Using Forecasts to Further Policy Insight
Chmura's models and analytics, which form the backbone of our flagship product, JobsEQ, were recently utilized by a leading public policy...
May is Graduation Month
Employment is brighter for some graduating students than for others, depending on the degree earned. Registered nurses (RNs) top the list for most in...
Leslie Peterson
January 08, 2021
Employment is brighter for some graduating students than for others, depending on the degree earned. Registered nurses (RNs) top the list for most in demand in the nation over the next decade with an expected 1,110,841 openings. About 60% of the job openings are expected because RNs are either retiring or changing occupations (called replacement demand in the table). A bachelor’s degree is typically required to be an RN and it pays an entry wage of around $48,500. According to the latest data (fourth quarter of 2015), there are 2.9 million employed RNs in the nation. The annual average wage for all RNs is $69,800.
Other occupations in high demand over the next decade include general and operations managers, accountants and auditors, and computer systems analysts.
| Current | Forecast | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four Quarters Ending with 2015q4 | Over the Next 10 Years | |||||
| Occupation | Employment | Avg. Annual Wages(1) | Total Replacement Demand | Total Growth Demand | Total Openings | Entry-Level Wages(1) |
| Registered Nurses | 2,855,420 | $69,800 | 674,656 | 436,185 | 1,110,841 | $48,500 |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,153,362 | $117,200 | 578,853 | 160,090 | 738,943 | $51,900 |
| Managers, All Other | 956,533 | $110,200 | 581,923 | 69,310 | 651,233 | $61,100 |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,329,500 | $73,700 | 395,893 | 157,410 | 553,303 | $43,900 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,304,861 | $56,800 | 278,301 | 68,513 | 346,814 | $38,200 |
| Software Developers, Applications | 761,466 | $99,500 | 128,545 | 156,726 | 285,271 | $61,700 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 915,675 | $59,300 | 218,530 | 48,529 | 267,059 | $39,700 |
| Management Analysts | 737,144 | $90,900 | 136,669 | 108,926 | 245,595 | $49,800 |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 572,220 | $87,300 | 82,653 | 125,941 | 208,594 | $54,900 |
| Financial Managers | 548,319 | $130,200 | 141,656 | 39,332 | 180,988 | $68,600 |
| 1. Occupation wages are as of 2014. Source: JobsEQ |
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Preschool teachers top the list of in-demand occupations for jobs that typically require an associate’s degree. Openings in the nation are expected to total 151,181 over the next decade with entry-level wages of $20,000.
Entry-level wages for some jobs that require an associate’s degree pay better than those requiring a bachelor’s degree. For example, the entry-level wage for the average dental hygienist in the nation is $52,600 and the education required is an associate’s degree compared to a registered nurse requiring a bachelor’s degree who has an entry wage of $48,500.
When determining a major for post-secondary degrees, the forecasted number of openings and entry-level wages is important to both the employer and the new hires coming out of the education pipeline.
| Current | Forecast | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four Quarters Ending with 2015q4 | Over the Next 10 Years | |||||
| Occupation | Employment | Avg. Annual Wages(1) | Total Replace-ment Demand | Total Growth Demand | Total Openings | Entry-Level Wages(1) |
| Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education | 427,081 | $32,000 | 121,808 | 29,373 | 151,181 | $20,000 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | 268,735 | $51,800 | 58,260 | 21,671 | 79,931 | $32,500 |
| Web Developers | 154,910 | $68,700 | 28,230 | 44,016 | 72,246 | $37,500 |
| Dental Hygienists | 202,937 | $72,000 | 32,322 | 37,769 | 70,091 | $52,600 |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians | 169,257 | $40,800 | 38,609 | 29,661 | 68,270 | $27,200 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | 81,908 | $54,300 | 26,249 | 33,001 | 59,250 | $35,800 |
| Radiologic Technologists | 205,569 | $57,500 | 36,532 | 17,181 | 53,713 | $39,900 |
| Respiratory Therapists | 127,245 | $58,500 | 29,213 | 14,499 | 43,712 | $43,300 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | 69,799 | $47,900 | 35,992 | 5,391 | 41,383 | $28,300 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | 180,776 | $66,100 | 24,555 | 15,431 | 39,986 | $39,000 |
| 1. Occupation wages are as of 2014. Source: JobsEQ |
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