Find a Job You Really Want In
As we step into 2026, the conversation around racial diversity in the workplace remains critical. While progress has been made, there is still significant work to be done to achieve a truly inclusive workforce across all sectors.
Geographical differences in diversity persist, with states such as Hawaii, California, and Nevada showcasing higher levels of racial inclusion, while others, including West Virginia, lag behind. North Carolina, however, represents a middle ground, prompting an inquiry into how job diversity varies within the state.
In this article, we will examine the 20 most and least diverse jobs in North Carolina, emphasizing the importance of understanding these dynamics in the modern labor market.
Methodology: Analyzing Racial Diversity in North Carolina Jobs
This analysis focuses exclusively on racial diversity across various job titles, excluding gender and income diversity for this discussion.
Our data is derived from the Census Bureau’s 2016-2020 American Community Survey’s Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS), which provides a granular look at individual responses contributing to the broader dataset. By using PUMS data, we can analyze specific occupations and their racial demographics effectively.
We examined two key variables:
- OCCP – The government’s classification of occupations
- RAC1P – Detailed race codes
To ensure data reliability, we concentrated on occupations with more than 10 respondents, resulting in 393 occupation codes for analysis.
Using the Gini coefficient, a recognized measure of inequality, we identified the most diverse occupations in North Carolina. The job with the lowest Gini coefficient, indicating the highest diversity, was “Packaging and Filling Machine Operators And Tenders,” with the following racial breakdown:
- 39.08% White
- 38.51% African American
- 13.79% Other
- 4.60% Asian
- 2.30% Two or More Races
- 1.72% Native American
For the least diverse occupations, we observed nine roles with a 100% White workforce. To distinguish these, we ranked them by total occurrences in the dataset, leading to “Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate” as the least diverse job, followed by “Financial Specialists, All Other.”
The 20 Most Diverse Jobs in North Carolina
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
- Food Processing Workers, All Other
- Baggage Porters, Bellhops, and Concierges
- Miscellaneous Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, Except Upholsterers
- Drywall Installers, Ceiling Tile Installers, and Tapers
- Dishwashers
- Chemical Technicians
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
- Packers and Packagers, Hand
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
- Butchers and Other Meat, Poultry, and Fish Processing Workers
- Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
- Miscellaneous Agricultural Workers, Including Animal Breeders
- Furniture Finishers
- Cooks
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
- Janitors and Building Cleaners
- Social and Human Service Assistants
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
- Barbers
In many of these roles, while White workers remain a majority, positions such as packaging and filling machine operators or food processing workers show significant representation from African Americans and individuals from other racial backgrounds.
Jobs where American Indian workers are most represented include Drywall Installers, while Asian individuals are predominantly found in laundry and dry-cleaning services. Additionally, those identifying with two or more races are most frequently employed in refuse and recyclable materials roles, illustrating a varied landscape of racial representation.
The 20 Least Diverse Jobs in North Carolina
- Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate
- Financial Specialists, All Other
- Power Plant Operators, Distributors, and Dispatchers
- Advertising and Promotions Managers
- Nurse Anesthetists
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Transportation Equipment, and Industrial and Utility
- Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
- Conservation Scientists and Foresters
- Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers
- Fundraisers
- Parts Salespersons
- Cost Estimators
- Producers and Directors
- Chiropractors
- Editors
- Administrative Services Managers
- Architectural and Engineering Managers
- First Line Supervisors of Fire Fighting and Prevention Workers
- Chemical Engineers
The first nine jobs on this list demonstrated zero racial diversity, being filled entirely by individuals identifying as White. While roles such as Cost Estimators and Chiropractors have some representation from Asian workers, African Americans hold a significant presence in positions like Editors and Chemical Engineers.
However, it’s crucial to note that despite some representation, these jobs remain overwhelmingly homogeneous. Furthermore, there is a concerning correlation between race and compensation: less diverse jobs tend to offer higher salaries, while more diverse roles often come with lower pay.
The Path Forward
While we acknowledge the strides made in workplace diversity, the data reveals a clear need for continued effort. Understanding the current state of job diversity in North Carolina allows us to identify areas for improvement, and it is our hope that this awareness fosters actionable change toward a more inclusive workforce.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
