Northeast has highest percentage of workers employed in professional and related occupations, 2012

In 2012, among census regions, the Northeast region had the highest percentage of workers employed in management, professional, and related occupations (40.4 percent).   Professional and related occupations accounted for 24.3 percent of those employed in the Northeast region; workers in management, business, and financial operations occupations made up 16.1 percent of the total.

In the Midwest region, 14.5 percent of workers were employed in production, transportation, and material moving occupations—a higher percentage than in any other region. The lowest percentage, 10.6 percent, were employed in both the Northeast and West census regions. 

In 2012, in terms of educational attainment, the labor force participation rate for those with less than a high school diploma was 52.3 percent for the West region—the highest among all census regions.

The labor force participation rate for those with at least some college, an associate's degree, or a bachelor's degree and higher, was highest among those in the Northeast and Midwest regions in 2012.  The labor force participation rate for those with a high school degree was similar across all census regions.

These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. For more information refer to Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment, 2012 (PDF).