Fastest-growing jobs in South Carolina
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 South Carolina. 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 South Carolina.
#50. Veterinary technologists and technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.0% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,940
--- Employment in 2022: 1,590
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,380
#49. Phlebotomists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.2% (480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,640
--- Employment in 2022: 2,160
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,510
#48. Physicians, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.2% (1,070 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,880
--- Employment in 2022: 4,810
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#47. Childcare workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.3% (1,570 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,610
--- Employment in 2022: 7,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,600
#46. Instructional coordinators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.8% (580 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,120
--- Employment in 2022: 2,540
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $66,830
#45. Financial and investment analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.0% (650 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,470
--- Employment in 2022: 2,820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $87,840
#44. Stockers and order fillers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.7% (8,920 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 46,550
--- Employment in 2022: 37,630
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,950
#43. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.8% (310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,610
--- Employment in 2022: 1,300
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $84,260
#42. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.1% (1,020 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,250
--- Employment in 2022: 4,230
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,330
#41. Financial specialists, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.4% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,020
--- Employment in 2022: 820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $71,960
#40. Paramedics
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.7% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,170
--- Employment in 2022: 1,740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,800
#39. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.8% (2,820 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 14,170
--- Employment in 2022: 11,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,210
#38. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.0% (1,100 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,500
--- Employment in 2022: 4,400
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $55,340
#37. Food preparation workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.9% (3,480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 16,930
--- Employment in 2022: 13,450
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,320
#36. Public safety telecommunicators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.7% (310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,470
--- Employment in 2022: 1,160
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,310
#35. Engine and other machine assemblers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.9% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,510
--- Employment in 2022: 1,190
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,890
#34. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.2% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,310
--- Employment in 2022: 1,030
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $84,940
#33. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.4% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,070
--- Employment in 2022: 840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $78,450
#32. Chief executives
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.5% (670 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,020
--- Employment in 2022: 2,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $186,800
#31. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.0% (860 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,830
--- Employment in 2022: 2,970
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $84,230
#30. Tutors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.0% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,430
--- Employment in 2022: 1,100
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,960
#29. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.4% (580 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,490
--- Employment in 2022: 1,910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,200
#28. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.5% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,240
--- Employment in 2022: 950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $78,730
#27. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.8% (600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,550
--- Employment in 2022: 1,950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,030
#26. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.8% (570 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,420
--- Employment in 2022: 1,850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,720
#25. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.5% (4,790 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 20,020
--- Employment in 2022: 15,230
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $53,640
#24. Project management specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +32.2% (2,560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 10,510
--- Employment in 2022: 7,950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $87,420
#23. Interior designers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.7% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,140
--- Employment in 2022: 840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,950
#22. Emergency medical technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.9% (1,150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,350
--- Employment in 2022: 3,200
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,430
#21. Nurse practitioners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.1% (1,510 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,470
--- Employment in 2022: 3,960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $112,510
#20. Architectural and civil drafters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.0% (550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,960
--- Employment in 2022: 1,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,710
#19. Bakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.8% (930 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,210
--- Employment in 2022: 2,280
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $32,800
#18. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.2% (1,050 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,600
--- Employment in 2022: 2,550
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $76,060
#17. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.3% (1,630 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,580
--- Employment in 2022: 3,950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $23,090
#16. Bartenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.8% (3,070 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 10,410
--- Employment in 2022: 7,340
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $18,610
#15. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.7% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,020
--- Employment in 2022: 700
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,970
#14. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +46.4% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,230
--- Employment in 2022: 840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,790
#13. Computer occupations, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +47.2% (1,370 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,270
--- Employment in 2022: 2,900
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $104,920
#12. Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +47.4% (370 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,150
--- Employment in 2022: 780
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,800
#11. Computer network architects
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +50.0% (550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,650
--- Employment in 2022: 1,100
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $105,050
#10. Managers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +51.3% (990 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,920
--- Employment in 2022: 1,930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $118,350
#9. Butchers and meat cutters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +51.9% (680 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,990
--- Employment in 2022: 1,310
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,660
#8. Facilities managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +55.1% (540 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,520
--- Employment in 2022: 980
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $96,460
#7. Medical equipment preparers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +73.7% (560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,320
--- Employment in 2022: 760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,770
#6. Data scientists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +77.1% (910 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,090
--- Employment in 2022: 1,180
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $95,310
#5. Orderlies
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +91.3% (940 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,970
--- Employment in 2022: 1,030
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,320
#4. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +92.6% (1,630 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,390
--- Employment in 2022: 1,760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $31,950
#3. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +98.7% (770 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,550
--- Employment in 2022: 780
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,090
#2. Cooks, short order
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +113.5% (590 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,110
--- Employment in 2022: 520
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,810
#1. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +123.5% (630 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,140
--- Employment in 2022: 510
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,660
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
