Fastest-growing jobs in Rhode Island
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 Rhode Island. 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 Rhode Island.
#50. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +3.6% (40 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,140
--- Employment in 2022: 1,100
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,530
#48. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +3.8% (90 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,430
--- Employment in 2022: 2,340
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,750
#48. Management analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +3.8% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,050
--- Employment in 2022: 3,900
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $84,990
#47. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.7% (100 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,230
--- Employment in 2022: 2,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $93,470
#46. Training and development specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.7% (50 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,110
--- Employment in 2022: 1,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $69,720
#45. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.7% (70 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,550
--- Employment in 2022: 1,480
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,570
#44. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.8% (80 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,760
--- Employment in 2022: 1,680
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,000
#43. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.8% (70 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,530
--- Employment in 2022: 1,460
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,810
#42. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +4.8% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,640
--- Employment in 2022: 7,290
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,760
#41. Public relations specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.7% (70 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,290
--- Employment in 2022: 1,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $68,730
#40. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +5.8% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,730
--- Employment in 2022: 2,580
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,050
#39. Firefighters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.1% (100 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,730
--- Employment in 2022: 1,630
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,590
#38. Home health and personal care aides
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.2% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,040
--- Employment in 2022: 7,570
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,960
#37. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.7% (180 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,860
--- Employment in 2022: 2,680
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,440
#36. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.8% (70 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,100
--- Employment in 2022: 1,030
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,220
#35. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.0% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,900
--- Employment in 2022: 4,580
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,280
#34. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.3% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,370
--- Employment in 2022: 3,140
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,700
#33. Dishwashers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.4% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,190
--- Employment in 2022: 2,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,280
#32. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.4% (130 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,890
--- Employment in 2022: 1,760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $76,060
#31. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.4% (90 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,300
--- Employment in 2022: 1,210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $111,070
#30. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.1% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,000
--- Employment in 2022: 1,850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,980
#29. Stockers and order fillers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.3% (540 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,010
--- Employment in 2022: 6,470
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,920
#28. Computer user support specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.7% (180 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,250
--- Employment in 2022: 2,070
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,130
#27. General and operations managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +9.5% (670 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,710
--- Employment in 2022: 7,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $122,240
#26. Painters, construction and maintenance
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +9.8% (90 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,010
--- Employment in 2022: 920
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,060
#25. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +9.8% (130 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,450
--- Employment in 2022: 1,320
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $68,190
#24. Bakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.3% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,370
--- Employment in 2022: 1,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $31,250
#23. Receptionists and information clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.5% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,500
--- Employment in 2022: 4,890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,710
#22. Light truck drivers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.7% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,720
--- Employment in 2022: 3,300
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,600
#21. Project management specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.7% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,450
--- Employment in 2022: 3,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $99,330
#20. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.3% (140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,190
--- Employment in 2022: 1,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,040
#19. Waiters and waitresses
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.0% (1,300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,430
--- Employment in 2022: 8,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $31,940
#18. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.6% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,470
--- Employment in 2022: 1,250
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,980
#17. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.1% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,110
--- Employment in 2022: 940
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $76,840
#16. Human resources specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.1% (490 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,060
--- Employment in 2022: 2,570
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,000
#15. Medical and health services managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.1% (310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,850
--- Employment in 2022: 1,540
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $122,940
#14. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.8% (740 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,130
--- Employment in 2022: 3,390
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,500
#13. Fast food and counter workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.1% (2,470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 13,660
--- Employment in 2022: 11,190
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,810
#12. Mechanical engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.8% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,510
--- Employment in 2022: 1,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $100,190
#11. Child, family, and school social workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.3% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,130
--- Employment in 2022: 1,700
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,920
#10. Packers and packagers, hand
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.6% (550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,140
--- Employment in 2022: 1,590
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,150
#9. Dental assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.0% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,080
--- Employment in 2022: 800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,120
#8. Insurance sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.0% (620 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,250
--- Employment in 2022: 1,630
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,120
#7. Childcare workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.1% (970 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,390
--- Employment in 2022: 2,420
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,170
#6. Self-enrichment teachers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +44.0% (440 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,440
--- Employment in 2022: 1,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,760
#5. Physical therapists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.9% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,240
--- Employment in 2022: 850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $95,490
#4. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.9% (450 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,430
--- Employment in 2022: 980
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,030
#3. Bartenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +47.1% (1,050 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,280
--- Employment in 2022: 2,230
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,600
#2. Computer network support specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +62.1% (590 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,540
--- Employment in 2022: 950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $138,570
#1. School bus monitors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +85.0% (680 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,480
--- Employment in 2022: 800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,590
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
