Employment Projections > Data > Fastest declining occupations

Fastest declining occupations

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Table 1.5 Fastest declining occupations, 2016 and projected 2026
(Numbers in thousands)

2016 National Employment Matrix title and code

Employment

Change, 2016–26

Median annual wage, 2018(1)

2016

2026

Number

Percent

Total, all occupations

00-0000

156,063.8

167,582.3

11,518.6

7.4

$38,640

Locomotive firers

53-4012

1.2

0.3

-0.9

-78.6

$63,820

Respiratory therapy technicians

29-2054

10.8

4.7

-6.1

-56.3

$51,210

Parking enforcement workers

33-3041

9.4

6.1

-3.3

-35.3

$39,840

Word processors and typists

43-9022

74.9

50.1

-24.8

-33.1

$39,750

Watch repairers

49-9064

1.8

1.2

-0.5

-29.7

$39,910

Electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles

49-2096

12.1

9.0

-3.1

-25.6

$35,590

Foundry mold and coremakers

51-4071

12.5

9.5

-3.0

-24.0

$35,430

Pourers and casters, metal

51-4052

8.4

6.5

-2.0

-23.4

$37,730

Computer operators

43-9011

51.5

39.7

-11.8

-22.8

$45,840

Telephone operators

43-2021

9.1

7.0

-2.0

-22.6

$37,240

Mine shuttle car operators

53-7111

1.5

1.2

-0.3

-21.9

$56,340

Electromechanical equipment assemblers

51-2023

45.7

35.9

-9.8

-21.4

—

Data entry keyers

43-9021

203.8

160.6

-43.3

-21.2

$32,170

Postmasters and mail superintendents

11-9131

14.2

11.2

-3.0

-20.9

$75,970

Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers

51-2022

218.9

173.3

-45.6

-20.8

—

Coil winders, tapers, and finishers

51-2021

14.1

11.2

-2.9

-20.7

$34,400

Grinding and polishing workers, hand

51-9022

26.6

21.1

-5.4

-20.5

$29,550

Timing device assemblers and adjusters

51-2093

0.8

0.6

-0.2

-20.1

$34,650

Switchboard operators, including answering service

43-2011

93.2

74.7

-18.5

-19.9

$29,420

Prepress technicians and workers

51-5111

34.6

27.7

-6.9

-19.9

$40,410

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

51-4032

12.3

9.9

-2.4

-19.5

$38,020

Textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders

51-6063

22.2

17.9

-4.3

-19.3

$29,160

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

51-4035

17.6

14.2

-3.4

-19.3

$43,590

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

51-4022

19.2

15.5

-3.7

-19.2

$38,900

Legal secretaries

43-6012

194.7

157.5

-37.1

-19.1

$46,360

Photographic process workers and processing machine operators

51-9151

26.9

22.0

-4.9

-18.1

$29,180

Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders

51-6061

11.3

9.2

-2.0

-18.1

$28,780

Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers

51-2011

41.8

34.5

-7.3

-17.4

$53,340

Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

43-6011

685.3

566.2

-119.2

-17.4

$59,340

Engine and other machine assemblers

51-2031

38.0

31.5

-6.5

-17.2

$44,380

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 unavailalbe for values denoted with a "—".
Source: Employment Projections program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Last Modified Date: April 12, 2019