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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, 2018(1)

2018

2028

Number

Percent

Total, all occupations

00-0000

161,037.7

169,435.9

8,398.1

5.2

$38,640

Locomotive firers

53-4012

0.5

0.2

-0.4

-68.3

$63,820

Respiratory therapy technicians

29-2054

9.3

3.9

-5.3

-57.5

$51,210

Parking enforcement workers

33-3041

8.6

5.4

-3.1

-36.7

$39,840

Word processors and typists

43-9022

60.4

40.0

-20.4

-33.8

$39,750

Watch repairers

49-9064

3.0

2.1

-0.9

-29.6

$39,910

Electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles

49-2096

11.0

7.9

-3.1

-28.6

$35,590

Telephone operators

43-2021

5.7

4.1

-1.6

-28.4

$37,240

Cutters and trimmers, hand

51-9031

10.7

7.7

-3.0

-28.4

$29,390

Postmasters and mail superintendents

11-9131

13.3

9.6

-3.7

-27.5

$75,970

Mine shuttle car operators

53-7111

1.7

1.3

-0.4

-25.3

$56,340

Computer operators

43-9011

36.8

28.0

-8.9

-24.1

$45,840

Switchboard operators, including answering service

43-2011

73.4

55.9

-17.5

-23.8

$29,420

Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

43-5053

99.7

76.0

-23.7

-23.8

$58,770

Data entry keyers

43-9021

187.3

143.9

-43.4

-23.2

$32,170

Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers

51-2011

45.1

35.2

-9.9

-22.0

$53,340

Coil winders, tapers, and finishers

51-2021

12.3

9.7

-2.7

-21.6

$34,400

Photographic process workers and processing machine operators

51-9151

17.1

13.4

-3.6

-21.3

$29,180

Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials

51-6021

39.9

31.4

-8.5

-21.2

$23,350

Legal secretaries

43-6012

180.1

142.5

-37.6

-20.9

$46,360

Prepress technicians and workers

51-5111

29.9

23.7

-6.2

-20.8

$40,410

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

51-4035

19.8

15.7

-4.1

-20.7

$43,590

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

51-4032

11.6

9.2

-2.4

-20.5

$38,020

Postal service clerks

43-5051

75.7

60.7

-15.0

-19.8

$55,280

Postal service mail carriers

43-5052

328.7

263.7

-65.1

-19.8

$55,210

Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

43-6011

622.5

499.4

-123.0

-19.8

$59,340

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

51-4022

18.6

15.0

-3.6

-19.5

$38,900

Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders

51-6061

9.7

7.9

-1.9

-19.4

$28,780

Timing device assemblers and adjusters

51-2093

0.8

0.6

-0.2

-19.3

$34,650

Grinding and polishing workers, hand

51-9022

30.7

24.8

-5.9

-19.2

$29,550

Textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders

51-6063

22.1

17.9

-4.2

-18.9

$29,160

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.
Source: Employment Projections program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Last Modified Date: September 4, 2019