Fastest-growing jobs in Washington
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 Washington. 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 Washington.
#50. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.4% (2,050 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 11,620
--- Employment in 2022: 9,570
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,610
#49. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.5% (1,830 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,630
--- Employment in 2022: 7,800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $71,390
#48. Healthcare social workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.7% (1,080 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,640
--- Employment in 2022: 4,560
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,130
#47. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.8% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,040
--- Employment in 2022: 840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,480
#46. Natural sciences managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.9% (510 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,640
--- Employment in 2022: 2,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $172,040
#45. Childcare workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.0% (890 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,600
--- Employment in 2022: 3,710
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,670
#44. Insurance underwriters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.1% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,010
--- Employment in 2022: 1,620
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $94,850
#43. Physical therapist assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.2% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,050
--- Employment in 2022: 1,650
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $67,470
#42. Chief executives
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.5% (820 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,030
--- Employment in 2022: 3,210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#41. Optometrists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.3% (210 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,010
--- Employment in 2022: 800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $143,160
#40. Fundraisers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.4% (770 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,480
--- Employment in 2022: 2,710
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $68,620
#39. News analysts, reporters, and journalists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.6% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,440
--- Employment in 2022: 1,120
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,450
#38. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.1% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,510
--- Employment in 2022: 1,170
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,600
#37. Training and development specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.2% (2,210 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,530
--- Employment in 2022: 7,320
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,090
#36. Nursing assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.2% (8,550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 36,820
--- Employment in 2022: 28,270
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,000
#35. Facilities managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.3% (640 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,750
--- Employment in 2022: 2,110
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $120,260
#34. Biological scientists, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.3% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,680
--- Employment in 2022: 1,280
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $92,270
#33. Pharmacists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +32.2% (2,300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,450
--- Employment in 2022: 7,150
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $153,500
#32. Meeting, convention, and event planners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +32.3% (830 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,400
--- Employment in 2022: 2,570
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,930
#31. Slaughterers and meat packers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.6% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,090
--- Employment in 2022: 810
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,440
#30. Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.7% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,360
--- Employment in 2022: 1,010
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,750
#29. Producers and directors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.7% (850 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,300
--- Employment in 2022: 2,450
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $78,330
#28. Data scientists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.6% (1,480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,640
--- Employment in 2022: 4,160
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $132,620
#27. Health information technologists and medical registrars
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +37.9% (360 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,310
--- Employment in 2022: 950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,790
#26. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.0% (2,390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,680
--- Employment in 2022: 6,290
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,800
#25. Computer programmers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.4% (960 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,460
--- Employment in 2022: 2,500
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $162,440
#24. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.6% (1,020 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,660
--- Employment in 2022: 2,640
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,470
#23. Materials engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.3% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,240
--- Employment in 2022: 890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $125,090
#22. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.6% (3,620 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 12,770
--- Employment in 2022: 9,150
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $76,600
#21. Aerospace engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.6% (1,540 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,430
--- Employment in 2022: 3,890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $142,520
#20. Medical equipment repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.7% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,620
--- Employment in 2022: 1,160
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $75,660
#19. Helpers--production workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.9% (970 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,400
--- Employment in 2022: 2,430
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,120
#18. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.3% (590 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,020
--- Employment in 2022: 1,430
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $101,530
#17. Audio and video technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.6% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,430
--- Employment in 2022: 1,010
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $67,870
#16. Project management specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +42.6% (7,860 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 26,310
--- Employment in 2022: 18,450
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $119,020
#15. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +42.9% (450 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,500
--- Employment in 2022: 1,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $102,750
#14. Radiologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.8% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,510
--- Employment in 2022: 1,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#13. Nuclear engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.9% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,410
--- Employment in 2022: 980
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $116,100
#12. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +46.1% (950 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,010
--- Employment in 2022: 2,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,250
#11. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +50.9% (550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,630
--- Employment in 2022: 1,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,050
#10. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +51.2% (620 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,830
--- Employment in 2022: 1,210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,070
#9. Library assistants, clerical
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +53.5% (1,070 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,070
--- Employment in 2022: 2,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,260
#8. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +59.1% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,050
--- Employment in 2022: 660
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,460
#7. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +64.3% (1,460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,730
--- Employment in 2022: 2,270
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,080
#6. Interpreters and translators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +66.7% (660 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,650
--- Employment in 2022: 990
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,810
#5. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +68.7% (1,560 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,830
--- Employment in 2022: 2,270
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,880
#4. Public safety telecommunicators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +77.9% (1,020 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,330
--- Employment in 2022: 1,310
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $70,450
#3. Statisticians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +100.0% (1,410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,820
--- Employment in 2022: 1,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $112,520
#2. Computer and information research scientists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +149.2% (1,760 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,940
--- Employment in 2022: 1,180
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $218,180
#1. Food processing workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +476.2% (1,000 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,210
--- Employment in 2022: 210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,570
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
