What professions added the most jobs in Virginia? 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 Virginia 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 Virginia increased from 3,527,350 to 3,648,490 with a net gain of 121,140. The profession that added the most jobs in the same period is the profession of personal care aides with 20,260 jobs added. It is followed by the profession of secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive with 20,260 job added.
| Rank | Job Description | Jobs 2010 i |
Jobs 2014 i |
Change # i |
Change % i |
Salary 2014 i |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | All Occupations | 3,527,350 | 3,648,490 | 121,140 | 3.43% | $35,740 |
| 2 | Personal Care Aides | 16,000 | 36,260 | 20,260 | 126.62% | $17,920 |
| 3 | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 21,210 | 40,660 | 19,450 | 91.70% | $33,640 |
| 4 | Retail Salespersons | 116,040 | 127,740 | 11,700 | 10.08% | $20,780 |
| 5 | Software Developers, Applications | 28,110 | 36,840 | 8,730 | 31.06% | $96,190 |
| 6 | Cashiers | 90,210 | 97,670 | 7,460 | 8.27% | $18,310 |
| 7 | Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists* | 9,180 | 16,410 | 7,230 | 78.76% | $59,770 |
| 8 | Customer Service Representatives | 50,670 | 57,100 | 6,430 | 12.69% | $30,740 |
| 9 | Accountants and Auditors | 33,990 | 39,290 | 5,300 | 15.59% | $65,600 |
| 10 | Sales Representatives, Services, All Other | 21,020 | 25,940 | 4,920 | 23.41% | $53,940 |
| 11 | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 43,270 | 47,810 | 4,540 | 10.49% | $23,090 |
| 12 | Stock Clerks and Order Fillers | 48,140 | 52,380 | 4,240 | 8.81% | $21,750 |
| 13 | Cooks, Restaurant | 25,540 | 29,740 | 4,200 | 16.44% | $22,270 |
| 14 | First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 37,520 | 41,470 | 3,950 | 10.53% | $48,200 |
| 15 | Counter and Rental Clerks | 8,630 | 12,270 | 3,640 | 42.18% | $22,560 |
| 16 | Team Assemblers | 10,600 | 13,800 | 3,200 | 30.19% | $26,040 |
| 17 | Bartenders | 6,260 | 9,430 | 3,170 | 50.64% | $21,270 |
| 18 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 2,270 | 5,250 | 2,980 | 131.28% | $73,070 |
| 19 | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 23,100 | 26,060 | 2,960 | 12.81% | $22,260 |
| 20 | Lawyers | 14,200 | 17,090 | 2,890 | 20.35% | $123,750 |
| 21 | Coaches and Scouts | 5,160 | 7,840 | 2,680 | 51.94% | $30,030 |
| 22 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | 8,680 | 11,180 | 2,500 | 28.80% | $18,550 |
| 23 | Mental Health Counselors | 5,640 | 8,060 | 2,420 | 42.91% | $42,760 |
| 24 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | 4,880 | 7,300 | 2,420 | 49.59% | $19,280 |
| 25 | Cooks, Fast Food | 7,280 | 9,500 | 2,220 | 30.49% | $17,670 |
| 26 | Managers, All Other | 14,230 | 16,430 | 2,200 | 15.46% | $114,190 |
| 27 | Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors | 6,990 | 9,190 | 2,200 | 31.47% | $30,820 |
| 28 | Receptionists and Information Clerks | 28,010 | 30,160 | 2,150 | 7.68% | $25,860 |
| 29 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 34,500 | 36,510 | 2,010 | 5.83% | $35,390 |
| 30 | Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | 7,280 | 9,180 | 1,900 | 26.10% | $44,910 |
| 31 | Food Preparation Workers | 18,190 | 20,010 | 1,820 | 10.01% | $18,500 |
| 32 | Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | 16,480 | 18,270 | 1,790 | 10.86% | $47,780 |
| 33 | Childcare Workers | 13,170 | 14,920 | 1,750 | 13.29% | $18,990 |
| 34 | Personal Financial Advisors | 2,700 | 4,360 | 1,660 | 61.48% | $74,700 |
| 35 | Cost Estimators | 6,880 | 8,470 | 1,590 | 23.11% | $57,130 |
| 36 | Family and General Practitioners | 2,240 | 3,780 | 1,540 | 68.75% | $149,750 |
| 37 | Waiters and Waitresses | 59,890 | 61,400 | 1,510 | 2.52% | $19,180 |
| 38 | Paralegals and Legal Assistants* | 7,110 | 8,580 | 1,470 | 20.68% | $45,660 |
| 39 | Insurance Sales Agents | 8,170 | 9,590 | 1,420 | 17.38% | $45,690 |
| 40 | Driver/Sales Workers | 10,070 | 11,490 | 1,420 | 14.10% | $25,910 |
| 41 | Graduate Teaching Assistants | 1,660 | 3,030 | 1,370 | 82.53% | $18,310 |
| 42 | Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers | 3,700 | 5,070 | 1,370 | 37.03% | $18,430 |
| 43 | Food Service Managers | 2,870 | 4,210 | 1,340 | 46.69% | $52,120 |
| 44 | Biological Technicians | 750 | 2,090 | 1,340 | 178.67% | $44,110 |
| 45 | Loan Interviewers and Clerks | 5,320 | 6,660 | 1,340 | 25.19% | $35,060 |
| 46 | Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | 8,280 | 9,610 | 1,330 | 16.06% | $41,130 |
| 47 | Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | 6,070 | 7,360 | 1,290 | 21.25% | $49,750 |
| 48 | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | 6,810 | 8,100 | 1,290 | 18.94% | $39,480 |
| 49 | Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers | 1,380 | 2,640 | 1,260 | 91.30% | $38,970 |
| 50 | Operations Research Analysts | 4,260 | 5,500 | 1,240 | 29.11% | $98,830 |
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 petroleum engineers with a growth rate of 623.08%. It is followed by the profession of graders and sorters, agricultural products which grew by 242.86% in the same period.
| Rank | Job Description | Jobs 2010 i |
Jobs 2014 i |
Change # i |
Change % i |
Salary 2014 i |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petroleum Engineers | 130 | 940 | 810 | 623.08% | $115,720 |
| 2 | Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products | 140 | 480 | 340 | 242.86% | $21,910 |
| 3 | Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage | 180 | 550 | 370 | 205.56% | $56,860 |
| 4 | Agricultural Inspectors | 300 | 890 | 590 | 196.67% | $41,730 |
| 5 | Fallers | 190 | 560 | 370 | 194.74% | $32,740 |
| 6 | Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians | 100 | 280 | 180 | 180.00% | $57,200 |
| 7 | Biological Technicians | 750 | 2,090 | 1,340 | 178.67% | $44,110 |
| 8 | Cooks, All Other | 270 | 740 | 470 | 174.07% | $23,030 |
| 9 | Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials | 200 | 530 | 330 | 165.00% | $23,030 |
| 10 | Law Teachers, Postsecondary | 260 | 670 | 410 | 157.69% | $100,190 |
| 11 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | 240 | 600 | 360 | 150.00% | $72,860 |
| 12 | Economists | 450 | 1,110 | 660 | 146.67% | $111,050 |
| 13 | Precision Instrument and Equipment Repairers, All Other | 110 | 260 | 150 | 136.36% | $49,260 |
| 14 | Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders | 440 | 1,020 | 580 | 131.82% | $31,520 |
| 15 | Therapists, All Other* | 190 | 440 | 250 | 131.58% | $49,430 |
| 16 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 2,270 | 5,250 | 2,980 | 131.28% | $73,070 |
| 17 | Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | 130 | 300 | 170 | 130.77% | $38,830 |
| 18 | Animal Trainers | 250 | 570 | 320 | 128.00% | $33,910 |
| 19 | Political Scientists | 400 | 910 | 510 | 127.50% | $126,240 |
| 20 | Personal Care Aides | 16,000 | 36,260 | 20,260 | 126.62% | $17,920 |
| 21 | Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tool Programmers, Metal and Plastic | 150 | 320 | 170 | 113.33% | $44,420 |
| 22 | Traffic Technicians | 150 | 320 | 170 | 113.33% | $39,910 |
| 23 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | 960 | 2,000 | 1,040 | 108.33% | $85,450 |
| 24 | Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers, All Other | 140 | 290 | 150 | 107.14% | $ |
| 25 | Manicurists and Pedicurists | 830 | 1,690 | 860 | 103.61% | $21,860 |
| 26 | Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other | 190 | 370 | 180 | 94.74% | $45,050 |
| 27 | Drafters, All Other | 160 | 310 | 150 | 93.75% | $45,400 |
| 28 | Chemical Engineers | 630 | 1,220 | 590 | 93.65% | $87,510 |
| 29 | Musicians and Singers | 410 | 790 | 380 | 92.68% | $ |
| 30 | Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 370 | 710 | 340 | 91.89% | $27,110 |
| 31 | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 21,210 | 40,660 | 19,450 | 91.70% | $33,640 |
| 32 | Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers | 1,380 | 2,640 | 1,260 | 91.30% | $38,970 |
| 33 | Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 560 | 1,040 | 480 | 85.71% | $ |
| 34 | Concierges | 1,010 | 1,870 | 860 | 85.15% | $27,320 |
| 35 | Optometrists | 600 | 1,100 | 500 | 83.33% | $95,860 |
| 36 | Financial Examiners | 760 | 1,390 | 630 | 82.89% | $68,900 |
| 37 | Hazardous Materials Removal Workers | 760 | 1,390 | 630 | 82.89% | $30,300 |
| 38 | Graduate Teaching Assistants | 1,660 | 3,030 | 1,370 | 82.53% | $18,310 |
| 39 | Fence Erectors | 560 | 1,020 | 460 | 82.14% | $31,760 |
| 40 | Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 220 | 400 | 180 | 81.82% | $62,700 |
| 41 | Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks | 1,230 | 2,230 | 1,000 | 81.30% | $32,720 |
| 42 | Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists* | 9,180 | 16,410 | 7,230 | 78.76% | $59,770 |
| 43 | Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 470 | 840 | 370 | 78.72% | $60,980 |
| 44 | Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | 510 | 910 | 400 | 78.43% | $31,100 |
| 45 | Transportation Inspectors | 400 | 710 | 310 | 77.50% | $56,410 |
| 46 | Forensic Science Technicians | 350 | 620 | 270 | 77.14% | $65,030 |
| 47 | Stonemasons | 300 | 520 | 220 | 73.33% | $35,000 |
| 48 | Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 570 | 980 | 410 | 71.93% | $29,340 |
| 49 | Statisticians | 530 | 910 | 380 | 71.70% | $77,350 |
| 50 | Agricultural Equipment Operators | 100 | 170 | 70 | 70.00% | $26,150 |