Fastest-growing jobs in Massachusetts
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 Massachusetts. 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 Massachusetts.
#50. Fundraising managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.6% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,790
--- Employment in 2022: 1,360
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $136,610
#49. Travel agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.9% (510 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,110
--- Employment in 2022: 1,600
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,380
#48. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +32.6% (1,430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,810
--- Employment in 2022: 4,380
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $97,380
#47. Credit analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +32.7% (490 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,990
--- Employment in 2022: 1,500
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $85,950
#46. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.1% (940 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,780
--- Employment in 2022: 2,840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,950
#45. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.7% (630 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,500
--- Employment in 2022: 1,870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $83,050
#44. Tour and travel guides
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.0% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,380
--- Employment in 2022: 1,030
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,730
#43. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.4% (620 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,420
--- Employment in 2022: 1,800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,220
#42. Biochemists and biophysicists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.8% (2,950 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 11,200
--- Employment in 2022: 8,250
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $127,680
#41. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.3% (5,520 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 20,720
--- Employment in 2022: 15,200
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $97,670
#40. Health technologists and technicians, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.4% (1,110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,160
--- Employment in 2022: 3,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $55,180
#39. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.6% (710 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,650
--- Employment in 2022: 1,940
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $98,590
#38. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.1% (2,810 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,990
--- Employment in 2022: 7,180
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $129,330
#37. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.9% (850 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,980
--- Employment in 2022: 2,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,950
#36. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.8% (1,250 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,310
--- Employment in 2022: 3,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $52,730
#35. Financial and investment analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.4% (4,930 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 16,840
--- Employment in 2022: 11,910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $103,240
#34. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +44.2% (1,480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,830
--- Employment in 2022: 3,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $110,340
#33. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +44.7% (630 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,040
--- Employment in 2022: 1,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $55,490
#32. Education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.1% (740 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,380
--- Employment in 2022: 1,640
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,090
#31. Floral designers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.9% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,080
--- Employment in 2022: 740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,360
#30. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +46.0% (2,730 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,660
--- Employment in 2022: 5,930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,010
#29. Actuaries
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +46.7% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,100
--- Employment in 2022: 750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $135,000
#28. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +47.1% (490 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,530
--- Employment in 2022: 1,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $103,660
#27. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.4% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,870
--- Employment in 2022: 1,260
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,360
#26. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +51.4% (730 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,150
--- Employment in 2022: 1,420
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $54,520
#25. Biological technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +51.8% (2,360 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,920
--- Employment in 2022: 4,560
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,690
#24. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +52.1% (1,000 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,920
--- Employment in 2022: 1,920
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $102,490
#23. Natural sciences managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +54.7% (3,420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,670
--- Employment in 2022: 6,250
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $214,460
#22. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +54.9% (500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,410
--- Employment in 2022: 910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,830
#21. Radiologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +55.7% (1,180 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,300
--- Employment in 2022: 2,120
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#20. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +56.3% (1,650 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,580
--- Employment in 2022: 2,930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,490
#19. Psychiatric aides
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +56.9% (370 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,020
--- Employment in 2022: 650
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,440
#18. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +57.8% (370 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,010
--- Employment in 2022: 640
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $88,750
#17. Chemical engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +57.9% (440 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,200
--- Employment in 2022: 760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $106,810
#16. Surveyors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +58.7% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,650
--- Employment in 2022: 1,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $82,250
#15. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +60.0% (840 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,240
--- Employment in 2022: 1,400
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $81,950
#14. Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +63.2% (480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,240
--- Employment in 2022: 760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,630
#13. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +65.5% (1,860 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,700
--- Employment in 2022: 2,840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,790
#12. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +67.4% (580 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,440
--- Employment in 2022: 860
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $111,110
#11. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +71.9% (1,840 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,400
--- Employment in 2022: 2,560
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $100,950
#10. Ophthalmic medical technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +72.5% (870 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,070
--- Employment in 2022: 1,200
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,220
#9. Semiconductor processing technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +76.9% (700 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,610
--- Employment in 2022: 910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,210
#8. Hazardous materials removal workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +80.5% (1,360 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,050
--- Employment in 2022: 1,690
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,950
#7. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +80.6% (580 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,300
--- Employment in 2022: 720
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $66,470
#6. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +100.0% (630 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,260
--- Employment in 2022: 630
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $31,730
#5. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +101.6% (1,270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,520
--- Employment in 2022: 1,250
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#4. Anesthesiologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +106.6% (970 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,880
--- Employment in 2022: 910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#3. Computer hardware engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +143.1% (2,190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,720
--- Employment in 2022: 1,530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $163,820
#2. Stonemasons
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +147.6% (620 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,040
--- Employment in 2022: 420
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,480
#1. Power plant operators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +156.4% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,000
--- Employment in 2022: 390
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $96,880
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
