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Employment Projections > Data > Fastest declining occupations

Fastest declining occupations

Other available formats: (XLSX)

Table 1.5 Fastest declining occupations, 2018 and projected 2028
(Numbers in thousands)
2018 National Employment Matrix title and code		Employment		Change, 2018–28		Median annual wage, 2018 (1)
2018 National Employment Matrix title and code		2018	2028	Number	Percent	Median annual wage, 2018 (1)
Total, all occupations	00-0000	161,037.7	169,435.9	8,398.1	5.2	$38,640
Locomotive firers	53-4012	0.5	0.2	-0.4	-68.3	$63,820
Respiratory therapy technicians	29-2054	9.3	3.9	-5.3	-57.5	$51,210
Parking enforcement workers	33-3041	8.6	5.4	-3.1	-36.7	$39,840
Word processors and typists	43-9022	60.4	40.0	-20.4	-33.8	$39,750
Watch repairers	49-9064	3.0	2.1	-0.9	-29.6	$39,910
Electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles	49-2096	11.0	7.9	-3.1	-28.6	$35,590
Telephone operators	43-2021	5.7	4.1	-1.6	-28.4	$37,240
Cutters and trimmers, hand	51-9031	10.7	7.7	-3.0	-28.4	$29,390
Postmasters and mail superintendents	11-9131	13.3	9.6	-3.7	-27.5	$75,970
Mine shuttle car operators	53-7111	1.7	1.3	-0.4	-25.3	$56,340
Computer operators	43-9011	36.8	28.0	-8.9	-24.1	$45,840
Switchboard operators, including answering service	43-2011	73.4	55.9	-17.5	-23.8	$29,420
Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators	43-5053	99.7	76.0	-23.7	-23.8	$58,770
Data entry keyers	43-9021	187.3	143.9	-43.4	-23.2	$32,170
Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers	51-2011	45.1	35.2	-9.9	-22.0	$53,340
Coil winders, tapers, and finishers	51-2021	12.3	9.7	-2.7	-21.6	$34,400
Photographic process workers and processing machine operators	51-9151	17.1	13.4	-3.6	-21.3	$29,180
Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials	51-6021	39.9	31.4	-8.5	-21.2	$23,350
Legal secretaries	43-6012	180.1	142.5	-37.6	-20.9	$46,360
Prepress technicians and workers	51-5111	29.9	23.7	-6.2	-20.8	$40,410
Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	51-4035	19.8	15.7	-4.1	-20.7	$43,590
Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	51-4032	11.6	9.2	-2.4	-20.5	$38,020
Postal service clerks	43-5051	75.7	60.7	-15.0	-19.8	$55,280
Postal service mail carriers	43-5052	328.7	263.7	-65.1	-19.8	$55,210
Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants	43-6011	622.5	499.4	-123.0	-19.8	$59,340
Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	51-4022	18.6	15.0	-3.6	-19.5	$38,900
Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders	51-6061	9.7	7.9	-1.9	-19.4	$28,780
Timing device assemblers and adjusters	51-2093	0.8	0.6	-0.2	-19.3	$34,650
Grinding and polishing workers, hand	51-9022	30.7	24.8	-5.9	-19.2	$29,550
Textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders	51-6063	22.1	17.9	-4.2	-18.9	$29,160
Footnotes: (1) Data are from the Occupational Employment Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wage data cover non-farm wage and salary workers and do not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, or household workers. Source: Employment Projections program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Last Modified Date: September 4, 2019