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News
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Internet:
http://www.bls.gov/emp
Technical Information: (202) 691-5700
Media Contact:
(202) 691-5902

United States
Department
of Labor
Washington, D.C. 20212
USDL 04-148
For release: 10 A.M. EST
Wednesday, February 11, 2004

BLS RELEASES 2002-12 EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, today released
projections on future job growth by industry and occupation and on the likely composition of the
workforce pursuing those jobs.
The 10-year projections of economic growth, employment by industry and occupation, and
labor force are widely used in career guidance, in planning education and training programs, and in
studying long-range employment trends. Covering the 2002-12 decade, these projections reflect
the 2000 Standard Occupatio nal Classification (SOC) system and the 2002 North American
Industry Classification System (NAICS).

Employment
Over the 2002-12 decade, total employment is projected to increase by 21.3 million jobs, or
15 percent. Over the previous decade (1992-2002), total employment grew by 20.7 million jobs
but at a slightly faster rate, 17 percent. (The definition of employment used in these projections
differs from the definitions used in other BLS programs. See table 1.)

Industry employment
•

Employment growth will be concentrated in the service-providing sector of the economy.
Education and health services and professional and business services represent the industry
divisions with the strongest projected employment growth: projected to grow twice as fast as
the overall economy. Information, leisure and hospitality, and transportation and warehousing
are other service-providing industries that are projected to grow faster than average. (See table
1.)

•

Construction is the only goods-producing sector in which employment is projected to grow.
Manufacturing, however, is expected to decline by 1 percent, a much smaller decline than what
occurred in the previous decade. Nonetheless, employment in goods-producing industries is
expected to decrease from 16 percent to 14 percent of total employment. Apparel

manufacturing, textile mills, and computer and electronic product manufacturing are the goodsproducing industries with the largest projected employment declines.
•

The 10 fastest growing detailed industries, led by software publishers, are in the serviceproviding sector. (See table 3a.)

Occupational employment
•

Professional and related occupations and service occupations—two groups at opposite ends of
educational and earnings ranges—are projected to increase the fastest and to add the most
jobs, accounting for more than half of total job growth over the 2002-12 decade. (See table
2.)

•

Construction and extraction occupations are projected to grow at the same rate as the average
for all occupations—15 percent.

•

Office and administrative support occupations, production occupations, and farming, fishing,
and forestry occupations are projected to grow much more slowly than average.

•

Nine of the 10 fastest growing occupations are health or computer (information technology)
occupations. (See table 3b.)

•

The 10 occupations adding the most jobs employ a large number of workers and come from a
wide range of occupational groups. (See table 3c.)

Education and training categories
•

An associate or bachelor's degree is the most significant source of postsecondary education or
training for 6 of the 10 fastest growing occupations. (See table 3b.)

•

Short-term on-the-job training is the most significant source of postsecondary education or
training for 6 of the 10 occupations with the largest job growth. (See table 3c.)

Labor force
•

The civilian labor force is projected to increase by 17.4 million over the 2002-12 decade,
reaching 162.3 million by 2012. This 12-percent increase is greater than the 11.3-percent
increase over the previous decade, 1992-2002, when the labor force grew by 14.4 million. (See
table 4.) Changes in the demographic composition of the labor force are expected because of
changes both in the composition of the population and in the rates of labor force participation
across demographic groups.

•

The projected growth of the labor force will be affected by the aging of the baby-boom
generation—persons born between 1946 and 1964. In 2012, baby-boomers will be 48 to 66
years old. The number of workers in this age group is expected to increase significant ly over
the 2002-12 decade. The labor force will continue to age, with the number of workers in the
55-and-older group projected to grow by 49.3 percent, 4 times the 12-percent growth projected

for the overall labor force. In 2012, youths —those between the ages of 16 and 24—will
constitute 15 percent of the labor force, and prime-age workers—those between the ages of 25
and 54—will make up 66 percent of the labor force. The share of the 55-and-older age group
will increase from 14.3 percent to 19.1 percent of the labor force.
•

The labor force participation rates of women in nearly all age groups are projected to increase.
The number of women in the labor force is projected to grow by 14.3 percent, faster than the
10-percent growth projected for men. As a result, women's share of the labor force is expected
to increase by 1 percent, from 46.5 percent in 2002 to 47.5 percent by 2012. In contrast, men's
share is projected to decline by 1 percent—from 53.5 percent to 52.5 percent—over the 200212 decade.

•

By 2012, the Hispanic labor force is expected to reach 23.8 million, due to faster population
growth resulting from a younger population, higher fertility rates, and increased immigration
levels. Despite relatively slow growth, white non-Hispanics will remain the largest group,
composing 66 percent of the labor force. Asians will continue to be the fastest growing of the
four labor force groups.

Notes
More detailed information on the 2002-12 projections appears in five articles in the February 2004
issue of the Monthly Labor Review, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department
of Labor. A graphic presentation of the highlights of the projections will appear in the
forthcoming Winter 2003-04 Occupational Outlook Quarterly.
The Monthly Labor Review and Occupational Outlook Quarterly are sold by the U.S. Government
Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. The Review costs $49 a year; single copies are $15.
The Quarterly costs $15 a year; single copies are $6. Make checks payable to the Superintendent
of Documents.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request.
Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral phone: 1-800-877-8339.

Table 1. Employment by major industry division, 1992, 2002, and projected 2012
(Numbers in thousands of jobs)
Employment

Industry division

Numeric change

Percent change

Percent distribution

Annual growth rate
(percent)
1992-2002
2002-12
1.6
1.4

1992
123,325

2002
144,014

2012
165,319

1992-2002
20,689

2002-12
21,305

1992-2002
16.8

2002-12
14.8

1992
100.0

2002
100.0

2012
100.0

109,526

131,063

152,690

21,537

21,627

19.7

16.5

88.8

91.0

92.4

1.8

1.5

Goods-Producing, excluding agriculture
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing

22,016
610
4,608
16,799

22,550
512
6,732
15,307

23,346
451
7,745
15,149

534
-98
2,124
-1,492

796
-61
1,014
-158

2.4
-16.1
46.1
-8.9

3.5
-11.8
15.1
-1.0

17.9
0.5
3.7
13.6

15.7
0.4
4.7
10.6

14.1
0.3
4.7
9.2

0.2
-1.7
3.9
-0.9

0.3
-1.3
1.4
-0.1

Service-Providing
Utilities
Wholesale trade
Retail trade
Transportation and warehousing
Information
Financial activities
Professional and business services
Education and health services
Leisure and hospitality
Other services
Federal government
State and local government

87,510
726
5,110
12,828
3,462
2,641
6,540
10,969
11,891
9,437
5,120
3,111
15,675

108,513
600
5,641
15,047
4,205
3,420
7,843
16,010
16,184
11,969
6,105
2,767
18,722

129,344
565
6,279
17,129
5,120
4,052
8,806
20,876
21,329
14,104
7,065
2,779
21,240

21,003
-126
531
2,219
744
779
1,303
5,040
4,293
2,532
985
-344
3,047

20,831
-34
638
2,082
914
632
964
4,866
5,145
2,135
960
12
2,518

24.0
-17.4
10.4
17.3
21.5
29.5
19.9
45.9
36.1
26.8
19.2
-11.1
19.4

19.2
-5.7
11.3
13.8
21.7
18.5
12.3
30.4
31.8
17.8
15.7
0.4
13.4

71.0
0.6
4.1
10.4
2.8
2.1
5.3
8.9
9.6
7.7
4.2
2.5
12.7

75.3
0.4
3.9
10.4
2.9
2.4
5.4
11.1
11.2
8.3
4.2
1.9
13.0

78.2
0.3
3.8
10.4
3.1
2.5
5.3
12.6
12.9
8.5
4.3
1.7
12.8

2.2
-1.9
1.0
1.6
2.0
2.6
1.8
3.9
3.1
2.4
1.8
-1.2
1.8

1.8
-0.6
1.1
1.3
2.0
1.7
1.2
2.7
2.8
1.7
1.5
0.0
1.3

Agriculture 2

2,639

2,245

1,905

-394

-340

-14.9

-15.1

2.1

1.6

1.2

-1.6

-1.6

Nonagriculture self-employed and unpaid
family workers

9,009

9,018

9,162

10

144

0.1

1.6

7.3

6.3

5.5

0.0

0.2

178

143

128

-35

-15

-19.8

-10.5

0.1

0.1

0.1

-2.2

-1.1

1,973

1,545

1,434

-428

-111

-21.7

-7.2

1.6

1.1

0.9

-2.4

-0.7

Total

1

Nonfarm wage and salary

Secondary wage and salary jobs in
agricultural production, forestry, fishing, and
private household industries 3
Secondary jobs as a self-employed or unpaid
family worker 4

1. Employment data for wage and salary workers are from the BLS Current Employment Statistics (payroll) survey, which counts jobs, whereas self-employed, unpaid family workers, and agriculture, forestry, fishing,
and hunting are from the Current Population Survey (household survey), which counts workers.
2. Includes agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting data from the Current Population Survey, except logging, which is from the Current Employment Survey and government wage and salary workers, which are
excluded.
3. Workers who hold a secondary wage and salary job in agricultural production, forestry, fishing, and private household industries.
4. Wage and salary workers who hold a secondary job as a self-employed or unpaid family worker.

Table 2. Employment by major occupational group, 2002 and projected 2012
(Numbers in thousands of jobs)
Occupational group
Total, all occupations
Management occupations
Business and financial operations occupations
Professional and related occupations
Computer and mathematical occupations
Architecture and engineering occupations
Life, physical, and social science occupations
Community and social services occupations
Legal occupations
Education, training, and library occupations
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Service occupations
Healthcare support occupations
Protective service occupations
Food preparation and serving related occupations
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations
Personal care and service occupations
Sales and related occupations
Office and administrative support occupations
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations
Construction and extraction occupations
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
Production occupations
Transportation and material moving occupations

Employment
Change
Number
Percent distribution
Number
Percent
2002
2012
2002
2012
144,014 165,319
100.0
100.0
21,305
14.8
10,056
5,445
27,687
3,018
2,587
1,237
2,190
1,168
8,530
2,376
6,580
26,569
3,310
3,116
10,200
5,485
4,458
15,260
23,851
1,072
7,292
5,696
11,258
9,828

11,277
6,606
34,147
4,069
2,809
1,450
2,764
1,357
10,639
2,769
8,288
31,905
4,452
3,885
11,807
6,386
5,375
17,231
25,464
1,107
8,388
6,472
11,612
11,111

7.0
3.8
19.2
2.1
1.8
0.9
1.5
0.8
5.9
1.7
4.6
18.5
2.3
2.2
7.1
3.8
3.1
10.6
16.6
0.7
5.1
4.0
7.8
6.8

6.8
4.0
20.7
2.5
1.7
0.9
1.7
0.8
6.4
1.7
5.0
19.3
2.7
2.4
7.1
3.9
3.3
10.4
15.4
0.7
5.1
3.9
7.0
6.7

1,221
1,162
6,459
1,051
222
212
574
190
2,109
393
1,708
5,336
1,143
769
1,607
901
917
1,971
1,613
35
1,096
776
354
1,282

12.1
21.3
23.3
34.8
8.6
17.2
26.2
16.2
24.7
16.5
26.0
20.1
34.5
24.7
15.8
16.4
20.6
12.9
6.8
3.3
15.0
13.6
3.2
13.1

NOTE: Detail may not equal total or 100 percent due to rounding.

Table 3a. The 10 industries with the fastest wage and salary employment growth, 2002-12
(Numbers in thousands of jobs)
Change
Employment
Industry
2002
2012
Number
Percent
Software publishers
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services
Community care facilities for the elderly and residential care facilities, n.e.c.

Computer systems design and related services
Employment services
Individual, family, community, and vocational rehabilitation services
Ambulatory health care services except offices of health practitioners
Water, sewage, and other systems
Internet services, data processing, and other information services
Child day care services

256.0
731.8
695.3
1,162.7
3,248.8
1,269.3
1,443.6
48.5
528.8
734.2

429.7
1,137.4
1,077.6
1,797.7
5,012.3
1,866.6
2,113.4
71.0
773.1
1,050.3

173.7
405.6
382.3
635.0
1,763.5
597.3
669.8
22.5
244.3
316.1

67.9
55.4
55.0
54.6
54.3
47.1
46.4
46.4
46.2
43.1

Annual growth rate
(percent)
5.3
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.4
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.6

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified.

Table 3b. The 10 fastest growing occupations, 2002-12
(Numbers in thousands of jobs)
Employment
Occupation
Medical assistants
Network systems and data communications analysts
Physician assistants
Social and human service assistants
Home health aides
Medical records and health information technicians
Physical therapist aides
Computer software engineers, applications
Computer software engineers, systems software
Physical therapist assistants

2002
365
186
63
305
580
147
37
394
281
50

Most significant source of
postsecondary education or
Percent
training1
59
Moderate-term on-the-job training
57
Bachelor's degree
49
Bachelor's degree
49
Moderate-term on-the-job training
48
Short-term on-the-job training
47
Associate degree
46
Short-term on-the-job training
46
Bachelor's degree
45
Bachelor's degree
45
Associate degree

Change

2012
579
292
94
454
859
216
54
573
409
73

Number
215
106
31
149
279
69
17
179
128
22

1. An occupation is placed into one of 11 categories that best describes the education or training needed by most workers to become fully qualified.
For more information about the categories, see Chapter II, "Selected Occupational Data, 2000 and Projected 2010" in Occupational Projections and
Training Data, Bulletin 2542 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Jan. 2002), pp. 18-19, or in Bulletin 2572, the forthcoming 2004-05 edition of this publication.

Table 3c. The 10 occupations with the largest job growth, 2002-12
(Numbers in thousands of jobs)
Employment
Occupation

2002

Registered nurses
Postsecondary teachers
Retail salespersons
Customer service representatives
Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food
Cashiers, except gaming
Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
General and operations managers
Waiters and waitresses
Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants

2,284
1,581
4,076
1,894
1,990
3,432
2,267
2,049
2,097
1,375

Change

2012
2,908
2,184
4,672
2,354
2,444
3,886
2,681
2,425
2,464
1,718

Number

Percent

623
603
596
460
454
454
414
376
367
343

27
38
15
24
23
13
18
18
18
25

Most significant source of postsecondary
1
education or training
Associate degree
Doctoral degree
Short-term on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience
Short-term on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training

1. An occupation is placed into one of 11 categories that best describes the education or training needed by most workers to become fully qualified. For more
information about the categories, see Chapter II, "Selected Occupational Data, 2000 and Projected 2010" in Occupational Projections and Training Data, Bulletin 2542
(Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 2002), pp. 18-19, or in Bulletin 2572, the forthcoming 2004-05 edition of this publication.

Table 4. Civilian labor force by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin, 1982, 1992, 2002, and projected 2012
(Numbers in thousands)
Level
Group

2002
1990
2000
census census
weights weights
142,534 144,863

19922002

2002
1990
2000
census census
weights weights
100.0
100.0

1982-92

162,269

17,901

14,429

17,406

16.2

11.3

12.0

100.0

100.0

22,366
101,720
20,777

24,377
106,866
31,026

-2,990
20,923
-32

809
8,436
5,184

2,011
5,146
10,249

-12.2
29.7
-0.2

3.7
9.2
34.4

9.0
5.1
49.3

22.3
64.0
13.7

16.9
71.4
11.8

15.7
70.1
14.2

76,052
66,481

77,500
67,363

85,252
77,017

7,514
10,387

6,088
8,340

7,751
9,654

12.0
21.8

8.7
14.3

10.0
14.3

56.7
43.3

54.6
45.4

108,837
14,162
5,106
n/a

118,569
16,834
7,130
n/a

120,150
16,564
5,949
2,200

130,358
19,765
8,971
3,175

12,694
2,831
2,376
n/a

9,732
2,672
2,024
n/a

10,208
3,201
3,022
975

13.2
25.0
87.0
n/a

8.9
18.9
39.6
n/a

8.5
19.3
50.8
44.3

87.2
10.3
2.5
n/a

11,338
116,767
98,724

16,200
126,334
103,360

17,942
126,921
103,348

23,785
138,484
106,237

4,604
13,297
9,094

4,862
9,567
4,636

5,843
11,562
2,889

68.4
12.9
10.1

42.9
8.2
4.7

32.6
9.1
2.8

6.1
93.9
81.3

110,204

128,105

24,606
70,506
15,092

21,616
91,429
15,060

22,425
99,865
20,244

Men
Women

62,450
47,754

69,964
58,141

One race
White
Black or African American
Asian
All other groups1

96,143
11,331
2,730
n/a

Hispanic or Latino
Other than Hispanic origin
White (only) non-Hispanic

6,734
103,470
89,630

2002-12 1982-92

Annual growth rate
(percent)

Percent distribution

2012

1992

16 to 24
25 to 54
55 and older

Percent change

19922002

1982
Total, 16 years and older

Numeric change

2002-12

1982

1992

2012

1982-92

19922002

2002-12

100.0

1.5

1.1

1.1

15.4
70.2
14.3

15.0
65.9
19.1

-1.3
2.6
0.0

0.4
0.9
3.0

0.9
0.5
4.1

53.4
46.6

53.5
46.5

52.5
47.5

1.1
2.0

0.8
1.3

1.0
1.3

85.0
11.1
4.0
n/a

83.2
11.8
5.0
n/a

82.9
11.4
4.1
1.5

80.3
12.2
5.5
2.0

1.2
2.3
6.5
n/a

0.9
1.7
3.4
n/a

0.8
1.8
4.2
3.7

8.9
91.1
77.1

11.4
88.6
72.5

12.4
87.6
71.3

14.7
85.3
65.5

5.3
1.2
1.0

3.6
0.8
0.5

2.9
0.9
0.3

1. The “All other” group includes those reporting the race categories of (1a) American Indian and Alaska Native or (1b) Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders, and (2) those reporting two or more races.
Data for 1982 and 1992 represents the "Asian & other" race category with 1990 census weights.
Data for 2002 and 2012 represents the "Asian only" race category with 2000 census weights.
The historical data for 2002 has been computed for "All other groups".