Best jobs for 2015 Metro hotspots and key industries driving employment

TAKING THE TOP FIVE JOBS IN EACH EDUCATION CATEGORY, WE DETERMINED WHERE THEIR GROWTH, WAGES, AND CONCENTRATION ARE STRONGEST, AS WELL AS THE KEY INDUSTRIES DRIVING EMPLOYMENT FOR THESE OCCUPATIONS.

In our recent analysis with CareerBuilder, we distilled the top occupations (both degree-requiring and no-degree-requiring) whose monthly job postings are distinctly higher than the number of hires�meaning employers advertising for those jobs are on a vigorous hunt for talent. In this post we wanted to dig deeper. Taking the top five jobs in each education category, we determined where their growth, wages, and concentration are strongest, as well as the key industries driving employment for these occupations.

The upshot: San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Houston, Dallas, and Detroit are the usual suspects for top metro areas (especially for the occupations requiring a college degree) and a number of the occupations share the same key industries, such as management of companies and enterprises (NAICS 5511) and computer systems design and related services (NAICS 5415).

College degree

1. Marketing manager

Key Industries:

• Management of companies and enterprises (NAICS 5511)
• Management, scientific, and technical consulting services (NAICS 5416)
• Computer systems design and related services (NAICS 5415)

Hotspots:

• San Francisco: 7,470 jobs in 2014; 1,666 new jobs (29% growth), $72.35 per hour; 2.48 LQ
• Minneapolis: 6,355 jobs in 2014; 614 new jobs (11% growth); $57.50 per hour; 2.54 LQ
• San Jose: 5,385 jobs in 2014; 1,119 new jobs (26% growth); $81.71 per hour; 3.94 LQ

2. Software developer, applications

Key Industries:

• Computer systems design and related services (NAICS 5415)
• Software publishers (NAICS 5112)
• Management of companies and enterprises (NAICS 5511)

Hotspots:

• Seattle: 47,183 jobs in 2014 (humongous); 8,312 new jobs (21% growth); $54.71 per hour; 5.21 LQ
• San Jose: 29,819 jobs in 2014; 7,830 new jobs (36% growth); $61.02 per hour; 6.12 LQ
• San Francisco: 23,800 jobs in 2014; 6,493 new jobs (38% growth); $50.84 per hour; 2.21 LQ

3. Registered nurses

Key Industries:

• General medical and surgical hospitals (NAICS 6221)
• Education and hospitals (local government) (NAICS 9036)
• Home health care services (NAICS 6216)

Hotspots:

• Boston: 61,867 jobs in 2014; 3,373 new jobs (6% growth); $39.04 per hour; 1.26 LQ
• Cleveland: 28,496 jobs in 2014; 1,432 new jobs (5% growth); $32.04 per hour; 1.46 LQ
• Sioux Falls, South Dakota: 5,532 jobs in 2014; 877 new jobs (19% growth); $24.52 per hour; 2.0 LQ

Also worth noting is Rochester, Minnesota, with the high concentration of 3.55 (likely due to the presence of the Mayo Clinic).

4. Industrial engineers

Key Industries:

• Aerospace product and parts manufacturing (NAICS 3364)
• Motor vehicle parts manufacturing (NAICS 3363)
• Architectural, engineering, and related services (NAICS 5413)

Hotspots:

• Detroit: 11,992 jobs in 2014; 2,946 new jobs (33% growth); $40.16 per hour; 4.01 LQ
• Houston: 6,330 jobs in 2014; 1,164 new jobs (23% growth); $52.50 per hour; 1.30 LQ
• Grand Rapids: 3,438 jobs in 2014; 833 new jobs (32% growth); $32.91 per hour; 4.05 LQ

High concentration is also found for industrial engineers in Saginaw, Michigan (8.52 LQ), and Spartanburg, South Carolina (4.86 LQ).

5. Network and computer system administrators

Key Industries:

• Computer systems design and related services (NAICS 5415)
• Management of companies and enterprises (NAICS 5511)
• Employment services (NAICS 5613)

Hotspots:

• San Francisco: 9,484 jobs in 2014; 1,581 new jobs (20% growth); $43.40 per hour; 1.59 LQ
• Dallas: 12,139 jobs in 2014; 1,398 new jobs (13% growth); $38.23 per hour; 1.39 LQ
• Houston: 9,566 jobs in 2014; 1,380 new jobs (17% growth); $43.74 per hour; 1.23 LQ

No college degree

1. Truck driver, heavy and tractor-trailer

Key Industries:

• General freight trucking (NAICS 4841)
• Specialized freight trucking (NAICS 4842)
• Grocery and related product merchant wholesalers (NAICS 4244)

Hotspots:

• Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California: 29,522 jobs in 2014; 3,240 new jobs (12% growth); $19.51 per hour; 1.67 LQ
• Nashville: 15,804 jobs in 2014; 2,218 new jobs (16% growth); $17.76 per hour; 1.38 LQ
• Springfield, Missouri: 5,762 jobs in 2014; 1,271 new jobs (28% growth); $20.20 per hour; 2.21 LQ

2. Merchandise displayer and window trimmer

Key Industries:

• Advertising, public relations, and related services (NAICS 5418)
• Wholesale electronic markets and agents and brokers (NAICS 4251)
• Grocery and related product merchant wholesalers (NAICS 4244)

Hotspots:

• Dallas: 3,093 jobs in 2014; 282 new jobs (10% growth); $13.55 per hour; 1.7 LQ
• Houston: 2,397 jobs in 2014; 229 new jobs (11% growth); $11.42 per hour; 1.47 LQ
• Las Vegas: 1,225 jobs in 2014; 157 new jobs (15% growth); $14.29 per hour; 2.49 LQ

3. Orderly

Key Industries:

• General medical and surgical hospitals (NAICS 6221)
• Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) (NAICS 6231)
• Education and hospitals (state government) (NAICS 9026)

Hotspots:

• Houston: 2,036 jobs in 2014; 190 new jobs (10% growth); $11.19 per hour; 1.73 LQ
• Oklahoma City: 1,001 jobs in 2014; 96 new jobs (11% growth); $10.93 per hour; 4.02 LQ (wow, that's high)
• San Jose: 601 jobs in 2014; 104 new jobs (21% growth; $22.31 per hour (high cost of living; 1.48 LQ

4. Sales representative, wholesale and manufacturing

Key Industries:

• Wholesale electronic markets and agents and brokers (NAICS 4251)
• Machinery, equipment, and supplies merchant wholesalers (NAICS 4238)
• Professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers (NAICS 4234)

Hotspots:

• Dallas: 55,093 jobs in 2014; 6,512 new jobs (13% growth); $28.16 per hour; 1.26 LQ
• Houston: 50,322 jobs in 2014; 7,560 new jobs (18% growth); $32.63 per hour; 1.28 LQ
• Detroit: 31,429 jobs in 2014; 3,632 new jobs (13% growth); $29.14 per hour; 1.30 LQ

5. Purchasing manager

Key Industries:

• Management of companies and enterprises (NAICS 5511)
• Federal government, civilian (NAICS 9011)
• Aerospace product and parts manufacturing (NAICS 3364)

Hotspots:

• San Francisco: 1,456 jobs in 2014; 196 new jobs (16% growth); $62.76 per hour; 1.28 LQ
• Seattle: 1,441 jobs in 2014; 179 new jobs (14% growth); $56.03 per hour; 1.51 LQ
• Detroit: 1,403 jobs in 2014; 220 new jobs (19% growth); $50.60 per our; 1.53 LQ