Employment projections for major industries, 2010–20

Nonagricultural wage and salary employment, which accounts for more than 9 in 10 jobs in the economy, is projected to expand to 150.2 million by 2020, up from 130.4 million in 2010.

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The health care and social assistance sector is projected to gain the most jobs (5.6 million), followed by professional and business services (3.8 million), and construction (1.8 million). Despite rapid growth in the construction sector, employment in 2020 is not expected to reach its pre-recessionary annual average peak of 7.7 million in 2006.

About 5.0 million new jobs—25 percent of all new jobs—are expected in the three detailed industries projected to add the most jobs: construction, retail trade, and offices of health practitioners. Of the 20 industries gaining the most jobs, 7 are in the health care and social assistance sector, and 5 are in the professional and business services sector.

The federal government sector is projected to lose the most jobs (−372,000), followed by manufacturing (−73,100), and utilities (−35,100).

The 20 detailed industries projected to lose the largest numbers of jobs are primarily in the manufacturing sector (11 industries) and the federal government (3 industries). The largest job losses are projected for the Postal Service (−182,000), federal non-defense government (−122,000), and apparel knitting mills (−92,000).

These projections are from the Employment Projections program. Find out more in "Employment Projections — 2010–20" (HTML) (PDF), news release USDL-12-0160.