Author: Jamie Vaughn
NCcareers.org can help you navigate the world of work during the COVID-19 pandemic
NCcareers.org continues to provide critical and timely information to help North Carolinians explore career options and choices. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, some workers, concerned with contracting the COVID-19 virus, may be interested in exploring occupations with less person-to-person contact. NCcareers.org has information for occupations that may be less affected by COVID -19. Users can access this information by clicking on the green COVID-19 response banner at the top of the landing page and then clicking on the Low Contact Occupations tab.
This list was created, using data available on NCcareers.org, by applying a methodology developed by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis to identify “low contact” occupations. These occupations require fewer personal interactions with customers, supervisors and co-workers and can lessen the risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus.
Below is a list of the largest Low Contact Occupations in North Carolina listed by statewide employment size and grouped by minimum education requirements. Each occupation title is hyperlinked to the NCcareers.org Occupation Profile page which provides useful information about the occupations as well as hyperlinks for additional resources. The Star Rating for each occupation is included in the list to help job seekers easily identify which occupations are expected to have more promising opportunities.
Low Contact Occupations - No Formal Education Credential
Occupation | 2017 Employment | Median Wage | Star Rating |
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 40,712 | $20,740 | ⭐⭐ |
Industrial Truck & Tractor Operators | 23,325 | $33,200 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Crop, Nursery & Greenhouse Farmworkers and Laborers | 6,805 | $23,040 | ⭐⭐ |
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | 5,188 | $29,710 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Machine Feeders & Offbearers | 2,615 | $26,530 | ⭐⭐ |
Agricultural Equipment Operators | 1,074 | $25,530 | ⭐⭐ |
Hand Cutters & Trimmers | 1,315 | $35,850 | ⭐ |
Textile, Garment, & Related Materials Pressers | 1,181 | $20,650 | ⭐ |
Food & Tobacco Roasting, Baking, & Drying Machine Operators & Tenders | 1,265 | $43,050 | ⭐⭐ |
Conveyor Operators & Tenders | 526 | $31,520 | ⭐ |
Low Contact Occupations - High School Diploma or some postsecondary education (not a degree or certificate)
Occupation | 2017 Employment | Median Wage | Star Rating |
Secretaries & Administrative Assistants | 64,035 | $36,330 | ⭐⭐ |
Bookkeeping, Accounting, & Auditing Clerks | 47,417 | $38,550 | ⭐⭐ |
First-Line Supervisors of Office & Administrative Support Workers | 40,135 | $53,190 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Shipping, Receiving, & Traffic Clerks | 21,106 | $31,340 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Executive Secretaries & Executive Administrative Assistants | 18,003 | $53,600 | ⭐⭐ |
First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | 14,442 | $84,180 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Billing & Posting Clerks | 14,004 | $36,100 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Welders, Cutters, Solderers & Braziers | 10,402 | $39,610 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, & Investigators | 8,657 | $61,470 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Bill & Account Collectors | 8,390 | $35,280 | ⭐⭐ |
Low Contact Occupations - Post-Secondary Training (often a certificate)
Occupation | 2017 Employment | Median Wage | Star Rating |
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 61,732 | $42,140 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Medical Transcriptionists | 1,063 | $33,550 | ⭐ |
Electronic Home Entertainment Equipment Installers & Repairers | 910 | $30,880 | ⭐⭐ |
Motorcycle Mechanics | 504 | $35,600 | ⭐⭐ |
Low Contact Occupations - Associate Degree
Occupation | 2017 Employment | Median Wage | Star Rating |
Paralegals & Legal Assistants | 9,555 | $43,530 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Web Developers | 4,493 | $68,520 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Architectural & Civil Drafters | 2,446 | $51,260 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Electronic Drafters | 782 | $44,740 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Environmental Engineering Technicians | 244 | $44,190 | Not rated |
Desktop Publishers | 87 | $39,070 | Not rated |
Low Contact Occupations - Bachelor’s Degree
Look for more tips on how to use NCcareers.org in the next edition of “Inside the NEW NCcareers.org.”