The Official Web Site of the State of South Carolina

Future Job Openings at the High School Diploma and Bachelor's Degree Levels

Future Job Openings at the High School Diploma and Bachelor's Degree Levels

By Taylor Hendrix, Workforce Insights Analyst

Diploma

National Data

A person’s education plays a pivotal role in their career pathway. Luckily, there are lots of occupations available to people of all education levels, from high school graduates to those who obtain a post-secondary credential. Nationally, home health and personal care aides are projected to have the largest number of job openings from 2022-2032, averaging well over half a million each year. These openings are primarily due to labor force exits and occupational transfers, but some are because of newly created jobs within the healthcare industry.[1]

Over the current decade, approximately 7.1 million occupations per year will require a high school diploma or the equivalent, while approximately 3.3 million occupations per year will require a bachelor’s degree. However, employment in bachelor’s-level occupations is projected to grow faster than all other occupations.[2]

South Carolina Data

Based on DEW’s Projections Data for 2020-2030, our state has similar results to the national data. Home health and personal care aides are projected to have the most growth in employment numbers over the decade -- increasing by 10,000 employees, or almost 32 percent. Following that are stockers and order fillers with an increase of almost 6,000 employees, or 19 percent growth, and security guards with an increase of 3,500 employees, or almost 23 percent growth.[3] On the job openings front, customer service representatives, stockers and order fillers, and home health and personal care aides have the most job openings. All these occupations require a high school diploma or the equivalent. See Figures 1 and 2 for more information.

Figure 1

Occupation

2020 Employment

2030 Employment

Numeric Change

Percent Change

Home Health and Personal Care Aides

31,749

41,851

10,102

31.82

Stockers and Order Fillers

30,502

36,382

5,880

19.28

Security Guards

15,617

19,183

3,566

22.83

 

Figure 2

Occupation

Openings

Exits

Transfers

Customer Service Representatives

75,940

27,114

45,358

Stockers and Order Fillers

57,534

19,035

32,619

Home Health and Personal Care Aides

54,497

23,559

20,836

Among the positions requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher, registered nurses, general and operations managers, and management analysts show the most growth in employment numbers over the decade, as well as the most projected job openings. See Figure 3 and 4 for more information.

Figure 3

Occupation

2020 Employment

2030 Employment

Numeric Change

Percent Change

Registered Nurses

47,045

52,037

4,992

10.61

General and Operations Managers

31,178

35,689

4,511

14.47

Management Analysts

16,065

19,018

2,953

18.38

 

Figure 4

Occupation

Openings

Exits

Transfers

General and Operations Managers

31,917

6,677

20,729

Registered Nurses

30,675

13,218

12,465

Management Analysts

18,687

5,641

10,093


[1] Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Projected job openings for occupations at the high school and bachelor’s degree levels at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/projected-job-openings-for-occupations-at-the-high-school-and-bachelors-degree-levels.htm

[2] https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/projected-job-openings-for-occupations-at-the-high-school-and-bachelors-degree-levels.htm

[3] DEW Employment Projections Program, 2020-2030 Long-term statewide data set