The Top Ten Jobs in the United States (They Don’t Pay Well)

The American job market is a strange beast. 

On the surface, we’re told unemployment is low, opportunities are abundant and everything is just fine. 

But scratch a little deeper, and you’ll find a workforce drowning in low-paying, dead-end jobs while the government fiddles with the numbers to keep up appearances. 

A ‘job’ doesn’t always mean financial security. Millions are just scraping by. So, what are the most common jobs in the US, and what do they actually pay? 

Let’s take a look at the reality behind the statistics.

US Employment Rates

According to ‘our’ glorious leaders, the unemployment rate in the Land of the Free is heading down.

If only this were the case. 

Sadly, the government must lie about employment statistics to ensure their propaganda campaigns about their relevance continue to work, people continue to pay their extortion and the Federal Reserve can continue to print funny money without being questioned.

Shadow statistics show a slightly different picture of US employment numbers. But why is this?

Two factors are at play here:

• Long-term discouraged workers
• Short-term discouraged workers

Notice the similarity of ‘discouraged workers’ – neither of these groups is counted in the government’s version of unemployment.

And this isn’t a surprise. Most of the statistics you hear from governments are padded or cooked in some way to suit their agenda.

However, the real employment statistics only tell half the story of what is going on with the Land of the Free.

Unemployment is just as big of an issue. Even if we believe the government’s numbers, the types of jobs people are taking are surely an important issue to consider. 

Top 10 Jobs in the US 

Let’s take a look at the top ten jobs in the United States based on Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) statistics so we can make a reasonable assessment of the condition of the economy as a whole.

1. Home Health and Personal Care Aides

• 3.68 million workers 
• Average earning: US$30,180

Home health and personal care aides are workers who help people with disabilities or chronic illnesses. They work in the homes of their clients, assisting them with their conditions and daily activities. 

These workers typically require a high school diploma and formal training if working with an agency.  

The amount of home health and personal care aide jobs is predicted to rise by 21% over the next decade, more than any of the other jobs on the list.

2. Retail Salespersons

• 3.68 million workers
• Average earning: US$30,600

The second biggest occupation of Americans earns, on average, about US$15/hour. 

Retail salespeople sell retail merchandise, such as clothing, furniture, and automobiles, as well as spare and replacement parts and equipment, especially car parts. 

Both types of workers help customers find the products they want and process customers’ payments. 

The education level required to get an entry-level job in this arena is less than high school.

3. Fast Food and Counter Workers

• 3.67 million workers
• Average earning US$27,930
  

The demand for fast-food restaurants continues to rocket in the United States and has now created more than 3.6 million jobs across the country. 

Workers are responsible for taking orders as well as preparing and serving food. No formal education is required.

4. General and Operations Managers

• 3.5 million workers
• Average earning: US$98,100
  

General and operations managers are required in most industries. These individuals are tasked with planning and directing the operations of a group of workers or entire departments. 

Wages rise as you climb the corporate ladder, and BLS statistics suggest that the average operations manager brings in US$98,100 per year.

5. Cashiers

•  3.29 million workers
• Average earning: US$28,730

Cashiers make an average of US$14/hour. Cashiers handle payments from customers purchasing goods and services. 

This job is slowly becoming automated, especially in grocery stores where self-checkout is becoming a popular option.  

The education level required here is less than high school.

6. Registered Nurses

• 3.17 million workers
• Average earning: US$81,220

Nurses make an average of US$39/hour. There is currently a shortage of registered nurses at national and state levels in the US, so job prospects are solid at this point. 

It has been projected that 5.6% more nursing jobs will be created in the next decade. 

The education requirement is an associate’s degree.

7. Labourers and Freight and Material Movers

• 3 million workers
• Average earning: US$36,110

These workers make an average of US$17/hour. 

Hard work and low pay – most people can’t sustain this kind of work their whole lives. 

8. Stockers and Order Fillers

• 2.87 million workers
• Average earning: US$34,220

Stockers and order fillers make about US$16.45/hour. 

These are people who stock shelves in retail stores or warehouses. Required education is less than high school.

9. Customer Service Representatives

• 2.85 million workers 
• Average earning: US$37,780

Customer service people make about US$18/hour on average. 

They typically handle customer complaints, process orders and provide information about an organisation’s products and services. 

The education level required is usually a high school diploma or equivalent.

10. Office Clerks and General Employment

• 2.49 million workers
• Average earning: US$40,480

Office clerks and general office workers perform a wide range of duties to keep corporate offices running. This could be anything from bookkeeping to answering telephones, managing administration, typing, filing or operating office machines.

Most workers in this field earn an hourly wage of US$19.46.

Fastest Growing Jobs in the US

While the jobs above are the most popular right now, it’s important to understand the direction the job market is taking.

The following occupations are projected to grow the fastest over the next decade, driven by advancements in technology, healthcare demand and renewable energy:

• Wind Turbine Service Technicians – 60% growth
• Solar Photovoltaic Installers – 48% growth
• Nurse Practitioners – 46% growth
• Data Scientists – 36% growth
• Information Security Analysts – 33% growth
• Medical and Health Services Managers – 29% growth
• Physician Assistants – 28% growth
• Computer and Information Research Scientists – 26% growth
• Physical Therapist Assistants – 25% growth
• Operations Research Analysts – 23% growth
• Occupational Therapy Assistants – 22% growth
• Actuaries – 22% growth
• Financial Examiners – 21% growth
• Home Health and Personal Care Aides – 21% growth
• Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers – 19% growth
• Veterinary Technologists and Technicians – 19% growth
• Logisticians – 19% growth
• Veterinarians – 19% growth.

Top Ten Jobs in the US: FAQs

Navigating the Future of Employment in the US

The average salary among the top 20 jobs in the United States is US$45,309. This figure is escalated by the presence of high-paying jobs like general and operations managers, nurses, accountants and auditors.

There’s a common assumption that everything is okay if you ‘have a job’. The economy is rolling along just fine as long as there are ‘jobs’.

The reality is you can even have two or three jobs and still be living in poverty. In America, there could be 0% unemployment, but the majority live at or below the poverty line. Is this a prosperous nation? Is this the American Dream?

The middle class is dying off. It may be tough to see for many people who live in relatively affluent areas, but this trend of a declining middle class is not good for the future of economic conditions.

Most Americans know deep down that something is fundamentally broken. A CNBC survey once showed that most people think the economy is either ‘fair’ or ‘poor’.

At this point, you might be thinking that you’ve seen the doom and gloom. What about some solutions? What can we do to not be part of this inevitable decline and possible collapse?

First of all, you need to get your money and your assets offshore. In this environment, things may change quickly and harshly. Protection of any assets you have is essential to preserving wealth.

Next, getting a second passport will give you the freedom to travel and the option to get out if it comes down to that.

Finally, not having your business tied just to the Land of the Free for its survival will protect you from a personal financial collapse. Lifestyle design becomes less of a luxury and more of a necessity.

You’ve heard the saying about crisis bringing opportunity. That’s the important thing here. 

Rather than wallow in negativity about the overall situation, it’s important to take charge of your own future and take advantage of the opportunities that rise from the ashes of the US decline.

While the poor complain, the rich get ahead.

At Nomad Capitalist, we help people to ‘go where they’re treated best’ by moving their investments offshore or securing a second residency or second citizenship. Click to learn more about our holistic Nomad Capitalist plans.