What professions added the most jobs in West 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 West 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 West Virginia increased from 688,170 to 707,720 with a net gain of 19,550. The profession that added the most jobs in the same period is the profession of personal care aides with 6,510 jobs added. It is followed by the profession of construction laborers with 6,510 job added.
| Rank | Job Description | Jobs 2010 i |
Jobs 2014 i |
Change # i |
Change % i |
Salary 2014 i |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | All Occupations | 688,170 | 707,720 | 19,550 | 2.84% | $27,420 |
| 2 | Personal Care Aides | 6,600 | 13,110 | 6,510 | 98.64% | $16,930 |
| 3 | Construction Laborers | 5,860 | 8,600 | 2,740 | 46.76% | $28,300 |
| 4 | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 7,670 | 10,320 | 2,650 | 34.55% | $25,690 |
| 5 | General and Operations Managers | 8,680 | 11,240 | 2,560 | 29.49% | $65,660 |
| 6 | Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food | 20,820 | 23,330 | 2,510 | 12.06% | $16,790 |
| 7 | Highway Maintenance Workers | 450 | 2,900 | 2,450 | 544.44% | $22,890 |
| 8 | Customer Service Representatives | 8,120 | 10,250 | 2,130 | 26.23% | $24,190 |
| 9 | First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 6,230 | 8,130 | 1,900 | 30.50% | $35,480 |
| 10 | Cashiers | 20,120 | 21,680 | 1,560 | 7.75% | $17,190 |
| 11 | First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 3,520 | 4,950 | 1,430 | 40.62% | $64,580 |
| 12 | Psychiatric Aides | 150 | 1,470 | 1,320 | 880.00% | $18,500 |
| 13 | Physicians and Surgeons, All Other | 1,320 | 2,630 | 1,310 | 99.24% | $ |
| 14 | Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 5,110 | 6,160 | 1,050 | 20.55% | $17,940 |
| 15 | Psychiatric Technicians | 200 | 1,160 | 960 | 480.00% | $24,180 |
| 16 | Cooks, Restaurant | 4,630 | 5,580 | 950 | 20.52% | $18,290 |
| 17 | First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 6,390 | 7,340 | 950 | 14.87% | $29,320 |
| 18 | Gaming Change Persons and Booth Cashiers | 220 | 1,160 | 940 | 427.27% | $19,670 |
| 19 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 950 | 1,890 | 940 | 98.95% | $31,220 |
| 20 | Counter Attendants, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop | 1,210 | 2,110 | 900 | 74.38% | $16,610 |
| 21 | Software Developers, Systems Software | 420 | 1,310 | 890 | 211.90% | $67,980 |
| 22 | Security Guards | 5,070 | 5,950 | 880 | 17.36% | $19,510 |
| 23 | Court, Municipal, and License Clerks | 430 | 1,170 | 740 | 172.09% | $27,360 |
| 24 | Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | 1,370 | 2,050 | 680 | 49.64% | $38,310 |
| 25 | Team Assemblers | 2,360 | 2,990 | 630 | 26.69% | $25,370 |
| 26 | Lawyers | 2,060 | 2,660 | 600 | 29.13% | $76,710 |
| 27 | Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | 3,170 | 3,770 | 600 | 18.93% | $35,270 |
| 28 | Receptionists and Information Clerks | 3,350 | 3,940 | 590 | 17.61% | $19,990 |
| 29 | Management Analysts | 840 | 1,410 | 570 | 67.86% | $75,670 |
| 30 | Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics | 1,950 | 2,510 | 560 | 28.72% | $22,700 |
| 31 | Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 3,870 | 4,410 | 540 | 13.95% | $41,300 |
| 32 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 2,190 | 2,700 | 510 | 23.29% | $40,530 |
| 33 | Vocational Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 620 | 1,120 | 500 | 80.65% | $41,360 |
| 34 | Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas, and Mining | 570 | 1,070 | 500 | 87.72% | $37,510 |
| 35 | Roustabouts, Oil and Gas | 710 | 1,210 | 500 | 70.42% | $27,300 |
| 36 | Parts Salespersons | 1,070 | 1,550 | 480 | 44.86% | $24,960 |
| 37 | Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | 4,200 | 4,610 | 410 | 9.76% | $24,410 |
| 38 | Loading Machine Operators, Underground Mining | 240 | 610 | 370 | 154.17% | $50,380 |
| 39 | Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists* | 370 | 720 | 350 | 94.59% | $39,880 |
| 40 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 4,330 | 4,680 | 350 | 8.08% | $19,220 |
| 41 | First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers | 690 | 1,040 | 350 | 50.72% | $27,230 |
| 42 | Insurance Sales Agents | 1,460 | 1,800 | 340 | 23.29% | $34,290 |
| 43 | Roof Bolters, Mining | 1,780 | 2,120 | 340 | 19.10% | $51,670 |
| 44 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 2,820 | 3,140 | 320 | 11.35% | $53,460 |
| 45 | Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 2,120 | 2,430 | 310 | 14.62% | $34,110 |
| 46 | Marriage and Family Therapists | 160 | 460 | 300 | 187.50% | $27,100 |
| 47 | Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators | 1,140 | 1,440 | 300 | 26.32% | $45,160 |
| 48 | Food Service Managers | 1,050 | 1,340 | 290 | 27.62% | $37,090 |
| 49 | Accountants and Auditors | 4,160 | 4,450 | 290 | 6.97% | $50,460 |
| 50 | First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other | 240 | 530 | 290 | 120.83% | $38,220 |
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 psychiatric aides with a growth rate of 880.00%. It is followed by the profession of highway maintenance workers which grew by 544.44% in the same period.
| Rank | Job Description | Jobs 2010 i |
Jobs 2014 i |
Change # i |
Change % i |
Salary 2014 i |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychiatric Aides | 150 | 1,470 | 1,320 | 880.00% | $18,500 |
| 2 | Highway Maintenance Workers | 450 | 2,900 | 2,450 | 544.44% | $22,890 |
| 3 | Psychiatric Technicians | 200 | 1,160 | 960 | 480.00% | $24,180 |
| 4 | Gaming Change Persons and Booth Cashiers | 220 | 1,160 | 940 | 427.27% | $19,670 |
| 5 | Software Developers, Systems Software | 420 | 1,310 | 890 | 211.90% | $67,980 |
| 6 | Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | 120 | 370 | 250 | 208.33% | $17,710 |
| 7 | Marriage and Family Therapists | 160 | 460 | 300 | 187.50% | $27,100 |
| 8 | Crossing Guards | 150 | 410 | 260 | 173.33% | $17,340 |
| 9 | Court, Municipal, and License Clerks | 430 | 1,170 | 740 | 172.09% | $27,360 |
| 10 | History Teachers, Postsecondary | 100 | 260 | 160 | 160.00% | $48,770 |
| 11 | Pipelayers | 120 | 310 | 190 | 158.33% | $30,520 |
| 12 | Loading Machine Operators, Underground Mining | 240 | 610 | 370 | 154.17% | $50,380 |
| 13 | Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | 130 | 320 | 190 | 146.15% | $46,870 |
| 14 | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 120 | 280 | 160 | 133.33% | $20,270 |
| 15 | Animal Control Workers | 110 | 250 | 140 | 127.27% | $23,340 |
| 16 | First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other | 240 | 530 | 290 | 120.83% | $38,220 |
| 17 | Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic | 150 | 320 | 170 | 113.33% | $34,160 |
| 18 | Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | 100 | 210 | 110 | 110.00% | $56,540 |
| 19 | Opticians, Dispensing | 210 | 440 | 230 | 109.52% | $28,940 |
| 20 | Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders | 170 | 340 | 170 | 100.00% | $30,650 |
| 21 | Physicians and Surgeons, All Other | 1,320 | 2,630 | 1,310 | 99.24% | $ |
| 22 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 950 | 1,890 | 940 | 98.95% | $31,220 |
| 23 | Personal Care Aides | 6,600 | 13,110 | 6,510 | 98.64% | $16,930 |
| 24 | Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors | 230 | 450 | 220 | 95.65% | $19,240 |
| 25 | Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists* | 370 | 720 | 350 | 94.59% | $39,880 |
| 26 | Social Workers, All Other | 140 | 270 | 130 | 92.86% | $66,960 |
| 27 | Personal Financial Advisors | 270 | 520 | 250 | 92.59% | $35,600 |
| 28 | Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas, and Mining | 570 | 1,070 | 500 | 87.72% | $37,510 |
| 29 | Self-Enrichment Education Teachers | 320 | 600 | 280 | 87.50% | $18,270 |
| 30 | Insulation Workers, Mechanical | 220 | 410 | 190 | 86.36% | $55,100 |
| 31 | Vocational Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 620 | 1,120 | 500 | 80.65% | $41,360 |
| 32 | Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas | 150 | 270 | 120 | 80.00% | $40,330 |
| 33 | Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 180 | 320 | 140 | 77.78% | $58,190 |
| 34 | Counter Attendants, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop | 1,210 | 2,110 | 900 | 74.38% | $16,610 |
| 35 | Roustabouts, Oil and Gas | 710 | 1,210 | 500 | 70.42% | $27,300 |
| 36 | Health Educators | 300 | 510 | 210 | 70.00% | $35,410 |
| 37 | Medical Equipment Repairers | 160 | 270 | 110 | 68.75% | $34,880 |
| 38 | Management Analysts | 840 | 1,410 | 570 | 67.86% | $75,670 |
| 39 | Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers | 430 | 720 | 290 | 67.44% | $15,990 |
| 40 | Audio and Video Equipment Technicians | 120 | 200 | 80 | 66.67% | $28,190 |
| 41 | Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | 250 | 410 | 160 | 64.00% | $52,550 |
| 42 | Residential Advisors | 310 | 500 | 190 | 61.29% | $18,870 |
| 43 | Medical Equipment Preparers | 230 | 370 | 140 | 60.87% | $25,510 |
| 44 | Construction Managers | 390 | 610 | 220 | 56.41% | $75,390 |
| 45 | Electrical Engineers | 320 | 500 | 180 | 56.25% | $81,290 |
| 46 | Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas | 330 | 510 | 180 | 54.55% | $39,630 |
| 47 | Postal Service Clerks | 430 | 660 | 230 | 53.49% | $53,090 |
| 48 | Architectural and Civil Drafters | 270 | 410 | 140 | 51.85% | $36,730 |
| 49 | First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers | 690 | 1,040 | 350 | 50.72% | $27,230 |
| 50 | Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 160 | 240 | 80 | 50.00% | $53,830 |