Table 5. The 30 occupations with the largest employment growth, 2006-2016
Table 5. The 30 occupations with the largest employment growth, 2006-2016
(In thousands)
Most significant source of
Occupation Occupational group Employment Change postsecondary education
or training (1)
2006 2016 Number Percent
Registered nurses .......................... Professional and related
occupations (2).............. 2,505 3,092 587 23.5 Associate degree
Retail salespersons ........................ Sales and related occupations . 4,477 5,034 557 12.4 Short-term on-the-job
training
Customer service representatives ........... Office and administrative Moderate-term on-the-
support occupations .......... 2,202 2,747 545 24.8 job training
Combined food preparation and serving Short-term on-the-job
workers, including fast food .............. Service occupations (3)........ 2,503 2,955 452 18.1 training
Office clerks, general ..................... Office and administrative Short-term on-the-job
support occupations .......... 3,200 3,604 404 12.6 training
Personal and home care aides ............... Service occupations (3) ....... 767 1,156 389 50.6 Short-term on-the-job
training
Home health aides .......................... Service occupations (3) ....... 787 1,171 384 48.7 Short-term on-the-job
training
Postsecondary teachers ..................... Professional and related
occupations (2) .............. 1,672 2,054 382 22.9 Doctoral degree
Janitors and cleaners, except maids and Short-term on-the-job
housekeeping cleaners ..................... Service occupations (3) ....... 2,387 2,732 345 14.5 training
Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants ... Service occupations (3) ....... 1,447 1,711 264 18.2 Postsecondary vocational
award
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing Office and administrative Moderate-term on-the-
clerks .................................... support occupations .......... 2,114 2,377 264 12.5 job training
Short-term on-the-job
Waiters and waitresses ..................... Service occupations (3) ....... 2,361 2,615 255 10.8 training
Short-term on-the-job
Child care workers ......................... Service occupations (3) ....... 1,388 1,636 248 17.8 training
Executive secretaries and administrative ... Office and administrative Work experience in a
assistants ................................ support occupations .......... 1,618 1,857 239 14.8 related occupation
Computer software engineers, applications .. Professional and related
occupations (2) .............. 507 733 226 44.6 Bachelor's degree
Accountants and auditors ................... Management, business, and
financial occupations (4) .... 1,274 1,500 226 17.7 Bachelor's degree
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers ..... Service occupations (3) ....... 1,220 1,441 221 18.1 Short-term on-the-job
training
Elementary school teachers, except special Professional and related
education ................................. occupations (2) .............. 1,540 1,749 209 13.6 Bachelor's degree
Receptionists and information clerks ....... Office and administrative Short-term on-the-job
support occupations .......... 1,173 1,375 202 17.2 training
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer ... Transportation and material Moderate-term on-the-
moving occupations ........... 1,860 2,053 193 10.4 job training
Maids and housekeeping cleaners ............ Service occupations (3) ....... 1,470 1,656 186 12.7 Short-term on-the-job
training
Security guards ............................ Service occupations (3) ....... 1,040 1,216 175 16.9 Short-term on-the-job
training
Carpenters ................................. Construction and extraction Long-term on-the-job
occupations .................. 1,462 1,612 150 10.3 training
Bachelor's or higher
Management analysts ........................ Management, business, and degree, plus work
financial occupations (4) .... 678 827 149 21.9 experience
Medical assistants ......................... Service occupations (3) ....... 417 565 148 35.4 Moderate-term on-the-
job training
Computer systems analysts .................. Professional and related
occupations (2) .............. 504 650 146 29.0 Bachelor's degree
Maintenance and repair workers, general .... Installation, maintenance, and Moderate-term on-the-
repair occupations ............ 1,391 1,531 140 10.1 job training
Network systems and data communications Professional and related
analysts .................................. occupations (2) .............. 262 402 140 53.4 Bachelor's degree
Food preparation workers ................... Service occupations (3) ....... 902 1,040 138 15.3 Short-term on-the-job
training
Teacher assistants ......................... Professional and related Short-term on-the-job
occupations (2) .............. 1,312 1,449 137 10.4 training
1 An occupation is placed into 1 of 11 categories that best describes the postsecondary education or training needed by most workers to
become fully qualified in that occupation. For more information about the categories, see Occupational Projections and Training Data,
2006-07 edition,Bulletin 2602 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2006) and Occupational Projections and Training Data, 2008-09 edition,
Bulletin 2702 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, forthcoming).
2 Major occupational groups 15-0000 through 29-0000 in the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC).
3 Major occupational groups 31-0000 through 39-0000 in the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC).
4 Major occupational groups 11-0000 through 13-0000 in the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC).
