Projected growth in professional occupations, 2006-16

Over the 2006-16 decade, professional and related occupations and service occupations are expected to grow faster than any other occupational group. Employment in each of those two major occupational groups is projected to increase by 17 percent, compared with 10 percent for overall employment.

[Chart data—TXT]

Within professional and related occupations, computer and mathematical science occupations are projected to grow by 25 percent—more than twice as fast as the average for all occupations. But growth is projected to be slower than it was during the previous decade as the software industry matures and as routine work is increasingly outsourced abroad.

Fast growth in community and social services occupations reflects an aging population expected to require assistance from social service workers.

These projections are from the Employment Projections program. To learn more, see "Occupational Employment" in the Fall 2007 issue of the Occupational Outlook Quarterly.