Health Care Leads Long-Term Job Growth in Oregon

The Employment Department's long-term employment projections to 2024 are now available for 100 industries and 700 occupations statewide. Oregon's largest industries -- such as health care and professional and business services -- are generally expected to add the most jobs in the coming years. Health care and professional and business services are also two of the three industries expected to grow the fastest by 2024.

Fast growth in health care (22%) can be attributed to the growth and aging of the state's population. Within health care, offices of practitioners (such as chiropractors and speech therapists) and other specialists are expected to grow by 29 percent, and nursing and residential care facilities should see job increases of 27 percent. That's much faster than growth in hospitals (9%).

Professional and business services growth (21%) will be driven by gains in professional and technical services such as computer systems design (40%) and management of companies and enterprises (27%). Management of companies and enterprises includes corporate headquarters offices in the state.

The state's fastest-growing sector will be construction (22%), just edging out health care. Strong demand, low inventory, and a growing population should contribute to the buildup in construction. This is particularly the case in Central Oregon, where construction growth is projected at 32 percent, and in the Portland area (Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties) with growth expected to reach 23 percent over the decade.

Despite rapid growth, projected construction employment (97,000) in 2024 falls short of the industry's peak employment (104,200) in 2007. Manufacturing, financial activities, and information are also expected to remain below peak employment levels between 2014 and 2024.

More information about Oregon's industry projections to 2024 can be found in the employment projections box on the Publications page at QualityInfo.org, or in the complete industry projections article.