Fastest-growing jobs in Georgia
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 Georgia. 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 Georgia.
#50. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.5% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,020
--- Employment in 2022: 800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,300
#49. Educational instruction and library workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.5% (2,820 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 13,070
--- Employment in 2022: 10,250
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $24,170
#48. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.7% (1,320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,080
--- Employment in 2022: 4,760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,440
#47. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.8% (1,620 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,440
--- Employment in 2022: 5,820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,460
#46. Food batchmakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.9% (950 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,360
--- Employment in 2022: 3,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,850
#45. Tutors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.9% (1,360 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,240
--- Employment in 2022: 4,880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,110
#44. Pipelayers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.0% (490 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,180
--- Employment in 2022: 1,690
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,180
#43. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.3% (1,880 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,890
--- Employment in 2022: 6,010
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,290
#42. Computer programmers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.5% (800 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,340
--- Employment in 2022: 2,540
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $90,100
#41. Financial risk specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +32.0% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,650
--- Employment in 2022: 1,250
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $103,570
#40. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +32.4% (560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,290
--- Employment in 2022: 1,730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,280
#39. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.8% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,030
--- Employment in 2022: 770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,300
#38. Library technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.8% (490 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,940
--- Employment in 2022: 1,450
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,980
#37. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.9% (2,280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,010
--- Employment in 2022: 6,730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,240
#36. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.6% (680 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,590
--- Employment in 2022: 1,910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,870
#35. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.3% (1,780 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,680
--- Employment in 2022: 4,900
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,040
#34. Travel agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +37.0% (700 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,590
--- Employment in 2022: 1,890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,210
#33. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.4% (540 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,910
--- Employment in 2022: 1,370
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $26,800
#32. Food service managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.3% (2,580 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,980
--- Employment in 2022: 6,400
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,210
#31. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.3% (3,090 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 10,750
--- Employment in 2022: 7,660
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $74,510
#30. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.5% (510 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,770
--- Employment in 2022: 1,260
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,080
#29. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.9% (870 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,850
--- Employment in 2022: 1,980
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,990
#28. Childcare workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +44.1% (7,030 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 22,960
--- Employment in 2022: 15,930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,760
#27. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +44.4% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,300
--- Employment in 2022: 900
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,110
#26. Medical equipment repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +44.9% (440 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,420
--- Employment in 2022: 980
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,820
#25. Avionics technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +44.9% (530 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,710
--- Employment in 2022: 1,180
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,500
#24. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.5% (1,780 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,690
--- Employment in 2022: 3,910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,230
#23. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.7% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,020
--- Employment in 2022: 700
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $67,060
#22. Special effects artists and animators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +46.7% (500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,570
--- Employment in 2022: 1,070
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $71,570
#21. Technical writers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.0% (480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,480
--- Employment in 2022: 1,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $78,840
#20. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.6% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,040
--- Employment in 2022: 700
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,690
#19. Home appliance repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +49.3% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,030
--- Employment in 2022: 690
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,180
#18. Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +51.5% (1,050 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,090
--- Employment in 2022: 2,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,600
#17. Tour and travel guides
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +57.6% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,040
--- Employment in 2022: 660
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $31,620
#16. Crane and tower operators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +60.2% (500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,330
--- Employment in 2022: 830
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,850
#15. Social science research assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +60.3% (790 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,100
--- Employment in 2022: 1,310
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,740
#14. Surgical assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +73.8% (590 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,390
--- Employment in 2022: 800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,360
#13. Natural sciences managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +78.8% (780 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,770
--- Employment in 2022: 990
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $108,480
#12. Residential advisors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +80.9% (1,480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,310
--- Employment in 2022: 1,830
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $32,920
#11. Pharmacy aides
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +87.5% (490 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,050
--- Employment in 2022: 560
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,040
#10. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +89.9% (620 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,310
--- Employment in 2022: 690
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $54,480
#9. Psychiatric technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +106.4% (830 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,610
--- Employment in 2022: 780
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,070
#8. Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +108.7% (750 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,440
--- Employment in 2022: 690
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,860
#7. Medical transcriptionists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +117.1% (1,230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,280
--- Employment in 2022: 1,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,590
#6. General internal medicine physicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +128.0% (2,880 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,130
--- Employment in 2022: 2,250
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#5. Family medicine physicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +132.7% (1,460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,560
--- Employment in 2022: 1,100
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $235,000
#4. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +175.5% (2,510 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,940
--- Employment in 2022: 1,430
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,950
#3. New accounts clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +229.3% (940 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,350
--- Employment in 2022: 410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,840
#2. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +419.0% (880 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,090
--- Employment in 2022: 210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#1. Athletes and sports competitors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +1,950.0% (1,560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,640
--- Employment in 2022: 80
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
