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Job outlook for office employees in the United States
Office employee job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected office employee job growth rate is -5% from 2018-2028.
About -130,800 new jobs for office employees are projected over the next decade.
Office employee salaries have increased 16% for office employees in the last 5 years.
There are over 731,963 office employees currently employed in the United States.
There are 74,182 active office employee job openings in the US.
The average office employee salary is $35,825.
Are office employee jobs in demand?
Office employee job and salary trends over time
Office employee jobs over time
Office employee job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 731,963 | 0.22% |
| 2020 | 790,634 | 0.24% |
| 2019 | 838,565 | 0.25% |
| 2018 | 843,158 | 0.25% |
| 2017 | 841,390 | 0.26% |
Average office employee salary over time
Office employee salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $35,825 | $17.22 | +3.8% |
| 2025 | $34,517 | $16.59 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $33,188 | $15.96 | +3.9% |
| 2023 | $31,941 | $15.36 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $31,008 | $14.91 | +3.4% |
Office employee jobs by state
Most common states for office employees
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 739,795 | 111 | 15% |
| 2 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 441 | 14% |
| 3 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 85 | 12% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 534 | 8% |
| 5 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 44 | 8% |
| 6 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 1,372 | 7% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 391 | 7% |
| 8 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 287 | 7% |
| 9 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 203 | 7% |
| 10 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 115 | 7% |
| 11 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 69 | 7% |
| 12 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 62 | 7% |
| 13 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 56 | 7% |
| 14 | Vermont | 623,657 | 43 | 7% |
| 15 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 787 | 6% |
| 16 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 552 | 6% |
| 17 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 436 | 6% |
| 18 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 415 | 6% |
| 19 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 225 | 6% |
| 20 | Delaware | 961,939 | 57 | 6% |
Most common cities for office employees
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlottesville | 1 | 2% | $37,422 |
| 2 | Camden | 1 | 1% | $44,365 |
| 3 | Eugene | 1 | 1% | $42,272 |
| 4 | Jackson | 1 | 1% | $35,657 |
| 5 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $48,308 |
| 6 | Oklahoma City | 1 | 0% | $30,417 |
| 7 | Phoenix | 1 | 0% | $39,751 |
Office Employee job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of office employee experts
University of Iowa
College of Charleston
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
Dixie State University
Albright College
Meredith College
What experience really stands out on Office Employee resumes?
Brian Lai Ph.D.: Authentic experiences that mirror what they will be doing in a job. So internships in similar kinds of positions or experiential learning opportunities that mirror what positions require you to do.
What experience really stands out on Office Employee resumes?
Jacob Craig Ph.D.: I believe strongly in dexterity and a language of expertise. That means that if a student can show they can adapt to new demands by learning a new way of working, learning about a new audience, learning how to address a new purpose, learning a new genre or style, and learning a new technology, that employee attractive. Especially at the entry-level, the ability to learn and adapt is valuable. Being able to talk about their experience using a persuasive vocabulary is often useful. For instance, if students can describe their approach to communication without using cliches (short and sweet, clear) and something along the lines of purpose, audience, situation, genre, medium--that's persuasive.
Dr. Robert Longwell-Grice EdD
Recruitment & Scholarship CoordinatorUniversity of Wisconsin Milwaukee
Office of Student Services
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Office Employee job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Robert Longwell-Grice EdD: Despite the pandemic, careers that have direct contact with people continue to be in high demand. these include careers in teaching and social work. they are considered depression-proof careers. given the increased diversity in the USA, adding a second language to any career will be amazingly useful. Two-year degrees will not be seen as useful. If people are seeking post-secondary credits they need to think about a specific trade certificate, or a four-year degree.
Dr. Mike Peterson Ph.D.
Department Chair and Associate Professor of EnglishDixie State University
English Department
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Office Employees to find work opportunities?
Dr. Mike Peterson Ph.D.: The great thing about a degree in English is that graduates can find work anywhere: teaching, freelance writing, technical writing, content production, editing, reporting-you name it. There are ample jobs in small towns and large cities in all of these areas. English degrees are also highly valued in a variety of jobs-such as sales, public relations, marketing, and paralegal work-because employers know these applicants, from day one, will have strong skills in writing, communication, critical thinking, and creative thinking.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Office Employees?
Guillaume de Syon Ph.D.: In the short term, yes, partly because the learning varied in coverage and sometimes quality. Compressed courses may have included the same objectives as regular, semester-long ones, but reading and writing had to be rescaled. Even courses running a regular semester were affected by distance learning.
Furthermore, internships and other campus jobs were frozen, thus affecting income, but also experience the graduates could share with potential employers. It is too soon to tell how much more of an impact the pandemic will have, but the fact that it will have affected at least two college years will prompt a reevaluation of the campus experience.
What type of skills will young Office Employees need?
Guillaume de Syon Ph.D.: The same as the ones they needed before. Employers want a combination of experience as well as writing and reading capacities. There may even be a greater need for decent writing, as the shift to online has affected the workforce. On the positive side, successfully negotiating the pandemic conditions could be considered a sign of adaptability.
What experience really stands out on Office Employee resumes?
Angela Robbins Ph.D.: History majors-and in fact, all students in the Humanities-practice skills in the classroom which have real-world, job performance implications, as laid out above. In my experience, students need to do a better job of communicating on their resumes what exactly those skills are so they do stand out. Job-seekers might list critical thinking skills, leadership skills, and the ability to work on a team on their resumes, for example, but for them to be able to point to specific examples from their classes and projects, and to be able to talk about those in interviews, is especially valuable. Internships also really stand out, because employers want to know that students have practiced these skills outside the classroom and have gained real-world experience, too.