Author: Jamie Vaughn
For Women’s Equality Day, we wanted to understand where employment for women is growing. Using the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, we reviewed employment growth and found that in North Carolina from 2010 to 2018 the civilian employed population (16 years and over) has increased by 18.0%, to more than 4.8 million. During that eight-year period, employment among females increased by almost 350,000 (17.4%) while employment among males increased by more than 392,000 (18.5%).
However, women are getting jobs in some of the fastest growing occupations in NC at greater rates than men. The three fastest growing occupations for employment for women are in Material moving occupations; Construction and extraction occupations; and Computer, engineering, and science occupations. Material moving occupations (85%) and Computer, engineering and science occupations (50%) were the two fastest growing occupations for both sexes combined over the eight-year period, while Construction and extraction occupations employment grew for both sexes combined at a more modest 10%.
The story is similar when looking at total growth. The three largest employment gains of women were in Management, business, and financial occupations; Education, legal, community service, arts, and media occupations; and Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations. Management, business, and financial occupations (194,728) saw the greatest overall gain for both sexes combined while Material Moving occupations (88,320) saw the third highest gain and Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations (57,414) experienced the fifth greatest gain.
NC Civilian Industry Employment Growth by Sex, 2010 to 2018
| NC Female Employment Growth | NC Female Employment % Growth | NC Male Employment Growth | NC Male Employment % Growth | |
| Civilian employed population 16 years and over | 349,838 | 17.4% | 392,424 | 18.5% |
| Material moving occupations | 27,991 | 135.3% | 60,329 | 72.9% |
| Construction and extraction occupations | 4,527 | 81.9% | 17,413 | 8.1% |
| Computer, engineering, and science occupations | 28,590 | 54.7% | 66,334 | 47.9% |
| Transportation occupations | 8,031 | 38.5% | 35,568 | 30.3% |
| Management, business, and financial occupations | 95,813 | 37.2% | 98,915 | 32.1% |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations | 14,261 | 26.0% | 24,116 | 25.8% |
| Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations | 46,862 | 24.6% | 10,552 | 18.4% |
| Healthcare support occupations | 23,560 | 22.6% | 3,201 | 26.4% |
| Education, legal, community service, arts, and media occupations | 56,474 | 18.8% | 18,790 | 13.2% |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations | 25,154 | 18.4% | 23,431 | 23.7% |
| Production occupations | 16,797 | 16.5% | 24,589 | 12.3% |
| Protective service occupations | 2,773 | 14.2% | 3,420 | 5.0% |
| Personal care and service occupations | 10,105 | 10.7% | 2,473 | 7.9% |
| Sales and related occupations | 21,369 | 8.7% | 5,308 | 2.2% |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations | 348 | 6.6% | 935 | 3.6% |
| Office and administrative support occupations | -29,897 | -7.6% | -11,552 | -8.3% |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations | -1,427 | -18.4% | 7,109 | 4.7% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2010 & 2018 | ||||