 09 

What can I do with my liberal arts 

degree? Winter 07–08

College graduates

2004–14 job outlook for college 

graduates, The. Fall 06

Career beginnings for business 

majors. Winter 08–09

Job outlook by education, 2006–16. 

Fall 08

What can I do with my liberal arts 

degree? Winter 07–08

Earnings and benefits

An overview of employee benefits. 

Summer 05

Beyond averages: Other ways to 

look at occupational wages. Winter 

07–08

Class of 1993: Earnings and occupations by college major, 1 and 

10 years after graduation, The. 

Summer 08

Earnings data from BLS: What we 

have and how to find it. Summer 07

Education and income: More learning is key to higher earnings 

(chart). Fall 06

Good-for-you benefits on the rise 

(chart). Spring 07

Health benefit costs by occupation: 

An employer’s perspective (chart). 

Fall 08

High-paying occupations with many 

job openings, projected 2004–14 

(chart). Spring 06

Large occupations with higher-thanmedian wages, May 2008 (chart). 

Fall 09

Occupations and earnings of people 

who worked 60 hours or more per 

week, 2004 (chart). Summer 05

Work more, earn more: Occupations 

that pay a premium for longer 

workweeks. Winter 06–07

Education and training 

2004–14 job outlook for college 

graduates, The. Fall 06

2004–14 job outlook for people who 

don’t have a bachelor’s degree, 

The. Fall 06

Employment, trends, and training in 

information technology. Spring 09

Extracurricular activities: The afterschool connection. Winter 08–09

Internships: Previewing a profession. 

Summer 06

Working abroad: Finding international internships and entry-level 

jobs. Fall 06

Occupations and industries

Admissions consultant. (You’re a 

what?) Spring 08

Athletic trainers: Providing healthcare for athletes of all kinds. 

Spring 05

Auctioneer. (You’re a what?) Fall 06

Avalanche forecaster. (You’re a 

what?) Winter 06–07

Build machines, earn a living: 

Opportunities in machinery manufacturing. Summer 05

Career beginnings for business 

majors. Winter 08–09

Careers for creature lovers. Winter 

06–07

Careers for scientists—and others—

in scientific research and development. Summer 05.

Careers in auto racing: Work in the 

fast lane. Fall 09

Careers in forensics: Analysis, 

evidence, and law. Spring 09

Careers in homeland security: Many 

jobs, one mission. Summer 06

Careers in the green industry: Jobs 

for people with green thumbs. 

Spring 05

Cartoonist. (You’re a what?) Fall 08

Cobbler. (You’re a what?) Summer 

07

Commercial diver. (You’re a what?) 

Winter 07–08

Employment matchmakers: Pairing 

people and work. Winter 07–08

Employment, trends, and training in 

information technology. Spring 09
Winter 2009–10 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 51

2005–09

Farming in the 21st century: A 

modern business in a modern 

world. Spring 05

Framer. (You’re a what?) Spring 07

From court reporting to Web casting: 

Captioning in the new millennium. 

Summer 06

Futurist. (You’re a what?) Spring 09

Geography jobs. Spring 05

Going “green”: Environmental 

jobs for scientists and engineers. 

Summer 09

Groupmakers and grantmakers: Jobs 

in advocacy, grantmaking, and 

civic organizations. Fall 05

Healthcare jobs you might not know 

about. Summer 08

Health educators: Working for 

wellness. Summer 07

Home stager. (You’re a what?) 

Summer 08

Image consultant. (You’re a what?) 

Fall 05

Interior designers: Sprucing up 

space. Fall 05

Jobs in weddings and funerals: 

Working with the betrothed and the 

bereaved. Winter 06–07

Length of unemployment by occupation, 2006 (chart). Winter 06–07

Limnologist. (You’re a what?) Winter 

08–09

Making the news: Jobs in TV journalism. Spring 09

Meeting and convention planners. 

Fall 05

Metrology careers: Jobs for good 

measure. Fall 09

Military training for civilian careers 

(Or: How to gain practical experience while serving your country). 

Spring 07

Model maker. (You’re a what?) 

Spring 05

More than food and drink: Careers in 

restaurants. Spring 09

Occupational employment of workers without disabilities and workers with disabilities, April 2009 

(chart). Summer 09

On the grid: Careers in energy. Fall 

08

Patent work: The other side of invention. Fall 09

Policy analysts: Shaping society 

through research and problemsolving. Spring 07

Polysomnographic technologist. 

(You’re a what?) Spring 06

Project managers stay in charge and 

out front. Summer 06

Puppeteer. (You’re a what?) Summer 

06

Radiation therapists: Treating cancer 

with technology. Summer 05

Sand sculptor. (You’re a what?) 

Summer 05

Sky-high careers: Jobs related to 

airlines. Summer 07

Solar photovoltaic installer. (You’re a 

what?) Fall 09

Spectator sports employment by 

metropolitan area, 2007 annual 

averages (chart). Spring 09

STEM occupations: High-tech jobs 

for a high-tech economy. Spring 07

Summer jobs: Where young people 

worked, July 2005 (chart). Summer 

06

Toy jobs: Work in the business of 

play. Winter 08–09

Voice actor. (You’re a what?) 

Summer 09

Working in politics. Summer 08

Work more, earn more: Occupations 

that pay a premium for longer 

workweeks. Winter 06–07

Outlook and trends

2004–14 job outlook in brief, The. 

Spring 06

2006–16 job outlook in brief, The. 

Spring 08

2004–14 job outlook for college 

graduates, The. Fall 06

2004–14 job outlook for people who 

don’t have a bachelor’s degree, 

The. Fall 06

Charting the projections: 2004–14. 

Winter 05–06

Charting the projections: 2006–16. 

Fall 07

Charting the projections: 2008–18. 

Winter 09–10

Employment, trends, and training in 

information technology. Spring 09

Fifty years of career information: 

The Occupational Outlook, vol. 1, 

no.1. Spring 07

From court reporting to Web casting: 

Captioning in the new millennium. 

Summer 06

Going “green”: Environmental 

jobs for scientists and engineers. 

Summer 09

See the complete OOQ Online index at

www.bls.gov/ooq/ooqindex.htm
52 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2009–10

2005–09 See the complete OOQ Online index at

www.bls.gov/ooq/ooqindex.htm

High-paying occupations with many 

job openings, projected 2004–14 

(chart). Spring 06

How we spent our time in 2003 

(chart). Spring 05

Men and women in the working 

world (chart). Winter 08–09

Multiple jobholders, 2006 (chart). 

Winter 07–08

Occupations and earnings of people 

who worked 60 hours or more per 

week, 2004 (chart). Summer 05

On the clock at 2 a.m. (chart). Spring 

08

Parents and work, 2006 (chart). 

Summer 07

Preferences of workers in alternative 

arrangements (chart). Fall 05

Workers without a 

bachelor’s degree

2004–14 job outlook for people who 

don’t have a bachelor’s degree, 

The. Fall 06

Job outlook by education, 2006-16 

Fall 08
Occupational Outlook 

Quarterly archives

We go way back....

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www.bls.gov/ooq/archive.htm

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A special issue

Charting the projections: 2008–18