Fastest-growing jobs in Arkansas
With the country eager to put the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the American economy continued to boom in 2023. The national unemployment rate remained around 3.6%, while the total number of people employed grew to roughly 152 million, up from 148 million in 2022.
The economy has seen several significant changes in recent years. Many people are leaving expensive coastal states such as California and New York and moving to more affordable places in the Mountain West region and the South, buoyed by companies that have embraced remote work. What's more, in a reversal of past trends, wages grew the fastest for lower-earning workers.
Stacker analyzed jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the fastest-growing jobs in Arkansas. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2022 and 2023. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in Arkansas.
#50. Healthcare social workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.3% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,200
--- Employment in 2022: 1,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,580
#49. Physical therapist assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.4% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,590
--- Employment in 2022: 1,390
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,790
#48. Construction and building inspectors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.6% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,180
--- Employment in 2022: 1,030
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $56,680
#47. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.7% (310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,420
--- Employment in 2022: 2,110
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,950
#46. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.8% (730 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,650
--- Employment in 2022: 4,920
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,980
#45. Industrial production managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.9% (310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,390
--- Employment in 2022: 2,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $108,040
#44. Production workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.0% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,610
--- Employment in 2022: 3,140
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,430
#43. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.1% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,520
--- Employment in 2022: 2,190
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $56,730
#42. Dental hygienists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.1% (240 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,830
--- Employment in 2022: 1,590
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $78,500
#41. Waiters and waitresses
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.0% (2,390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 17,350
--- Employment in 2022: 14,960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $26,160
#40. Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.1% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,080
--- Employment in 2022: 930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,450
#39. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.7% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,030
--- Employment in 2022: 1,740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $26,440
#38. Computer and information systems managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.5% (480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,230
--- Employment in 2022: 2,750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $113,290
#37. Construction managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.5% (310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,080
--- Employment in 2022: 1,770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $87,590
#36. Occupational therapists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.6% (240 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,600
--- Employment in 2022: 1,360
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $95,230
#35. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.7% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,130
--- Employment in 2022: 1,810
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $26,920
#34. Automotive body and related repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.3% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,360
--- Employment in 2022: 1,140
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,230
#33. Bill and account collectors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.3% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,420
--- Employment in 2022: 1,190
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,670
#32. Logisticians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.3% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,790
--- Employment in 2022: 1,500
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $75,360
#31. Childcare workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.4% (980 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,030
--- Employment in 2022: 5,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,980
#30. Architectural and engineering managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.5% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,040
--- Employment in 2022: 870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $132,300
#29. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.7% (580 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,520
--- Employment in 2022: 2,940
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,460
#28. Graphic designers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.9% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,630
--- Employment in 2022: 1,360
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,450
#27. Marketing managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.4% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,360
--- Employment in 2022: 1,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $118,290
#26. Firefighters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.5% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,530
--- Employment in 2022: 2,100
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,940
#25. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.8% (1,270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,370
--- Employment in 2022: 6,100
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $55,180
#24. Food processing workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.1% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,550
--- Employment in 2022: 1,280
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,510
#23. Speech-language pathologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.5% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,230
--- Employment in 2022: 1,820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $80,430
#22. Information security analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.9% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,140
--- Employment in 2022: 920
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $91,480
#21. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.1% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,390
--- Employment in 2022: 1,120
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,360
#20. Data entry keyers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.3% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,430
--- Employment in 2022: 1,150
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $32,410
#19. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.5% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,960
--- Employment in 2022: 1,550
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $51,930
#18. Financial and investment analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.2% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,310
--- Employment in 2022: 1,030
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $76,190
#17. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.7% (700 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,230
--- Employment in 2022: 2,530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $26,470
#16. Training and development specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.5% (820 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,700
--- Employment in 2022: 2,880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,850
#15. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.4% (450 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,980
--- Employment in 2022: 1,530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,870
#14. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.8% (2,240 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,750
--- Employment in 2022: 7,510
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,350
#13. Project management specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.8% (1,410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,990
--- Employment in 2022: 4,580
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,250
#12. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.5% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,920
--- Employment in 2022: 1,460
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,520
#11. Physical therapists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.2% (640 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,570
--- Employment in 2022: 1,930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $93,880
#10. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.0% (530 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,890
--- Employment in 2022: 1,360
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,130
#9. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.9% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,100
--- Employment in 2022: 1,490
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,530
#8. Electrical engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +44.4% (360 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,170
--- Employment in 2022: 810
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $80,190
#7. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.8% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,050
--- Employment in 2022: 720
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $55,970
#6. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +52.5% (830 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,410
--- Employment in 2022: 1,580
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,540
#5. Public relations specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +92.2% (950 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,980
--- Employment in 2022: 1,030
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#4. Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +110.5% (630 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,200
--- Employment in 2022: 570
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,920
#3. Bus drivers, transit and intercity
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +121.3% (570 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,040
--- Employment in 2022: 470
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,530
#2. Bakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +145.2% (900 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,520
--- Employment in 2022: 620
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $26,090
#1. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +828.6% (1,160 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,300
--- Employment in 2022: 140
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,220
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
