North Carolina Top Jobs for 2012

See our other posts on the top jobs in various states.

In this post we will take a look at the top jobs in North Carolina for 2012. Using Analyst (EMSI’s web-based labor market analysis tool), we will filter over 800 occupations in order to find jobs that have had the most growth since 2007 (when the economy took its nosedive), high pay, and a higher degree of specialization in the state. Our observations are based solely on labor market data from EMSI’s 2011.4 Covered Employment release, which is drawn from 80+ state and federal data sources.

Big picture, how has North Carolina fared since 2007? Jobs have fallen 5.6%, from 4.2 million to 3.98 million, with just the slightest uptick in 2010-2011.  The latest estimates put unemployment at 435,000. Average annual earnings are $41K.

JOBS WITH THE BEST GROWTH

Here we will consider the total number of new jobs and proportional growth.

Registered nurses has added the most — over 6,000 new jobs since 2007. That’s way above any other occupation in the state. Following that are network systems & data communications analysts (+800 new jobs), computer software engineers, applications (+700), and physicians & surgeons (+600). The list goes on (see the table below, where we’ve limited our analysis to jobs that employ 1,000+ and that pay at least $25/hour, excluding educational occupations).

Interestingly, healthcare jobs (SOC code 29) show up quite a few times on this table — seven out of 18. Another four jobs are related to business & financial operations (SOC code 13) and three to computer & mathematical science (SOC code 15). All of the occupations here require at least an associate’s degree — except for flight attendants, which calls for only long-term on-the-job training.

SOC CodeDescription2007 Jobs2011 JobsChange% Change2007 National Location Quotient2011 National Location Quotient2011 Median Hourly Wage2011 Avg Hourly WageEducation Level29-1111Registered nurses81,93388,1566,2238%1.101.12$27.40$28.39Associate's degree15-1081Network systems and data communications analysts5,7346,52979514%0.880.92$34.30$36.22Bachelor's degree15-1031Computer software engineers, applications12,92713,6277005%0.870.89$41.34$42.02Bachelor's degree29-1069Physicians and surgeons15,57216,1816094%0.930.93$87.84$91.94First professional degree29-2034Radiologic technologists and technicians6,9457,4374927%1.121.15$25.18$25.37Associate's degree13-1111Management analysts7,8298,2444155%0.470.49$34.09$36.85Degree plus work experience13-1199Business operation specialists, all other27,37127,7603891%0.870.90$26.90$29.82Bachelor's degree11-9111Medical and health services managers6,9987,3753775%0.890.90$38.09$42.38Degree plus work experience13-2052Personal financial advisors4,0024,3663649%0.900.96$29.14$30.81Bachelor's degree19-1042Medical scientists, except epidemiologists4,6855,0373528%1.621.59$37.33$40.52Doctoral degree29-2021Dental hygienists5,0715,4013307%1.001.00$29.98$29.77Associate's degree29-1123Physical therapists3,9944,3073138%0.820.80$35.95$35.89Master's degree29-1071Physician assistants3,2793,5382598%1.501.47$39.45$39.38Master's degree15-1099Computer specialists, all other3,3893,6242357%0.580.61$34.76$34.86Associate's degree13-1073Training and development specialists6,4376,6472103%1.051.07$25.28$26.75Bachelor's degree29-1051Pharmacists8,0838,2872043%1.011.04$54.34$53.44First professional degree19-3021Market research analysts5,4625,6652034%0.800.82$28.07$30.40Bachelor's degree39-6031Flight attendants2,6992,9012027%0.891.03$27.15$27.61Long-term on-the-job trainingSource: EMSI Covered Employment - 2011.4

Now for the jobs that have grown by the greatest percent. Network systems & data communications analysts (14%) tops the chart, followed by personal financial advisors (9%) and physician assistants, physical therapists, registered nurses, and medical scientists (all at 8%).

SOC CodeDescription2007 Jobs2011 JobsChange% Change2007 National Location Quotient2011 National Location Quotient2011 Median Hourly Wage2011 Avg Hourly WageEducation Level15-1081Network systems and data communications analysts5,7346,52979514%0.880.92$34.30$36.22Bachelor's degree13-2052Personal financial advisors4,0024,3663649%0.900.96$29.14$30.81Bachelor's degree29-1071Physician assistants3,2793,5382598%1.501.47$39.45$39.38Master's degree29-1123Physical therapists3,9944,3073138%0.820.80$35.95$35.89Master's degree29-1111Registered nurses81,93388,1566,2238%1.101.12$27.40$28.39Associate's degree19-1042Medical scientists, except epidemiologists4,6855,0373528%1.621.59$37.33$40.52Doctoral degree39-6031Flight attendants2,6992,9012027%0.891.03$27.15$27.61Long-term on-the-job training29-2034Radiologic technologists and technicians6,9457,4374927%1.121.15$25.18$25.37Associate's degree15-1099Computer specialists, all other3,3893,6242357%0.580.61$34.76$34.86Associate's degree29-2021Dental hygienists5,0715,4013307%1.001.00$29.98$29.77Associate's degree15-1031Computer software engineers, applications12,92713,6277005%0.870.89$41.34$42.02Bachelor's degree11-9111Medical and health services managers6,9987,3753775%0.890.90$38.09$42.38Degree plus work experience13-1111Management analysts7,8298,2444155%0.470.49$34.09$36.85Degree plus work experience29-1069Physicians and surgeons15,57216,1816094%0.930.93$87.84$91.94First professional degreeSource: EMSI Covered Employment - 2011.4

Overall, the three jobs that show the best of both kinds of growth are registered nurses, network systems & data communications analysts, and computer software engineers, applications.

JOBS WITH THE BEST $

Of all the jobs that pay above $45 an hour (2011 median hourly wage), we get a lot from the healthcare sphere: physicians & surgeons ($87.94), dentists ($87.31), orthodontists ($81.20), oral & maxillofacial surgeons ($75.21) — nine of the 25 highest-paying jobs. Not surprising. But it’s also interesting to note that ten of the jobs here are related to management (SOC code 11) — jobs like chief executives ($85.64), natural sciences managers ($61.15), engineering managers ($56.46), and computer & information systems managers ($54.18). The difference? All the healthcare jobs are growing or at least holding steady, while nearly all the management occupations are in decline.

SOC CodeDescription2007 Jobs2011 JobsChange% Change2007 National Location Quotient2011 National Location Quotient2011 Median Hourly Wage2011 Avg Hourly WageEducation Level29-1069Physicians and surgeons15,57216,1816094%0.930.93$87.84$91.94First professional degree29-1021Dentists, general2,4942,530361%0.970.97$87.31$94.18First professional degree11-1011Chief executives3,6313,300(331)(9%)0.380.38$85.64$89.70Degree plus work experience29-1023Orthodontists11912011%0.740.74$81.20$100.83First professional degree53-2011Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers2,1052,2271226%0.901.02$77.89$79.92Bachelor's degree29-1022Oral and maxillofacial surgeons20620821%1.291.28$75.21$93.28First professional degree29-1029Dentists, all other specialists717768%0.500.51$65.30$81.05First professional degree11-9121Natural sciences managers2,1632,219563%1.651.67$61.15$64.78Degree plus work experience27-2021Athletes and sports competitors777736(41)(5%)1.831.87$57.28$64.26Long-term on-the-job training11-9041Engineering managers5,9235,361(562)(9%)1.041.02$56.46$57.92Degree plus work experience29-1051Pharmacists8,0838,2872043%1.011.04$54.34$53.44First professional degree11-3021Computer and information systems managers11,02811,049210%1.261.29$54.18$56.61Degree plus work experience29-1081Podiatrists17117100%0.610.58$53.00$65.05First professional degree11-2021Marketing managers4,8304,715(115)(2%)0.910.94$52.97$56.26Degree plus work experience15-2011Actuaries367385185%0.690.73$51.79$50.58Degree plus work experience17-2171Petroleum engineers384138%0.060.05$49.90$52.38Bachelor's degree23-1011Lawyers9,9959,653(342)(3%)0.580.59$49.00$57.33First professional degree11-3031Financial managers18,97818,277(701)(4%)1.221.26$48.80$52.81Degree plus work experience29-1041Optometrists690747578%0.920.91$48.30$59.84First professional degree11-1021General and operations managers55,29449,419(5,875)(11%)1.011.01$48.11$56.00Degree plus work experience11-3041Compensation and benefits managers1,3291,310(19)(1%)1.211.24$46.24$50.06Degree plus work experience11-3049Human resources managers, all other1,2311,23210%0.630.66$46.13$50.83Degree plus work experience17-2061Computer hardware engineers1,4881,323(165)(11%)0.720.67$46.01$48.38Bachelor's degree11-3042Training and development managers843856132%0.940.98$45.67$50.15Degree plus work experience29-1011Chiropractors517508(9)(2%)0.660.63$45.30$53.93First professional degreeSource: EMSI Covered Employment - 2011.4

JOBS WITH THE BEST CONCENTRATION

Concentration (measured by location quotient, or LQ) is basically another way of saying specialization. When we look at the most concentrated jobs, we’re looking at the most compelling jobs for North Carolina. (You can find out more about concentration here.)

The bad news? Almost all the highest-concentrated jobs in North Carolina are going down (again, limiting our analysis to jobs that employ 1,000+). We see a trend here: 15 of the 24 jobs with an LQ above 2.0 are related to production (SOC code 51), and all of them have sunk since 2007 — jobs like textile knitting & weaving machine setters/operators/tenders (LQ 8.19, -29%), upholsterers (LQ 4.37, -30%), and tire builders (LQ 3.9, -13%). These jobs require short- to long-term on-the-job training, and pay around $10-15 per hour.

Jobs that are actually growing (if only by a smidge) include home health aides (LQ 2.42, +1,800 new jobs), military occupations (LQ 2.3, +9,700 new jobs), and adult literacy/remedial education/GED teachers & instructors (LQ 2.01, +53 new jobs).

SOC CodeDescription2007 Jobs2011 JobsChange% Change2007 National Location Quotient2011 National Location Quotient2011 Median Hourly Wage2011 Avg Hourly WageEducation Level51-6063Textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders8,0105,724(2,286)(29%)8.138.19$11.98$12.12Long-term on-the-job training51-6064Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders9,1756,396(2,779)(30%)7.387.23$11.05$11.40Moderate-term on-the-job training51-6061Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders3,6082,325(1,283)(36%)7.026.34$11.74$11.82Moderate-term on-the-job training51-6093Upholsterers6,0754,277(1,798)(30%)4.844.37$16.35$16.95Long-term on-the-job training51-9197Tire builders2,3412,037(304)(13%)3.743.90$10.46$11.98Moderate-term on-the-job training41-9021Real estate brokers5,6244,890(734)(13%)3.303.51$17.16$24.67Work experience in a related field51-6091Extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers1,9031,346(557)(29%)3.523.49$14.47$14.76Moderate-term on-the-job training51-6099Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers, all other2,0511,428(623)(30%)4.143.45$10.02$10.60Short-term on-the-job training51-7021Furniture finishers2,3161,550(766)(33%)3.172.99$12.89$13.03Long-term on-the-job training25-2023Vocational education teachers, middle school1,2361,207(29)(2%)2.892.92$28.39$28.79Degree plus work experience51-9031Cutters and trimmers, hand2,0201,482(538)(27%)2.752.56$13.11$13.86Short-term on-the-job training51-3023Slaughterers and meat packers7,6946,938(756)(10%)2.592.43$10.33$10.53Moderate-term on-the-job training31-1011Home health aides72,72174,5361,8152%2.822.42$9.61$9.79Short-term on-the-job training53-3099Motor vehicle operators, all other5,5445,274(270)(5%)2.362.41$13.01$13.36Short-term on-the-job training51-6062Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders1,6841,167(517)(31%)2.542.31$12.49$12.67Moderate-term on-the-job training55-9999Military Occupations130,085139,7929,7077%2.092.30$20.06$26.27N/A47-3013Helpers, electricians7,6565,577(2,079)(27%)2.392.25$12.47$12.66Short-term on-the-job training47-3015Helpers, pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters5,8074,277(1,530)(26%)2.432.24$12.61$12.78Short-term on-the-job training19-3099Social scientists and related workers, all other1,9562,0591035%2.282.20$21.38$22.75Master's degree51-7042Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing6,9284,435(2,493)(36%)2.332.20$12.13$12.37Moderate-term on-the-job training51-3091Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders1,1181,026(92)(8%)2.252.13$12.89$13.91Short-term on-the-job training51-6031Sewing machine operators13,3939,389(4,004)(30%)2.162.05$10.75$11.20Moderate-term on-the-job training25-3011Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors4,0384,091531%2.022.01$19.91$20.61Bachelor's degree51-7041Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood3,4882,380(1,108)(32%)2.062.00$11.40$11.88Moderate-term on-the-job trainingSource: EMSI Covered Employment - 2011.4

OVERALL

Healthcare jobs, with their solid pay and their notable growth since 2007, are among the top jobs in North Carolina in 2012 — especially registered nurses, physicians & surgeons, physician assistants, and physical therapists. We should also pay attention to network systems & data communication analysts (+800 jobs, +14%, $34.30/hour), medical scientists, except epidemiologists (+352 jobs, +8%, $37.33/hour, LQ 1.59), and computer software engineers, applications (+700 jobs, +5%, $41.34/hour). Military occupations is interesting because of its growth (+9,700 jobs, +7%) and its concentration (LQ 2.3).

Find out more about EMSI and our data here. You can reach us via Twitter @DesktopEcon or by emailing Rob Sentz (rob@economicmodeling.com).