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Age distribution

Every occupation in the United States

The age profile of the workforce, ranked by the share aged 55 and over. ACS 2020-2024.

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Labor Shortage Index Employment growth Median pay Age distribution Projected change

Under 2525 to 5455 and overAged 55 and over

1Tool and die makers

48.2%

2Stationary engineers

38.3%

3Jewelers

38.1%

4Building inspectors

37.6%

5Cabinetmakers

36.0%

6Locksmiths and safe repairers

35.5%

7Furniture finishers

34.8%

8Precision instrument repairers

34.5%

9Transportation inspectors

34.1%

10Machinists

33.5%

11Electrical engineering techs

33.4%

12Electronics assemblers

33.2%

13Other woodworkers

32.8%

14Printing press operators

32.2%

15Mechanics and repair supervisors

31.3%

16Other machine tool operators

31.1%

17General maintenance workers

31.1%

18Home appliance repairers

30.9%

19Engine assemblers

30.5%

20Prepress technicians and workers

30.1%

21Etchers and engravers

30.1%

22Industrial machinery mechanics

30.1%

23Small engine mechanics

30.1%

24Press and cutting machine operators

30.0%

25Electric motor and tool repairers

29.0%

26Auto body repairers

28.9%

27Highway maintenance workers

28.4%

28Molding machine operators

28.4%

29Vending machine servicers

27.9%

30Grinding and polishing machine operators

27.7%

31Water treatment operators

27.0%

32Millwrights

27.0%

33Hoist and conveyor operators

26.9%

34Maintenance workers, machinery

26.2%

35Construction supervisors

26.1%

36Metal fabricators

26.1%

37Construction equipment operators

25.8%

38Metal forming machine operators

25.8%

39Dental and medical appliance technicians

25.8%

40Other metal and plastic workers

25.6%

41Hazmat removal workers

25.6%

42Adhesive bonding operators

25.5%

43Molders and casters, other materials

25.4%

44Production inspectors and testers

25.4%

45Locomotive engineers and operators

25.3%

46Production supervisors

25.1%

47Crane and tower operators

24.3%

48Office machine repairers

23.9%

49Heavy equipment technicians

23.8%

50Boilermakers

23.6%

51Other engineering techs

23.4%

52Ship and boat captains

23.3%

53Other assemblers and fabricators

23.3%

54Other plant operators

23.2%

55Other repair workers

23.2%

56Aircraft mechanics

23.2%

57Furnace and kiln operators

23.2%

58Glaziers

23.2%

59Earth drillers, except oil and gas

23.0%

60Metal furnace operators

22.7%

61CNC operators & programmers

22.6%

62Carpenters

22.6%

63Diesel mechanics

22.3%

64Sheet metal workers

22.1%

65Painters and paperhangers

22.1%

66Telecom equipment installers

22.1%

67Grinding & blending workers

21.9%

68Woodworking machine operators

21.8%

69Extruding and forming machine operators

21.4%

70Wood sawing machine operators

21.0%

71Plasterers and stucco masons

21.0%

72Brickmasons and stonemasons

20.9%

73Power plant operators

20.8%

74Forklift and industrial truck operators

20.7%

75Alarm system installers

20.7%

76Other rail transportation workers

20.6%

77Other construction workers

20.5%

78Auto service technicians

20.5%

79Plumbers and pipefitters

20.2%

80Control and valve installers

20.0%

81Electricians

19.7%

82Floor and tile installers

19.5%

83Painting workers

19.0%

84Structural iron and steel workers

18.8%

85HVAC mechanics and installers

18.7%

86Telecom line installers

18.5%

87Welders and solderers

18.4%

88Elevator installers

18.4%

89Riggers

18.3%

90Rail-track equipment operators

17.7%

91Railroad conductors

17.6%

92Tire builders

17.2%

93Chemical processing operators

16.8%

94Mining machine operators

16.6%

95Cement masons and concrete finishers

16.3%

96Drywall installers and tapers

15.9%

97AV equipment installers

15.7%

98Other extraction workers

15.6%

99Auto glass installers

15.3%

100Repair helpers

15.2%

101Industrial electronics repairers

14.8%

102Power-line installers

14.7%

103Insulation workers

14.6%

104Fence erectors

13.8%

105Explosives workers and blasters

13.7%

106Avionics technicians

13.1%

107Oil and gas drill operators

12.1%

108Pipelayers

12.0%

109Roofers

12.0%

110Other vehicle and equipment mechanics

11.7%

111Sailors and marine oilers

11.5%

112Solar photovoltaic installers

3.5%

112 of 124 occupations shown; 12 lack a published figure here (withheld estimates or thin survey samples). table view

Occupation	Age distribution	Workers
Tool and die makers	48.2%	56,900
Stationary engineers and boiler operators	38.3%	28,260
Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers	38.1%	22,350
Construction and building inspectors	37.6%	146,760
Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters	36.0%	77,060
Locksmiths and safe repairers	35.5%	14,910
Furniture finishers	34.8%	14,390
Precision instrument and equipment repairers	34.5%	80,170
Transportation inspectors	34.1%	23,160
Machinists	33.5%	287,050
Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians	33.4%	95,110
Electrical, electronics, and electromechanical assemblers	33.2%	259,580
Other woodworkers	32.8%	4,340
Printing press operators	32.2%	144,290
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers	31.3%	617,470
Other machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	31.1%	32,160
Maintenance and repair workers, general	31.1%	1,529,700
Home appliance repairers	30.9%	31,340
Engine and other machine assemblers	30.5%	28,300
Prepress technicians and workers	30.1%	23,690
Etchers and engravers	30.1%	7,170
Industrial and refractory machinery mechanics	30.1%	440,280
Small engine mechanics	30.1%	71,870
Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	30.0%	171,100
Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers	29.0%	13,810
Automotive body and related repairers	28.9%	149,310
Highway maintenance workers	28.4%	154,860
Molders and molding machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	28.4%	162,880
Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers	27.9%	26,240
Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	27.7%	66,940
Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators	27.0%	127,680
Millwrights	27.0%	39,610
Conveyor, dredge, and hoist and winch operators	26.9%	250
Maintenance workers, machinery	26.2%	59,630
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers	26.1%	812,230
Structural metal fabricators and fitters	26.1%	50,200
Construction equipment operators	25.8%	520,860
Forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	25.8%	93,040
Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians	25.8%	62,140
Other metal workers and plastic workers	25.6%	195,060
Hazardous materials removal workers	25.6%	51,670
Adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders	25.5%	11,310
Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic	25.4%	32,990
Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers	25.4%	597,390
Locomotive engineers and operators	25.3%	28,820
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers	25.1%	673,440
Crane and tower operators	24.3%	41,870
Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers	23.9%	65,550
Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians and mechanics	23.8%	234,180
Boilermakers	23.6%	8,920
Other engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters	23.4%	220,030
Ship and boat captains and operators	23.3%	36,630
Other assemblers and fabricators	23.3%	1,405,050
Miscellaneous plant and system operators	23.2%	79,710
Other installation, maintenance, and repair workers	23.2%	183,330
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians	23.2%	138,030
Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders	23.2%	14,240
Glaziers	23.2%	58,460
Earth drillers, except oil and gas	23.0%	19,350
Metal furnace operators, tenders, pourers, and casters	22.7%	20,500
Computer numerically controlled tool operators and programmers	22.6%	197,800
Carpenters	22.6%	670,080
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists	22.3%	289,940
Sheet metal workers	22.1%	119,680
Painters and paperhangers	22.1%	226,090
Radio and telecommunications equipment installers and repairers	22.1%	150,890
Crushing, grinding, polishing, mixing, and blending workers	21.9%	10,130
Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing	21.8%	61,380
Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders	21.4%	58,530
Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood	21.0%	40,790
Plasterers and stucco masons	21.0%	17,930
Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons	20.9%	57,230
Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers	20.8%	29,900
Industrial truck and tractor operators	20.7%	774,060
Security and fire alarm systems installers	20.7%	86,330
Other rail transportation workers	20.6%	640
Miscellaneous construction and related workers	20.5%	27,710
Automotive service technicians and mechanics	20.5%	704,640
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters	20.2%	465,820
Control and valve installers and repairers	20.0%	74,220
Electricians	19.7%	757,240
Carpet, floor, and tile installers and finishers	19.5%	72,830
Painting workers	19.0%	164,640
Structural iron and steel workers	18.8%	67,530
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers	18.7%	409,690
Telecommunications line installers and repairers	18.5%	97,760
Welding, soldering, and brazing workers	18.4%	416,160
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers	18.4%	22,030
Riggers	18.3%	22,100
Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators	17.7%	17,560
Railroad conductors and yardmasters	17.6%	36,030
Tire builders	17.2%	12,280
Chemical processing machine setters, operators, and tenders	16.8%	199,540
Underground mining machine operators	16.6%	20,260
Cement masons, concrete finishers, and terrazzo workers	16.3%	206,260
Drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers	15.9%	94,410
Audiovisual equipment installers and repairers	15.7%	17,490
Other extraction workers	15.6%	13,200
Automotive glass installers and repairers	15.3%	20,110
Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers	15.2%	95,560
Electrical and electronics repairers, industrial and utility	14.8%	84,440
Electrical power-line installers and repairers	14.7%	131,080
Insulation workers	14.6%	67,710
Fence erectors	13.8%	21,100
Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters	13.7%	3,830
Avionics technicians	13.1%	17,400
Derrick, rotary drill, and service unit operators, oil and gas	12.1%	64,900
Pipelayers	12.0%	32,370
Roofers	12.0%	135,490
Miscellaneous vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	11.7%	137,220
Sailors and marine oilers	11.5%	31,550
Solar photovoltaic installers	3.5%	26,790

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