High Growth Jobs Require Safety Net
Copyright@PeggyWireman
IF ALL THE WORKERS NOT MAKING ENOUGH TO SUPPORT EVEN A SMALL FAMILY QUIT TOMORROW, THE COUNTRY WOULD SHUT DOWN. IF YOU READ THE TABLE BELOW, YOU WILL SEE THAT WE WOULD HAVE NO STORES, NO HOSPITALS, NO CHILD CARE CENTERS AND NO OFFICES. THESE WORKERS SHOW UP FOR WORK EVERY DAY, THEY JUST AREN'T PAID ENOUGH.
The table below shows that the families of millions of workers will need the government safety net programs to support their families. Many of the fastest growing jobs do not provide high enough wages to keep even a small family from poverty. The table below ties jobs to the number of people who could be supported by a worker holding that job. It is based on the self-sufficiency standard. That standard was developed by the Wider Opportunties for Women organization to provide a modest standard of living without charity or government assistance. Families can afford housing, food, health care, childcare and a car (used to go to work and one shopping trip a week). There are no funds for education, entertainment, savings for retirement or ANY MEALS EATEN OUTSIDE THE HOME. Although the full calculations take geography into account, most experts indicate that the self-sufficiency standard is basically about twice the federal poverty standard.
For further information contact the author, Dr. Peggy Wireman at wireman1234@sbcglobal.net (608) 221 4470 (608) 772 4470 (cell) The table may be reproduced with Copyright@PeggyWireman. The data is based on Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers.
Growth Jobs (2010-2020) and the Self-Sufficiency Standard
The thirty-seven occupations listed here represent 50.3% of the total job growth projected between 2010 and 2020.1 Values by each occupation represent the median annual full-time income for the occupation in 2010. In 2010, a self-sufficiency standard (two times the poverty level) in the continental United States was $21,660 for one, $29,140 for two, $36,620 for three, $44,100 for four, and $51,580 for five per family.2
Occupations where median income is not sufficient to support even one individual at a self sufficiency standard
Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food $17,950
Waiters and Waitresses $18,330
Cashiers $18,500
Childcare Workers $19,300
Personal Care Aides $19,640
Home Health Aides $20,560
Retail Salespersons $20,670
These seven occupations represent 3.13 million jobs or 15.3% of total additional jobs (up 2.9% from the 2008-2018 projections for occupations in this category).
Occupations where median income is sufficient to support only one individual at a self sufficiency standard
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $22,210
Teacher Assistants $23,220
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers $23,400
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $23,460
Security Guards $23,920
Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants $24,010
Receptionists and Information Clerks $25,240
Office Clerks, General $26,610
Medical Assistants $28,860
These nine occupations represent 2.40 million jobs or 11.7% of total additional jobs (up 1.4% from the 2008-2018 projections for occupations in this category).
Occupations where median income is sufficient to support only two individuals at a self sufficiency standard
Construction Laborers $29,280
Customer Service Representatives $30,460
Medical Secretaries $30,530
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $34,030
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $34,730
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $35,820
These six occupations represent 1.30 million jobs or 6.3% of total additional jobs (down 1.4% from the 2008-2018 projections for occupations in this category).
Occupations where median income is sufficient to support only three individuals at a self sufficiency standard
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $37,770
Carpenters $39,530
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $40,380
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants $43,520
These four occupations represent 850,600 jobs or 4.2% of total additional jobs (down 0.8% from the 2008-2018 projections for occupations in this category).
Occupations where median income is sufficient to support only four individuals at a self sufficiency standard
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $47,460
Electricians $48,250
These two occupations represent 337,100 jobs or 1.6% of total additional jobs (down 1.0% from the 2008-2018 projections for occupations in this category).
Occupations where median income is sufficient to support five or more individuals at least at a self sufficiency standard
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $51,660
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $52,440
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $58,680
Accountants and Auditors $61,690
Postsecondary Teachers $62,050
Registered Nurses $64,690
Management Analysts $78,160
Software Developers, Applications $87,790
Physicians and Surgeons greater than $166,400
These nine occupations represent 2.28 million jobs or 11.1% of total additional jobs (down 1.3% from the 2008-2018 projections for occupations in this category).
1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2012, January 27). Occupational data from the National Employment Matrix, 2010 (XLS). Retrieved February 21, 2012, from ftp://ftp.bls.gov/.... In this analysis, the 37 occupations with the most new jobs were considered. These 37 occupations represent 50.3% of additional jobs.
2. Sebelius K. (2010, August 3). Delayed update of the HHS poverty guidelines for the remainder of 2010. Federal Register 75(148): 45628-9. Retrieved April 25, 2012, from http://aspe.hhs.gov/.... In 2010, the poverty level in the 48 contiguous states & DC was $10,830 for the first person, & $3,740 for each additional person in a family.
Waldron, T., Roberts, B., & Reamer, A. (2004, October). Working hard, falling short. America’s working families and the pursuit of economic security. p. 30. Prepared for The Working Poor Families Project. Chevy Chase, MD: Authors. Retrieved January 31, 2010 from http://www.aecf.org/....
A number of experts use a value of two times the poverty level as an estimate of an economic self sufficiency standard. This value has been used here. In 2010, a self-sufficiency standard in the 48 contiguous states & DC was $21,660 for the first person, & $7,480 for each additional person in a family.