Surrounding Area Key Highlights

 Managerial Occupations account for eleven of the Top 25 jobs, a total of 21,561 jobs, and over 2,500 average annual openings in surrounding counties. This job group has an impressive impact on the local economy, with six included jobs paying median hourly salaries above $40. Lightcast projects managerial occupations to grow by 1,209 jobs in the next five years, making up 34% of the region’s overall projected job growth. Management training may provide a high return on investment given impacts to the local economy, especially the potential increase in tax revenue.

 Business & Finance Operations Occupations include six of the Top 25 jobs and comprise a total of 19,355 jobs. Lightcast projects these jobs to add another 643 jobs by 2027. Three jobs account for 81% of this projected growth: Business Operations Specialists, ManagementAnalysts, and Market ResearchAnalysts and Marketing Specialist. Median hourly earnings for these jobs are strong, ranging from $29-$39 hourly.

 Education Occupations have three jobs in the Top 25 and are a unique group. Unlike others, education occupations have lost jobs over the past five years. Nevertheless, educators still make up 21% of the Top 25 jobs, with 20,858 jobs. Lightcast projects education jobs to grow by 458 jobs in the next five years. Median earnings for this job group range from $30 to $45 an hour.

 Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations have two jobs in the Top 25 - both nursingand account for 20% of total employment in the region’s Top 25 jobs. These jobs also are projected to grow by 306 jobs in the next five years and provide high median wages: $37 hourly for Registered Nurses, and $54 hourly for Nurse Practitioners. Workers aged 55 and older hold 24% of jobs in this job group, suggesting strong near-term opportunities for younger workers possessing a desire for highwage careers and the will to complete necessary educational requirements. Typical entry education requirements in this job group range from bachelors to doctoral degrees.