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Job outlook for seasonal associates in the United States
Seasonal associate job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected seasonal associate job growth rate is 0% from 2018-2028.
About 1,900 new jobs for seasonal associates are projected over the next decade.
Seasonal associate salaries have increased 19% for seasonal associates in the last 5 years.
There are over 73,260 seasonal associates currently employed in the United States.
There are 417,677 active seasonal associate job openings in the US.
The average seasonal associate salary is $31,132.
Are seasonal associate jobs in demand?
Seasonal associate job and salary trends over time
Seasonal associate jobs over time
Seasonal associate job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 73,260 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 72,722 | 0.02% |
| 2019 | 84,823 | 0.03% |
| 2018 | 87,178 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 86,868 | 0.03% |
Average seasonal associate salary over time
Seasonal associate salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $31,132 | $14.97 | +7.2% |
| 2024 | $29,028 | $13.96 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $27,821 | $13.38 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | $26,683 | $12.83 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $26,074 | $12.54 | +4.1% |
Seasonal associate jobs by state
Most common states for seasonal associates
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 905 | 67% |
| 2 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 776 | 58% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 544 | 57% |
| 4 | Vermont | 623,657 | 305 | 49% |
| 5 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 1,607 | 45% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 3,037 | 44% |
| 7 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 2,522 | 44% |
| 8 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 3,509 | 41% |
| 9 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 4,005 | 39% |
| 10 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 702 | 39% |
| 11 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 416 | 39% |
| 12 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 2,514 | 38% |
| 13 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 1,901 | 38% |
| 14 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 1,847 | 38% |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 4,678 | 37% |
| 16 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 3,305 | 37% |
| 17 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 2,217 | 37% |
| 18 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 2,079 | 37% |
| 19 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 2,499 | 36% |
| 20 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 2,387 | 36% |
Most common cities for seasonal associates
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burlington | 5 | 20% | $32,508 |
| 2 | Novi | 5 | 8% | $28,187 |
| 3 | Alpharetta | 4 | 6% | $25,632 |
| 4 | Metairie | 5 | 4% | $27,913 |
| 5 | Orlando | 8 | 3% | $27,648 |
| 6 | Fort Lauderdale | 5 | 3% | $27,913 |
| 7 | Grand Rapids | 5 | 3% | $27,863 |
| 8 | Huntsville | 5 | 3% | $27,457 |
| 9 | Tucson | 8 | 2% | $31,025 |
| 10 | Birmingham | 5 | 2% | $27,539 |
| 11 | Indianapolis | 8 | 1% | $27,755 |
| 12 | Jacksonville | 6 | 1% | $27,513 |
| 13 | Atlanta | 5 | 1% | $25,648 |
| 14 | Colorado Springs | 5 | 1% | $30,787 |
| 15 | San Francisco | 5 | 1% | $36,168 |
| 16 | Los Angeles | 7 | 0% | $35,582 |
| 17 | Phoenix | 6 | 0% | $31,112 |
| 18 | Chicago | 5 | 0% | $29,590 |
Seasonal Associate job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of seasonal associate experts
Franklin and Marshall College
California State University Channel Islands
Penn State Behrend
University of North Carolina at Asheville
San Diego Mesa College
York College of Pennsylvania
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Seasonal Associates?
Cynthia Krom: Professional certifications matter. If your profession has a certification, you need to have that certification to be competitive in this new world. So, a public accountant needs to have a CPA, and a corporate accountant needs to have their CMA. A fraud examiner needs their CFE. Find out what is available in your profession and take whatever courses or exams are needed to be at the top of your game, because everyone else will.
We don't really know what will be happening with professional licenses with remote work. A psychotherapist may be licensed in New York, but remotely treating a client in New Mexico. Technically, they probably need a license in New Mexico. But who will control that? Will it just be the professional responsibility of the therapist to only practice where licensed? Will their malpractice insurance only cover them if the client is where they are licensed? What about a physician operating on someone a thousand miles away using robotics?
In terms of courses not related to professional certification or licensure, technology is where it is at. First and foremost, polish your Zoom skills. Zoom is now your face-to-face workplace and you need to be a pro. YouTube has great videos about lighting for Zoom, even with reflective eyeglasses. Perhaps your IT department is able to help with connectivity issues and learning remote technologies. And, as we have all recently seen, you need to learn how to turn off filters that make you look like a kitten! For nearly every field, you have to know Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) or similar programs. You need to know how to work collaboratively on projects through things like Google Drive. If you are not fluent in the basics, you are showing up for a horse race with a little pony.
Ekin Pehlivan Ph.D.
Associate Professor of MarketingCalifornia State University Channel Islands
Martin V. Smith School of Business and Economics
What's a good job out of college for Seasonal Associates?
Ekin Pehlivan Ph.D.: I think a description of a "good" job opportunity is dependent on so many factors, almost all subjective. What I recommend my students usually, is that they try different things before graduation and find something that makes them feel a purpose other than (and in addition to) making ends meet. For this reason we started a program on our campus where students are hired to help non-profits and small businesses in our area of service. In this program, students get to gain and practice skills that can help them succeed in a corporate or freelance capacity. The students get to experiment without fear of losing a job and find what they would like their entry level positions to look like. While doing this they also help organizations and individuals who have the need but not the resources to get the services from professionals.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Seasonal Associate job market given the pandemic?
Linda Hajec: From the standpoint of the business student, I think the trend that will most significantly impact them is in the area of remote work. Certainly there are entire businesses and even industries that are being impacted either positively or negatively by changes in what people are able and willing to do as far as being in public places, so there will be a shift as come companies that used to have a strong annual recruiting pattern may scale back and other companies are scaling up to handle the shift in business. But the individual employee is likely to see a very big change in the recruiting process as well as the work environment, regardless of the sector they enter. Employers in many sectors have discovered that at least the early phases of recruiting, if not the entire recruiting process, can be done remotely. What this means to the applicant in the job market is that they may benefit from being able to complete more of their job search without having to leave home. But it also means that the traditional do's and don'ts of interviewing now have to include being aware of your bandwidth and background for an online interview, and thinking about looking at the camera on your computer instead of looking at the image of the person you are speaking with on the screen. The benefit is that students entering the job market used to juggle interview schedules between cities, missing classes, and sometimes became fatigued, so this approach to recruiting may make it easier to handle the whole process overall as long as the candidates can find a great place from which to hold their end of the conversation.
The other trend that I think job candidates need to be prepared for is remote onboarding. Students that were entering the workforce in 2019 were able to report to a location and go through the hiring process with human resources, meet people in various departments with whom they would be working, and perhaps shadow someone for a period of time. Co-workers tended to look out for the new hire and would check in on them as they passed by their work area. As many companies continue to have a partial or fully remote work environment, new employees will complete the hiring process remotely, and may spend their training period reading and learning more independently. I think this is going to really put pressure on students that perhaps have been hesitant to ask questions. New employees are going to have to keep the notebook by their side at all times and write down things they are not sure they understand so that when they have the opportunity to ask, they do. New hires should always have kept track of questions and asked them; but being remote will make this even more critical and perhaps even a little harder to do, so it's going to have to be a very conscious decision to make sure that happens. No one is going to schedule a Zoom meeting to say, "Hey, how's your first week going? Are you finding everything OK?" the same way they might have stopped at your desk on their way to lunch. New employees are going to have to make that happen for themselves.
What soft skills should all Seasonal Associates possess?
Sonya DiPalma Ph.D.: Be personable and a person someone wants to talk with and work with on a continuing basis. Listening and note-taking skills will be critical. Great employees listen well and ask good follow up questions. Be versatile and adaptable. If you find some downtime between projects, ask how you may help with another project.
Meegan Feori Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorSan Diego Mesa College
Department is Business Department
What general advice would you give to a Seasonal Associate?
Meegan Feori Ph.D.: Consider your career in terms of what you are willing to do right now to support yourself and be self-sufficient. During the last recession, I was underemployed, working as a part-time pool lifeguard and making funnel cakes at a local amusement park. Not ideal, but with my funds running low, it was necessary. A third part-time position I had, updating apparel tech packs, did pave my way to a full-time job in the fashion industry. So hustle and be flexible. Also, take time to consider what you can do to create opportunities for yourself. This could include an internship, volunteering, taking a warehouse position at a fashion brand, or completing a class that interests you. The best advice I was ever given was to keep pursuing your goals and accept that what you will be doing in ten years will be better than you ever imagined. The advice came true for me, and I think it will be true for you as well.
What technical skills for a Seasonal Associate stand out to employers?
Travis Kurowski Ph.D.: Honestly, good writing skills are always in high demand. You'll see this in almost every field because at every level of business-from information management to internal communication to engaging customers, clients, and partners-clear, effective communication is critical. Other writing graduate skills that stand out to employers are project management skills, editing; quantitative and qualitative research; and practical design. It's not a technical skill, perhaps, but I can't help note that high up on the lists for almost all employers is creativity, a skill interlaced through many courses in quality writing programs.