
Fastest-growing jobs in Maine
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis revealed that, as of September 2025, the national hiring rate has reached a decade low, with the exception of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Associated Press reports that several factors have contributed to this, including the impact of the eleven interest rate hikes that occurred in 2022 and 2023 and the dozens of tariffs enacted by President Donald Trump since the beginning of the year.
Economists generally agree that the long-run breakeven employment growth rate (or the rate at which new jobs need to be added to keep up with population growth) is somewhere between 70,000 and 90,000 jobs per month. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in August 2025, just 22,000 new jobs were added. June and July saw a combined 87,000 new jobs added to the workforce.
Those numbers are bleak, to be sure, but not all employment news is bad. Certain sectors, like health care and social services, continue to see rapid growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said average hourly earnings for all employees are also up by 3.7% over the past 12 months. The total number of hours worked per week has been edging down for all employees, providing opportunities for much-needed work-life balance.
The employment story also looks quite different from state to state. Some places, like Utah, New Mexico, Hawai'i, and Idaho, are seeing high-percentage job growth year over year; others, like Washington D.C., Iowa, and Kansas, have actually seen a shrinkage in the overall number of job openings.
Using BLS jobs data, Stacker determined the fastest-growing jobs in Maine. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2023 and 2024. 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 Maine.
#50. First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +7.4% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 5,670
--- Employment in 2023: 5,280
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $63,390

#49. Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +7.4% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,460
--- Employment in 2023: 2,290
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $45,880

#48. Computer Systems Analysts
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +7.4% (180 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,600
--- Employment in 2023: 2,420
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $98,660

#47. Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +7.9% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 5,440
--- Employment in 2023: 5,040
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $48,590
#46. Physicians, All Other
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +8.3% (110 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,430
--- Employment in 2023: 1,320
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $239,200+

#45. Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +8.6% (160 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,030
--- Employment in 2023: 1,870
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $72,690

#44. Helpers--Electricians
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +8.9% (90 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,100
--- Employment in 2023: 1,010
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $45,230
#43. Registered Nurses
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +10.2% (1,510 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 16,280
--- Employment in 2023: 14,770
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $82,860

#42. First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +10.2% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,230
--- Employment in 2023: 2,930
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $75,720
#41. Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +10.5% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,950
--- Employment in 2023: 2,670
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $47,080

#40. Medical and Health Services Managers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +10.7% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,270
--- Employment in 2023: 2,050
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $109,280

#39. Bartenders
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +11.7% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,060
--- Employment in 2023: 2,740
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $47,630

#38. First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +12.3% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,380
--- Employment in 2023: 2,120
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $59,910

#37. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +12.5% (660 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 5,940
--- Employment in 2023: 5,280
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $40,080
#36. Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +12.9% (950 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 8,310
--- Employment in 2023: 7,360
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $49,510
#35. Recreation Workers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +13.3% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,280
--- Employment in 2023: 1,130
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $35,920

#34. Financial Managers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +13.4% (360 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,040
--- Employment in 2023: 2,680
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $134,410
#33. Nursing Assistants
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +13.8% (1,040 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 8,590
--- Employment in 2023: 7,550
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $45,640

#32. Painters, Construction and Maintenance
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +14.0% (240 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,950
--- Employment in 2023: 1,710
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $56,270

#31. Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +14.2% (750 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 6,020
--- Employment in 2023: 5,270
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $45,470

#30. Construction Managers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +14.7% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,720
--- Employment in 2023: 1,500
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $104,060
#29. Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +15.9% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,460
--- Employment in 2023: 1,260
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $35,100
#28. Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +15.9% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,240
--- Employment in 2023: 1,070
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $67,040
#27. Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +15.9% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,240
--- Employment in 2023: 1,070
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $67,040

#26. Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +16.3% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,430
--- Employment in 2023: 1,230
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $37,070
#25. Social and Community Service Managers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +16.6% (240 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,690
--- Employment in 2023: 1,450
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $72,800

#24. Nurse Practitioners
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +17.3% (240 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,630
--- Employment in 2023: 1,390
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $125,040

#23. Human Resources Specialists
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +18.0% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,080
--- Employment in 2023: 2,610
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $64,420

#22. Dental Hygienists
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +19.0% (160 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,000
--- Employment in 2023: 840
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $88,700
#21. Animal Caretakers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +19.8% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,390
--- Employment in 2023: 1,160
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $36,310

#20. Fast Food and Counter Workers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +20.1% (2,760 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 16,520
--- Employment in 2023: 13,760
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $34,360
#19. Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +20.2% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,190
--- Employment in 2023: 990
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $48,100
#18. Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +20.4% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,770
--- Employment in 2023: 1,470
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $37,470

#17. Compliance Officers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +22.7% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,890
--- Employment in 2023: 1,540
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $86,940
#16. Physical Therapists
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +22.8% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,780
--- Employment in 2023: 1,450
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $93,890

#15. Management Analysts
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +23.0% (450 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,410
--- Employment in 2023: 1,960
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $80,210

#14. Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +23.9% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,760
--- Employment in 2023: 1,420
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $47,000

#13. Dishwashers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +24.6% (440 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,230
--- Employment in 2023: 1,790
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $34,780

#12. Cooks, Fast Food
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +24.7% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,970
--- Employment in 2023: 1,580
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $35,780

#11. Chefs and Head Cooks
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +25.2% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,290
--- Employment in 2023: 1,030
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $55,860

#10. Bakers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +25.7% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,710
--- Employment in 2023: 1,360
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $36,950

#9. Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +32.3% (950 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,890
--- Employment in 2023: 2,940
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $61,030

#8. Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +35.0% (1,180 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 4,550
--- Employment in 2023: 3,370
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $44,690
#7. Data Scientists
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +46.5% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,040
--- Employment in 2023: 710
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $94,350
#6. Cooks, Short Order
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +47.9% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,050
--- Employment in 2023: 710
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $34,070
#5. Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +51.4% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,120
--- Employment in 2023: 740
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $36,950

#4. Sales Managers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +51.5% (690 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,030
--- Employment in 2023: 1,340
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $106,340
#3. Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +60.0% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,120
--- Employment in 2023: 700
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $38,350

#2. Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +67.7% (650 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,610
--- Employment in 2023: 960
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $60,970

#1. Training and Development Specialists
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +75.3% (700 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,630
--- Employment in 2023: 930
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $67,420
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Madison Troyer, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.