Growth Occupations in Arkansas thru 2026

Top Growing Occupations

Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, including Fast Food with a numeric change of 6,872 jobs, is projected to be the top growing occupation thru 2026.  Personal Care Aides is slated to add 6,533 to its workforce.  In all, the top 20 growing occupations for the 2016-2026 time frame are expected to add 57,882 jobs to the Arkansas job market.

SOC Code SOC Title 2016 Estimated Employment 2026 Projected Employment Numeric Change
35-3021 Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food 30,865 37,737 6,872
39-9021 Personal Care Aides 17,118 23,651 6,533
41-2031 Retail Salespersons 38,410 43,249 4,839
29-1141 Registered Nurses 24,535 28,403 3,868
53-3032 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 36,412 39,963 3,551
31-1014 Nursing Assistants 18,283 21,617 3,334
11-1021 General and Operations Managers 21,180 23,901 2,721
31-1011 Home Health Aides 7,423 10,032 2,609
11-9013 Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers 60,500 63,081 2,581
35-3031 Waiters and Waitresses 19,399 21,826 2,427
43-5081 Stock Clerks and Order Fillers 17,739 20,062 2,323
37-2011 Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 19,488 21,710 2,222
53-7062 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 24,343 26,477 2,134
41-1011 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 16,474 18,362 1,888
35-2014 Cooks, Restaurant 10,291 12,161 1,870
41-2011 Cashiers 34,499 36,288 1,789
29-2061 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses 12,647 14,365 1,718
39-9011 Childcare Workers 12,086 13,706 1,620
41-4012 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products 14,473 16,016 1,543
35-1012 First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 9,636 11,076 1,440

Fastest Growing Occupations

The fastest growing occupation thru 2026 is projected to be Physician Assistants with 40.36 percent change expected.  Personal Care Aides is slated to be second, growing at a rate of 38.16 percent.  Eleven of the occupations on this list are directly connected to the healthcare field.  Several other occupations are indirectly connected to the health and wellbeing of others. The average percent change among these top 20 fastest growing occupations is 32.43 percent.

SOC Code SOC Title 2016 Estimated Employment 2026 Projected Employment Percent Change
29-1071 Physician Assistants 607 852 40.36%
39-9021 Personal Care Aides 17,118 23,651 38.16%
29-1171 Nurse Practitioners 1,691 2,319 37.14%
33-2022 Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists 167 227 35.93%
15-1132 Software Developers, Applications 2,279 3,094 35.76%
31-2011 Occupational Therapy Assistants 281 380 35.23%
31-1011 Home Health Aides 7,423 10,032 35.15%
15-2031 Operations Research Analysts 449 602 34.08%
31-2021 Physical Therapist Assistants 1,068 1,402 31.27%
31-2022 Physical Therapist Aides 290 380 31.03%
29-1122 Occupational Therapists 1,119 1,464 30.83%
21-1013 Marriage and Family Therapists 78 102 30.77%
31-9092 Medical Assistants 3,161 4,132 30.72%
29-1123 Physical Therapists 2,179 2,846 30.61%
13-1161 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists 3,400 4,439 30.56%
31-9011 Massage Therapists 464 600 29.31%
21-1014 Mental Health Counselors 851 1,095 28.67%
21-1023 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers 865 1,109 28.21%
27-4032 Film and Video Editors 116 148 27.59%
29-1127 Speech-Language Pathologists 2,000 2,544 27.20%