Fastest-growing jobs in Tennessee
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 Tennessee. 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 Tennessee.
#50. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.1% (240 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,160
--- Employment in 2022: 920
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,280
#49. Interior designers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.5% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,290
--- Employment in 2022: 1,020
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $51,390
#48. Dishwashers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.5% (1,550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,190
--- Employment in 2022: 5,640
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,280
#47. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.8% (1,180 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,420
--- Employment in 2022: 4,240
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $91,380
#46. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.2% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,080
--- Employment in 2022: 1,610
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,120
#45. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.5% (2,910 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 12,760
--- Employment in 2022: 9,850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,580
#44. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.0% (2,060 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,920
--- Employment in 2022: 6,860
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,920
#43. Self-enrichment teachers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.6% (680 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,900
--- Employment in 2022: 2,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,050
#42. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.8% (680 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,820
--- Employment in 2022: 2,140
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $25,610
#41. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.8% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,740
--- Employment in 2022: 1,320
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,020
#40. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +32.4% (560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,290
--- Employment in 2022: 1,730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,860
#39. Computer network architects
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.1% (980 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,940
--- Employment in 2022: 2,960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $110,400
#37. Butchers and meat cutters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.3% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,880
--- Employment in 2022: 1,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,820
#37. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.3% (740 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,960
--- Employment in 2022: 2,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $75,920
#36. Fast food and counter workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.0% (19,410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 76,560
--- Employment in 2022: 57,150
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,470
#35. Medical transcriptionists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.8% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,820
--- Employment in 2022: 1,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,610
#34. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.8% (1,000 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,870
--- Employment in 2022: 2,870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,810
#33. Logisticians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.9% (1,170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,520
--- Employment in 2022: 3,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,170
#32. Family medicine physicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.1% (540 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,080
--- Employment in 2022: 1,540
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $222,090
#31. Tax preparers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.1% (520 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,000
--- Employment in 2022: 1,480
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,730
#30. Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.4% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,050
--- Employment in 2022: 770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,720
#29. Real estate sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.6% (930 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,470
--- Employment in 2022: 2,540
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#28. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +37.3% (5,380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 19,790
--- Employment in 2022: 14,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $56,400
#27. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +37.7% (1,640 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,990
--- Employment in 2022: 4,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $22,930
#26. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.3% (1,400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,960
--- Employment in 2022: 3,560
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,830
#25. Bartenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.5% (3,040 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 10,730
--- Employment in 2022: 7,690
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $22,000
#24. Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.7% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,020
--- Employment in 2022: 730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,210
#23. Public relations specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.0% (890 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,060
--- Employment in 2022: 2,170
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $53,740
#22. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +42.8% (1,130 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,770
--- Employment in 2022: 2,640
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,940
#21. Project management specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +49.2% (5,600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 16,980
--- Employment in 2022: 11,380
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $81,170
#20. Sales and related workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +52.4% (660 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,920
--- Employment in 2022: 1,260
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,520
#19. Ophthalmic medical technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +53.9% (1,100 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,140
--- Employment in 2022: 2,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,510
#18. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +55.2% (580 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,630
--- Employment in 2022: 1,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,650
#17. Order clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +55.5% (910 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,550
--- Employment in 2022: 1,640
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,690
#16. Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +56.7% (510 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,410
--- Employment in 2022: 900
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,290
#15. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +57.1% (1,890 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,200
--- Employment in 2022: 3,310
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,730
#14. Psychiatric technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +57.8% (1,110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,030
--- Employment in 2022: 1,920
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,330
#13. Anesthesiologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +58.8% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,080
--- Employment in 2022: 680
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#12. Meeting, convention, and event planners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +59.0% (980 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,640
--- Employment in 2022: 1,660
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,030
#11. Procurement clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +65.5% (1,350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,410
--- Employment in 2022: 2,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,670
#10. Nurse anesthetists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +67.6% (1,190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,950
--- Employment in 2022: 1,760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $197,320
#9. Data scientists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +72.7% (880 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,090
--- Employment in 2022: 1,210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $92,400
#8. Food processing workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +96.8% (1,510 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,070
--- Employment in 2022: 1,560
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,720
#7. Aircraft service attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +105.9% (540 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,050
--- Employment in 2022: 510
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $53,510
#6. Automotive body and related repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +116.3% (3,640 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,770
--- Employment in 2022: 3,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,350
#5. Sales engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +125.5% (590 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,060
--- Employment in 2022: 470
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $129,240
#4. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +129.7% (1,310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,320
--- Employment in 2022: 1,010
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $81,490
#3. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +212.9% (2,960 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,350
--- Employment in 2022: 1,390
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $95,220
#2. Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +214.8% (1,160 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,700
--- Employment in 2022: 540
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,110
#1. Transportation workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +452.4% (950 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,160
--- Employment in 2022: 210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,230
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
