Fastest-growing jobs in New Jersey
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 New Jersey. 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 New Jersey.
#50. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.2% (3,340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 14,050
--- Employment in 2022: 10,710
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,070
#49. Roofers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +32.4% (560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,290
--- Employment in 2022: 1,730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,430
#48. Solar photovoltaic installers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.9% (370 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,460
--- Employment in 2022: 1,090
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,630
#47. Barbers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.3% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,370
--- Employment in 2022: 1,020
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,910
#46. Light truck drivers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.3% (8,130 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 31,150
--- Employment in 2022: 23,020
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,940
#45. Coaches and scouts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.4% (1,810 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,920
--- Employment in 2022: 5,110
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,160
#44. Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.5% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,030
--- Employment in 2022: 760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $79,960
#43. Actuaries
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.4% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,610
--- Employment in 2022: 1,180
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $135,710
#42. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +37.1% (4,500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 16,640
--- Employment in 2022: 12,140
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $92,770
#41. Public relations managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +37.5% (600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,200
--- Employment in 2022: 1,600
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $170,350
#40. Bakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.5% (2,420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,550
--- Employment in 2022: 6,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,130
#39. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.0% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,050
--- Employment in 2022: 750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,110
#38. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.8% (580 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,000
--- Employment in 2022: 1,420
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $32,500
#37. Financial examiners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +42.1% (1,020 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,440
--- Employment in 2022: 2,420
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $101,020
#36. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +42.5% (650 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,180
--- Employment in 2022: 1,530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $69,980
#35. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.2% (3,520 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 11,670
--- Employment in 2022: 8,150
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,100
#34. Data scientists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.2% (1,310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,340
--- Employment in 2022: 3,030
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $130,570
#33. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.6% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,010
--- Employment in 2022: 1,400
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $130,700
#32. Highway maintenance workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +44.3% (1,880 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,120
--- Employment in 2022: 4,240
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,930
#31. School bus monitors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.5% (1,570 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,020
--- Employment in 2022: 3,450
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,400
#30. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.9% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,940
--- Employment in 2022: 1,330
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,290
#29. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.7% (1,140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,480
--- Employment in 2022: 2,340
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $72,060
#28. Family medicine physicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +49.8% (1,380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,150
--- Employment in 2022: 2,770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $214,410
#27. Commercial and industrial designers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +50.5% (480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,430
--- Employment in 2022: 950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $82,080
#26. Aerospace engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +50.7% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,130
--- Employment in 2022: 750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $129,950
#25. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +53.2% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,180
--- Employment in 2022: 770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,020
#24. Optometrists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +55.4% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,290
--- Employment in 2022: 830
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $146,700
#23. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +57.0% (1,260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,470
--- Employment in 2022: 2,210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $71,270
#22. Childcare workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +57.1% (7,130 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 19,610
--- Employment in 2022: 12,480
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $31,040
#21. Web and digital interface designers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +58.2% (1,280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,480
--- Employment in 2022: 2,200
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $85,630
#20. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +58.6% (850 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,300
--- Employment in 2022: 1,450
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,140
#19. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +59.1% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,050
--- Employment in 2022: 660
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $54,430
#18. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +61.3% (1,110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,920
--- Employment in 2022: 1,810
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,430
#17. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +63.2% (550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,420
--- Employment in 2022: 870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $82,190
#16. Teachers and instructors, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +64.2% (520 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,330
--- Employment in 2022: 810
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $73,800
#15. Special education teachers, preschool
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +64.4% (850 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,170
--- Employment in 2022: 1,320
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $87,320
#14. Mechanical door repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +76.0% (570 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,320
--- Employment in 2022: 750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $56,750
#13. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +82.6% (1,380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,050
--- Employment in 2022: 1,670
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,620
#12. Hazardous materials removal workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +83.1% (980 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,160
--- Employment in 2022: 1,180
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,150
#11. Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +94.2% (810 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,670
--- Employment in 2022: 860
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $80,000
#10. Transportation inspectors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +97.0% (640 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,300
--- Employment in 2022: 660
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,750
#9. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +99.5% (2,080 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,170
--- Employment in 2022: 2,090
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,400
#8. Medical records specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +102.7% (1,510 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,980
--- Employment in 2022: 1,470
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,520
#7. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +115.0% (690 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,290
--- Employment in 2022: 600
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $105,160
#6. Building cleaning workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +128.3% (680 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,210
--- Employment in 2022: 530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,590
#5. Residential advisors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +129.8% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,080
--- Employment in 2022: 470
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,210
#4. Miscellaneous construction and related workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +196.2% (1,040 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,570
--- Employment in 2022: 530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,980
#3. Materials scientists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +208.6% (730 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,080
--- Employment in 2022: 350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $96,510
#2. Passenger attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +321.9% (1,030 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,350
--- Employment in 2022: 320
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,920
#1. Airfield operations specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +476.5% (1,620 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,960
--- Employment in 2022: 340
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
