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Job outlook for shift leaders in the United States
Shift leader job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected shift leader job growth rate is 10% from 2018-2028.
About 32,300 new jobs for shift leaders are projected over the next decade.
Shift leader salaries have increased 10% for shift leaders in the last 5 years.
There are over 686,033 shift leaders currently employed in the United States.
There are 229,485 active shift leader job openings in the US.
The average shift leader salary is $33,841.
Are shift leader jobs in demand?
Shift leader job and salary trends over time
Shift leader jobs over time
Shift leader job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 686,033 | 0.20% |
| 2020 | 604,419 | 0.18% |
| 2019 | 686,072 | 0.21% |
| 2018 | 659,567 | 0.20% |
| 2017 | 640,108 | 0.19% |
Average shift leader salary over time
Shift leader salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $33,841 | $16.27 | +3.5% |
| 2025 | $32,696 | $15.72 | +2.9% |
| 2024 | $31,766 | $15.27 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $31,286 | $15.04 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | $30,816 | $14.82 | +3.8% |
Shift leader jobs by state
Most common states for shift leaders
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 418 | 60% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 3,432 | 50% |
| 3 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 3,124 | 47% |
| 4 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 1,396 | 44% |
| 5 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 2,617 | 43% |
| 6 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 2,366 | 42% |
| 7 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 3,502 | 41% |
| 8 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 1,819 | 41% |
| 9 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 238 | 41% |
| 10 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 4,065 | 40% |
| 11 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 1,158 | 40% |
| 12 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 2,356 | 39% |
| 13 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 1,908 | 39% |
| 14 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 1,153 | 39% |
| 15 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 298 | 39% |
| 16 | Alaska | 739,795 | 278 | 38% |
| 17 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 3,651 | 37% |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 2,167 | 37% |
| 19 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 704 | 37% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 232 | 37% |
Most common cities for shift leaders
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orlando | 55 | 20% | $28,155 |
| 2 | Atlanta | 62 | 13% | $27,152 |
| 3 | Cincinnati | 40 | 13% | $27,893 |
| 4 | Tampa | 47 | 12% | $28,276 |
| 5 | Miami | 51 | 11% | $28,102 |
| 6 | Colorado Springs | 48 | 10% | $33,625 |
| 7 | Fort Worth | 65 | 8% | $28,384 |
| 8 | Dallas | 86 | 7% | $28,261 |
| 9 | Austin | 62 | 7% | $29,055 |
| 10 | Charlotte | 61 | 7% | $28,164 |
| 11 | Indianapolis | 48 | 6% | $29,205 |
| 12 | Washington | 42 | 6% | $35,076 |
| 13 | Houston | 88 | 4% | $28,632 |
| 14 | San Diego | 52 | 4% | $37,188 |
| 15 | Phoenix | 53 | 3% | $31,983 |
| 16 | Los Angeles | 65 | 2% | $37,820 |
| 17 | Chicago | 48 | 2% | $29,874 |
| 18 | New York | 75 | 1% | $36,477 |
Shift Leader job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of shift leader experts
Bethel University
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.
Associate Provost - Innovation and Partnerships, Program Director/Professor, Ed.D. Leadership in Higher EducationBethel University
Education Leadership
What soft skills should all Shift Leaders possess?
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.: With the rapid rate of change, accelerating information turnover, and boundless access to knowledge, certain new soft skills may now be prioritized in our current society. So we all have to be learners, seeking new information, anticipating that we will need to change our mind, and striving for a disposition of curiosity. The specific skill of asking good questions cannot be underestimated.
Employers may be seeking skills like imaginative bridging, humbly and curiously connecting dots. Or the skills of facilitation and curation, with so many different perspectives and lived experiences, and an overabundance of information, an educational leader, must manage people, perspectives, and content like never before.
Employers are looking for skills that relate to not only the day-to-day tactical aspects of educational leadership but also imaginative problem-solving for a thriving future.
What skills will help Shift Leaders earn the most?
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.: For educational leaders, I'm not convinced discrete skills equate to salary. Working hard and working well with others, with a disposition of humility and curiosity, is really powerful. Perhaps the combination of soft and hard skills gained through diverse experiences, positions, and institutional contexts results in the highest earning potential.