Fastest-growing jobs in Oregon
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 Oregon. 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 Oregon.
#50. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.3% (190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,080
--- Employment in 2022: 890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $79,270
#49. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.6% (710 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,990
--- Employment in 2022: 3,280
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,170
#48. Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.2% (240 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,320
--- Employment in 2022: 1,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $52,000
#47. Childcare workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.4% (690 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,770
--- Employment in 2022: 3,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,820
#46. Information security analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.0% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,550
--- Employment in 2022: 1,260
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $100,260
#45. Healthcare social workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.2% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,180
--- Employment in 2022: 1,770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $81,380
#44. Coaches and scouts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.2% (670 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,560
--- Employment in 2022: 2,890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,720
#43. Compliance officers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.3% (900 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,770
--- Employment in 2022: 3,870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $82,280
#42. Public relations specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.8% (930 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,840
--- Employment in 2022: 3,910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,380
#41. Logisticians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.7% (520 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,540
--- Employment in 2022: 2,020
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $79,840
#40. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.8% (830 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,050
--- Employment in 2022: 3,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,500
#39. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.9% (650 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,070
--- Employment in 2022: 2,420
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,320
#38. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.9% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,030
--- Employment in 2022: 1,600
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,120
#37. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.2% (250 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,170
--- Employment in 2022: 920
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,610
#36. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.7% (480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,210
--- Employment in 2022: 1,730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,270
#35. Nurse practitioners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.2% (530 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,410
--- Employment in 2022: 1,880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $137,440
#34. File clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.2% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,000
--- Employment in 2022: 780
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,550
#33. Directors, religious activities and education
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.3% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,770
--- Employment in 2022: 1,380
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,120
#32. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.8% (860 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,750
--- Employment in 2022: 2,890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,010
#31. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.1% (1,440 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,220
--- Employment in 2022: 4,780
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,170
#30. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.6% (310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,290
--- Employment in 2022: 980
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $83,780
#29. Child, family, and school social workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +32.1% (1,410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,800
--- Employment in 2022: 4,390
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,220
#28. Adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.1% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,000
--- Employment in 2022: 740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,170
#27. Sales managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.2% (2,110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,100
--- Employment in 2022: 5,990
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $125,890
#26. Massage therapists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +37.3% (630 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,320
--- Employment in 2022: 1,690
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $82,170
#25. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.5% (1,060 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,810
--- Employment in 2022: 2,750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $66,880
#24. Social and human service assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.8% (3,260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 11,670
--- Employment in 2022: 8,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,580
#23. Electrical engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.7% (980 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,390
--- Employment in 2022: 2,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $120,430
#22. Instructional coordinators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.6% (620 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,110
--- Employment in 2022: 1,490
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $78,090
#21. Cargo and freight agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.8% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,380
--- Employment in 2022: 960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,910
#20. Urban and regional planners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +46.2% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,330
--- Employment in 2022: 910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $95,160
#19. Psychiatric technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +47.7% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,270
--- Employment in 2022: 860
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,650
#18. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.3% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,290
--- Employment in 2022: 870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,240
#17. Real estate brokers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +50.0% (600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,800
--- Employment in 2022: 1,200
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,360
#16. Graphic designers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +56.9% (1,560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,300
--- Employment in 2022: 2,740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,590
#15. Web and digital interface designers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +58.8% (600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,620
--- Employment in 2022: 1,020
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $97,140
#14. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +61.3% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,210
--- Employment in 2022: 750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $87,860
#13. Data scientists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +64.0% (1,030 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,640
--- Employment in 2022: 1,610
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $114,910
#12. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +67.1% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,170
--- Employment in 2022: 700
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,340
#11. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +67.6% (730 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,810
--- Employment in 2022: 1,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,640
#10. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +75.0% (450 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,050
--- Employment in 2022: 600
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,350
#9. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +76.3% (710 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,640
--- Employment in 2022: 930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,790
#8. Emergency medicine physicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +81.6% (620 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,380
--- Employment in 2022: 760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#7. Public relations managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +82.6% (950 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,100
--- Employment in 2022: 1,150
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $124,570
#6. Sales engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +113.4% (930 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,750
--- Employment in 2022: 820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $115,220
#5. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +116.1% (720 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,340
--- Employment in 2022: 620
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,700
#4. First-line supervisors of personal service workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +119.8% (1,450 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,660
--- Employment in 2022: 1,210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,360
#3. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +127.3% (560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,000
--- Employment in 2022: 440
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,430
#2. Bus drivers, transit and intercity
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +140.4% (1,600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,740
--- Employment in 2022: 1,140
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,260
#1. Cooks, short order
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +320.4% (3,460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,540
--- Employment in 2022: 1,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,800
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
