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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!
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.
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).