Table 2. The 30 occupations covered in the 2008-09 Occupational Outlook Handbook with the largest employment growth

Table 2. The 30 occupations covered in the 2008-09 Occupational Outlook Handbook with the largest employment growth

Table 2. The 30 occupations covered in the 2008-09 Occupational Outlook Handbook with the largest
employment growth
(Numbers in thousands)

Employment change
Occupation 2006-16 Most significant source of
postsecondary education
Number Percent training (1)

Registered nurses .......................... 587 23.5 Associate degree

Retail salespersons ........................ 557 12.4 Short-term on-the-job
training

Customer service representatives ........... 545 24.8 Moderate-term on-the-
job training

Combined food preparation and serving Short-term on-the-job
workers, including fast food .............. 452 18.1 training

Office clerks, general ..................... 404 12.6 Short-term on-the-job
training

Personal and home care aides ............... 389 50.6 Short-term on-the-job
training

Home health aides .......................... 384 48.7 Short-term on-the-job
training

Postsecondary teachers ..................... 382 22.9 Doctoral degree

Janitors and cleaners, except maids and Short-term on-the-job
housekeeping cleaners ..................... 345 14.5 training

Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants ... 264 18.2 Postsecondary vocational
award

Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing Moderate-term on-the-
clerks .................................... 264 12.5 job training

Short-term on-the-job
Waiters and waitresses ..................... 255 10.8 training

Short-term on-the-job
Child care workers ......................... 248 17.8 training

Executive secretaries and administrative Work experience in a
assistants ................................ 239 14.8 related occupation

Computer software engineers, applications .. 226 44.6 Bachelor's degree

Accountants and auditors ................... 226 17.7 Bachelor's degree

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers ..... 221 18.1 Short-term on-the-job
training

Elementary school teachers, except special
education.................................. 209 13.6 Bachelor's degree

Receptionists and information clerks ....... 202 17.2 Short-term on-the-job
training

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer ... 193 10.4 Moderate-term on-the-
training

Maids and housekeeping cleaners ............ 186 12.7 Short-term on-the-job
training

Security guards ............................ 175 16.9 Short-term on-the-job
training

Carpenters ................................. 150 10.3 Long-term on-the-job
training

Bachelor's or higher
Management analysts ........................ 149 21.9 degree, plus work
experience

Medical assistants ......................... 148 35.4 Moderate-term on-the-
job training

Computer systems analysts .................. 146 29.0 Bachelor's degree

Maintenance and repair workers, general .... 140 10.1 Moderate-term on-the-
job training

Network systems and data communications
analysts .................................. 140 53.4 Bachelor's degree

Food preparation workers ................... 138 15.3 Short-term on-the-job
training

Teacher assistants ......................... 137 10.4 Short-term on-the-job
training

1 An occupation is placed into 1 of 11 categories that best describes the postsecondary education or
training needed by most workers to become fully qualified in that occupation. For more information
about the categories, see Occupational Projections and Training Data, 2006-07 edition, Bulletin 2602
(Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2006) and Occupational Projections and Training Data, 2008-09
edition, Bulletin 2702 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, forthcoming).

Last Modified Date: December 18, 2007

Table 2. The 30 occupations covered in the 2008-09 Occupational Outlook Handbook with the largest employment growth

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