Fastest declining jobs in America, 2024–34

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

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025

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OccupationMedian, America · Growth 2024–34

1Word Processors and Typists$49,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,810 – $65,150-36.1%
2Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service$38,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,990 – $59,470-26.3%
3Data Entry Keyers$41,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $58,790-25.9%
4Foundry Mold and Coremakers$48,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,160 – $62,640-25.9%
5Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining$74,500
No formal educational credential
$52,030 – $87,730-22.3%
6Telemarketers$35,450
No formal educational credential
$27,040 – $50,350-22.1%
7Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand$42,660
No formal educational credential
$33,480 – $60,810-21.2%
8Engine and Other Machine Assemblers$53,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,500 – $77,750-21.1%
9Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,300 – $68,410-19.6%
10Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,800 – $68,720-18.9%
11Cutters and Trimmers, Hand$38,020
No formal educational credential
$26,630 – $57,870-18.1%
12Order Clerks$46,170
Some college, no degree
$35,530 – $63,530-17.2%
13Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$58,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,500 – $81,350-16.7%
14Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$51,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,960 – $72,280-16.3%
15Print Binding and Finishing Workers$42,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,220 – $59,150-16.1%
16File Clerks$43,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $63,490-15.9%
17Nuclear Power Reactor Operators$122,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$98,640 – $149,310-15.3%
18Office Machine Operators, Except Computer$40,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,750 – $57,960-15.2%
19Prepress Technicians and Workers$48,690
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,810 – $66,080-14.6%
20Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers$65,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,310 – $107,500-14.5%
21Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,840 – $81,030-14.4%
22Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$61,540
Bachelor's degree
$41,810 – $98,030-13.7%
23Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,670 – $69,700-13.6%
24Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles$48,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,590 – $70,170-13.6%
25Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$43,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,790 – $60,370-13.6%
26Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials$35,060
No formal educational credential
$27,180 – $43,050-13.5%
27Cooks, Fast Food$30,890
No formal educational credential
$22,580 – $42,910-13.5%
28New Accounts Clerks$47,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,180 – $60,910-13.2%
29Machine Feeders and Offbearers$41,220
No formal educational credential
$32,220 – $58,160-13.0%
30Tellers$43,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,360 – $49,680-12.9%
31Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,180 – $66,350-12.8%
32Desktop Publishers$55,290
Associate's degree
$35,680 – $96,170-12.4%
33Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,760 – $65,510-12.1%
34Meter Readers, Utilities$48,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,720 – $85,930-12.0%
35Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,110 – $62,600-12.0%
36Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$38,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,650 – $49,420-11.7%
37Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$45,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,900 – $62,810-11.6%
38Power Plant Operators$102,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,790 – $131,940-11.2%
39Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$39,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,960 – $49,130-11.2%
40Sewing Machine Operators$36,670
No formal educational credential
$27,860 – $47,840-10.8%
41Tool and Die Makers$64,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,680 – $92,680-10.8%
42Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$50,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,140 – $73,890-10.7%
43Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters$47,550
No formal educational credential
$36,230 – $70,080-10.5%
44Bill and Account Collectors$47,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,400 – $65,580-10.5%
45Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders$38,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,300 – $48,100-10.1%
46Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers$41,380
No formal educational credential
$32,010 – $51,470-10.0%
47Cashiers$32,880
No formal educational credential
$24,530 – $40,410-9.9%
48Carpet Installers$50,340
No formal educational credential
$35,450 – $82,140-9.6%
49Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other$45,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,350 – $65,510-9.5%
50Brokerage Clerks$65,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,260 – $102,010-9.5%

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

#	Occupation	MedianAmerica	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Word Processors and TypistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,280	$36,810 – $65,150	-36.1%
2	Switchboard Operators, Including Answering ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,630	$29,990 – $59,470	-26.3%
3	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,340	$31,200 – $58,790	-25.9%
4	Foundry Mold and CoremakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,110	$37,160 – $62,640	-25.9%
5	Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground MiningNo formal educational credential	$74,500	$52,030 – $87,730	-22.3%
6	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$35,450	$27,040 – $50,350	-22.1%
7	Grinding and Polishing Workers, HandNo formal educational credential	$42,660	$33,480 – $60,810	-21.2%
8	Engine and Other Machine AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,710	$38,500 – $77,750	-21.1%
9	Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,080	$36,300 – $68,410	-19.6%
10	Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,030	$36,800 – $68,720	-18.9%
11	Cutters and Trimmers, HandNo formal educational credential	$38,020	$26,630 – $57,870	-18.1%
12	Order ClerksSome college, no degree	$46,170	$35,530 – $63,530	-17.2%
13	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,260	$39,500 – $81,350	-16.7%
14	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,330	$37,960 – $72,280	-16.3%
15	Print Binding and Finishing WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,290	$32,220 – $59,150	-16.1%
16	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,600	$31,200 – $63,490	-15.9%
17	Nuclear Power Reactor OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$122,890	$98,640 – $149,310	-15.3%
18	Office Machine Operators, Except ComputerHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,960	$31,750 – $57,960	-15.2%
19	Prepress Technicians and WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,690	$35,810 – $66,080	-14.6%
20	Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,380	$47,310 – $107,500	-14.5%
21	Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,800	$37,840 – $81,030	-14.4%
22	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$61,540	$41,810 – $98,030	-13.7%
23	Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,620	$36,670 – $69,700	-13.6%
24	Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor VehiclesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,420	$35,590 – $70,170	-13.6%
25	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,960	$33,790 – $60,370	-13.6%
26	Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related MaterialsNo formal educational credential	$35,060	$27,180 – $43,050	-13.5%
27	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$30,890	$22,580 – $42,910	-13.5%
28	New Accounts ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,670	$38,180 – $60,910	-13.2%
29	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$41,220	$32,220 – $58,160	-13.0%
30	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,030	$34,360 – $49,680	-12.9%
31	Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,750	$35,180 – $66,350	-12.8%
32	Desktop PublishersAssociate's degree	$55,290	$35,680 – $96,170	-12.4%
33	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,330	$35,760 – $65,510	-12.1%
34	Meter Readers, UtilitiesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,150	$34,720 – $85,930	-12.0%
35	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,550	$36,110 – $62,600	-12.0%
36	Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,760	$28,650 – $49,420	-11.7%
37	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,920	$33,900 – $62,810	-11.6%
38	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,040	$61,790 – $131,940	-11.2%
39	Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,530	$29,960 – $49,130	-11.2%
40	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$36,670	$27,860 – $47,840	-10.8%
41	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,050	$44,680 – $92,680	-10.8%
42	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,690	$38,140 – $73,890	-10.7%
43	Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble SettersNo formal educational credential	$47,550	$36,230 – $70,080	-10.5%
44	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,030	$34,400 – $65,580	-10.5%
45	Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,180	$30,300 – $48,100	-10.1%
46	Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related WorkersNo formal educational credential	$41,380	$32,010 – $51,470	-10.0%
47	CashiersNo formal educational credential	$32,880	$24,530 – $40,410	-9.9%
48	Carpet InstallersNo formal educational credential	$50,340	$35,450 – $82,140	-9.6%
49	Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,950	$35,350 – $65,510	-9.5%
50	Brokerage ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,750	$50,260 – $102,010	-9.5%

More for America

By field

Without a degree

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

Fastest declining jobs in America, 2024–34

More for America

By field

Without a degree

Fastest declining jobs in each state, 2024–34