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Fastest declining occupations

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Table 1.5 Fastest declining occupations, 2018 and projected 2028
(Numbers in thousands)

2018 National Employment Matrix title and code

Employment

Change, 2018–28

Median annual wage, 2019(1)

2018

2028

Number

Percent

Total, all occupations

00-0000

161,037.7

169,435.9

8,398.1

5.2

$39,810

Locomotive firers

53-4012

0.5

0.2

-0.4

-68.3

—

Respiratory therapy technicians

29-2054

9.3

3.9

-5.3

-57.5

—

Parking enforcement workers

33-3041

8.6

5.4

-3.1

-36.7

$40,920

Word processors and typists

43-9022

60.4

40.0

-20.4

-33.8

$40,340

Watch repairers

49-9064

3.0

2.1

-0.9

-29.6

$42,520

Electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles

49-2096

11.0

7.9

-3.1

-28.6

$37,380

Telephone operators

43-2021

5.7

4.1

-1.6

-28.4

$35,750

Cutters and trimmers, hand

51-9031

10.7

7.7

-3.0

-28.4

$30,200

Postmasters and mail superintendents

11-9131

13.3

9.6

-3.7

-27.5

$76,900

Mine shuttle car operators

53-7111

1.7

1.3

-0.4

-25.3

—

Computer operators

43-9011

36.8

28.0

-8.9

-24.1

—

Switchboard operators, including answering service

43-2011

73.4

55.9

-17.5

-23.8

$30,610

Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

43-5053

99.7

76.0

-23.7

-23.8

$60,140

Data entry keyers

43-9021

187.3

143.9

-43.4

-23.2

$33,490

Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers

51-2011

45.1

35.2

-9.9

-22.0

$54,210

Coil winders, tapers, and finishers

51-2021

12.3

9.7

-2.7

-21.6

$36,520

Photographic process workers and processing machine operators

51-9151

17.1

13.4

-3.6

-21.3

$32,280

Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials

51-6021

39.9

31.4

-8.5

-21.2

$24,190

Legal secretaries

43-6012

180.1

142.5

-37.6

-20.9

$47,300

Prepress technicians and workers

51-5111

29.9

23.7

-6.2

-20.8

$40,510

Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

51-4035

19.8

15.7

-4.1

-20.7

$43,210

Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

51-4032

11.6

9.2

-2.4

-20.5

$38,910

Postal service clerks

43-5051

75.7

60.7

-15.0

-19.8

$48,330

Postal service mail carriers

43-5052

328.7

263.7

-65.1

-19.8

$51,310

Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

43-6011

622.5

499.4

-123.0

-19.8

$60,890

Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

51-4022

18.6

15.0

-3.6

-19.5

$39,670

Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders

51-6061

9.7

7.9

-1.9

-19.4

$29,460

Timing device assemblers and adjusters

51-2093

0.8

0.6

-0.2

-19.3

$35,080

Grinding and polishing workers, hand

51-9022

30.7

24.8

-5.9

-19.2

$30,600

Textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders

51-6063

22.1

17.9

-4.2

-18.9

$29,980

Footnotes:
  (1) Data are from the Occupational Employment Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wage data cover non-farm wage and salary workers and do not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, or household workers.
Note: Data is unavailable for values denoted with a "—".
Source: Employment Projections program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Last Modified Date: April 15, 2020