It’s great to know which jobs are projected to have sky-rocketing growth, but just as important — if not more so — is knowing which jobs have plummeting outlooks.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks that information exactly. And while employment is projected to increase by 4% across all occupations by 2033, plenty of jobs are expected to shrink at a rapid rate, according to the BLS’ latest job projection data.
Following are the positions that will see the greatest negative rate of change over the next decade, according to the BLS.
15. Order clerks
Employment level in 2023: 106,300 jobs in total
Projected employment level in 2033: 87,300 jobs in total
Projected employment level change from 2023 to 2033: 19,000 fewer jobs — a decrease of 17.9%
Median annual wage: $41,600
Order clerks have a variety of administrative responsibilities. Those responsibilities include receiving and processing a business’s incoming orders for material, merchandise or services like repairs. They work with customers to provide receipts, prices and shipping information.
14. Hand cutters and trimmers
Employment level in 2023: 6,900 jobs in total
Projected employment level in 2033: 5,600 jobs in total
Projected employment level change from 2023 to 2033: 1,300 fewer jobs — a decrease of 18.4%
Median annual wage: $37,040
Cutters and trimmers work with materials like carpet, fabric, stone, glass or rubber. They’ll work with these items either using hand tools or hand-held power tools. They typically don’t need any formal training, just a brief period of on-the-job training.
13. Prepress technicians and workers
Employment level in 2023: 23,300 jobs in total
Projected employment level in 2033: 19,000 jobs in total
Projected employment level change from 2023 to 2033: 4,300 fewer jobs — a decrease of 18.5%
Median annual wage: $45,070
Members of this niche group work with designers and other clients to format and proof their text and images so that they can be printed. This can include both digital and photo typesetting, and these workers may even produce printing plates. They may work for media and marketing companies.
Prepress technicians and workers typically need a postsecondary degree.
12. Metal and plastic drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators and tenders
Employment level in 2023: 5,800 jobs in total
Projected employment level in 2033: 4,700 jobs in total
Projected employment level change from 2023 to 2033: 1,100 fewer jobs — a decrease of 19.2%
Median annual wage: $44,620
This category of workers is usually tasked with setting up, operating or tending to drilling machines that work with metal or plastic pieces. The most common industry for them is aerospace product and parts manufacturing, as well as machine shops. The top-paying industry for these workers, however, is utility system construction.
11. Manufactured building and mobile home installers
Employment level in 2023: 3,300 jobs in total
Projected employment level in 2033: 2,700 jobs in total
Projected employment level change from 2023 to 2033: 600 fewer jobs — a decrease of 19.6%
Median annual wage: $38,980
As the BLS title for this group of workers aptly suggests, installers are tasked with moving and/or installing mobile homes or other prefabricated buildings. The states that employ the most mobile home installers include Texas, Washington and Pennsylvania.
10. Engine and other machine assemblers
Employment level in 2023: 49,000 jobs in total
Projected employment level in 2033: 38,600 jobs in total
Projected employment level change from 2023 to 2033: 10,400 fewer jobs — a decrease of 21.3%
Median annual wage: $50,270
The responsibilities of these assemblers include constructing, assembling or rebuilding machines such as turbines, engines or other machines used in industries that include textiles, paper manufacturing, construction and extraction.
The motor vehicle parts manufacturing industry is a common field for assemblers, but there’s more money to be made working in engine, turbine and power transmission equipment manufacturing.
9. Telemarketers
Employment level in 2023: 85,200 jobs in total
Projected employment level in 2033: 66,800 jobs in total
Projected employment level change from 2023 to 2033: 18,300 fewer jobs — a decrease of 21.5%
Median annual wage: $34,480
Telemarketers are often responsible for that unknown number that pops up on your phone. They’re tasked with soliciting donations or orders for goods and/or services over the phone. Most of these jobs are located in Florida, Texas and California.
8. Metal and plastic patternmakers
Employment level in 2023: 2,200 jobs in total
Projected employment level in 2033: 1,700 jobs in total
Projected employment level change from 2023 to 2033: 500 fewer jobs — a decrease of 22.2%
Median annual wage: $49,670
Patternmakers working with metal and plastic are typically responsible for laying out, machining, fitting and assembling castings and parts to foundry patterns, match plates or core boxes. The top earners can make as much as $77,230 salaried, or just over $37 an hour. Those high earners are more likely to work in aerospace product and parts manufacturing, but foundries are the most common employers.
7. Underground-mining loading and moving machine operators
Employment level in 2023: 5,300 jobs in total
Projected employment level in 2033: 4,100 jobs in total
Projected employment level change from 2023 to 2033: 1,200 fewer jobs — a decrease of 22.9%
Median annual wage: $64,070
Underground mining operators shuttle or use mine cars or conveyors to either load or move ore, coal or rock. They can use a variety of machinery such as hoisting engines and power shovels. Most workers in this field are employed in West Virginia, Nevada and Pennsylvania.
6. Foundry mold and coremakers
Employment level in 2023: 11,800 jobs in total
Projected employment level in 2033: 8,900 jobs in total
Projected employment level change from 2023 to 2033: 2,900 fewer jobs — a decrease of 24.6%
Median annual wage: $44,300
Foundry mold and coremakers make or form the wax or sand molds and cores that foundries use to produce metal castings. Most of these jobs are in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.
5. Data entry keyers
Employment level in 2023: 163,900 jobs in total
Projected employment level in 2033: 122,800 jobs in total
Projected employment level change from 2023 to 2033: 41,000 fewer jobs — a decrease of 25%
Median annual wage: $37,790
Data entry keyers use keyboards or photo-composing perforators. Their tasks often include preparing materials for printing and verifying data. Data entry keyers who work with the U.S. Postal Service are typically the higher earners in this field.
4. Switchboard operators, including answering service
Employment level in 2023: 44,900 jobs in total
Projected employment level in 2033: 33,600 jobs in total
Projected employment level change from 2023 to 2033: 11,300 fewer jobs — a decrease of 25.2%
Median annual wage: $36,750
Switchboard operators use switchboards or telephone business systems to relay outgoing, incoming and interoffice calls. They often work in general medical and surgical hospitals and typically get paid most at outpatient care centers.
3. Telephone operators
Employment level in 2023: 4,700 jobs in total
Projected employment level in 2033: 3,500 jobs in total
Projected employment level change from 2023 to 2033: 1,200 fewer jobs — a decrease of 26.4%
Median annual wage: $38,080
Telephone operators can assist customers with billing requests, like third-party charges, credits and refunds. They also provide information by utilizing directories, often organized alphabetically or geographically.
Operators in certain fields may handle emergency calls or assist children and people with disabilities.
Operators often work at general medical and surgical hospitals.
2. Mining roof bolters
Employment level in 2023: 2,000 jobs in total
Projected employment level in 2033: 1,400 jobs in total
Projected employment level change from 2023 to 2033: 600 fewer jobs — a decrease of 32%
Median annual wage: $66,660
Roof bolters work in underground mines to install roof support bolts. They work almost exclusively in coal mining, according to the BLS, but tend to make more money with nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying.
1. Word processors and typists
Employment level in 2023: 39,900 jobs in total
Projected employment level in 2033: 24,800 jobs in total
Projected employment level change from 2023 to 2033: 15,200 fewer jobs — a decrease of 38%
Median annual wage: $46,450
Word processors and typists put together reports, letters, forms and other types of copy. They may be tasked with other clerical duties as well. They mostly work in local government.
