Fastest-growing jobs in Maine
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 Maine. 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 Maine.
#50. Nurse practitioners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.9% (90 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,390
--- Employment in 2022: 1,300
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $123,140
#49. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.9% (190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,930
--- Employment in 2022: 2,740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $69,930
#48. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.2% (180 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,670
--- Employment in 2022: 2,490
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,270
#47. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.3% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,240
--- Employment in 2022: 3,950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,180
#46. Recreation workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.6% (80 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,130
--- Employment in 2022: 1,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,940
#45. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.8% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,080
--- Employment in 2022: 1,930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,160
#44. Computer and information systems managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.2% (110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,450
--- Employment in 2022: 1,340
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $139,330
#43. Security guards
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.3% (130 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,690
--- Employment in 2022: 1,560
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,090
#42. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.4% (120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,550
--- Employment in 2022: 1,430
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $56,780
#41. Animal caretakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.4% (90 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,160
--- Employment in 2022: 1,070
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,410
#40. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.6% (110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,390
--- Employment in 2022: 1,280
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,940
#39. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.7% (90 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,130
--- Employment in 2022: 1,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $68,610
#38. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +9.3% (100 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,170
--- Employment in 2022: 1,070
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $56,690
#37. Cooks, restaurant
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +9.6% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,250
--- Employment in 2022: 4,790
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,700
#36. Insurance sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +9.9% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,230
--- Employment in 2022: 2,030
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,030
#34. Physicians, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +10.0% (120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,320
--- Employment in 2022: 1,200
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#34. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +10.0% (130 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,430
--- Employment in 2022: 1,300
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,990
#33. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +11.4% (120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,170
--- Employment in 2022: 1,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $52,150
#32. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +11.6% (550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,280
--- Employment in 2022: 4,730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,860
#31. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +11.8% (130 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,230
--- Employment in 2022: 1,100
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,780
#30. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.1% (930 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,630
--- Employment in 2022: 7,700
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,130
#29. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.8% (120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,060
--- Employment in 2022: 940
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,130
#28. Dental assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.0% (160 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,390
--- Employment in 2022: 1,230
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,060
#27. Compliance officers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.2% (180 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,540
--- Employment in 2022: 1,360
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,730
#26. Administrative services managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.3% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,280
--- Employment in 2022: 1,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $88,920
#25. Social and human service assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.5% (580 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,890
--- Employment in 2022: 4,310
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,500
#24. Civil engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.5% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,430
--- Employment in 2022: 1,260
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $85,350
#23. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.6% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,420
--- Employment in 2022: 1,250
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,660
#22. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.1% (140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,130
--- Employment in 2022: 990
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,430
#21. General and operations managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.4% (1,850 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 14,740
--- Employment in 2022: 12,890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $93,390
#20. Emergency medical technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.6% (140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,100
--- Employment in 2022: 960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,420
#19. Food preparation workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.9% (870 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,690
--- Employment in 2022: 5,820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,020
#18. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.5% (480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,220
--- Employment in 2022: 2,740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,090
#17. Financial managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.2% (450 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,680
--- Employment in 2022: 2,230
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $129,630
#16. Social and community service managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.8% (250 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,450
--- Employment in 2022: 1,200
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $71,220
#15. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.6% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,800
--- Employment in 2022: 1,480
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,290
#14. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.9% (1,270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,820
--- Employment in 2022: 5,550
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,980
#13. Sales managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.9% (250 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,340
--- Employment in 2022: 1,090
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $100,400
#12. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.4% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,690
--- Employment in 2022: 1,370
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,800
#11. Cooks, fast food
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.4% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,580
--- Employment in 2022: 1,280
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $31,720
#10. Packers and packagers, hand
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.6% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,380
--- Employment in 2022: 1,090
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,340
#9. Human resources specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.9% (570 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,610
--- Employment in 2022: 2,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $69,100
#8. Construction managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.2% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,500
--- Employment in 2022: 1,170
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $102,610
#7. Software developers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.8% (720 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,220
--- Employment in 2022: 2,500
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $113,190
#6. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +32.7% (830 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,370
--- Employment in 2022: 2,540
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,930
#5. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.0% (1,480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,970
--- Employment in 2022: 4,490
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,560
#4. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.0% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,260
--- Employment in 2022: 940
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,370
#3. Network and computer systems administrators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +37.2% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,290
--- Employment in 2022: 940
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $78,850
#2. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +60.2% (560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,490
--- Employment in 2022: 930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $72,920
#1. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +79.3% (650 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,470
--- Employment in 2022: 820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,660
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
