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Job outlook for contractor/consultants in the United States
Contractor/consultant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected contractor/consultant job growth rate is 11% from 2018-2028.
About 108,400 new jobs for contractor/consultants are projected over the next decade.
Contractor/consultant salaries have increased 9% for contractor/consultants in the last 5 years.
There are over 261,691 contractor/consultants currently employed in the United States.
There are 64,573 active contractor/consultant job openings in the US.
The average contractor/consultant salary is $84,811.
Are contractor/consultant jobs in demand?
Contractor/consultant job and salary trends over time
Contractor/consultant jobs over time
Contractor/consultant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 261,691 | 0.08% |
| 2020 | 230,425 | 0.07% |
| 2019 | 222,812 | 0.07% |
| 2018 | 237,402 | 0.07% |
| 2017 | 228,034 | 0.07% |
Average contractor/consultant salary over time
Contractor/consultant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $84,811 | $40.77 | +4.0% |
| 2025 | $81,582 | $39.22 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $79,671 | $38.30 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | $79,084 | $38.02 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $77,988 | $37.49 | +1.3% |
Contractor/consultant jobs by state
Most common states for contractor/consultants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 472 | 68% |
| 2 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 286 | 27% |
| 3 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 191 | 22% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,275 | 19% |
| 5 | Vermont | 623,657 | 121 | 19% |
| 6 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 247 | 18% |
| 7 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 694 | 17% |
| 8 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,375 | 16% |
| 9 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 171 | 16% |
| 10 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,339 | 15% |
| 11 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 479 | 15% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 775 | 14% |
| 13 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 702 | 14% |
| 14 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,633 | 13% |
| 15 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 505 | 13% |
| 16 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 97 | 13% |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,515 | 12% |
| 18 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 231 | 12% |
| 19 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 206 | 12% |
| 20 | Delaware | 961,939 | 119 | 12% |
Most common cities for contractor/consultants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Woburn | 6 | 15% | $96,109 |
| 2 | Severn | 6 | 14% | $92,373 |
| 3 | Annapolis | 3 | 8% | $92,386 |
| 4 | Dover | 2 | 5% | $95,062 |
| 5 | Jefferson City | 2 | 5% | $76,024 |
| 6 | Costa Mesa | 2 | 2% | $88,794 |
| 7 | Hartford | 2 | 2% | $96,251 |
| 8 | Lansing | 2 | 2% | $87,911 |
| 9 | Boston | 3 | 0% | $96,169 |
| 10 | Denver | 3 | 0% | $66,178 |
| 11 | Phoenix | 3 | 0% | $83,691 |
| 12 | Indianapolis | 2 | 0% | $76,895 |
| 13 | Los Angeles | 2 | 0% | $89,492 |
| 14 | Miami | 2 | 0% | $69,569 |
| 15 | Sacramento | 2 | 0% | $95,311 |
| 16 | San Diego | 2 | 0% | $87,817 |
Contractor/Consultant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of contractor/consultant experts
UMass Lowell
University of Southern Maine
Western Kentucky University
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Drexel University
Davidson College
Wake Forest University
Duke University
Florida State University
Colby-Sawyer College
Lorain County Community College
American Association of Cosmetology Schools
Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
American Defence Group
Western Kentucky University
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Franklin and Marshall College
University of Arkansas
Indiana University Southeast
Michael Ciuchta Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Program Coordinator, Masters of Science in EntrepreneurshipUMass Lowell
Department of Marketing, Entrepreneurship & Innovation
What Contractor/Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Michael Ciuchta Ph.D.: Obviously we are seeing a tremendous increase in AI and other digital technologies. These will become a more crucial skill set for many careers going forward. But I wouldn't downplay the role of what are traditionally seen as soft skills like empathy, communications, and judgment. Not only can these distinguish you from robots but from your human competitors as well.
What will help Contractor/Consultants increase their earning potential?
Michael Ciuchta Ph.D.: If all you want is the highest potential starting salary, then you should aim for careers that offer them. But that is a shortsighted way to view things. For example, many careers that have tournament-like pay structures (think entertainment) often have very low starting salaries but the so-called winners enjoy outsized financial gains. If you are thinking about a more traditional career, I think it's important to make sure you are more valuable to your employer than they are to you. This means you have to market yourself, both to your current employer as well as to potential ones. Of course, this approach may not be for everyone and maximizing your salary potential is only one thing you should be considering when assessing job and career opportunities.
Tove Rasmussen
LecturerUniversity of Southern Maine
Specialized Sales, Merchandising And Marketing Operations
What general advice would you give to a Contractor/Consultant?
Tove Rasmussen: Tove Rasmussen advises graduates beginning their career in the field to...
What Contractor/Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Timothy Rich PhD: Think about the types of jobs that interest you and the skills necessary for those jobs early. So many students start thinking about post-graduation life spring their senior year, when it should be an incremental process much earlier. Another pieces of advice would be to talk to faculty and alum about your interests, find internship or research opportunities when possible, and try to figure out early your strengths and weaknesses. It's easy for students, especially high performing ones, to not fully consider what their weaknesses are. I encourage students to jot down what they see as their skills too and to share them with others. It helps them to identify what's a common skill versus something that might make them stick out.
What general advice would you give to a Contractor/Consultant?
Dr. Paige Novak P.E. (Minnesota), BCEE: Ask questions, stay curious and open minded, take opportunities to learn and develop new skills.
What Contractor/Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mark Stehr PhD: At the start of your career, it's very important to land a role where you learn a lot and find good mentors. The additional skills will pay dividends as your career progresses.
What will help Contractor/Consultants increase their earning potential?
Mary Rodena-Krasan Ph.D.: A degree in German Studies is extraordinarily flexible, giving you a skill set that makes you suitable to a variety of fields. Be open to every opportunity and never underestimate the skill sets learning a new language has afforded you - cross-cultural competence, interlinguistic technological adeptness, problem solving, information analysis, and critical thinking. Employers want someone they don't have to hand-hold. Studying a foreign language requires a lot of self-initiative - apply that to every assignment at the job and don't be afraid to suggest approaches! Your ability to undertake something new and be successful has already been proven by your German studies degree!
Katie Horowitz
Associate Professor of Gender & Sexuality StudiesDavidson College
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, And Group Studies
What general advice would you give to a Contractor/Consultant?
Katie Horowitz: With the rise of artificial intelligence, soft skills like interpersonal communication, conflict management, and critical thinking will become more important than ever before. These are assets that can’t be outsourced to AI, and they are fundamental to the work that Gender & Sexuality Studies majors do in college.
What Contractor/Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Katie Horowitz: Some research shows that women and members of marginalized racial groups are less likely to negotiate their salaries than their white male counterparts. When you get a job offer, don’t forgo the opportunity to advocate for a higher salary.
What will help Contractor/Consultants increase their earning potential?
Katie Horowitz: Don’t limit yourself. I’ve seen Gender & Sexuality Studies students land jobs in business consulting, nonprofit, medicine, law, and more. The beauty of this interdisciplinary field is that it intersects with virtually every sphere of human existence. You can bring your GSS skills to bear on any line of work that interests you.
What Contractor/Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Mark Evans: Don't stop learning. Treat your first job like more graduate school. Learn everything you can.
Michael Munger
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Director, PPE ProgramDuke University
Department of Political Science
What skills stand out on Contractor/Consultant resumes?
Michael Munger: Political science is an ancient career synergy, one that explores the connections between ethical considerations and engineering policy that works. Someone who majors in Political Science is able to make arguments about the questions that have plagued philosophers for thousands of years while using the latest data techniques to scrape online sources of information on social media. So political science instructors have to combine ethics, knowledge of esoteric procedures and laws, and statistics!
What soft skills should all Contractor/Consultants possess?
Michael Munger: Working in groups. And that's hard to teach. The best teacher is experience. Often, students learn the most when their group fails or the other members don't pull their weight. The ability to work in unstructured environments and still achieve group success is a big part of many jobs. And Political Science teaches that.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Contractor/Consultants?
Michael Munger: Political Science students should take at least one Computer Science class, be able to run a spreadsheet with skill, and be able to write crisp prose that gets to the point.
What skills will help Contractor/Consultants earn the most?
Michael Munger: The ability to lead a group by example and to get other people to feel that they are part of something larger than themselves. At its best, Political Science is like an entire little liberal arts curriculum. It's the perfect preparation for leadership, either in government or the private sector!
C. Darren Brooks Ph.D.
Assistant Department Chair and Executive Director, Center for Human Resource ManagementFlorida State University
Department of Management and the Center for Human Resource Management
What soft skills should all Contractor/Consultants possess?
C. Darren Brooks Ph.D.: While advancements in technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics occupy center stage in many areas of management practice, soft skills continue to be seen as equally or even more important skills for success in the field of management. Soft skills are typically described as personal attributes, qualities, and characteristics that enable us to interact more effectively with others. In most fields of management, our ability to communicate, work with, and interact with other people constitutes a significant portion of the work we do. Consequently, employers are focused on identifying candidates who possess strong skills are areas of communication (verbal, written, and non-verbal), leadership and followership, collaboration, an ability to work in teams, intellectual curiosity, adaptability, conflict management, problem-solving, creativity.
What type of skills will young Contractor/Consultants need?
Hilary Walrod: Creative problem-solving, collaboration, and communication have always been essential skill sets, and they look to be increasingly important now and shortly. By applying these skill sets, fine arts graduates will be well-equipped to contribute to various professional settings. Developing the wherewithal to learn new skills and the latest best practices can enable graduates to situate themselves for adaptation and growth.
How do you envision technology impacting Contractor/Consultants in the next 5 years?
Hilary Walrod: I envision that continual technological development - and widespread use of digital technology - will yield increasing opportunities to apply art and design skills in the field of interactive design.
Tammy Bosley Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Program Coordinator for Communication StudiesLorain County Community College
Arts & Humanities Division
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Contractor/Consultant job market given the pandemic?
Tammy Bosley Ph.D.: I think that many employees will continue to work from home post-pandemic. During COVID-19, people worked effectively at home, and in many instances, were more productive than when they were physically at the office. Employers will likely consider if they should pay for office space when their employees can do their jobs at home. If the traditional office space does become obsolete, employees will have to reimagine their home offices to promote a professional environment for digital platforms. They'll also have to work harder at making connections with others. High tech requires high touch. In other words, when we rely on computer-mediated communication, we need to interact more to establish relationships. Improving and maintaining digital communication skills will be essential as employees navigate their post-pandemic careers.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Contractor/Consultants in the next 3-5 years?
Tammy Bosley Ph.D.: I think we'll continue to use digital platforms such as Zoom, WebEx, and Teams. We'll likely see improved options in these platforms, such as enhanced breakout rooms, better file-sharing capabilities, and synchronous document creation/editing. If we continue to work from home, these platforms will also need to do well on smartphones.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Contractor/Consultants in the next 5 years?
Tammy Bosley Ph.D.: The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that communication jobs would increase at the same rate as other professions. Communication is a general degree. Students who major in the discipline usually choose a specialty such as public relations, health communication, international communication, etc. to navigate employment opportunities successfully. Given the challenges everyone is facing in today's culture, communication graduates will be essential to meet the demands of a post COVID society.
What type of skills will young Contractor/Consultants need?
Anthony Civitano: #1 is soft skills; younger generations are less and less equipped with these essential skills. Corona-19 will undoubtedly have an impact as social distancing has become the necessary norm, inhibiting person-to-person interaction. #2 Basic financial literacy and life/work balance. #3 The technical skills evolve over the years, and our schools stay connected with the industry's pulse and adjust their curriculum accordingly.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Contractor/Consultants to find work opportunities?
Anthony Civitano: Beauty is a worldwide necessity. Our graduates will always be in demand and never have their career of choice outsourced. Covid-19 has proven that Beauty professionals ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS! We change people's lives by making them feel better about themselves, which has a fantastic effect on people.
How do you envision technology impacting Contractor/Consultants in the next 5 years?
Anthony Civitano: Education will be the largest affected. For many years the schools have wanted to have the ability to have distance education, or a hybrid at least, to teach our courses. The shut down of schools forced States Education Departments, US Department of Education, and Accreditors to allow Distance Education for our programs. It has exceeded our expectations and is being proven to be an effective means of delivering a large part of our programs.
Dr. Anthony Stanowski
President & CEOCommission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
What type of skills will young Contractor/Consultants need?
Dr. Anthony Stanowski: To be successful, graduates of healthcare management programs need to bring to market the following: skills and character.
In terms of skills, they need to have strong technical and analytical skills, especially at the start of their career. These skills will morph over a job to encompass an interpretation of the data to lead others to action. And that is where communication skills and project management capabilities come in.
Indeed, young graduates need to understand the healthcare system, how it has changed, and why it has changed. This knowledge needs to be deeper than the sound bites heard on the news or from pundits. They need a foundational understanding of the key subjects taught in class.
Most importantly, they need to develop character. Note that I say develope, because some believe character is innate. They can be learned, and they must be exercised. Character includes the ability to approach work in new and breakthrough ways, innovate, and transform. They have to lead by having a strong sense of empathy by understanding that you show only when you help others succeed. They have to do whatever it takes to make things better, which means more than a 9 to 5 job. If you want a 9 to 5 job, there are better places to go than healthcare management.
Those are among the skills and characterize young graduates need. For more, I would suggest taking a look at the competencies for leadership as developed by organizations such as the National Center for Healthcare Leadership https://www.nchl.org/page?page=272, the American College of Healthcare Executives https://www.ache.org/about-ache/resources-and-links/healthcare-leadership-competencies, the International Hospital Federation https://www.ihf-fih.org/resources/pdf/Leadership_Competencies_for_Healthcare_Services_Managers.pdf, Saint Louis University https://www.slu.edu/public-health-social-justice/pdfs/slu_mha_competencymodel_reviewedfall2016.pdf the National Association for Healthcare Quality https://nahq.org/education/nahq-healthcare-quality-competency-framework/, and many others. When evaluating a program to attend, ask about the competency model, they use to develop their curriculum. Does that competency model match what you want to learn? If the program does not know what a competency model is, politely thank them and go elsewhere.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Contractor/Consultants to find work opportunities?
Dr. Anthony Stanowski: Yes, the right places to look at are the places where you think you can make a difference. Where is your passion? Is it in inner-city areas, struggling to meet the needs of the poor and disenfranchised? Is it in rural areas where the challenges are how to knit together limited resources to provide to communities that are spread out to meet critical healthcare needs? Is it in sizeable academic health systems where the challenge lies in forming internal and external constituencies' coalitions to succeed?
Is it in integrated delivery systems that are national in scope, working to transform healthcare by knitting together insurance, pharmaceuticals, and patient care but are struggling against regulatory roadblocks and the established ways of doing things? Is your passion in the growing informatics sector, where you can help organizations use data more accurately? Is it in telemedicine? Health policy? Physician practice management? Know yourself and what you believe in. Work to make a difference. Healthcare is the noblest of fields, and I hope that people choosing to enter healthcare stay faithful to its calling.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Contractor/Consultants?
Dr. Anthony Stanowski: Many projections show that the impact of COVID-19 will continue into 2022, even with a vaccine and therapeutics. The "new normal" will not return to 2019 but will incorporate technology and management methods developed to adjust to unforeseen challenges. The pandemic has made us all aware of the importance of healthcare delivery and the need to have dedicated people working to ensure our community's health. Healthcare executives will need to have critical competencies to succeed, including leadership, innovation, and a core understanding of healthcare delivery methods. Those entering the profession must rise to the challenge and accept that something will work, and others will not. They will need to be comfortable at a higher level of uncertainty than ever.
What type of skills will young Contractor/Consultants need?
Randy Shearer: Business fundamentals; critical thinking skills; comfortable in the digital space; cost principles is a plus; general accounting.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Contractor/Consultants to find work opportunities?
Randy Shearer: The Federal Government will hire you quickly, train you, and give you increased responsibilities and rapid advancement. If you want to lay down core buying fundamentals - the federal government does that - beginning from day one.
What experience really stands out on Contractor/Consultant resumes?
Kara Glenn: Results. Prove the impact your work made on a project.
What Contractor/Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kara Glenn: Focus on the digital sphere. Learn more about SEO, Paid Social Media Advertising, AdWords, Head mapping, and user experience.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Contractor/Consultants in the next 3-5 years?
Kara Glenn: Augmented Reality. Augmented Reality has a lot of practical applications for our industry. Using a phone to see the real-world environment with enhanced computer-generated visuals will allow users to test lipstick colors, try on sunglasses, and even see what furniture would look like in their home. - The technology is ready; we have to start using it.
What experience really stands out on Contractor/Consultant resumes?
Peter Woolley Ph.D.: It depends on who is doing the hiring. (a.) Experience with budget management and any analysis is usually considered a big plus. Everyone runs on a budget. Someone's got to understand it and get the most out of it. I always recommend everyone take as many public finance courses as they can stand. (b.) Experience in a supervisory position is a standout. Emphasize any assignments you had looking after other people. And don't say you were assigned to train new employees. Say you were hand-picked to orient, onboard, and train new employees.
What Contractor/Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Peter Woolley Ph.D.: There is a universe of knowledge that each of us lacks. If you need or want to take a gap year, use it to figure out who you want to work for and at what level, and learn everything available about that organization or agency or job. If there's anything that's a mismatch for the job you want, take the gap year to fix it. There are lots of affordable and compact continuing-ed opportunities to showcase on your resume.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Contractor/Consultants in the next 3-5 years?
Peter Woolley Ph.D.: One next big thing will be blockchain technology. This will be used to keep records secure and to record every public transaction and contract. If you want to jump to the head of the line, start reading about it now.
Dr. Stephanie McNulty Ph.D.
Chair and Associate Professor of GovernmentFranklin and Marshall College
Government Department
What type of skills will young Contractor/Consultants need?
Dr. Stephanie McNulty Ph.D.: I expect that many of the same skills employers have always sought out will continue to be necessary. These include strong communication skills, working independently and in teams, and the ability to think critically about complex issues and solve complex problems. As a result of the pandemic and ongoing global trends, a strong understanding of and using new or innovative technology to do all of these things is essential. I expect this to continue into the coming years. As the economy shrinks, strong networking skills are also as vital as ever, and I do not wish to change.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Contractor/Consultants to find work opportunities?
Dr. Stephanie McNulty Ph.D.: Our recent graduates are finding many jobs in the same sectors and places as before the pandemic. I have been pleasantly surprised to find out that most of our former Government majors find exciting jobs. However, their mode of working has changed. Most of them are almost 100% online now, and many of them have not had to relocate to the city in which their employer is based. Public sector, non-profit, and policy jobs are still as important as ever, and, anecdotally, my impressions are that they do not seem to have been affected as much by the economic slowdown as the corporate sector. One growing field has been immigration law, although I am not sure how long that will last if the administration changes.
How do you envision technology impacting Contractor/Consultants in the next 5 years?
Dr. Stephanie McNulty Ph.D.: I expect that the workforce will continue to embrace the technologies that we are relying on now well into the future. We demonstrate that we are equally productive when working at home; we are holding all conferences and workshops online now. As a professor, I do not love teaching on Zoom, but I can create a sense of connection with my online students. We are developing and maintaining relationships in an online environment that many of us did not think possible, one year ago. For this reason, I expect organizations to recognize that some (not all) of our activities can be done virtually and can reduce costs for the organization. A side effect may be the reduction of work travel, which would also help the environment.
What type of skills will young Contractor/Consultants need?
Lori Birrell: Being an independent worker is a crucial skill for those entering the library science field. Those who are flexible and comfortable with taking the initiative can apply their skills and knowledge background to a variety of tasks and positions. Communication, being detail-oriented, and leadership are also essential skills to bring to the workforce. Librarians interact daily-regardless of their status-with a wide variety of stakeholders. Those professionals who are most successful will be those who can advocate for their work and its impact on the organization and society.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Contractor/Consultants to find work opportunities?
Lori Birrell: Graduate schools sometimes produce hundreds of graduates, looking for positions in a minimal geographic region. Though larger urban areas often have more libraries, there can be significant competition for those positions. For those who can move, they increase the likelihood of finding a job.
How do you envision technology impacting Contractor/Consultants in the next 5 years?
Lori Birrell: Emerging technologies have been a mainstay in the library science profession for decades. In the coming years, our work will continue to grapple with the impact of AI, facial recognition software, and the tools that support big data, as the nature of research and our users' needs- continue to evolve.
What type of skills will young Contractor/Consultants need?
Meghan Kahn Ph.D.: Surveys of employers have shown that communication (written and verbal), problem-solving, data analysis, and conflict management are critical in today's workforce. Even locally, the population is more diverse than it was a short time ago, so knowledge of other cultures and cultural communication practice is also essential.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Contractor/Consultants to find work opportunities?
Meghan Kahn Ph.D.: Most of our graduates have ties to the Kentuckian area, as we are a regional campus of Indiana University. Jobs in mental health continue to be in high demand across the country and the local area. Many of our undergraduates find employment in the Indiana Department of Child Services or local applied behavioral analysis organizations such as Little Star and Hopebridge. Data analysis and program assessment are other jobs that are needed in organizations across the nation.
How do you envision technology impacting Contractor/Consultants in the next 5 years?
Meghan Kahn Ph.D.: The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted more growth in telework, including in mental health. Telehealth is growing in popularity within mental health counseling, which is likely to be true even after the pandemic. Many human resources and data management jobs have moved to remote work during the epidemic and are likely to continue with remote work, to some degree, after the pandemic.