The job market in the United States is as diverse as its population, with certain roles dominating employment in the country’s largest cities. A recent analysis Make It, based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, highlights the most common jobs in the five largest U.S. cities and their corresponding salaries. Here’s a closer look at the top roles in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Phoenix.
New York City
As the largest city in the U.S., New York employs a wide range of workers across various industries. The five most common jobs are:
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
- Annual Median Wage: $37,990
- Number Employed: 605,590
Retail Salespersons
- Annual Median Wage: $37,350
- Number Employed: 212,470
Registered Nurses
- Annual Median Wage: $113,490
- Number Employed: 195,470
General and Operations Managers
- Annual Median Wage: $149,260
- Number Employed: 187,400
Janitors and Cleaners (excluding maids and housekeeping cleaners)
- Annual Median Wage: $40,350
- Number Employed: 177,960
New York’s healthcare and retail sectors dominate employment numbers, while registered nurses and operations managers earn six-figure salaries, making them the highest-paid on this list.
Los Angeles
In Los Angeles, the second-largest U.S. city, many workers are employed in healthcare, retail, and manual labor roles. The top five jobs include:
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
- Annual Median Wage: $34,600
- Number Employed: 350,610
Fast Food and Counter Workers
- Annual Median Wage: $36,480
- Number Employed: 153,840
Manual Freight and Stock Movers
- Annual Median Wage: $39,200
- Number Employed: 128,800
Retail Salespersons
- Annual Median Wage: $36,580
- Number Employed: 122,120
Cashiers
- Annual Median Wage: $36,120
- Number Employed: 114,090
While salaries in Los Angeles’ common jobs are relatively modest, manual labor positions like freight and stock moving offer slightly higher pay.
Chicago
The job market in Chicago, the third-largest city, is notable for its emphasis on manual labor and management roles. The top five jobs are:
Manual Freight and Stock Movers
- Annual Median Wage: $40,030
- Number Employed: 146,710
General and Operations Managers
- Annual Median Wage: $105,310
- Number Employed: 121,110
Fast Food and Counter Workers
- Annual Median Wage: $33,020
- Number Employed: 104,270
Retail Salespersons
- Annual Median Wage: $34,910
- Number Employed: 102,320
Registered Nurses
- Annual Median Wage: $96,480
- Number Employed: 100,620
Manual freight workers make up the largest workforce in Chicago, while operations managers and registered nurses remain the highest earners.
Houston
In Houston, healthcare and customer service dominate the most common occupations. Here’s the breakdown:
General and Operations Managers
- Annual Median Wage: $108,090
- Number Employed: 105,830
Fast Food and Counter Workers
- Annual Median Wage: $26,960
- Number Employed: 89,540
Retail Salespersons
- Annual Median Wage: $30,260
- Number Employed: 75,920
Registered Nurses
- Annual Median Wage: $97,810
- Number Employed: 65,300
Customer Service Representatives
- Annual Median Wage: $39,310
- Number Employed: 64,180
General and operations managers lead in both employment numbers and salaries, while fast food workers earn the lowest annual median wage.
Phoenix
Phoenix, the fifth-largest city, has a unique mix of managerial and service-oriented roles. The top five jobs are:
General and Operations Managers
- Annual Median Wage: $94,130
- Number Employed: 73,000
Customer Service Representatives
- Annual Median Wage: $44,400
- Number Employed: 69,410
Retail Salespersons
- Annual Median Wage: $35,550
- Number Employed: 64,030
Fast Food and Counter Workers
- Annual Median Wage: $33,870
- Number Employed: 62,150
Manual Freight and Stock Movers
- Annual Median Wage: $39,630
- Number Employed: 57,320
Customer service representatives in Phoenix earn higher-than-average wages compared to similar roles in other cities.
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