Fastest-growing jobs in Oklahoma
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 Oklahoma. 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 Oklahoma.
#50. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.4% (1,810 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 11,160
--- Employment in 2022: 9,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $71,850
#49. Computer programmers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.8% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,030
--- Employment in 2022: 860
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $107,990
#48. Graphic designers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.9% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,750
--- Employment in 2022: 1,460
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,150
#47. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.2% (2,440 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 14,510
--- Employment in 2022: 12,070
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,620
#46. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.4% (1,240 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,330
--- Employment in 2022: 6,090
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $67,420
#45. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.5% (530 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,110
--- Employment in 2022: 2,580
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,930
#44. Physician assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.7% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,680
--- Employment in 2022: 1,380
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $126,080
#43. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.2% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,870
--- Employment in 2022: 1,530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $82,680
#42. Data scientists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.4% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,130
--- Employment in 2022: 1,740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $83,810
#41. Construction and building inspectors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.4% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,800
--- Employment in 2022: 1,470
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $54,940
#40. Veterinarians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.7% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,190
--- Employment in 2022: 970
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $96,300
#39. Service unit operators, oil and gas
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.7% (620 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,350
--- Employment in 2022: 2,730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,700
#38. Fast food and counter workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.3% (8,830 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 46,750
--- Employment in 2022: 37,920
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $22,990
#37. Financial and investment analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.9% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,760
--- Employment in 2022: 1,420
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $79,560
#36. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.2% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,050
--- Employment in 2022: 1,650
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,080
#35. Social and human service assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.3% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,200
--- Employment in 2022: 1,770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,820
#34. Occupational therapists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.7% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,110
--- Employment in 2022: 890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $99,530
#33. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.4% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,680
--- Employment in 2022: 1,340
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,700
#32. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.0% (8,140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 39,430
--- Employment in 2022: 31,290
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,590
#31. Butchers and meat cutters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.0% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,790
--- Employment in 2022: 1,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,640
#30. Psychiatric technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.1% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,470
--- Employment in 2022: 1,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $32,350
#29. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.4% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,500
--- Employment in 2022: 1,150
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,340
#27. Tutors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.8% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,360
--- Employment in 2022: 1,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,630
#27. Marriage and family therapists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.8% (360 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,530
--- Employment in 2022: 1,170
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $54,270
#26. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.1% (550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,320
--- Employment in 2022: 1,770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,130
#25. Library technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.7% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,270
--- Employment in 2022: 950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,270
#24. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.0% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,300
--- Employment in 2022: 970
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $20,640
#23. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.0% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,080
--- Employment in 2022: 800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,930
#22. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.1% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,040
--- Employment in 2022: 770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,740
#21. Counter and rental clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.6% (1,110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,230
--- Employment in 2022: 3,120
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,020
#20. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.2% (560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,990
--- Employment in 2022: 1,430
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,130
#19. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.5% (680 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,400
--- Employment in 2022: 1,720
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $54,330
#18. Property appraisers and assessors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.0% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,330
--- Employment in 2022: 950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,490
#17. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.7% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,360
--- Employment in 2022: 960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,960
#16. Tax preparers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.8% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,280
--- Employment in 2022: 890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,390
#15. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.0% (450 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,450
--- Employment in 2022: 1,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,710
#14. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +46.7% (630 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,980
--- Employment in 2022: 1,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $70,200
#13. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +47.0% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,220
--- Employment in 2022: 830
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $55,510
#12. Food batchmakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.3% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,320
--- Employment in 2022: 890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $31,810
#11. Telemarketers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.9% (440 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,340
--- Employment in 2022: 900
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,730
#10. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +50.0% (530 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,590
--- Employment in 2022: 1,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,710
#9. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +50.6% (890 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,650
--- Employment in 2022: 1,760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,650
#8. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +55.3% (1,140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,200
--- Employment in 2022: 2,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,970
#7. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +55.9% (760 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,120
--- Employment in 2022: 1,360
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,750
#6. Bus drivers, transit and intercity
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +57.0% (490 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,350
--- Employment in 2022: 860
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,480
#5. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +62.5% (550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,430
--- Employment in 2022: 880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,660
#4. Family medicine physicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +82.5% (1,180 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,610
--- Employment in 2022: 1,430
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $228,600
#3. Chefs and head cooks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +115.9% (800 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,490
--- Employment in 2022: 690
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,090
#2. Gambling dealers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +119.6% (1,280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,350
--- Employment in 2022: 1,070
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $22,120
#1. Operations research analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +237.8% (1,070 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,520
--- Employment in 2022: 450
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,380
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
