Fastest-growing jobs in Maryland
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 Maryland. 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 Maryland.
#50. Respiratory therapists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.6% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,710
--- Employment in 2022: 1,430
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $83,500
#49. Orderlies
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.4% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,360
--- Employment in 2022: 1,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,260
#48. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.4% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,300
--- Employment in 2022: 1,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,760
#47. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.9% (680 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,930
--- Employment in 2022: 3,250
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,700
#46. Dishwashers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.2% (1,360 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,770
--- Employment in 2022: 6,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,340
#45. Skincare specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.3% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,310
--- Employment in 2022: 1,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,250
#44. Producers and directors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.5% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,200
--- Employment in 2022: 1,810
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $75,920
#43. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.8% (7,980 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 44,640
--- Employment in 2022: 36,660
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,520
#42. Packers and packagers, hand
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.0% (1,140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,320
--- Employment in 2022: 5,180
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $32,300
#41. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.2% (1,070 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,890
--- Employment in 2022: 4,820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,870
#40. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.7% (510 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,760
--- Employment in 2022: 2,250
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,510
#39. Biological scientists, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.7% (1,100 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,940
--- Employment in 2022: 4,840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $102,150
#38. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.8% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,050
--- Employment in 2022: 1,670
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,210
#37. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.1% (680 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,500
--- Employment in 2022: 2,820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,370
#36. Nurse practitioners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.2% (1,010 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,180
--- Employment in 2022: 4,170
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $127,990
#35. Home health and personal care aides
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.8% (6,180 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 31,140
--- Employment in 2022: 24,960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,770
#34. Construction and building inspectors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.0% (740 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,590
--- Employment in 2022: 2,850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $66,440
#33. Marketing managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.3% (1,260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,060
--- Employment in 2022: 4,800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $137,560
#32. Fundraisers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.3% (440 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,110
--- Employment in 2022: 1,670
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $70,200
#31. General internal medicine physicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.7% (670 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,180
--- Employment in 2022: 2,510
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $221,490
#30. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.1% (2,890 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 13,560
--- Employment in 2022: 10,670
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $71,330
#29. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.1% (3,080 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 14,040
--- Employment in 2022: 10,960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $74,740
#28. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.3% (1,540 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,980
--- Employment in 2022: 5,440
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,900
#27. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.7% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,570
--- Employment in 2022: 1,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,930
#26. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.5% (3,280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 14,380
--- Employment in 2022: 11,100
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $79,310
#25. Facilities managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.6% (830 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,630
--- Employment in 2022: 2,800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $92,280
#24. Credit analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.9% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,130
--- Employment in 2022: 870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $80,280
#23. Bartenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.0% (2,650 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 11,490
--- Employment in 2022: 8,840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,860
#22. Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.1% (250 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,080
--- Employment in 2022: 830
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,400
#21. Food processing workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.2% (480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,070
--- Employment in 2022: 1,590
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,990
#20. Real estate sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.6% (680 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,900
--- Employment in 2022: 2,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,300
#19. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.4% (3,250 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 12,980
--- Employment in 2022: 9,730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,960
#18. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.1% (1,040 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,000
--- Employment in 2022: 2,960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,660
#17. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.0% (770 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,910
--- Employment in 2022: 2,140
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $55,120
#16. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +37.1% (590 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,180
--- Employment in 2022: 1,590
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $102,960
#15. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +37.6% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,280
--- Employment in 2022: 930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,060
#14. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.4% (520 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,840
--- Employment in 2022: 1,320
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $79,900
#13. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.0% (700 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,450
--- Employment in 2022: 1,750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $97,370
#12. Driver/sales workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.2% (2,980 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 10,390
--- Employment in 2022: 7,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,660
#11. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +42.4% (730 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,450
--- Employment in 2022: 1,720
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $31,100
#10. Physical therapist aides
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +42.5% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,140
--- Employment in 2022: 800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $32,000
#9. Bakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +42.7% (640 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,140
--- Employment in 2022: 1,500
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,020
#8. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.0% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,130
--- Employment in 2022: 790
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,200
#7. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +56.7% (1,870 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,170
--- Employment in 2022: 3,300
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,850
#6. Counselors, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +65.5% (570 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,440
--- Employment in 2022: 870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $51,820
#5. Chemical technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +68.3% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,060
--- Employment in 2022: 630
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,800
#4. Rehabilitation counselors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +85.7% (1,800 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,900
--- Employment in 2022: 2,100
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,650
#3. Cooks, short order
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +96.6% (1,710 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,480
--- Employment in 2022: 1,770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,980
#2. Brokerage clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +113.0% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,150
--- Employment in 2022: 540
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,370
#1. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +129.9% (1,390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,460
--- Employment in 2022: 1,070
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $102,680
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
