2024 Hiring Outlook: Jobs Data to Elevate Your Staffing Strategy

PeopleReady shares a hiring market summary including exclusive jobs data in a variety of industries along with jobs to watch in 2024.

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what jobs will be in demand in 2024

Exclusive jobs data across a variety of industries

Last year, the hiring market went through a number of changes and challenges, including skills shortages, supply chain issues and economic pressures. Looking ahead to 2024, there are positive signs on the horizon.

As your trusted staffing partner, PeopleReady is dedicated to providing you with the information you need to make smart decisions and stay ahead in your staffing efforts. Our new workforce data report is designed to give your business a clear understanding of the job market in the upcoming year.

Since the publication of our 2023 mid-year report, covering the first half of 2023 from January to June, we’ve noticed encouraging overall numbers. This suggests increased demand for various essential roles across a number of industries.

So, what jobs will be in demand in 2024? PeopleReady has compiled 2023 jobs numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics along with exclusive jobs data across a variety of industries. This includes a summary of employment numbers, wage information and jobs to watch in 2024.

Jobs icon with an up arrow

Jobs Added

2.7 million

year over year

Unemployment icon with an up arrow

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

3.7%

up from 3.5% in December 2022

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WAGE CHANGE

+4.1%

year over year

2023 jobs data for key industries

What jobs are in demand? Jump to an industry by clicking a button below.

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Construction

Total employment as of December 2023: 8.06 million
Unemployment rate as of December 2023: 4.4%
Jobs added in 2023 (based on payroll numbers): 197,000
Job postings in 2023: 892,000
Average hourly wage as of December 2023: $37.24 ⇧ 4.6% YoY

CONSTRUCTION JOBS TO WATCH

CARPENTERS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 26,783
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 62.9%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $25.05

PLUMBERS, PIPEFITTERS & STEAMFITTERS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 21,653
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 8.4%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $31.20

ELECTRICIANS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 30,526
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇩ 0.1%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $30.71

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Manufacturing

Total employment as of December 2023: 12.99 million
Unemployment rate as of December 2023: 3.0%
Jobs added in 2023 (based on payroll numbers): 12,000
Job postings in 2023: 2.50 million
Average hourly wage as of December 2023: $33.25 ⇧ 5.6% YoY

MANUFACTURING JOBS TO WATCH

FREIGHT, STOCK & MATERIAL MOVERS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 252,132
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 12.2%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $18.06

PACKERS & PACKAGERS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 20,000
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 9.3%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $17.05

STOCKERS & ORDER FILLERS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 153,043
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 7.6%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $17.91

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Retail

Total employment as of December 2023: 15.54 million
Unemployment rate as of December 2023: 4.1%
Jobs added in 2023 (based on payroll numbers): 65,500
Job postings in 2023: 3.52 million
Average hourly wage as of December 2023: $24.33 ⇧ 3.8% YoY

RETAIL JOBS TO WATCH

RETAIL SALESPERSONS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 588,695
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 27.0%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $16.71

CASHIERS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 117,505
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 12.9%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $15.48

COUNTER & RENTAL CLERKS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 14,712
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 6.2%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $18.03

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Hospitality

Total employment as of December 2023: 16.78 million
Unemployment rate as of December 2023: 4.8%
Jobs added in 2023 (based on payroll numbers): 466,000
Job postings in 2023: 2.53 million
Average hourly wage as of December 2023: $21.60 ⇧ 3.9% YoY

HOSPITALITY JOBS TO WATCH

HOSTS & HOSTESSES
Job postings, July-December 2023: 66,088
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 13.5%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $15.60

FAST FOOD & COUNTER WORKERS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 279,964
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 10.7%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $16.71

DISHWASHERS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 63,559
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 6.2%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $15.29

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Cleaning & Janitorial

Total employment as of December 2023: 502,000
Unemployment rate as of December 2023: 1.7%
Jobs added in 2023 (based on payroll numbers): 19,000
Job postings in 2023: 4.42 million
Average hourly wage as of December 2023: $27.30 ⇧ 2.4% YoY

CLEANING JOBS TO WATCH

JANITORS & CLEANERS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 167,869
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 13.7%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $16.46

CLEANERS OF VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT
Job postings, July-December 2023: 623,971
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 9.8%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $16.09

MAIDS & HOUSEKEEPERS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 109,190
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 5.8%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $16.06

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Energy*

Total employment as of December 2023: 561,800
Unemployment rate as of December 2023: 1.4%
Jobs added in 2023 (based on payroll numbers): 55,000
Job postings in 2023: 175,800
Average hourly wage as of December 2023: $49.78 ⇧ 2.8% YoY

*Utilities Sector (BLS)

ENERGY JOBS TO WATCH

SHEET METAL WORKERS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 8,218
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 0.1%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $22.71

WELDERS, CUTTERS, SOLDERERS & BRAZERS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 22,899
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇩ 0.1%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $22.58

SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC INSTALLERS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 2,632
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇩ 2.2%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $25.54

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Business & Professional Services

Total employment as of December 2023: 22.95 million
Unemployment rate as of December 2023: 3.9%
Jobs added in 2023 (based on payroll numbers): 132,000
Job postings in 2023: 7.85 million
Average hourly wage as of December 2023: $41.29 ⇧ 4.5%

BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES JOBS TO WATCH

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 53,679
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇩ 1.3%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $52.86

ACTUARIES
Job postings, July-December 2023: 5,927
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇩ 1.3%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $59.51

STATISTICIANS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 6,214
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇩ 1.6%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $51.63

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Education & Health Services

Total employment as of December 2023: 25.88 million
Unemployment rate as of December 2023: 2.2%
Jobs added in 2023 (based on payroll numbers): 1.05 million
Job postings in 2023: 7.55 million
Average hourly wage as of December 2023: $33.38 ⇧ 2.5% YoY

EDUCATION & HEALTH SERVICES JOBS TO WATCH

PHARMACY TECHNICIANS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 66,002
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 2.7%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $20.00

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 2,958
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 1.4%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $24.60

PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSISTANTS
Job postings, July-December 2023: 29,697
Jobs change from January-June 2023: ⇧ 1.0%
Median hourly wage as advertised: $31.48

About PeopleReady

PeopleReady connects people with work in 600-plus communities throughout North America, including the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. We put a Workforce Within Reach™ across a variety of industries, such as hospitality, retail, manufacturing, construction and more. If you’re struggling to find workers in this competitive market, contact PeopleReady and learn more about our staffing solutions.

SOURCES

  1. U.S. BLS, Local Area Unemployment Statistics
  2. Lightcast, January 3, 2024

Have staffing needs for 2024?

PeopleReady, a TrueBlue company (NYSE: TBI), specializes in quick and reliable on-demand labor and highly skilled workers. PeopleReady supports a wide range of industries, including construction, manufacturing and logistics, retail and hospitality. Leveraging its game-changing JobStack staffing app and presence in more than 600 markets throughout North America, PeopleReady served approximately 83,000 businesses and put approximately 226,000 people to work in 2022.