Fastest declining jobs in Washington, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Washington, 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 Washington'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 Washington run 7.0% above the national average (2024), so a Washington salary is worth about 0.93× 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 Washington.

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

Find high paying jobs in Washington

OccupationMedian, Washington · Growth 2024–34

1News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$54,760
Bachelor's degree
$39,160 – $125,750-15.8%
2Logging Workers, All Other$67,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,680 – $94,700-14.4%
3Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service$47,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,850 – $60,590-12.3%
4Print Binding and Finishing Workers$45,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,300 – $62,380-11.1%
5Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,670 – $61,690-11.0%
6Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$59,490
No formal educational credential
$45,530 – $75,280-9.0%
7Travel Agents$55,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,190 – $92,390-9.0%
8Floral Designers$44,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,710 – $56,560-8.4%
9Dental Laboratory Technicians$56,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,970 – $78,340-7.9%
10Logging Equipment Operators$75,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,300 – $83,750-7.7%
11Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other$65,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,210 – $110,420-7.6%
12Machine Feeders and Offbearers$45,600
No formal educational credential
$38,790 – $56,300-7.5%
13Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,470 – $70,510-7.4%
14Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$48,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,590 – $66,570-7.3%
15Tapers$79,040
No formal educational credential
$50,650 – $103,880-7.2%
16Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$49,050
Some college, no degree
$39,090 – $74,830-7.0%
17Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$52,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,990 – $61,440-6.5%
18Helpers--Carpenters$46,060
No formal educational credential
$41,990 – $60,040-6.2%
19Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters$76,180
No formal educational credential
$52,430 – $107,610-6.1%
20Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,880 – $70,000-5.6%
21Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$59,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,640 – $74,410-5.5%
22Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$44,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,560 – $69,960-4.9%
23Tile and Stone Setters$77,920
No formal educational credential
$56,560 – $102,720-4.4%
24Postal Service Clerks$61,570
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030-4.3%
25Data Entry Keyers$47,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,070 – $63,790-4.3%
26Postal Service Mail Carriers$59,990
No formal educational credential
$43,120 – $81,040-4.2%
27Sewing Machine Operators$43,360
No formal educational credential
$37,180 – $50,180-4.0%
28Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers$73,130
No formal educational credential
$50,360 – $127,970-3.9%
29Brickmasons and Blockmasons$83,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,240 – $113,100-3.8%
30Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall$67,750
No formal educational credential
$45,380 – $132,770-3.7%
31Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$51,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,730 – $63,180-3.4%
32Furniture Finishers$42,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,420 – $60,650-3.3%
33Production Workers, All Other$47,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,650 – $79,580-3.2%
34Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,630 – $70,320-3.2%
35Printing Press Operators$49,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,660 – $70,030-3.2%
36Carpet Installers$54,830
No formal educational credential
$43,490 – $138,980-3.1%
37Glaziers$66,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,650 – $131,280-2.9%
38Helpers--Production Workers$45,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,020 – $60,560-2.8%
39Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic$51,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,010 – $68,170-2.8%
40Painters, Construction and Maintenance$59,650
No formal educational credential
$45,450 – $80,330-2.7%
41Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders$58,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,200 – $72,680-2.7%
42Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,770 – $77,110-2.5%
43Designers, All Other$57,510
Bachelor's degree
$46,030 – $111,970-2.3%
44Agricultural Workers, All Other$43,930
No formal educational credential
$35,210 – $89,510-2.1%
45Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials$37,620
No formal educational credential
$35,820 – $46,280-2.0%
46Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$43,010
No formal educational credential
$36,600 – $52,470-2.0%
47Slaughterers and Meat Packers$45,100
No formal educational credential
$40,610 – $55,740-1.9%
48Roofers$60,640
No formal educational credential
$47,860 – $104,000-1.9%
49Locomotive Engineers$73,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,610 – $91,140-1.9%
50Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$51,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,060 – $60,660-1.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianWashington	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	News Analysts, Reporters, and JournalistsBachelor's degree	$54,760	$39,160 – $125,750	-15.8%
2	Logging Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,650	$46,680 – $94,700	-14.4%
3	Switchboard Operators, Including Answering ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,800	$36,850 – $60,590	-12.3%
4	Print Binding and Finishing WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,300	$36,300 – $62,380	-11.1%
5	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,230	$39,670 – $61,690	-11.0%
6	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$59,490	$45,530 – $75,280	-9.0%
7	Travel AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,260	$45,190 – $92,390	-9.0%
8	Floral DesignersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,460	$37,710 – $56,560	-8.4%
9	Dental Laboratory TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,400	$39,970 – $78,340	-7.9%
10	Logging Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,140	$61,300 – $83,750	-7.7%
11	Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,760	$36,210 – $110,420	-7.6%
12	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$45,600	$38,790 – $56,300	-7.5%
13	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,430	$42,470 – $70,510	-7.4%
14	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,710	$39,590 – $66,570	-7.3%
15	TapersNo formal educational credential	$79,040	$50,650 – $103,880	-7.2%
16	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$49,050	$39,090 – $74,830	-7.0%
17	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,980	$43,990 – $61,440	-6.5%
18	Helpers--CarpentersNo formal educational credential	$46,060	$41,990 – $60,040	-6.2%
19	Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble SettersNo formal educational credential	$76,180	$52,430 – $107,610	-6.1%
20	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,290	$38,880 – $70,000	-5.6%
21	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,410	$44,640 – $74,410	-5.5%
22	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,510	$39,560 – $69,960	-4.9%
23	Tile and Stone SettersNo formal educational credential	$77,920	$56,560 – $102,720	-4.4%
24	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$61,570	$42,600 – $75,030	-4.3%
25	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,480	$38,070 – $63,790	-4.3%
26	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$59,990	$43,120 – $81,040	-4.2%
27	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$43,360	$37,180 – $50,180	-4.0%
28	Drywall and Ceiling Tile InstallersNo formal educational credential	$73,130	$50,360 – $127,970	-3.9%
29	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,190	$55,240 – $113,100	-3.8%
30	Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and WallNo formal educational credential	$67,750	$45,380 – $132,770	-3.7%
31	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,940	$39,730 – $63,180	-3.4%
32	Furniture FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,990	$36,420 – $60,650	-3.3%
33	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,060	$40,650 – $79,580	-3.2%
34	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,300	$38,630 – $70,320	-3.2%
35	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,800	$39,660 – $70,030	-3.2%
36	Carpet InstallersNo formal educational credential	$54,830	$43,490 – $138,980	-3.1%
37	GlaziersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,860	$46,650 – $131,280	-2.9%
38	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,450	$37,020 – $60,560	-2.8%
39	Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,780	$43,010 – $68,170	-2.8%
40	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$59,650	$45,450 – $80,330	-2.7%
41	Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,580	$47,200 – $72,680	-2.7%
42	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,540	$37,770 – $77,110	-2.5%
43	Designers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$57,510	$46,030 – $111,970	-2.3%
44	Agricultural Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$43,930	$35,210 – $89,510	-2.1%
45	Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related MaterialsNo formal educational credential	$37,620	$35,820 – $46,280	-2.0%
46	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$43,010	$36,600 – $52,470	-2.0%
47	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$45,100	$40,610 – $55,740	-1.9%
48	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$60,640	$47,860 – $104,000	-1.9%
49	Locomotive EngineersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,750	$59,610 – $91,140	-1.9%
50	Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,100	$41,060 – $60,660	-1.9%

More for Washington

Metro areas in Washington

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

By field in Washington

Without a degree

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

Fastest declining jobs in Washington, 2024–34

More for Washington

Metro areas in Washington

By field in Washington

Without a degree

Fastest declining jobs in each state, 2024–34