Ever wondered what industries are most popular in a particular state? If you looked at the raw numbers, you’d easily see jobs such as retail sales associate at the top of almost every list. However, if you look at the Department of Labor Occupational Employment Statistics for 2013, a few patterns start to become clear.
Rather than looking at the pure numbers for highest volume of jobs, Business Insider analyzed which jobs are disproportionately represented in each state. They may not be the most numerous in general, but they certainly are proportionate to other industries. Check out the list below to see whether there are any states with a prevalent industry that matches your interests.
| State | Industry |
| Alabama | Metal and plastic workers |
| Alaska | Butchers |
| Arizona | Plasterers |
| Arkansas | Food processing workers |
| California | Farm workers |
| Colorado | Atmospheric and space scientists |
| Connecticut | Actuaries |
| Delaware | Chemists |
| Florida | Motorboat operators |
| Georgia | Textile workers |
| Hawaii | Tour guides |
| Idaho | Forestry technicians |
| Illinois | Groundskeepers |
| Indiana | Boilermakers |
| Iowa | Agricultural scientists |
| Kansas | Agricultural equipment operators |
| Kentucky | Miners |
| Louisiana | Sailors |
| Maine | Loggers |
| Maryland | Political scientists |
| Massachusetts | Biochemists |
| Michigan | Model makers |
| Minnesota | Food scientists |
| Mississippi | Upholsterers |
| Missouri | Psychiatric technicians |
| Montana | Forestry technicians |
| Nebraska | Butchers |
| Nevada | Butchers |
| New Hampshire | Metal and plastic workers |
| New Jersey | Marriage and family therapists |
| New Mexico | Physicists |
| New York | Fashion designers |
| North Carolina | Textile workers |
| North Dakota | Oil/gas drillers |
| Ohio | Foundry casters |
| Oklahoma | Oil/gas drillers |
| Oregon | Loggers |
| Pennsylvania | Survey researchers |
| Rhode Island | Electronics engineers |
| South Carolina | Tire builders |
| South Dakota | College residential advisers |
| Tennessee | Conveyor operators |
| Texas | Petroleum engineers |
| Utah | Forestry technicians |
| Vermont | Highway maintenance workers |
| Virginia | Legal support |
| Washington | Aircraft assemblers |
| West Virginia | Miners |
| Wisconsin | Foundry casters |
| Wyoming | Oil/gas drillers |
Find the Right Veteran Job
Whether you want to polish your resume, find veteran job fairs in your area or connect with employers looking to hire veterans, Military.com can help. Subscribe to Military.com to have job postings, guides and advice, and more delivered directly to your inbox.
