Fastest-growing jobs in Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania. 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 Pennsylvania.
#50. Cooks, restaurant
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.3% (9,660 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 54,980
--- Employment in 2022: 45,320
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $32,210
#49. Sewing machine operators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.5% (790 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,460
--- Employment in 2022: 3,670
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,420
#47. Carpet installers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.6% (210 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,180
--- Employment in 2022: 970
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,140
#47. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.6% (840 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,720
--- Employment in 2022: 3,880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $93,160
#46. Civil engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.9% (2,380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 13,260
--- Employment in 2022: 10,880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $93,340
#45. Tire repairers and changers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.0% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,610
--- Employment in 2022: 2,140
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,520
#44. Statisticians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.4% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,350
--- Employment in 2022: 1,920
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $83,560
#43. Butchers and meat cutters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.8% (850 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,420
--- Employment in 2022: 3,570
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,480
#42. Industrial production managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.3% (1,860 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,510
--- Employment in 2022: 7,650
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $104,380
#41. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.4% (860 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,390
--- Employment in 2022: 3,530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,850
#40. Medical transcriptionists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.2% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,990
--- Employment in 2022: 1,590
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,520
#39. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.5% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,280
--- Employment in 2022: 1,020
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $75,820
#38. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.5% (500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,460
--- Employment in 2022: 1,960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,200
#37. Business operations specialists, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.9% (6,660 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 32,340
--- Employment in 2022: 25,680
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,040
#36. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.0% (1,250 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,060
--- Employment in 2022: 4,810
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $102,190
#35. Parking attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.7% (1,000 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,750
--- Employment in 2022: 3,750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,870
#34. Interpreters and translators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.8% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,040
--- Employment in 2022: 820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,310
#33. Food cooking machine operators and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.1% (250 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,140
--- Employment in 2022: 890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,120
#32. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.7% (2,580 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 11,580
--- Employment in 2022: 9,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $102,700
#31. Concierges
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.6% (450 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,920
--- Employment in 2022: 1,470
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,400
#30. Special education teachers, middle school
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.2% (1,020 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,290
--- Employment in 2022: 3,270
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $78,630
#29. Cargo and freight agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.3% (510 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,140
--- Employment in 2022: 1,630
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,570
#28. Public relations managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.4% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,590
--- Employment in 2022: 1,210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $116,360
#27. Health education specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.8% (560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,320
--- Employment in 2022: 1,760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $72,490
#26. Educational instruction and library workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.3% (1,100 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,400
--- Employment in 2022: 3,300
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,050
#25. Sales and related workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.9% (1,090 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,310
--- Employment in 2022: 3,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,350
#24. Facilities managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.1% (1,260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,950
--- Employment in 2022: 3,690
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $99,580
#23. Construction managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.5% (930 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,550
--- Employment in 2022: 2,620
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $104,420
#22. Physician assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.4% (2,330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,730
--- Employment in 2022: 6,400
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $119,170
#21. Production workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.9% (1,450 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,180
--- Employment in 2022: 3,730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,750
#20. Travel agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.7% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,590
--- Employment in 2022: 1,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,350
#19. Pest control workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.9% (670 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,310
--- Employment in 2022: 1,640
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,990
#18. Community and social service specialists, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.4% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,400
--- Employment in 2022: 990
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,130
#17. Radiologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.7% (500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,700
--- Employment in 2022: 1,200
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#16. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +44.4% (790 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,570
--- Employment in 2022: 1,780
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,890
#15. Sales engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +49.2% (1,220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,700
--- Employment in 2022: 2,480
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $97,230
#14. Counselors, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +53.4% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,120
--- Employment in 2022: 730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,620
#13. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +54.3% (1,020 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,900
--- Employment in 2022: 1,880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,900
#12. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +56.5% (700 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,940
--- Employment in 2022: 1,240
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $74,480
#11. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +58.3% (2,290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,220
--- Employment in 2022: 3,930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,410
#10. Audio and video technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +58.5% (930 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,520
--- Employment in 2022: 1,590
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,610
#9. Social workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +59.3% (640 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,720
--- Employment in 2022: 1,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,770
#8. Pediatricians, general
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +79.6% (780 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,760
--- Employment in 2022: 980
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $215,300
#7. Skincare specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +81.0% (940 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,100
--- Employment in 2022: 1,160
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,330
#6. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +84.3% (590 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,290
--- Employment in 2022: 700
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $75,010
#5. School bus monitors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +87.0% (1,270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,730
--- Employment in 2022: 1,460
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,300
#4. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +114.7% (7,490 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 14,020
--- Employment in 2022: 6,530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,070
#3. Dietetic technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +115.1% (840 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,570
--- Employment in 2022: 730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,990
#2. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +130.1% (2,160 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,820
--- Employment in 2022: 1,660
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#1. Psychiatric technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +166.1% (3,670 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,880
--- Employment in 2022: 2,210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,460
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
