The Fastest-Growing Job in Each State

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on SmartAsset.com.

It’s no secret that the U.S. unemployment rate peaked at 14.7% in April 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak — up from a pre-pandemic rate of just 3.5% in February 2020. As the job market continues to rebound with the vaccine rollout and the recent wave of federal aid, which could help many Americans prepare for financial emergencies and boost their savings, Americans looking to be strategic about their job searches would do well to examine employment trends over the last few years to see where the most robust opportunities may exist. Given that some sectors have seen more expansion while others shrank — with varied changes depending on location — SmartAsset took a closer look at the fastest-growing jobs in each state.

To do this, we looked at information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for 2016 and 2020 for all 50 states. It should be noted that the 2020 data only partially accounts for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as responses were collected from November 2019 to May 2020. For details on our data sources and how we put all the information together to create our analysis, check out the Data and Methodology section at the end.

This is the fifth version of SmartAsset’s study of the fastest-growing jobs in each state. Check out the 2020 version here.

Alabama

• Fastest-growing job: Property, real estate and community association managers
• 2016 workers: 440
• 2020 workers: 1,930
• Change in the number of workers: 339%

Alaska

• Fastest-growing job: Postsecondary nursing instructors and teachers
• 2016 workers: 40
• 2020 workers: 140
• Change in the number of workers: 250%

Arizona

• Fastest-growing job: Rehabilitation counselors
• 2016 workers: 770
• 2020 workers: 2,370
• Change in the number of workers: 208%

Arkansas

• Fastest-growing job: Postsecondary social work teachers
• 2016 workers: 90
• 2020 workers: 260
• Change in the number of workers: 189%

California

• Fastest-growing job: Hoist and winch operators
• 2016 workers: 80
• 2020 workers: 1,270
• Change in the number of workers: 1,488%

Colorado

• Fastest-growing job: Recreational therapists
• 2016 workers: 110
• 2020 workers: 340
• Change in the number of workers: 209%

Connecticut

• Fastest-growing job: Order clerks
• 2016 workers: 1,410
• 2020 workers: 5,180
• Change in the number of workers: 267%

Delaware

• Fastest-growing job: Biochemists and biophysicists
• 2016 workers: 140
• 2020 workers: 360
• Change in the number of workers: 157%

District of Columbia

• Fastest-growing job: Psychiatric technicians
• 2016 workers: 130
• 2020 workers: 360
• Change in the number of workers: 177%

Florida

• Fastest-growing job: Postsecondary education administrators
• 2016 workers: 1,270
• 2020 workers: 9,740
• Change in the number of workers: 667%

Georgia

• Fastest-growing job: Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
• 2016 workers: 60
• 2020 workers: 390
• Change in the number of workers: 550%

Hawaii

• Fastest-growing job: Dietetic technicians
• 2016 workers: 80
• 2020 workers: 220
• Change in the number of workers: 175%

Idaho

• Fastest-growing job: Transportation inspectors
• 2016 workers: 30
• 2020 workers: 110
• Change in the number of workers: 267%

Illinois

• Fastest-growing job: Postsecondary agricultural sciences teachers
• 2016 workers: 60
• 2020 workers: 340
• Change in the number of workers: 467%

Indiana

• Fastest-growing job: Zoologists and wildlife biologists
• 2016 workers: 30
• 2020 workers: 200
• Change in the number of workers: 567%

Iowa

• Fastest-growing job: Statisticians
• 2016 workers: 200
• 2020 workers: 650
• Change in the number of workers: 225%

Kansas

• Fastest-growing job: Bailiffs
• 2016 workers: 60
• 2020 workers: 390
• Change in the number of workers: 550%

Kentucky

• Fastest-growing job: Powerhouse, substation and relay electrical and electronics repairers
• 2016 workers: 150
• 2020 workers: 540
• Change in the number of workers: 260%

Louisiana

• Fastest-growing job: Materials engineers
• 2016 workers: 60
• 2020 workers: 270
• Change in the number of workers: 350%

Maine

• Fastest-growing job: Metal and plastic milling and planing machine setters, operators and tenders
• 2016 workers: 40
• 2020 workers: 320
• Change in the number of workers: 700%

Maryland

• Fastest-growing job: Bailiffs
• 2016 workers: 130
• 2020 workers: 530
• Change in the number of workers: 308%

Massachusetts

• Fastest-growing job: Forensic science technicians
• 2016 workers: 40
• 2020 workers: 90
• Change in the number of workers: 125%

Michigan

• Fastest-growing job: Private detectives and investigators
• 2016 workers: 310
• 2020 workers: 750
• Change in the number of workers: 142%

Minnesota

• Fastest-growing job: Court, municipal and license clerks
• 2016 workers: 2,410
• 2020 workers: 7,660
• Change in the number of workers: 218%

Mississippi

• Fastest-growing job: Medical equipment repairers
• 2016 workers: 220
• 2020 workers: 600
• Change in the number of workers: 173%

Missouri

• Fastest-growing job: Postsecondary area, ethnic and cultural studies teachers
• 2016 workers: 50
• 2020 workers: 170
• Change in the number of workers: 240%

Montana

• Fastest-growing job: Automotive and watercraft service attendants
• 2016 workers: 80
• 2020 workers: 310
• Change in the number of workers: 288%

Nebraska

• Fastest-growing job: Postsecondary foreign language and literature teachers
• 2016 workers: 40
• 2020 workers: 190
• Change in the number of workers: 375%

Nevada

• Fastest-growing job: Psychiatric technicians
• 2016 workers: 180
• 2020 workers: 1,630
• Change in the number of workers: 806%

New Hampshire

• Fastest-growing job: Training and development managers
• 2016 workers: 100
• 2020 workers: 240
• Change in the number of workers: 140%

New Jersey

• Fastest-growing job: Psychiatric technicians
• 2016 workers: 290
• 2020 workers: 820
• Change in the number of workers: 183%

New Mexico

• Fastest-growing job: Agricultural equipment operators
• 2016 workers: 90
• 2020 workers: 390
• Change in the number of workers: 333%

New York

• Fastest-growing job: Engine and other machine assemblers
• 2016 workers: 420
• 2020 workers: 1,390
• Change in the number of workers: 231%

North Carolina

• Fastest-growing job: Fast food cooks
• 2016 workers: 8,100
• 2020 workers: 39,980
• Change in the number of workers: 394%

North Dakota

• Fastest-growing job: Athletic trainers
• 2016 workers: 50
• 2020 workers: 150
• Change in the number of workers: 200%

Ohio

• Fastest-growing job: Arbitrators, mediators and conciliators
• 2016 workers: 120
• 2020 workers: 320
• Change in the number of workers: 167%

Oklahoma

• Fastest-growing job: Archivists
• 2016 workers: 40
• 2020 workers: 100
• Change in the number of workers: 150%

Oregon

• Fastest-growing job: Postsecondary law teachers
• 2016 workers: 60
• 2020 workers: 220
• Change in the number of workers: 267%

Pennsylvania

• Fastest-growing job: Quarry rock splitters
• 2016 workers: 390
• 2020 workers: 770
• Change in the number of workers: 97%

Rhode Island

• Fastest-growing job: Community health workers
• 2016 workers: 100
• 2020 workers: 240
• Change in the number of workers: 140%

South Carolina

• Fastest-growing job: Highway maintenance workers
• 2016 workers: 410
• 2020 workers: 2,640
• Change in the number of workers: 544%

South Dakota

• Fastest-growing job: Transportation, storage and distribution managers
• 2016 workers: 130
• 2020 workers: 280
• Change in the number of workers: 115%

Tennessee

• Fastest-growing job: Statistical assistants
• 2016 workers: 40
• 2020 workers: 440
• Change in the number of workers: 1,000%

Texas

• Fastest-growing job: First-line supervisors of police and detectives
• 2016 workers: 2,730
• 2020 workers: 6,800
• Change in the number of workers: 149%

Utah

• Fastest-growing job: Medical scientists (except epidemiologists)
• 2016 workers: 550
• 2020 workers: 1,840
• Change in the number of workers: 235%

Vermont

• Fastest-growing job: Government programs eligibility interviews
• 2016 workers: 60
• 2020 workers: 290
• Change in the number of workers: 383%

Virginia

• Fastest-growing job: Commercial and industrial designers
• 2016 workers: 410
• 2020 workers: 1,450
• Change in the number of workers: 254%

Washington

• Fastest-growing job: Avionics technicians
• 2016 workers: 1,140
• 2020 workers: 3,730
• Change in the number of workers: 227%

West Virginia

• Fastest-growing job: Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating and still machine setters, operators and tenders
• 2016 workers: 50
• 2020 workers: 340
• Change in the number of workers: 580%

Wisconsin

• Fastest-growing job: Hand grinding and polishing workers
• 2016 workers: 710
• 2020 workers: 1,940
• Change in the number of workers: 173%

Wyoming

• Fastest-growing job: Chemical equipment operators
• 2016 workers: 80
• 2020 workers: 310
• Change in the number of workers: 288%

Data and Methodology

To find the fastest-growing occupations for each state and the District of Columbia, we looked at employment data from 2016 and compared it with data from 2020. The 2020 data only accounts for the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in part as responses were collected from November 2019 to May 2020. We filtered out any occupation for which the standard error for the estimated number of people employed in the occupation was greater than 20. We also filtered out any occupation with “other” in the title. To rank the occupations, we considered the percentage change in people employed in each occupation during this period.

All data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupation Employment Statistics.

Disclosure: The information you read here is always objective. However, we sometimes receive compensation when you click links within our stories.

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