North Carolina to Add More Than 300,000 New Jobs Over the Next Decade

Raleigh, N.C. - More than 300,000 new jobs will be created in North Carolina by 2028, most in service-providing industry sectors, according to new employment projections released by the North Carolina Department of Commerce. Most industry sectors operating in the state are projected to grow, with jobs in both health care and professional, scientific, and technical fields expected to grow the most.

"We have strong momentum creating thousands of good new jobs in North Carolina because of our world class workforce and high quality of life," said Governor Roy Cooper. "By projecting our expected growth, we can better recruit new industries and continue to educate and train our people to succeed as our state thrives."

The Commerce Department and its Labor & Economic Analysis Division (LEAD) publish industry and occupational employment projections every two years, offering insights to support planning and decision making by job seekers, educators, business leaders, workforce development professionals, and policymakers.

"Knowledge about the makeup of our workforce is power,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “The data revealed in this extensive labor market report will arm everyone in our state with the knowledge they need to plan and better prepare for the future.”

LEAD publishes 10-year employment projections at the state and regional levels in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The employment projections are an estimate of the future demand for workers based on historical employment data and various economic factors.

Based on the occupational employment projections, through 2028, occupations that require a master’s, doctoral, or professional degree are projected to have the fastest annual growth, slightly higher than those requiring a bachelor’s degree. Three occupation groups are projected to grow the fastest – computer and mathematical, healthcare support, and personal care and service.

A summary of the employment projections is available on this fact sheet.

Detailed information on the 2018-2028 employment projections can be found on the Department of Commerce’s website:

• nccommerce.com/data-tools-reports/labor-market-data-tools/employment-projections

• NC Employment Projections Dashboards analytics.nccommerce.com

Complete set of data tables can be accessed and downloaded at tools.nccareers.org/employmentprojections/industry_employment_projections