CareerBuilder/Emsi study shows job gains in high-, low-wage occupations, losses in middle-wage

by Brianna Crandall — September 9, 2016 — The U.S. economy is expected to add 7,232,517 jobs over the next five years — a 5% increase — but a new study from human capital solutions provider CareerBuilder and its analysis company Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. (Emsi) shows that workers in middle-wage jobs may not find as many opportunities in the area of job gains.

High-wage and low-wage occupations are each projected to grow 5% from 2016 to 2021, but middle-wage jobs are only estimated to grow 3%. At the same time, 61% of the 173 occupations expected to lose jobs over the next five years are in the middle-wage category.

Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder and co-author of The Talent Equation, pointed out:

The U.S. is facing a sustained trend of declining middle-wage employment that has serious implications not only for workers, but for the economy overall. If we can’t find a way to re-skill and up-skill workers at scale, middle-wage workers will become increasingly susceptible to unemployment or will have to move into lower-paying roles that may not support them and their families. This can have a negative ripple effect on consumer spend, housing, investing and other key financial indicators.

Occupations adding and losing jobs by wage category

For the purpose of this job gains and losses study, CareerBuilder and Emsi use the National Employment Law Project definition, which defines low-wage jobs as those that pay $13.83 per hour and below; middle-wage jobs earn $13.84 – $21.13 per hour; and high-wage occupations make $21.14 per hour and higher.

Among the building industry-related occupations included in the lists:

  • In the high-wage category, jobs for construction managers and real estate sales agents are expected to decline;
  • In the middle-wage category, jobs for maintenance and repair workers are expected to grow, but jobs for carpenters are expected to decline; and
  • In the low-wage category, jobs for security guards and janitors and cleaners are expected to grow.

The following is a list of occupations that rank among the top for projected growth or declines in employment for each wage category from 2016 to 2021. Each of the growing occupations listed are those adding at least 50,000 jobs over the next five years.

 

Growing High-Wage Occupations

Occupation 2016 Jobs 2021 Jobs Jobs Added
2016 – 2021
2016 – 2021
% Change
Software Developers, Applications 772,195 861,122 88,927 12%
Computer Systems Analysts 600,001 671,245 71,244 12%
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists 532,336 590,363 58,027 11%
Management Analysts 798,484 870,713 72,229 9%
Registered Nurses 2,870,340 3,116,957 246,617 9%

 

Declining High-Wage Occupations

Occupation 2016 Jobs 2021 Jobs Jobs Added
2016 – 2021
2016 – 2021
% Change
Postal Service Mail Carriers 303,325 279,023 (24,302) (8%)
Reporters and Correspondents 47,501 44,063 (3,438) (7%)
Construction Managers 368,245 350,774 (17,471) (5%)
Real Estate Sales Agents 415,006 400,417 (14,589) (4%)
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating
Workers
622,435 617,020 (5,415) (1%)

 

Growing Middle-Wage Occupations

Occupation 2016 Jobs 2021 Jobs Jobs Added
2016 – 2021
2016 – 2021
% Change
Medical Assistants 631,435 701,056 69,621 11%
Customer Service Representatives 2,674,925 2,846,989 172,064 6%
Maintenance and Repair Workers 1,466,944 1,535,161 68,217 5%
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1,926,886 2,009,133 82,247 4%
Office Clerks 3,365,039 3,489,518 124,479 4%

 

Declining Middle-Wage Occupations

Occupation 2016 Jobs 2021 Jobs Jobs Added
2016 – 2021
2016 – 2021
% Change
Printing Press Operators 174,311 159,083 (15,228) (9%)
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers 494,879 458,732 (36,147) (7%)
Travel Agents 77,683 72,789 (4,894) (6%)
Carpenters 1,053,273 1,031,359 (21,914) (2%)
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 1,780,151 1,752,270 (27,881) (2%)

 

Growing Low-Wage Occupations

Occupation 2016 Jobs 2021 Jobs Jobs Added
2016 – 2021
2016 – 2021
% Change
Home Health Aides 992,134 1,179,527 187,393 19%
Cooks, Restaurant 1,219,433 1,333,041 113,608 9%
Nursing Assistants 1,520,614 1,655,662 135,048 9%
Security Guards 1,185,116 1,260,953 75,837 6%
Janitors and Cleaners 2,632,801 2,792,345 159,544 6%

 

Declining Low-Wage Occupations

Occupation 2016 Jobs 2021 Jobs Jobs Added
2016 – 2021
2016 – 2021
% Change
Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street
Vendors
78,078 64,271 (13,807) (18%)
Sewing Machine Operators 157,931 135,575 (22,356) (14%)
Floral Designers 53,876 48,391 (5,485) (10%)
Cooks, Fast Food 545,746 530,839 (14,907) (3%)
Tellers 501,879 490,202 (11,677) (2%)

For more information on the companies, visit the CareerBuilder or Emsi Web site.