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Job outlook for placement specialists in the United States
Are placement specialist jobs in demand?
Placement specialist job and salary trends over time
Placement specialist jobs over time
Placement specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,246 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,839 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,774 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,602 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,427 | 0.00% |
Average placement specialist salary over time
Placement specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $45,676 | $21.96 | +2.5% |
| 2025 | $44,547 | $21.42 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $43,798 | $21.06 | +0.9% |
| 2023 | $43,417 | $20.87 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $42,575 | $20.47 | +1.4% |
Placement specialist jobs by state
Most common states for placement specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 144 | 21% |
| 2 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 51 | 9% |
| 3 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 258 | 8% |
| 4 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 148 | 8% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 78 | 8% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 62 | 8% |
| 7 | Vermont | 623,657 | 49 | 8% |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 453 | 7% |
| 9 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 72 | 7% |
| 10 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 62 | 7% |
| 11 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 54 | 7% |
| 12 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 376 | 6% |
| 13 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 163 | 6% |
| 14 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 79 | 6% |
| 15 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 261 | 5% |
| 16 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 216 | 5% |
| 17 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 148 | 5% |
| 18 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 106 | 5% |
| 19 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 78 | 5% |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 55 | 5% |
Most common cities for placement specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pontiac | 4 | 7% | $42,919 |
| 2 | Potomac | 2 | 4% | $48,458 |
| 3 | Boston | 9 | 1% | $44,907 |
| 4 | Fort Wayne | 2 | 1% | $40,907 |
| 5 | Rochester | 2 | 1% | $48,763 |
| 6 | Worcester | 2 | 1% | $45,678 |
| 7 | Apple Valley | 1 | 1% | $62,540 |
| 8 | Arlington Heights | 1 | 1% | $37,990 |
| 9 | Cambridge | 1 | 1% | $44,824 |
| 10 | Carrollton | 1 | 1% | $42,692 |
| 11 | New York | 5 | 0% | $52,751 |
| 12 | Chicago | 3 | 0% | $37,900 |
| 13 | Houston | 2 | 0% | $43,216 |
| 14 | Phoenix | 2 | 0% | $51,237 |
| 15 | Charlotte | 1 | 0% | $42,247 |
Placement Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of placement specialist experts
University of Scranton
California State University - Fullerton
San Diego State University
Land O Lakes
Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)
University of Maryland Global Campus
University of California, Los Angeles
Virginia Wesleyan University
Advance CTE
SHRM
University of the Ozarks
ETSTech-Ops
What will help Placement Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Paul Datti PhD, CRC, HS-BCP: Graduates of The University of Scranton’s Counseling and Human Services program, as well as other similar educational programs, tend to have significant success upon graduation. At Scranton, typically about half to two-thirds of our graduates go on to graduate school, mainly in professional counseling or social work, but some also go on to programs in public administration, applied behavior analysis, child life care, and even law school. The remainder tend to soon get jobs in the field, in positions such as behavioral health technician, community health assistant, rehabilitation aide, child advocate, psychiatric or mental health technician, social work assistant, and more. According to OnetOnline and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in this area are expected to exponentially grow over the years and are considered “bright outlook” occupations.
Dr. April Bullock PhD
ChairCalifornia State University - Fullerton
Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
What will help Placement Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. April Bullock PhD: THE BEST WAY TO MAXIMIZE YOUR SALARY POTENTIAL IS TO BE ALERT TO OPPORTUNITES TO ADVANCE YOUR SKILLS AHEAD OF DEMAND, AND TO NOT SHORTSELL YOURSELF AND YOUR SKILLS. LIBERAL ARTS ARE OFTEN THOUGHT OF AS IRRELEVANT IN THE WORKPLACE, AS A MAJOR THAT HAS NO PRACTICAL APPLICATION. YOUR ADAPTABILITY, CULTURAL AWARENESS, AND BROAD KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD ARE KEY SKILLS. THE SKILLS IN CRITICAL READING, CLEAR WRITING AND CONFIDENT PUBLIC SPEAKING THAT YOU'VE LEARNED IN YOUR LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION CAN SERVE YOU VERY WELL IN MANY CAREER SETTINGS.
Dr. Katie Turner
Lecturer, School of Theatre, Television, and FilmSan Diego State University
Natural Resources Conservation And Research
What will help Placement Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Katie Turner: Say "yes" to as many opportunities as you can, even if they are volunteer work. Getting to know people and discovering more about your industry are important early on in your career. Also get good at many different things--don't narrow in too much too soon. You never know what might really click for you if you aren't trying new things.
Philomena Morrissey Satre
Director of Diversity Equity & Inclusion and External Strategic PartnershipsLand O Lakes
What hard/technical skills are most important for Placement Specialists?
Philomena Morrissey Satre: Ability to learn and work with HR Systems like payrolls systems: HRIS and Learning and Development Platforms. Can work effectively with data, understanding and applying knowledge, juggling multiple priorities, and problem-solving.
Dr. Tammy Manko Ed.D.
DirectorIndiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)
Career and Professional Development Center, Academic Affairs
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Placement Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Tammy Manko Ed.D.: We'll see an increased need for change management and agile responses. We'll also see an increase in the number of interviews being conducted virtually. More workplaces will conduct onboarding virtually and use flexible and hybrid work schedules, more specifically those including work-from-home or virtual work, at least temporarily, if not more permanently. We will see continued hiring and organizational growth, despite concerns from many regarding the job market. All industries will experience an increased need for upskilling and reskilling of employees. Technological skills will be in high demand and so will human skills, such as emotional intelligence, negotiation, nonverbal communication, collaboration, and change agility.
Dr. Francine Blume Ph.D.
Assistant Vice PresidentUniversity of Maryland Global Campus
Career Development Office
What skills stand out on Placement Specialist resumes?
Dr. Francine Blume Ph.D.: Skills that stand out depend on the field, but you always want to point out your tech skills, language skills and especially "soft" skills, such as communication and initiative.
For tech skills, you can demonstrate proficiency by citing certifications. For language skills, be as accurate as you can regarding proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking. For soft skills, make sure they are evident in the descriptions of your accomplishments and duties. Don't just say, "I have strong problem-solving skills and I learn fast." Anyone can say that, but you should quantify your experience and skills to demonstrate those soft skills.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Placement Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Hassan Akmal: It's a time to pivot. More students - now than ever, are being forced to reskill, upskill, and explore new industries. The jobs of the future are being created now, and we will see much more career transitioning - a decrease in longevity, an increase in project-based work and micro internships, more side hustles, more careers over a 30 to 40 year runway, and finally, more careers at the same time.
What skills stand out on Placement Specialist resumes?
Hassan Akmal: Transferable skills. Soft and hard. The soft skills are now referred to as "success skills" and include skills such as creativity, emotional intelligence, critical thinking and problem solving, analytics skills, and people management.
Active learning, agility, resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility are additional skills in demand that graduates need to consider.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Placement Specialists?
Jessica Harrington: Realistically, new graduates should expect some impact. New graduates, depending on their field, may struggle to find full-time employment directly after graduation, which could have effects on lifetime earnings and, as a result, major financial decisions.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Placement Specialists?
Kimberly Green: Career Technical Education (CTE) instructors are the backbone of high-quality and equitable delivery of CTE. Today's educational landscape brings new challenges to the delivery of CTE but in that challenge is the opportunity for CTE instructors to be creative in developing and delivering high-quality CTE programs in virtual or socially distanced environments. Designing with equity and quality in mind, especially for learners who face multiple barriers to engaged virtual learning, is vital. Facing the dual challenge of being a new educator and doing so in a remote and/or hybrid environments, we encourage new instructors to look to their state CTE agencies as their partners and sources of best practices, support and information. For more information on your state CTE agency, visit https://careertech.org/cte-your-state.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Placement Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Regan Gross: There has been, and will continue to be, a shift in the way we do work. Employers are realizing that they can minimize overhead and leverage technology by adopting remote workforces. There will still be some employers who are resistant to this change and will continue to do things the traditional way. E-commerce jobs, such as those in online retail, will continue to increase, while jobs that require in-person social interaction, such as in the restaurant industry, will continue to evolve into contactless alternatives, reducing the number of positions available for employment. While hospitality and restaurants have been among the hardest hit, for many, still being able to dine-out and stay away from home, is important to their mental health.
Job interviews will continue to be virtual as much as feasible. Job seekers will be well advised to brush up on their on-camera interviewing skills, including dressing appropriately as with in-person job interviews, avoiding any background noise and being cognizant of the appearance of their on-camera surroundings/background. Practice virtual interviews with friends and family if possible.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Placement Specialists to find work opportunities?
Ruth Walton: There are tons of employment opportunities across this country. During the past few months, there have been more and more remote jobs too! Yet, there must be a realization that the job market is very different for each geographic region. According to Bloomberg.com, in August 2020, there was an increase in the Performing Arts, Motion Pictures, and Electronics, and a decline in Facilities Support Services, Lodging, and Travel. According to the Bureau of Labor, if we research the fastest-growing occupations, we find 57% of the growth is in Healthcare, split pretty much in half by jobs requiring less than a bachelor's degree, and half requiring at least a master's degree.
Salary.com lists the seven best careers for the future as:
Healthcare
Information Technology
Alternative Energy
International Law
Marketing
Financial Analyst
Content Creator
If we narrow down our top growth sectors and jobs per Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, we can see other industries.
Each of these three states shares top growth in Healthcare and Professional & Business Services. In Texas, we add Education and Engineering, and in Oklahoma, we add Education.
It is not to say that there are not Education jobs in Arkansas; it means that Texas and Oklahoma will have much more growth. Arkansas will still need teachers.
bloomberg
Bls
Salary
What type of skills will young Placement Specialists need?
Ruth Walton: Let's face it. The work world has changed, as we know it. My nephew accepted a new job offer early on in the pandemic from a major telecommunications company. Hired to understand the position was remote temporarily, months later, the company decided to turn his work into a permanently remote one.
If we think about this scenario, we need to prepare our young graduates to be independent thinkers, adaptable, flexible, and collaborative in a virtual environment. A strong work ethic, coupled with excellent time management skills, is necessary. Employers list the following skills as critically important for the workforce:
Communication
Digital Literacy
Creativity
Adaptability
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Placement Specialists to find work opportunities?
Nola Pearce: Depending on your chosen career scope, there are opportunities across the United States - urban, suburban, rural. If you have a wide range of interests and career experience, geographic possibilities are endless. If you are very specific within an industry, material, or application, there are pockets of locations that might be better than another. I recommend that you reach out to professionals within the industry or profession that you have interest in.