money The fastest-growing job in each U.S. state
The unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.0% in January 2019, while the labor force participation rate hit its highest mark since 2013. Overall, the report indicated that the U.S. labor market is still chugging along.
And some jobs are growing faster than others. Construction and extraction jobs are in high demand in the U.S., along with installation, maintenance, and repair services. Production jobs are also quickly developing, as are mathematical and technology-focused occupations.
Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and projections from the government-backed Projections Managing Partnership (PMP), we mapped out the top jobs by growth rate (as opposed to plentifulness).
Solar panel installers are in high demand
A solar panel installer is the fastest-growing job in eight different states, including California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Florida, North Carolina, Missouri, Minnesota, and New Jersey. The role is also known as a “PV installer,” and “assembles, installs, and maintains solar panel systems on rooftops or other structures.”
In 2017, the occupation saw a median pay of $18.98 per hour, or $39,490 per year. It’s projected to grow 105% by 2026, which is significantly faster than the national rate.
Statisticians are another developing job. They “develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information.” The field involves crunching numbers and includes mathematical and survey statisticians. There are various specialties, including bio-statistics, agricultural statistics, business statistics, and economic statistics, according to BLS. The job has a median annual salary of $84,060 and is the fastest-growing occupation in Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, and Massachusetts.
Wind turbine technicians are also needed
Derrick operator jobs are very popular in North Dakota and Oklahoma, and in Middle America in general. If you’re wondering what the job entails, the occupation is part of the oil and gas rigging industry. The job makes an annual median wage of $46,140, which translates to roughly $22.18 an hour.
There are more and more wind turbine service technicians in states like Colorado, Texas, Nebraska, and Iowa. The BLS defines these workers as those who “inspect, diagnose, adjust, or repair wind turbines” and “perform maintenance on wind turbine equipment including resolving electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic malfunctions.” Wind turbine service technicians see a median hourly wage of $25.91, or $53,880 a year.
Some of the fastest-growing jobs are a bit more unique depending on location (and the relative number of jobs available). In Georgia, you’re in luck if you’re interested in being a costume attendant. In Oregon, it’s more about animal trainers. In Idaho, exhibit designers are in demand.
Adriana is an associate editor for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @adrianambells.
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