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Occupations with the highest concentration in each state in May 2016

October 27, 2017

A location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is in a geographic area compared with the nation. For example, the location quotient for political scientists in the District of Columbia was 119.2 in May 2016. That means the nation’s capital employed political scientists at 119 times the national rate!

 

Occupations with the highest location quotient in each state, May 2016
State Occupation Location Quotient Employment Major group

Alabama

Tire Builders 7.4 2,250 Production

Alaska

Mining Machine Operators, All Other 85.0 420 Construction and Extraction

Arizona

Astronomers 5.7 200 Life, Physical and Social Science

Arkansas

Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists 11.2 160 Protective Services

California

Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse 5.9 182,740 Farming, Fishing, and Forestry

Colorado

Atmospheric and Space Scientists 9.1 1,580 Life, Physical and Social Science

Connecticut

Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary 5.1 540 Education, Training, and Library

Delaware

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers 9.1 4,270 Production

District of Columbia

Political Scientists 119.2 3,790 Life, Physical and Social Science

Florida

Special Education Teachers, All Other 6.2 14,630 Education, Training, and Library

Georgia

Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders 11.7 10,690 Production

Hawaii

Dancers 14.2 640 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Idaho

Forest and Conservation Technicians 16.4 2,330 Life, Physical and Social Science

Illinois

Rail Transportation Workers, All Other 8.9 1,670 Transportation and Material Moving

Indiana

Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 6.9 4,290 Production

Iowa

Soil and Plant Scientists 10.2 1,640 Life, Physical and Social Science

Kansas

Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic 8.7 770 Production

Kentucky

Mine Shuttle Car Operators 17.0 360 Transportation and Material Moving

Louisiana

Commercial Divers 16.3 750 Personal Care, Service, Installation and Repair

Maine

Marine Engineers and Naval Architects 10.2 350 Architecture and Engineering

Maryland

Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners, All Other 7.5 5,140 Healthcare Practitioners and Technical

Massachusetts

Biomedical Engineers 5.7 2,880 Architecture and Engineering

Michigan

Commercial and Industrial Designers 6.9 6,600 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Minnesota

Radio Operators 6.9 120 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Mississippi

Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists 18.2 240 Protective Services

Missouri

Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers 5.1 780 Production

Montana

Forest and Conservation Technicians 21.4 2,080 Life, Physical and Social Science

Nebraska

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers 9.6 9,860 Production

Nevada

Gaming Service Workers, All Other 33.6 3,690 Personal Care, Service, Installation and Repair

New Hampshire

Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other 6.9 720 Production

New Jersey

Shampooers 5.5 2,380 Personal Care, Service, Installation and Repair

New Mexico

Physicists 17.2 1,640 Life, Physical and Social Science

New York

Fashion Designers 6.1 7,590 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

North Carolina

Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders 8.7 7,930 Production

North Dakota

Extraction Workers, All Other 47.9 630 Construction and Extraction

Ohio

Engine and Other Machine Assemblers 4.6 6,640 Production

Oklahoma

Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas 10.1 1,980 Construction and Extraction

Oregon

Logging Workers, All Other 37.5 1,440 Farming, Fishing, and Forestry

Pennsylvania

Locomotive Firers 4.0 200 Transportation and Material Moving

Rhode Island

Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary 8.2 200 Education, Training, and Library

South Carolina

Motorboat Operators 15.4 710 Transportation and Material Moving

South Dakota

Forest and Conservation Technicians 28.6 610 Life, Physical and Social Science

Tennessee

Medical Appliance Technicians 5.8 1,750 Production

Texas

Petroleum Engineers 6.5 17,780 Architecture and Engineering

Utah

Audio-Visual and Multimedia Collection Specialists 4.9 490 Education, Training, and Library

Vermont

Solar Photovoltaic Installers 13.8 270 Construction and Extraction

Virginia

Industrial-Organizational Psychologists 11.4 310 Life, Physical and Social Science

Washington

Logging Workers, All Other 8.5 560 Farming, Fishing, and Forestry

West Virginia

Roof Bolters, Mining 82.9 1,620 Construction and Extraction

Wisconsin

Floor Sanders and Finishers 9.2 850 Construction and Extraction

Wyoming

Wellhead Pumpers 24.1 550 Transportation and Material Moving

Location quotients provide insight into the jobs that are common in a state or area. For example, the occupation with the highest concentration in New York is fashion designers, with a location quotient of 6.1. In Nevada, gaming service workers (33.6) have the highest location quotient. In Hawaii, dancers (14.2) take the lead. In Texas, petroleum engineers (6.5) rise to the top. Take a look at the map to see what occupation has the highest concentration in your state.

Having a high concentration of an occupation does not necessarily mean employment in that occupation is high. For example, radio operators have the highest location quotient in Minnesota (6.9), but employment is only 120.

These data are from the Occupational Employment Statistics program. The location quotient is the ratio of an occupation’s share of employment in an area to that occupations employment share in the United States. For example, an occupation that makes up 10 percent of employment in a state compared with 2 percent of U.S. employment would have a location quotient of 5 for the state. A location quotient of 1 means the occupation has the same share of state employment as the national average.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Occupations with the highest concentration in each state in May 2016 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2017/occupations-with-the-highest-concentration-in-each-state-in-may-2016.htm (visited December 13, 2024).

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