Fastest declining jobs in Maine, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Maine, most negative first. A declining projection does not mean a job is disappearing — most of these still hire steadily to replace people who leave.

State projections are produced by Maine's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in Maine run 3.0% below the national average (2024), so a Maine salary is worth about 1.03× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Maine.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Maine

OccupationMedian, Maine · Growth 2024–34

1Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$57,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,370 – $79,040-20.7%
2Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$61,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,310 – $83,340-20.0%
3Tellers$42,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,320 – $46,910-18.7%
4Helpers--Production Workers$44,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,180 – $57,910-17.3%
5Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$59,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,880 – $62,250-16.9%
6Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$48,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,070 – $63,120-16.8%
7Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$47,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,860 – $60,480-16.4%
8Cooks, Fast Food$36,350
No formal educational credential
$31,350 – $44,280-14.8%
9Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$59,540
Master's degree
$36,580 – $83,640-14.5%
10Correctional Officers and Jailers$52,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,640 – $60,510-13.4%
11Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$46,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,230 – $56,590-13.1%
12Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$61,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,220 – $84,730-12.6%
13Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$47,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,430 – $63,030-12.2%
14Customer Service Representatives$47,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,930 – $63,490-11.5%
15Food Preparation Workers$36,030
No formal educational credential
$31,150 – $46,400-11.4%
16Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$37,380
No formal educational credential
$34,640 – $44,190-11.3%
17Paralegals and Legal Assistants$62,420
Associate's degree
$48,260 – $80,550-11.3%
18Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$58,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,470 – $80,850-10.7%
19Packers and Packagers, Hand$36,330
No formal educational credential
$30,470 – $45,860-10.6%
20Office Clerks, General$45,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,430 – $60,010-10.3%
21Cashiers$34,930
No formal educational credential
$30,770 – $38,890-10.1%
22Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$78,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,180 – $104,490-10.1%
23Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$53,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,200 – $79,730-9.9%
24Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$50,510
Some college, no degree
$40,000 – $69,990-9.8%
25First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$53,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,600 – $76,070-9.8%
26Food Batchmakers$42,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,320 – $56,160-9.8%
27Cost Estimators$74,080
Bachelor's degree
$41,450 – $123,040-9.5%
28Retail Salespersons$36,640
No formal educational credential
$31,300 – $49,500-9.4%
29Loan Interviewers and Clerks$50,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,870 – $61,600-9.2%
30Roofers$50,120
No formal educational credential
$44,890 – $64,430-8.9%
31Cooks, Short Order$35,360
No formal educational credential
$32,150 – $41,600-8.4%
32Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$43,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,810 – $49,320-8.4%
33Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$61,740
Bachelor's degree
$49,080 – $139,640-8.2%
34Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$63,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,690 – $107,460-8.2%
35Crossing Guards and Flaggers$40,140
No formal educational credential
$36,610 – $46,170-8.0%
36Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$42,170
No formal educational credential
$31,850 – $57,180-7.8%
37First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$82,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,880 – $133,890-7.8%
38Loan Officers$81,900
Bachelor's degree
$46,710 – $140,680-7.1%
39Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$60,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,200 – $92,100-7.0%
40Insurance Underwriters$95,510
Bachelor's degree
$62,730 – $133,390-6.9%
41Sewing Machine Operators$43,520
No formal educational credential
$32,760 – $49,460-6.5%
42Construction and Building Inspectors$74,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,340 – $102,500-6.3%
43Amusement and Recreation Attendants$35,330
No formal educational credential
$30,800 – $44,240-6.2%
44Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$64,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,850 – $88,160-6.2%
45Network and Computer Systems Administrators$83,890
Bachelor's degree
$61,530 – $121,430-6.2%
46Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$43,890
Associate's degree
$36,170 – $60,110-6.2%
47Production Workers, All Other$46,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,400 – $68,720-6.2%
48Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$55,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,530 – $81,700-6.2%
49Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$49,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,530 – $63,470-6.0%
50First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$78,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,340 – $106,130-5.9%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianMaine	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,360	$43,370 – $79,040	-20.7%
2	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,780	$47,310 – $83,340	-20.0%
3	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,890	$37,320 – $46,910	-18.7%
4	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,120	$33,180 – $57,910	-17.3%
5	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,660	$42,880 – $62,250	-16.9%
6	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,040	$35,070 – $63,120	-16.8%
7	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,240	$37,860 – $60,480	-16.4%
8	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$36,350	$31,350 – $44,280	-14.8%
9	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$59,540	$36,580 – $83,640	-14.5%
10	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,730	$44,640 – $60,510	-13.4%
11	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,210	$37,230 – $56,590	-13.1%
12	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,870	$49,220 – $84,730	-12.6%
13	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,160	$37,430 – $63,030	-12.2%
14	Customer Service RepresentativesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,160	$35,930 – $63,490	-11.5%
15	Food Preparation WorkersNo formal educational credential	$36,030	$31,150 – $46,400	-11.4%
16	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$37,380	$34,640 – $44,190	-11.3%
17	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,420	$48,260 – $80,550	-11.3%
18	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,890	$42,470 – $80,850	-10.7%
19	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$36,330	$30,470 – $45,860	-10.6%
20	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,300	$34,430 – $60,010	-10.3%
21	CashiersNo formal educational credential	$34,930	$30,770 – $38,890	-10.1%
22	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,590	$60,180 – $104,490	-10.1%
23	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,570	$34,200 – $79,730	-9.9%
24	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksSome college, no degree	$50,510	$40,000 – $69,990	-9.8%
25	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,580	$41,600 – $76,070	-9.8%
26	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,260	$36,320 – $56,160	-9.8%
27	Cost EstimatorsBachelor's degree	$74,080	$41,450 – $123,040	-9.5%
28	Retail SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$36,640	$31,300 – $49,500	-9.4%
29	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,020	$44,870 – $61,600	-9.2%
30	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$50,120	$44,890 – $64,430	-8.9%
31	Cooks, Short OrderNo formal educational credential	$35,360	$32,150 – $41,600	-8.4%
32	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,830	$37,810 – $49,320	-8.4%
33	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$61,740	$49,080 – $139,640	-8.2%
34	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,960	$42,690 – $107,460	-8.2%
35	Crossing Guards and FlaggersNo formal educational credential	$40,140	$36,610 – $46,170	-8.0%
36	Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural AnimalsNo formal educational credential	$42,170	$31,850 – $57,180	-7.8%
37	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,910	$48,880 – $133,890	-7.8%
38	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$81,900	$46,710 – $140,680	-7.1%
39	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,200	$35,200 – $92,100	-7.0%
40	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$95,510	$62,730 – $133,390	-6.9%
41	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$43,520	$32,760 – $49,460	-6.5%
42	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,670	$48,340 – $102,500	-6.3%
43	Amusement and Recreation AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$35,330	$30,800 – $44,240	-6.2%
44	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,100	$49,850 – $88,160	-6.2%
45	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$83,890	$61,530 – $121,430	-6.2%
46	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$43,890	$36,170 – $60,110	-6.2%
47	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,470	$38,400 – $68,720	-6.2%
48	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,150	$39,530 – $81,700	-6.2%
49	Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,820	$39,530 – $63,470	-6.0%
50	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,970	$48,340 – $106,130	-5.9%

More for Maine

Metro areas in Maine

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Maine

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Maine to rank honestly.

Fastest declining jobs in Maine, 2024–34

More for Maine

Metro areas in Maine

By field in Maine

Without a degree

Fastest declining jobs in each state, 2024–34