Fastest-growing jobs in Colorado
With the country eager to put the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the American economy continued to boom in 2023. The national unemployment rate remained around 3.6%, while the total number of people employed grew to roughly 152 million, up from 148 million in 2022.
The economy has seen several significant changes in recent years. Many people are leaving expensive coastal states such as California and New York and moving to more affordable places in the Mountain West region and the South, buoyed by companies that have embraced remote work. What's more, in a reversal of past trends, wages grew the fastest for lower-earning workers.
Stacker analyzed jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the fastest-growing jobs in Colorado. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2022 and 2023. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in Colorado.
#50. Medical and health services managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.0% (1,250 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,180
--- Employment in 2022: 6,930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $125,840
#49. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.1% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,680
--- Employment in 2022: 2,270
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,240
#48. Photographers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.1% (190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,240
--- Employment in 2022: 1,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,980
#47. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.2% (580 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,770
--- Employment in 2022: 3,190
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,630
#46. Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.3% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,680
--- Employment in 2022: 1,420
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $80,340
#45. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.4% (1,000 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,430
--- Employment in 2022: 5,430
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $115,940
#44. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.6% (160 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,020
--- Employment in 2022: 860
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,620
#43. Architectural and civil drafters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.7% (510 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,240
--- Employment in 2022: 2,730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $71,120
#42. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.1% (890 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,560
--- Employment in 2022: 4,670
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $68,380
#41. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.8% (1,730 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 10,450
--- Employment in 2022: 8,720
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $76,480
#40. Dishwashers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.9% (1,440 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,680
--- Employment in 2022: 7,240
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,820
#39. Management analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.9% (2,180 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 13,130
--- Employment in 2022: 10,950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $94,750
#38. Flight attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.0% (1,010 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,070
--- Employment in 2022: 5,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,120
#37. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.0% (1,960 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 11,750
--- Employment in 2022: 9,790
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,210
#36. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.9% (1,300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,530
--- Employment in 2022: 6,230
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,800
#35. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.6% (530 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,980
--- Employment in 2022: 2,450
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,960
#34. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.1% (990 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,470
--- Employment in 2022: 4,480
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,360
#33. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.4% (360 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,970
--- Employment in 2022: 1,610
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $120,290
#32. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.4% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,640
--- Employment in 2022: 1,340
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,440
#31. Purchasing managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.8% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,040
--- Employment in 2022: 840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $153,980
#30. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.7% (1,860 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,380
--- Employment in 2022: 7,520
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,440
#29. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.8% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,660
--- Employment in 2022: 1,330
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,630
#28. Financial clerks, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.0% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,950
--- Employment in 2022: 1,560
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,910
#27. First-line supervisors of personal service workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.2% (600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,980
--- Employment in 2022: 2,380
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,680
#26. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.3% (500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,480
--- Employment in 2022: 1,980
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,250
#25. Lodging managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.3% (210 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,040
--- Employment in 2022: 830
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $97,760
#24. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.8% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,800
--- Employment in 2022: 1,420
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,130
#23. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.5% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,300
--- Employment in 2022: 1,020
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,870
#22. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.8% (960 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,290
--- Employment in 2022: 3,330
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,190
#21. Industrial production managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.0% (360 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,600
--- Employment in 2022: 1,240
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $135,370
#20. Facilities managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.0% (450 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,900
--- Employment in 2022: 1,450
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $109,060
#19. Parking attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.3% (440 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,760
--- Employment in 2022: 1,320
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,180
#18. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.8% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,030
--- Employment in 2022: 770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,180
#17. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.1% (2,520 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,910
--- Employment in 2022: 7,390
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,800
#16. Phlebotomists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.6% (560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,180
--- Employment in 2022: 1,620
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,450
#15. Mechanical engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.0% (1,840 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,100
--- Employment in 2022: 5,260
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $101,700
#14. Fundraisers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.5% (710 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,710
--- Employment in 2022: 2,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $68,990
#13. Aircraft service attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.8% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,290
--- Employment in 2022: 950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,510
#12. Social workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.1% (690 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,600
--- Employment in 2022: 1,910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $52,150
#11. Childcare workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +37.6% (3,010 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 11,010
--- Employment in 2022: 8,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,690
#10. Cooks, short order
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.0% (600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,180
--- Employment in 2022: 1,580
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,980
#9. Paramedics
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.7% (670 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,400
--- Employment in 2022: 1,730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,290
#8. Surgical technologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.9% (650 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,320
--- Employment in 2022: 1,670
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,430
#7. Financial and investment analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.8% (2,410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,460
--- Employment in 2022: 6,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $97,570
#6. Community and social service specialists, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.7% (1,320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,560
--- Employment in 2022: 3,240
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $51,200
#5. Social and community service managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.6% (670 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,280
--- Employment in 2022: 1,610
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $95,050
#4. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +47.9% (570 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,760
--- Employment in 2022: 1,190
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,650
#3. Telemarketers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.6% (540 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,650
--- Employment in 2022: 1,110
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,910
#2. Data scientists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +66.9% (2,370 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,910
--- Employment in 2022: 3,540
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $111,970
#1. Semiconductor processing technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +67.6% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,140
--- Employment in 2022: 680
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,090
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
