June 12, 2012 | 10:37 am
The 10 Fastest-Growing Oklahoma Jobs … of the Future
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Joe Wertz
Joe Raedle / Getty Images
When it comes to income, stress, surroundings and job openings, petroleum engineers in Oklahoma have a pretty sweet gig.
And though that might be the best job in Oklahoma right now, it’s not the biggest employment opportunity down the road, data from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission show.
Growth-wise, pills might outpace petroleum when it comes to jobs.
Fastest‐Growing Occupations 2008‐2018
| Rank | Job | Mean Hourly Wage | Average Annual Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pharmacy technicians | $11.62 | 4.03% |
| 2. | Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers | $17.92 | 3.94% |
| 3. | Home health aides | $9.53 | 3.78% |
| 4. | Personal and home care aides | $8.42 | 3.18% |
| 5. | Registered nurses | $25.58 | 2.75% |
| 6. | Firefighters | $17.23 | 2.65% |
| 7. | Training and development specialists | $20.19 | 2.54% |
| 8. | Dental assistants | $14.17 | 2.42% |
| 9. | Medical assistants | $12.48 | 2.36% |
| 10. | Industrial machinery mechanics | $19.92 | 2.35% |
Source: Oklahoma Employment Security Commission
Home health and personal care aides are the only two jobs on the list that don’t require post-high school education, commission officials say.
Training and development specialists need at least a bachelor’s degree, but most of the 10 fastest-growing jobs have education requirements somewhere in-between: from on-the-job training and vocational certificates to associate degrees.
