What professions added the most jobs in Arkansas? In this article we look into this issue from two angles. First we show the top 50 jobs that added the most workers from 2010 to 2014 (Table 1). Secondly we show the top 50 jobs that had the highest growth rate from year 2010 to 2014 (Table 2). The employment and salary information in Arkansas is computed from data published by BLS [1] in May 2015.
Table 1 shows the top 50 jobs that added the most workers from 2010 to 2014. We note that from 2010 to 2014, the total employment in Arkansas increased from 1,135,560 to 1,158,790 with a net gain of 23,230. The profession that added the most jobs in the same period is the profession of personal care aides with 6,140 jobs added. It is followed by the profession of retail salespersons with 6,140 job added.
| Rank | Job Description | Jobs 2010 i |
Jobs 2014 i |
Change # i |
Change % i |
Salary 2014 i |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | All Occupations | 1,135,560 | 1,158,790 | 23,230 | 2.05% | $27,860 |
| 2 | Personal Care Aides | 8,940 | 15,080 | 6,140 | 68.68% | $17,270 |
| 3 | Retail Salespersons | 33,930 | 39,140 | 5,210 | 15.36% | $18,850 |
| 4 | Office Clerks, General | 24,340 | 29,510 | 5,170 | 21.24% | $21,590 |
| 5 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 29,120 | 33,610 | 4,490 | 15.42% | $35,320 |
| 6 | General and Operations Managers | 14,690 | 17,810 | 3,120 | 21.24% | $73,730 |
| 7 | Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food | 20,960 | 23,760 | 2,800 | 13.36% | $16,510 |
| 8 | Customer Service Representatives | 15,940 | 18,500 | 2,560 | 16.06% | $26,490 |
| 9 | Cashiers | 28,750 | 31,100 | 2,350 | 8.17% | $17,490 |
| 10 | Childcare Workers | 5,880 | 7,850 | 1,970 | 33.50% | $17,070 |
| 11 | Cooks, Restaurant | 7,320 | 9,210 | 1,890 | 25.82% | $18,560 |
| 12 | Waiters and Waitresses | 17,620 | 19,400 | 1,780 | 10.10% | $17,180 |
| 13 | Management Analysts | 1,430 | 2,870 | 1,440 | 100.70% | $62,880 |
| 14 | Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists* | 1,090 | 2,390 | 1,300 | 119.27% | $54,750 |
| 15 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 6,500 | 7,600 | 1,100 | 16.92% | $44,770 |
| 16 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 260 | 1,320 | 1,060 | 407.69% | $45,670 |
| 17 | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 23,830 | 24,880 | 1,050 | 4.41% | $20,580 |
| 18 | Cooks, Fast Food | 9,590 | 10,590 | 1,000 | 10.43% | $16,920 |
| 19 | Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 410 | 1,370 | 960 | 234.15% | $31,960 |
| 20 | Sales Managers | 2,260 | 3,210 | 950 | 42.04% | $84,640 |
| 21 | Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | 830 | 1,780 | 950 | 114.46% | $68,900 |
| 22 | Counter and Rental Clerks | 2,720 | 3,670 | 950 | 34.93% | $19,050 |
| 23 | Managers, All Other | 1,740 | 2,680 | 940 | 54.02% | $91,300 |
| 24 | Medical Assistants | 1,790 | 2,720 | 930 | 51.96% | $25,190 |
| 25 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 12,730 | 13,660 | 930 | 7.31% | $49,930 |
| 26 | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 19,260 | 20,190 | 930 | 4.83% | $24,990 |
| 27 | Medical Secretaries | 2,100 | 2,970 | 870 | 41.43% | $26,560 |
| 28 | Stock Clerks and Order Fillers | 15,530 | 16,380 | 850 | 5.47% | $19,120 |
| 29 | Medical and Health Services Managers | 2,050 | 2,860 | 810 | 39.51% | $72,840 |
| 30 | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 360 | 1,150 | 790 | 219.44% | $21,150 |
| 31 | First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 13,100 | 13,820 | 720 | 5.50% | $29,700 |
| 32 | Sales Representatives, Services, All Other | 2,330 | 3,050 | 720 | 30.90% | $39,750 |
| 33 | Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 930 | 1,650 | 720 | 77.42% | $26,470 |
| 34 | Education Administrators, Postsecondary | 710 | 1,420 | 710 | 100.00% | $76,440 |
| 35 | Software Developers, Applications | 1,360 | 2,060 | 700 | 51.47% | $65,400 |
| 36 | Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers | 1,100 | 1,800 | 700 | 63.64% | $53,990 |
| 37 | Food Preparation Workers | 6,430 | 7,100 | 670 | 10.42% | $17,630 |
| 38 | First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 13,900 | 14,570 | 670 | 4.82% | $37,750 |
| 39 | Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 16,420 | 17,070 | 650 | 3.96% | $18,850 |
| 40 | Insurance Sales Agents | 2,220 | 2,870 | 650 | 29.28% | $40,550 |
| 41 | Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | 350 | 1,000 | 650 | 185.71% | $39,110 |
| 42 | Accountants and Auditors | 5,130 | 5,770 | 640 | 12.48% | $51,450 |
| 43 | Business Operations Specialists, All Other* | 7,840 | 8,470 | 630 | 8.04% | $55,540 |
| 44 | Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | 3,060 | 3,680 | 620 | 20.26% | $20,780 |
| 45 | Amusement and Recreation Attendants | 560 | 1,170 | 610 | 108.93% | $17,480 |
| 46 | Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 800 | 1,400 | 600 | 75.00% | $29,800 |
| 47 | Electricians | 4,450 | 5,000 | 550 | 12.36% | $40,570 |
| 48 | Family and General Practitioners | 880 | 1,400 | 520 | 59.09% | $ |
| 49 | Physical Therapist Assistants | 610 | 1,130 | 520 | 85.25% | $46,360 |
| 50 | Demonstrators and Product Promoters | 450 | 970 | 520 | 115.56% | $22,900 |
Table 2 shows the top 50 jobs that had the fastest growth rate from 2010 to 2014. We note that the profession that grew the fastest is the profession of health specialties teachers, postsecondary with a growth rate of 407.69%. It is followed by the profession of chemical technicians which grew by 238.89% in the same period.