See our other posts on the top jobs in various states.
In this post we explore some of the top jobs in California for 2012. We’ll begin our analysis in 2008 so that we can cover the recession, and filter through California’s 13 million jobs using Analyst, EMSI’s web-based labor market analysis tool. Our study is based solely on labor market data from EMSI’s 2012.1 Covered Employment release, which is drawn from 80+ state and federal data sources.
ECONOMIC SUMMARY
Since 2008, jobs have declined by 4.2%, which is the loss of about 700,000 jobs in four years. Current calculations put unemployment at just over 2 million. Average annual earnings are $54.5K.
HIGHEST-PAYING
Our first table shows the jobs that pay over $70 per hour (2011 median wage). What jumps out?
- A lot of healthcare jobs (SOC code 29).
- Judges, magistrate judges, & magistrates ($94.89) make quite a bit more in California than they do in, say, Texas ($36.91), Virginia ($48.69), New York ($60.98), and even Washington D.C. ($75.41).
- All the healthcare jobs are growing. The only non-healthcare occupations are in decline: judges (-24%) and chief executives (-12%).
| SOC Code | Description | 2008 Jobs | 2012 Jobs | Change | % Change | 2012 National Location Quotient | 2011 Median Hourly Wage | Education Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Source: EMSI Covered Employment - 2012.1 | ||||||||
| 29-1022 | Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | 506 | 799 | 293 | 58% | 0.71 | $96.87 | First professional degree |
| 29-1029 | Dentists, All Other Specialists | 684 | 711 | 27 | 4% | 1.05 | $95.38 | First professional degree |
| 23-1023 | Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | 1,778 | 1,343 | (435) | (24%) | 0.51 | $94.89 | Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience |
| 29-1067 | Surgeons | 4,175 | 4,795 | 620 | 15% | 0.92 | $94.68 | First professional degree |
| 29-1061 | Anesthesiologists | 3,301 | 3,988 | 687 | 21% | 0.89 | $93.38 | First professional degree |
| 29-1066 | Psychiatrists | 3,230 | 3,442 | 212 | 7% | 1.32 | $93.15 | First professional degree |
| 11-1011 | Chief Executives | 36,909 | 32,539 | (4,370) | (12%) | 1.02 | $92.23 | Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience |
| 29-1069 | Physicians and Surgeons, All Other | 21,118 | 24,020 | 2,902 | 14% | 0.74 | $92.16 | First professional degree |
| 29-1064 | Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 2,239 | 3,071 | 832 | 37% | 1.24 | $86.46 | First professional degree |
| 29-1063 | Internists, General | 6,689 | 7,437 | 748 | 11% | 1.31 | $79.97 | First professional degree |
| 29-1023 | Orthodontists | 596 | 601 | 5 | 1% | 0.95 | $79.34 | First professional degree |
| 29-1065 | Pediatricians, General | 4,600 | 5,100 | 500 | 11% | 1.46 | $74.98 | First professional degree |
| 29-1062 | Family and General Practitioners | 8,816 | 10,683 | 1,867 | 21% | 0.86 | $74.53 | First professional degree |
BEST GROWTH
To better understand which jobs are experiencing the best growth, we will look at both the number of new jobs added as well as the fastest growth (measured by percent) since 2008. NOTE: We are limiting ourselves to occupations that employ at least 1000 people and pay at least $25/hour, and we are excluding educational jobs.
- Registered nurses (surprise, surprise) added the most—over 18,000 jobs. In addition, there are quite a few other healthcare occupations adding substantial numbers of jobs.
- Computer and mathematical occupations (SOC code 15) also show good growth.
SOC Code Description 2008 Jobs 2012 Jobs Change % Change 2012 National Location Quotient 2011 Median Hourly Wage Education Level
Source: EMSI Covered Employment - 2012.1
29-1111 Registered Nurses 223,857 242,274 18,417 8% 0.80 $39.86 Associate's degree
47-4011 Construction and Building Inspectors 10,806 16,546 5,740 53% 1.00 $32.82 Work experience in a related occupation
21-1029 Social Workers, All Other 12,537 16,965 4,428 35% 1.62 $26.79 Bachelor's degree
15-1081 Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts 26,741 29,828 3,087 12% 1.05 $38.59 Bachelor's degree
15-1031 Computer Software Engineers, Applications 77,585 80,525 2,940 4% 1.36 $48.32 Bachelor's degree
13-1041 Compliance Officers, Except Agriculture, Construction, Health and Safety, and Transportation 30,039 32,958 2,919 10% 1.10 $26.71 Long-term on-the-job training
29-1069 Physicians and Surgeons, All Other 21,118 24,020 2,902 14% 0.74 $92.16 First professional degree
19-1042 Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists 24,733 26,804 2,071 8% 2.20 $38.56 Doctoral degree
15-1032 Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software 70,331 72,347 2,016 3% 1.58 $51.50 Bachelor's degree
29-1062 Family and General Practitioners 8,816 10,683 1,867 21% 0.86 $74.53 First professional degree
11-9111 Medical and Health Services Managers 26,272 28,113 1,841 7% 0.90 $44.92 Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience
29-1031 Dietitians and Nutritionists 5,686 7,488 1,802 32% 0.94 $30.88 Bachelor's degree
29-2011 Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists 12,399 13,761 1,362 11% 0.72 $36.10 Bachelor's degree
29-2034 Radiologic Technologists and Technicians 15,061 16,371 1,310 9% 0.66 $30.16 Associate's degree
29-1071 Physician Assistants 7,688 8,981 1,293 17% 0.95 $43.21 Master's degree
29-1123 Physical Therapists 13,383 14,515 1,132 8% 0.70 $39.20 Master's degree
Switching to the occupations that have grown the quickest:
SOC Code Description 2008 Jobs 2012 Jobs Change % Change 2012 National Location Quotient 2011 Median Hourly Wage Education Level
Source: EMSI Covered Employment - 2012.1
47-4011 Construction and Building Inspectors 10,806 16,546 5,740 53% 1.00 $32.82 Work experience in a related occupation
29-1064 Obstetricians and Gynecologists 2,239 3,071 832 37% 1.24 $86.46 First professional degree
21-1029 Social Workers, All Other 12,537 16,965 4,428 35% 1.62 $26.79 Bachelor's degree
29-1031 Dietitians and Nutritionists 5,686 7,488 1,802 32% 0.94 $30.88 Bachelor's degree
13-1011 Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes 3,237 4,114 877 27% 2.65 $37.51 Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience
13-1061 Emergency Management Specialists 1,068 1,334 266 25% 0.77 $37.10 Work experience in a related occupation
49-2093 Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment 2,133 2,636 503 24% 1.13 $25.98 Postsecondary vocational award
29-1062 Family and General Practitioners 8,816 10,683 1,867 21% 0.86 $74.53 First professional degree
29-1061 Anesthesiologists 3,301 3,988 687 21% 0.89 $93.38 First professional degree
17-2031 Biomedical Engineers 2,916 3,513 597 20% 1.72 $42.87 Bachelor's degree
17-1021 Cartographers and Photogrammetrists 1,052 1,246 194 18% 0.83 $29.39 Bachelor's degree
29-1071 Physician Assistants 7,688 8,981 1,293 17% 0.95 $43.21 Master's degree
49-2095 Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay 1,451 1,694 243 17% 0.60 $38.04 Postsecondary vocational award
19-1021 Biochemists and Biophysicists 4,512 5,199 687 15% 1.85 $40.60 Doctoral degree
31-2011 Occupational Therapist Assistants 1,902 2,188 286 15% 0.67 $28.38 Associate's degree
29-1067 Surgeons 4,175 4,795 620 15% 0.92 $94.68 First professional degree
29-1069 Physicians and Surgeons, All Other 21,118 24,020 2,902 14% 0.74 $92.16 First professional degree
31-2021 Physical Therapist Assistants 4,072 4,626 554 14% 0.59 $27.66 Associate's degree
15-1081 Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts 26,741 29,828 3,087 12% 1.05 $38.59 Bachelor's degree
- Construction & building inspectors grew by 50%. What’s most surprising is that in a crowd of higher-ed-level jobs, this job requires only work experience in a related occupation.
- Emergency management specialists (25%) is the only other job here that takes merely work experience in a related occupation.
- Obstetricians & gynecologists (37%), dietitians & nutritionists (32%), family & general practitioners (21%), and anesthesiologists (21%) are among the several healthcare jobs with the best proportionate growth.
COMPELLING FOR CALIFORNIA
When we talk concentration, we’re basically talking specialization. Measured by location quotient (LQ), concentration tells us how unique and compelling a job is for that particular region.
- Quite predictably, the most concentrated job is entertainers & performers, sports & related workers (4.21 LQ).
- Four of the jobs are related to arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media (SOC code 27). Costume attendants and agents & business managers of artists, performers, and athletes could also join the group hug, though they are from different occupational categories.
- Most of the highly concentrated jobs in California are in decline. Take a look at plasterers & stucco masons, down almost 4,000 jobs (-31%).
- The best-performing job on this list is agents & business managers of artists, performers, and athletes with $37.51/hour wages, 27% growth (877 new jobs), and 2.65 LQ.
| SOC Code | Description | 2008 Jobs | 2012 Jobs | Change | % Change | 2012 National Location Quotient | 2011 Median Hourly Wage | Education Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Source: EMSI Covered Employment - 2012.1 | ||||||||
| 27-2099 | Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers, All Other | 11,986 | 11,663 | (323) | (3%) | 4.21 | $13.50 | Long-term on-the-job training |
| 53-7071 | Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators | 2,041 | 2,445 | 404 | 20% | 3.61 | $13.63 | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| 51-6092 | Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers | 2,971 | 2,306 | (665) | (22%) | 3.57 | $21.95 | Long-term on-the-job training |
| 45-2092 | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 252,778 | 248,760 | (4,018) | (2%) | 3.55 | $8.89 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| 15-2099 | Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | 1,124 | 1,050 | (74) | (7%) | 3.24 | $27.47 | Master's degree |
| 27-4032 | Film and Video Editors | 6,538 | 6,320 | (218) | (3%) | 3.16 | $31.67 | Bachelor's degree |
| 39-3019 | Gaming Service Workers, All Other | 4,361 | 4,029 | (332) | (8%) | 3.11 | $11.94 | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| 27-1014 | Multi-Media Artists and Animators | 9,860 | 9,642 | (218) | (2%) | 2.80 | $33.86 | Bachelor's degree |
| 39-3092 | Costume Attendants | 1,596 | 1,632 | 36 | 2% | 2.77 | $10.63 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| 51-6061 | Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders | 3,755 | 3,230 | (525) | (14%) | 2.66 | $9.22 | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| 13-1011 | Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes | 3,237 | 4,114 | 877 | 27% | 2.65 | $37.51 | Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience |
| 47-2161 | Plasterers and Stucco Masons | 12,241 | 8,424 | (3,817) | (31%) | 2.63 | $21.20 | Long-term on-the-job training |
| 27-4099 | Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other | 5,666 | 5,546 | (120) | (2%) | 2.58 | $25.58 | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| 47-2142 | Paperhangers | 1,902 | 1,230 | (672) | (35%) | 2.52 | $20.34 | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| 19-3041 | Sociologists | 1,194 | 1,221 | 27 | 2% | 2.41 | $34.82 | Master's degree |
| 45-1011 | First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | 12,362 | 12,095 | (267) | (2%) | 2.41 | $16.46 | N/A |
Conclusion
As far as wages and growth are concerned, most of California’s top jobs are in healthcare — particularly physicians & surgeons, family & general practitioners, and obstetricians & gynecologists. Non-healthcare jobs with growth and decent money on their side are construction & building inspectors and network systems & data communications analysts. As for concentration, it probably isn’t a good time to be an entertainer or performer, but it might be fun to find one and become their agent or business manager.
If you would like to learn more, please contact us. Find out more about EMSI and our data here. You can reach us via Twitter @DesktopEcon or by emailing Rob Sentz (rob@economicmodeling.com).
Just wondering about jobs in Solar, such as installation and configuring systems for solar energy, either residential or commercial. My understanding is that this is an untapped job market, with not many people qualified at this time. What is your knowledge about this?
Jill, from what we can tell looking at the limited labor market data on the subject, solar has not been a big job creator yet. This is going to depend on the region, of course. When I went to Indeed.com and typed in “solar” for California, I got 358 returns, 303 of which were full-time jobs ads. But it’s important to keep in mind that some companies post job ads without the intention of hiring — occasionally they just want to collect resumes.