See our other posts on the top jobs in various states.
With Alaska the fifth highest state for GDP growth in 2011, we thought we’d dive in for a closer look at its top jobs for 2012. Which occupations offer the best wages? Which ones are growing the fastest? And which are the most compelling for the state?
Backing up to 2007 in order to factor in the recession, we’ll use Analyst, EMSI’s web-based labor market analysis tool, to filter through Alaska’s estimated 356,000 jobs. Our data comes from EMSI’s 2012.1 Covered Employment Data release, which is drawn from 80+ state and federal data sources.
First, a quick overview. Since 2007, Alaska has grown 5.6%. But it isn’t just the growth that is remarkable; it’s the fact that from 2008 to 2009, when other states were plunging, Alaska stayed steady.
HIGHEST WAGES
As far as wages go, healthcare jobs are at the top: oral & maxillofacial surgeons ($118.93/hour, 2011 median hourly wage), surgeons ($110.03), psychiatrists ($95.71), dentists ($91.27), and more. (Interestingly, orthodontists don’t show up because they’re too small; less than 10 jobs will do that.) All of these jobs have grown since 2007, some of them quite a lot: oral & maxillofacial surgeons by 71% (easy to do when you only have to add 12 jobs) and family & general practitioners by 67% (a bit more impressive: 332 new jobs). This growth in healthcare occupations likely reflects the increasing needs of the aging baby-boomer generation.
The top-paying non-healthcare job is petroleum engineers ($71.64), which has also grown a decent amount (11%, 114 new jobs). And note the sky-high location quotient: 15.89. This indicates Alaska has close to 16 times the concentration, per capita, of petroleum engineers compared to the national average. (See more on concentration below.)
SOC Code Description 2007 Jobs 2012 Jobs Change % Change 2007 National Location Quotient 2012 National Location Quotient 2011 Median Hourly Wage 2011 Avg Hourly Wage Education Level
Source: EMSI Covered Employment - 2012.1
29-1022 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons 17 29 12 71% 1.32 1.10 $118.93 $134.85 First professional degree
29-1067 Surgeons 68 77 9 13% 0.66 0.63 $110.03 $122.83 First professional degree
29-1066 Psychiatrists 25 34 9 36% 0.48 0.55 $95.71 $98.87 First professional degree
29-1021 Dentists, General 135 148 13 10% 0.65 0.63 $91.27 $96.26 First professional degree
29-1064 Obstetricians and Gynecologists 31 46 15 48% 0.67 0.79 $86.25 $96.27 First professional degree
29-1065 Pediatricians, General 44 59 15 34% 0.67 0.72 $84.46 $89.74 First professional degree
29-1069 Physicians and Surgeons, All Other 265 298 33 12% 0.42 0.39 $79.18 $79.44 First professional degree
29-1061 Anesthesiologists 30 35 5 17% 0.35 0.33 $78.79 $90.56 First professional degree
29-1063 Internists, General 39 50 11 28% 0.34 0.37 $78.14 $84.13 First professional degree
17-2171 Petroleum Engineers 1,082 1,196 114 11% 18.89 15.89 $71.64 $74.24 Bachelor's degree
29-1062 Family and General Practitioners 499 831 332 67% 2.21 2.86 $70.92 $72.33 First professional degree
17-2041 Chemical Engineers 71 82 11 15% 0.97 1.08 $66.55 $62.03 Bachelor's degree
11-1011 Chief Executives 1,162 1,174 12 1% 1.50 1.57 $63.67 $70.62 Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience
17-2061 Computer Hardware Engineers 14 15 1 7% 0.09 0.09 $60.12 $60.45 Bachelor's degree
MOST EXCITING GROWTH
Growth can come two different ways: number of new jobs, and percentage growth. Of course, we’re all happiest when the two line up, but usually an occupation gets one or the other. So we’ll look at each type of growth by itself. (Note: We’re filtering for occupations that employ 500+ people and pay at least $25/hour, and we’re excluding education occupations.)
Registered nurses added the most new jobs since 2007 (+746), followed by family & general practitioners (which we’ve already seen), business operations specialists (+307), and accountants & auditors (+266).
SOC Code Description 2007 Jobs 2012 Jobs Change % Change 2007 National Location Quotient 2012 National Location Quotient 2011 Median Hourly Wage 2011 Avg Hourly Wage Education Level
Source: EMSI Covered Employment - 2012.1
29-1111 Registered Nurses 4,830 5,576 746 15% 0.82 0.78 $35.39 $36.00 Associate's degree
29-1062 Family and General Practitioners 499 831 332 67% 2.21 2.86 $70.92 $72.33 First professional degree
13-1199 Business Operations Specialists, All Other 2,132 2,439 307 14% 0.85 0.89 $31.50 $33.43 Bachelor's degree
13-2011 Accountants and Auditors 2,112 2,378 266 13% 0.78 0.79 $28.42 $32.09 Bachelor's degree
47-4041 Hazardous Materials Removal Workers 489 749 260 53% 4.55 5.96 $26.13 $27.98 Moderate-term on-the-job training
47-2073 Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators 2,810 3,055 245 9% 2.75 3.24 $29.46 $29.53 Moderate-term on-the-job training
51-4121 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 783 940 157 20% 0.78 1.00 $30.11 $29.99 Postsecondary vocational award
49-3042 Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines 1,132 1,247 115 10% 3.50 3.86 $30.25 $29.21 Long-term on-the-job training
17-2171 Petroleum Engineers 1,082 1,196 114 11% 18.89 15.89 $71.64 $74.24 Bachelor's degree
11-9111 Medical and Health Services Managers 826 939 113 14% 1.31 1.28 $35.50 $40.69 Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience
11-3011 Administrative Services Managers 1,298 1,398 100 8% 2.15 2.20 $30.87 $32.50 Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience
Family & general practitioners had the best proportionate growth (67%). Hazardous materials removal workers (53%), welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (20%), and management analysts (18%) are the next highest.
SOC Code Description 2007 Jobs 2012 Jobs Change % Change 2007 National Location Quotient 2012 National Location Quotient 2011 Median Hourly Wage 2011 Avg Hourly Wage Education Level
Source: EMSI Covered Employment - 2012.1
29-1062 Family and General Practitioners 499 831 332 67% 2.21 2.86 $70.92 $72.33 First professional degree
47-4041 Hazardous Materials Removal Workers 489 749 260 53% 4.55 5.96 $26.13 $27.98 Moderate-term on-the-job training
51-4121 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 783 940 157 20% 0.78 1.00 $30.11 $29.99 Postsecondary vocational award
13-1111 Management Analysts 546 643 97 18% 0.41 0.42 $31.68 $32.82 Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience
29-2021 Dental Hygienists 498 586 88 18% 1.26 1.21 $47.50 $46.49 Associate's degree
29-1111 Registered Nurses 4,830 5,576 746 15% 0.82 0.78 $35.39 $36.00 Associate's degree
13-1199 Business Operations Specialists, All Other 2,132 2,439 307 14% 0.85 0.89 $31.50 $33.43 Bachelor's degree
11-9111 Medical and Health Services Managers 826 939 113 14% 1.31 1.28 $35.50 $40.69 Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience
21-1012 Educational, Vocational, and School Counselors 479 544 65 14% 0.82 0.82 $30.45 $30.46 Master's degree
13-2011 Accountants and Auditors 2,112 2,378 266 13% 0.78 0.79 $28.42 $32.09 Bachelor's degree
51-8031 Water and Liquid Waste Treatment Plant and System Operators 637 717 80 13% 2.46 2.50 $27.98 $26.03 Long-term on-the-job training
13-1079 Human Resources, Training, and Labor Relations Specialists, All Other 485 544 59 12% 0.91 0.90 $28.02 $29.32 Bachelor's degree
17-2171 Petroleum Engineers 1,082 1,196 114 11% 18.89 15.89 $71.64 $74.24 Bachelor's degree
17-2071 Electrical Engineers 640 707 67 10% 1.68 1.80 $48.99 $47.43 Bachelor's degree
49-3042 Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines 1,132 1,247 115 10% 3.50 3.86 $30.25 $29.21 Long-term on-the-job training
Overall, the occupations with the best total growth are family & general practitioners, hazardous materials removal workers, and registered nurses.
GREATEST CONCENTRATION
Now it’s time to talk about location quotient, or LQ, which is used to measure the concentration of a job in a particular region. Concentration or specialization tells us how unique and compelling the occupation is for the state. High LQs indicate high levels of concentration. The national average is 1.00.
Zoologists & wildlife biologists (LQ 19.54), petroleum engineers (15.89), and roustabouts, oil & gas (12.02) are the most concentrated occupations in Alaska. (Again, we’re filtering for jobs that employ 500+.) And note how many of the jobs are related to transportation and material-moving (SOC code 53): captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (9.65), air traffic controllers (8.54), sailors & marine oilers (7.87), commercial pilots (6.38), material moving workers, all other (5.84), and airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (4.90).
SOC Code Description 2007 Jobs 2012 Jobs Change % Change 2007 National Location Quotient 2012 National Location Quotient 2011 Median Hourly Wage 2011 Avg Hourly Wage Education Level
Source: EMSI Covered Employment - 2012.1
19-1023 Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists 939 916 (23) (2%) 21.99 19.54 $29.99 $30.09 Bachelor's degree
17-2171 Petroleum Engineers 1,082 1,196 114 11% 18.89 15.89 $71.64 $74.24 Bachelor's degree
47-5071 Roustabouts, Oil and Gas 1,941 2,359 418 22% 12.65 12.02 $24.15 $24.88 Moderate-term on-the-job training
53-5021 Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels 759 824 65 9% 9.78 9.65 $24.97 $28.47 Work experience in a related occupation
53-2021 Air Traffic Controllers 637 690 53 8% 8.62 8.54 $42.15 $40.15 Long-term on-the-job training
53-5011 Sailors and Marine Oilers 654 701 47 7% 7.98 7.87 $18.81 $19.02 Short-term on-the-job training
51-8093 Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers 897 926 29 3% 8.26 7.57 $45.88 $45.01 Long-term on-the-job training
39-6021 Tour Guides and Escorts 668 636 (32) (5%) 8.16 7.22 $14.44 $14.42 Moderate-term on-the-job training
51-3022 Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers 3,715 3,107 (608) (16%) 8.82 7.02 $8.94 $9.27 Short-term on-the-job training
19-4093 Forest and Conservation Technicians 582 587 5 1% 7.41 6.77 $17.07 $19.07 Associate's degree
53-2012 Commercial Pilots 574 547 (27) (5%) 7.40 6.38 $32.31 $36.56 Postsecondary vocational award
47-4041 Hazardous Materials Removal Workers 489 749 260 53% 4.55 5.96 $26.13 $27.98 Moderate-term on-the-job training
53-7199 Material Moving Workers, All Other 590 563 (27) (5%) 6.07 5.84 $18.42 $19.60 Moderate-term on-the-job training
51-8013 Power Plant Operators 369 555 186 50% 4.18 5.47 $19.45 $21.32 Long-term on-the-job training
53-2011 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers 1,030 1,083 53 5% 5.14 4.90 $39.92 $43.45 Bachelor's degree
55-9999 Military Occupations 26,515 26,770 255 1% 5.33 4.82 $22.05 $23.27 N/A
11-9121 Natural Sciences Managers 489 511 22 4% 4.48 4.28 $43.24 $44.33 Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience
49-3011 Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians 1,352 1,282 (70) (5%) 4.81 4.25 $28.56 $28.51 Postsecondary vocational award
CONCLUSION
Putting it all together, the top jobs for Alaska are petroleum engineers, family & general practitioners, hazardous materials removal workers, and registered nurses. Solid growth and, for a couple of them, crazy wages and concentration make these worth a look in 2012 if you’re thinking about switching jobs — or switching states.
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).
