For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, September 1, 2020 USDL-20-1646 Technical information: ep-info@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/emp Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS -- 2019–2029 Employment is projected to grow from 162.8 million to 168.8 million over the 2019–29 decade, an increase of 6.0 million jobs, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This reflects an annual growth rate of 0.4 percent, slower than the 2009-19 annual growth rate of 1.3 percent, which was bolstered by recovery from the 2007-09 Great Recession. The healthcare and social assistance sector is projected to add the most new jobs, and 6 of the 10 fastest growing occupations are related to healthcare. Growth in real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is projected to be slower (1.8 percent annually) from 2019 to 2029, compared to the previous decade (2.3 percent annually). Meanwhile labor productivity is projected to increase from 1.1 percent annually over the 2009 to 2019 period, to 1.8 percent annually from 2019 to 2029. ________________________________________________________________________________ | | | Occupational Outlook Handbook | | | | The projections are the foundation of the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook | | (OOH), one of the nation's most widely used career information resources. The | | OOH reflects BLS employment projections for the 2019-29 decade. The updated | | OOH is available online at www.bls.gov/ooh. | |________________________________________________________________________________| Highlights of the BLS projections for the labor force, macroeconomy, industry employment, and occupational employment are included below. ________________________________________________________________________________ | | | Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Impact on Employment Projections Data | | | | The 2019–29 projections do not include impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and | | response efforts. The BLS Employment Projections are developed using models | | based on historical data, which in this set of projections cover the time | | period through 2019; all input data therefore precede the pandemic. In | | addition, the 2019–29 projections were finalized in the spring of 2020 when | | there was still significant uncertainty about the duration and impacts of | | the pandemic. | | | | The BLS Employment Projections are long-term projections intended to capture | | structural change in the economy, not cyclical fluctuations. As such, they | | are not intended to capture the impacts of the recession that began in | | February 2020. However, besides the immediate recessionary impacts, the | | pandemic may cause new structural changes to the economy. BLS releases new | | employment projections annually, and subsequent projections will incorporate | | new information on economic structural changes as it becomes available. | | | | In order to provide more information about potential impacts before the | | release of the 2020–30 projections, BLS is developing alternate scenarios | | for the 2019–29 projection period that encompass possible impacts from the | | pandemic. Comparison of these alternate scenarios with the baseline | | projections released here will demonstrate how changes in consumer behavior | | caused by the pandemic may alter the projections for detailed occupations | | and industries. An analysis of these scenarios will be released in a Monthly | | Labor Review article later in 2020. | |________________________________________________________________________________| Population and Labor Force --The civilian noninsitutional population growth rate is projected to decline slightly, from 0.9 percent annually in 2009-19 to 0.8 percent annually in 2019–29. This results in an increase of 21.2 million over the 2019-29 projections horizon to a level of 280.4 million. --The labor force is expected to increase by 8.0 million from 163.5 million in 2019 to 171.5 million in 2029. The participation rate is projected to decline from 63.1 percent in 2019 to 61.2 percent in 2029. The decline in labor force participation is due to the aging of the baby-boom generation, a continuation of the declining trend in men's participation, and a slight decline in women's participation. --By 2029, all baby boomers will be at least 65 years old. The increasing share of people age 65 years and older contributes to slower projected growth in the labor force, as well as a continued decline in the labor force participation rate, since older people are less likely to participate in the labor force. Macroeconomy --Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is projected to continue growing during the 2019–29 period, although at a slower rate than it has historically, at 1.8 percent annually compounded through the projections period. --Based on the outlook for business investment and efficiency gains anticipated in the use of labor and capital inputs, productivity is expected to grow at an annual rate of 1.8 percent from 2019 to 2029. This is faster than the 1.1 percent growth from 2009 to 2019. The rebound in productivity growth represents a more normal pattern of growth over the next decade. Industry Employment --Total employment is projected to grow 3.7 percent over the 2019–29 projections period, slower than prior projection periods. Slower labor force growth constrains the projected growth of total employment. --Five out of the 20 fastest growing industries for the next decade are in the healthcare and social assistance sector, the fastest growing major sector in the economy. Factors that are expected to contribute to the large increase include increased demand to care for the aging baby-boom population, longer life expectancies, and continued growth in the number of patients with chronic conditions. --Technological advancements are expected to support rapid employment growth in professional, business, and scientific services sectors, including computer systems design and related services as well as management, scientific, and technical consulting services. --The manufacturing sector is projected to lose 444,800 jobs, the most of any sector over the projections decade. This sector also contains 12 of the 20 industries projected to have the most rapid employment declines. Factors contributing to the loss of manufacturing jobs include the adoption of new productivity-enhancing technologies, such as robotics and international competition. --As e-commerce continues to grow in popularity, retail trade is projected to lose 368,300 jobs over the 2019-29 decade. Occupational Employment --Occupational groups in which employment is projected to grow markedly faster than the average include healthcare support occupations, community and social service occupations, and computer and mathematical occupations. --Healthcare occupations and those associated with healthcare (including mental health) account for 13 of the 30 fastest growing occupations from 2019 to 2029. Demand for healthcare services by aging baby boomers, along with people who have chronic conditions, will drive the projected employment growth. --Several of the fastest growing healthcare occupations--including nurse practitioners, occupational therapy assistants, and physician assistants--are projected to be in greater demand as team-based healthcare models are increasingly used to deliver healthcare services. --Computer occupations are expected to see fast job growth as strong demand is expected for IT security and software development, and as new products associated with the Internet of Things (IoT) are developed. These occupations include software developers as well as information security analysts. --Technological changes facilitating automation and e-commerce are expected to result in declining employment for office and administrative support occupations and for sales occupations. More Information The Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) includes information about over 500 detailed occupations in over 300 occupational profiles, covering about 4 out of 5 jobs in the economy. Each profile features the 2019–29 projections, along with assessments of the job outlook, work activities, wages, education and training requirements, and more. --The OOH is available online at www.bls.gov/ooh. --Detailed information on the 2019–29 projections will appear in the Monthly Labor Review. --Tables with detailed, comprehensive statistics used in preparing the projections are available online at www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm. --Definitions for terms used in this news release are available in the BLS Glossary at www.bls.gov/bls/glossary.htm. Information from this news release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Services: 1 (800) 877-8339.