Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212

Internet: http://www.bls.gov/oco USDL 04-290

 http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg For release: 10 A.M. EST

Technical Information: (202) 691-5700 Friday, February 27, 2004

Media Contact: (202) 691-5902

2004-05 EDITIONS OF THE OCCUPATIONAL OUTLOOK HANDBOOK AND THE 

CAREER GUIDE TO INDUSTRIES AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET

The 2004-05 editions of the Occupational Outlook Handbook and the Career Guide to 

Industries were issued today on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Internet site. Print versions of 

both publications are expected to be available in Spring 2004.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. 

Department of Labor, has been a nationally recognized source of career information since the late 

1940s. The Career Guide to Industries was developed as a companion publication to the 

Handbook in the early 1990s. These publications provide comprehensive, up-to-date, and reliable 

labor market information that has helped millions of Americans plan their future work lives. The 

2004-05 editions will help guide workers in the new century by presenting essential information 

about prospective changes in the workplace and the qualifications that will be needed by 

tomorrow's workforce. The Handbook and the Career Guide can be accessed on the Internet at 

http://www.bls.gov/oco and http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg, respectively.

These publications reflect the Bureau’s latest employment projections, which cover the 

2002-12 decade. Detailed information on the 2002-12 projections appears in five articles in the 

February 2004 issue of the Monthly Labor Review, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 

U.S. Department of Labor. A graphic presentation of projection highlights appears in the Winter 

2003-04 Occupational Outlook Quarterly, accessible at 

http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/ooqhome.htm.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook

The Occupational Outlook Handbook provides detailed information about hundreds of 

occupations, covering 7 out of 8 jobs in the economy. For each occupation, the Handbook begins 

with a section that highlights key occupational characteristics and is followed by sections with 

information about the nature of the work, typical working conditions, employment of salaried and 

self-employed workers, requirements for entry and opportunities for advancement, earnings, 

News United States

Department 

of Labor
related occupations, and sources of additional information. There also is a section on job outlook

that provides each occupation’s projected employment change over the next decade as compared 

to projected growth for all occupations. The job outlook section also provides a perspective on 

the various factors that can affect occupational projections, such as the aging of baby boomers, the 

increasing ethnic diversity of the labor force, the introduction of technological innovations,

changes in the skills that are required in the workplace, and increasing foreign competition,

among others. 

Employment over the 2002-12 decade is expected to increase by 21.3 million, or 14.8

percent. Table 1 lists the numeric and percent changes in employment over the 2002-12 decade

for the 30 fastest growing occupations. For 19 of these occupations, the most significant source 

of postsecondary education or training is an associate or higher degree. Computer-related and

health-related occupations account for 21 of the 30 fastest growing occupations. Table 2 lists the 

numeric and percent changes in employment over the 2002-12 decade for the 30 occupations with 

the largest projected job growth. The most significant source of postsecondary education or 

training for half of these occupations is short-term on-the-job training.

The Career Guide to Industries

The Occupational Outlook Handbook’s companion publication, the Career Guide to 

Industries, analyzes employment change from an industry perspective, providing information 

about 42 industries that cover 3 out of 4 wage-and-salary jobs in the economy. For each industry, 

the Career Guide describes the nature of the industry, typical working conditions, and key 

occupations employed in the industry. The Career Guide also discusses industry training

practices and worker earnings. A section on the outlook for each industry compares the industry’s 

projected percentage change in wage and salary employment with the overall percentage change 

in wage and salary jobs across all industries. 

Table 3 indicates the numeric and percent changes in employment over the 2002-12 

decade for each of the industries included in the Career Guide. Employment growth is projected 

to be concentrated in the service-providing sector of the economy. Within the service-providing 

sector, two industry groups are expected to account for almost half of all wage-and-salary 

employment growth in the economy: professional and business services and education and health 

services. In the goods-producing sector, employment is expected to grow in construction;

employment is expected to decline both in natural resources and mining and in manufacturing.

Industrial coverage in the 2004-05 edition of the Career Guide is the first to incorporate 

the 2002 North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS). Information on the NAICS 

is available at http://www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm.

Ordering Information

The print versions of the 2004-05 editions of the Occupational Outlook Handbook (BLS Bulletin 

2570) and the Career Guide to Industries (BLS Bulletin 2571) are expected to be available in 

Spring 2004. Ordering and price information will appear at http://www.bls.gov/oco and 

http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg, respectively.
The print versions of the Monthly Labor Review and Occupational Outlook Quarterly are sold by 

the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. The Review costs $49 a year; 

single copies are $15. The Quarterly costs $15 a year; single copies are $6. Make checks payable 

to the Superintendent of Documents.

The Monthly Labor Review is accessible at http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/mlrhome.htm. The

Occupational Outlook Quarterly is accessible at http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/ooqhome.htm.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. 

Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral phone: 1-800-877-8339.
Table 1. Fastest growing occupations covered in the 2004-05 Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2002-12

(Employment in thousands of jobs)

Number Percent

Medical assistants 215 59 Moderate-term on-the-job training

Network systems and data communications analysts 106 57 Bachelor's degree

Physician assistants 31 49 Bachelor's degree

Social and human service assistants 149 49 Moderate-term on-the-job training

Home health aides 279 48 Short-term on-the-job training

Medical records and health information technicians 69 47 Associate degree

Physical therapist aides 17 46 Short-term on-the-job training

Computer software engineers, applications 179 46 Bachelor's degree

Computer software engineers, systems software 128 45 Bachelor's degree

Physical therapist assistants 22 45 Associate degree

Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors 81 44 Postsecondary vocational award

Database administrators 49 44 Bachelor's degree

Veterinary technologists and technicians 23 44 Associate degree

Hazardous materials removal workers 16 43 Moderate-term on-the-job training

Dental hygienists 64 43 Associate degree

Occupational therapist aides 4 43 Short-term on-the-job training

Dental assistants 113 42 Moderate-term on-the-job training

Personal and home care aides 246 40 Short-term on-the-job training

Self-enrichment education teachers 80 40 Work experience in a related occupation

Computer systems analysts 184 39 Bachelor's degree

Occupational therapist assistants 7 39 Associate degree

Environmental engineers 18 38 Bachelor's degree

Postsecondary teachers 603 38 Doctoral degree

Network and computer systems administrators 94 37 Bachelor's degree

Environmental science and protection technicians, including health 10 37 Associate degree

Preschool teachers, except special education 153 36 Postsecondary vocational award

Computer and information systems managers 103 36 Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience

Physical therapists 48 35 Master's degree

Occupational therapists 29 35 Bachelor's degree

Respiratory therapists 30 35 Associate degree

Table 2. Occupations covered in the 2004-05 Occupational Outlook Handbook with the largest job growth, 2002-12

(Employment in thousands of jobs)

Number Percent

Registered nurses 623 27 Associate degree

Postsecondary teachers 603 38 Doctoral degree

Retail salespersons 596 15 Short-term on-the-job training

Customer service representatives 460 24 Moderate-term on-the-job training

Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food 454 23 Short-term on-the-job training

Cashiers, except gaming 454 13 Short-term on-the-job training

Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners 414 18 Short-term on-the-job training

General and operations managers 376 18 Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience

Waiters and waitresses 367 18 Short-term on-the-job training

Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants 343 25 Short-term on-the-job training

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer 337 19 Moderate-term on-the-job training

Receptionists and information clerks 325 29 Short-term on-the-job training

Security guards 317 32 Short-term on-the-job training

Office clerks, general 310 10 Short-term on-the-job training

Teacher assistants 294 23 Short-term on-the-job training

Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except 

and scientific products

Home health aides 279 48 Short-term on-the-job training

Personal and home care aides 246 40 Short-term on-the-job training

Truck drivers, light or delivery services 237 23 Short-term on-the-job training

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers 237 22 Short-term on-the-job training

Elementary school teachers, except special education 223 15 Bachelor's degree

Medical assistants 215 59 Moderate-term on-the-job training

Maintenance and repair workers, general 207 16 Moderate-term on-the-job training

Accountants and auditors 205 19 Bachelor's degree

Computer systems analysts 184 39 Bachelor's degree

Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education 180 18 Bachelor's degree

Computer software engineers, applications 179 46 Bachelor's degree

Management analysts 176 30 Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience

Food preparation workers 172 20 Short-term on-the-job training

First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers 163 9 Work experience in a related occupation

Occupation

Occupation

Employment change, 

2002-12 Most significant source of postsecondary 

education or training

279 19 Moderate-term on-the-job training

Most significant source of postsecondary 

education or training

Employment change, 

2002-12
(Employment in thousands of jobs)

Number Percent

All industries 21,603 16

Goods-producing industries 772 3

Natural resources and mining -84 -5

Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting -24 -2

Oil and gas extraction -34 -28

Mining -32 -15

Construction 1,014 15

Manufacturing -157 -1

Aerospace product and parts manufacturing -83 -18

Apparel manufacturing -245 -69

Chemical manufacturing, except drugs -106 -17

Computer and electronic product manufacturing -189 -12

Food manufacturing 72 5

Motor vehicle and parts manufacturing 29 3

Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing 68 23

Printing 24 3

Steel manufacturing -34 -20

Textile mills and products -152 -31

Service-providing industries 20,831 19

Trade, transportation, and utilities 3,600 14

Automobile dealers 158 13

Clothing, accessory, and general merchandise stores 344 8

Grocery stores 133 5

Wholesale trade 638 11

Air transportation 67 12

Truck transportation and warehousing 422 23

Utilities -34 -6

Information 632 18

Broadcasting 28 9

Motion picture and video industries 112 31

Publishing, except software -11 -1

Software publishers 174 68

Telecommunications 80 7

Financial activities 590 10

Banking 112 6

Insurance 168 8

Securities, commodities, and other investments 124 15

Professional and business services 4,866 30

Advertising and public relations services 84 19

Computer systems design and related services 635 55

Employment services 1,764 54

Management, scientific, and technical consulting services 406 55

Education and health services 6,875 26

Child day care services 316 43

Educational services 2,489 20

Health services 3,501 28

Social assistance, except child day care 597 47

Leisure and hospitality 2,135 18

Arts, entertainment, and recreation 497 28

Food services and drinking places 1,337 16

Hotels and other accommodations 301 17

Public administration 808 8

Federal Government, excluding the postal service 50 3

State and local government, except education and health 759 10

NOTE: Detail may not add to totals due to omission of industries not covered in the Career Guide .

Table 3. Industries covered in the 2004-05 Career Guide to Industries with projected wage and 

salary employment change, 2002-12

Employment change, 

Industry 2002-12