Top Occupations and their Locations
In an earlier blog, I created a composite ‘desirability’ index for 2026 occupations, based on their rankings for growth, number employed, and salary. In this blog,
I use the location quotient to identify the top states and top metropolitan areas for the five top occupations (on the desirability index). The five top occupations are as follows:
Occupation Title | Occupation Code | % Growth (2016-2026) Rank | Occupational Openings (2016-2026) Rank | Salary Rank | Desirability Index |
OJT |
Personal financial advisors | 13-2052 | 53 | 93 | 22 | 1 | Long-term |
Construction managers | 11-9021 | 90 | 76 | 23 | 2 | Moderate-term |
Physicians and surgeons, all other | 29-1069 | 63 | 134 | 6 | 3 | Internship/residency |
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters | 47-2152 | 48 | 48 | 114 | 4 | Apprenticeship |
Healthcare social workers | 21-1022 | 26 | 102 | 95 | 5 | Internship/residency |
Understanding Location Quotients
A location quotient indicates employee concentrations (for a particular occupation), in a state or metropolitan area, relative to the nation as a whole. For example, a location quotient of “1” indicates that the concentration is the same, while a location quotient of “2” indicates that the concentration is twice as much. High location quotients also indicate relatively high concentrations of the industries that support those occupations.
States for Top Occupations
This section shows the states with the highest location quotients (from the Bureau of Labor Statistics) for the five top occupations.
Personal Financial Advisors
The following shows the states with the highest concentration of jobs, relative to the nation as a whole, for personal financial advisors.
State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
New York | 28,000 | 3.04 | 2.16 | $79.86 | $166,100 |
Connecticut | 4,790 | 2.89 | 2.05 | $65.92 | $137,120 |
Massachusetts | 7,350 | 2.08 | 1.48 | $52.58 | $109,370 |
Illinois | 10,650 | 1.80 | 1.27 | $58.54 | $121,750 |
Missouri | 4,980 | 1.79 | 1.27 | $43.13 | $89,710 |
Construction Managers
The following shows the states with the highest concentration of jobs, relative to the nation as a whole, for construction managers.
State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
Alaska | 1,060 | 3.33 | 1.80 | $58.10 | $120,840 |
Nevada | 3,950 | 3.01 | 1.63 | $43.30 | $90,050 |
Oregon | 5,490 | 3.00 | 1.62 | $46.39 | $96,490 |
Hawaii | 1,800 | 2.84 | 1.54 | $49.62 | $103,210 |
Colorado | 7,190 | 2.81 | 1.52 | $46.59 | $96,910 |
Physicians and Surgeons, All Other
The following shows the states with the highest concentration of jobs, relative to the nation as a whole, for physicians and surgeons, all other.
State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
New York | 46,080 | 5.00 | 2.01 | $86.08 | $179,040 |
Rhode Island | 2,220 | 4.67 | 1.87 | $107.20 | $222,980 |
West Virginia | 2,820 | 4.09 | 1.64 | $115.21 | $239,630 |
Massachusetts | 14,370 | 4.07 | 1.63 | $96.04 | $199,760 |
Maryland | 10,550 | 3.96 | 1.59 | $93.06 | $193,570 |
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
The following shows the states with the highest concentration of jobs, relative to the nation as a whole, for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters.
State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
Louisiana | 10,850 | 5.70 | 1.90 | $25.45 | $52,930 |
North Dakota | 1,760 | 4.23 | 1.41 | $24.01 | $49,950 |
Oklahoma | 6,600 | 4.19 | 1.40 | $23.36 | $48,600 |
Montana | 1,890 | 4.11 | 1.37 | $30.70 | $63,860 |
Nebraska | 3,900 | 4.02 | 1.34 | $25.42 | $52,880 |
Healthcare Social Workers
The following shows the states with the highest concentration of jobs, relative to the nation as a whole, for healthcare social workers.
State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
Massachusetts | 11,540 | 3.27 | 2.78 | $27.62 | $57,440 |
Missouri | 5,350 | 1.92 | 1.63 | $21.93 | $45,620 |
Ohio | 9,810 | 1.83 | 1.55 | $26.04 | $54,170 |
Indiana | 5,260 | 1.74 | 1.48 | $24.04 | $50,000 |
Maryland | 4,370 | 1.64 | 1.39 | $27.96 | $58,150 |
Metropolitan Areas for Five Top Occupations
This section shows the metropolitan areas with the highest location quotients (from the Bureau of Labor Statistics) for the five top occupations.
Personal Financial Advisors
The following shows the metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs, relative to the nation as a whole, for personal financial advisors.
State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | 2,720 | 6.55 | 4.65 | $67.64 | $140,690 |
Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Division | 640 | 4.87 | 3.46 | $45.59 | $94,820 |
San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metropolitan Division | 4,510 | 4.04 | 2.87 | $80.80 | $168,060 |
San Rafael, CA Metropolitan Division | 440 | 3.86 | 2.74 | $65.51 | $136,260 |
New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 25,670 | 3.84 | 2.72 | $82.42 | $171,430 |
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI | 2,890 | 3.43 | 2.44 | $55.24 | $114,900 |
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Division | 6,260 | 3.40 | 2.42 | $52.15 | $108,480 |
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | 440 | 3.10 | 2.20 | $78.84 | $163,980 |
Montgomery County-Bucks County-Chester County, PA Metropolitan Division | 3,180 | 3.08 | 2.19 | $53.82 | $111,950 |
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 900 | 3.01 | 2.14 | $85.89 | $178,650 |
Construction Managers
The following shows the metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs, relative to the nation as a whole, for construction managers.
State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
Fairbanks, AK | 160 | 4.46 | 2.41 | $49.86 | $103,720 |
Homosassa Springs, FL | 140 | 4.39 | 2.38 | $36.84 | $76,620 |
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | 620 | 4.37 | 2.36 | $47.30 | $98,380 |
Bend-Redmond, OR | 330 | 4.21 | 2.28 | $38.15 | $79,360 |
Greeley, CO | 400 | 4.07 | 2.20 | $53.97 | $112,250 |
Salem, OR | 670 | 4.06 | 2.20 | $42.09 | $87,540 |
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 180 | 3.96 | 2.14 | $49.17 | $102,280 |
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 1,000 | 3.88 | 2.10 | $35.42 | $73,670 |
The Villages, FL | 100 | 3.86 | 2.09 | $42.54 | $88,490 |
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 650 | 3.85 | 2.08 | $35.45 | $73,730 |
Physicians and Surgeons, All Other
The following shows the metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs, relative to the nation as a whole, for physicians and surgeons, all other.
State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
Charlottesville, VA | 1,220 | 10.94 | 4.39 | $51.93 | $108,010 |
Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville, MD Metropolitan Division | 5,070 | 8.68 | 3.48 | $85.69 | $178,230 |
Peabody-Salem-Beverly, MA NECTA Division | 630 | 6.64 | 2.66 | $133.45 | $277,570 |
Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI Metropolitan Division | 4,870 | 6.63 | 2.66 | $58.97 | $122,670 |
Janesville-Beloit, WI | 410 | 6.42 | 2.57 | $125.15 | $260,310 |
Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metropolitan Division | 8,060 | 6.18 | 2.48 | $93.62 | $194,720 |
Flint, MI | 850 | 6.15 | 2.47 | $112.34 | $233,680 |
Lewiston-Auburn, ME | 300 | 5.90 | 2.37 | $128.42 | $267,110 |
Gainesville, GA | 490 | 5.80 | 2.33 | $130.33 | $271,100 |
Johnson City, TN | 450 | 5.79 | 2.32 | $120.21 | $250,040 |
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
The following shows the metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs, relative to the nation as a whole, for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters.
State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
Lake Charles, LA | 2,100 | 18.75 | 6.24 | $28.86 | $60,030 |
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | 980 | 11.33 | 3.77 | $28.59 | $59,460 |
Odessa, TX | 640 | 9.37 | 3.12 | $20.21 | $42,030 |
Baton Rouge, LA | 3,570 | 9.12 | 3.03 | $26.80 | $55,740 |
Midland, MI | 300 | 8.69 | 2.89 | $25.06 | $52,120 |
Kokomo, IN | 340 | 8.62 | 2.87 | $34.11 | $70,950 |
Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY | 430 | 7.93 | 2.64 | $26.19 | $54,480 |
Homosassa Springs, FL | 250 | 7.78 | 2.59 | $19.73 | $41,030 |
Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS | 1,140 | 7.59 | 2.53 | $23.94 | $49,790 |
Ocean City, NJ | 290 | 7.39 | 2.46 | $33.99 | $70,700 |
Healthcare Social Workers
The following shows the metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs, relative to the nation as a whole, for healthcare social workers.
State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
New Bedford, MA | 1,160 | 17.66 | 15.01 | $30.15 | $62,710 |
Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, MA-NH NECTA Division | 600 | 7.34 | 6.24 | $27.66 | $57,540 |
Pittsfield, MA | 240 | 6.03 | 5.12 | $27.34 | $56,860 |
Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | 230 | 5.38 | 4.57 | $22.89 | $47,610 |
Leominster-Gardner, MA | 240 | 4.79 | 4.07 | $22.59 | $46,990 |
Springfield, MA-CT | 1,530 | 4.67 | 3.97 | $25.90 | $53,870 |
Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, MA NECTA Division | 270 | 4.54 | 3.86 | $24.27 | $50,490 |
Peabody-Salem-Beverly, MA NECTA Division | 410 | 4.29 | 3.65 | $26.55 | $55,230 |
Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Division | 300 | 3.76 | 3.20 | $24.94 | $51,870 |
Fort Wayne, IN | 800 | 3.74 | 3.17 | $19.16 | $39,850 |
Training Providers for Five Top Occupations
To find a training provider for the occupation and location you are interested in, go to the OJT Providers section on OJT.com, and enter the occupation and location in the search fields. Note: The search function on OJT.com is targeted for completion in late August or early September 2018.