The Most Common Jobs In America

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DETAILED LIST OF THE MOST COMMON JOBS IN AMERICA
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A lifetime of effort goes into being employed. People begin working towards eventually getting a job from childhood. This national focus on career has led to approximately 157 million employed people in the United States today working across numerous industries.

There are many different types of employment available in the US, and some are more popular than others. Below are the top fifteen most common jobs in America.

DETAILED LIST OF THE MOST COMMON JOBS IN AMERICA

Retail Sales Representative

Average Annual Salary: $30,824
Number of Retail Salespeople in the US: 4,633,100

There are one million retail establishments in the United States, a statistic growing by an average rate of 4% annually. Each of these locations needs a staff of highly trained retail salespeople to make the buying experience pleasant for customers.

Being a retail salesperson involves ensuring customer satisfaction throughout the shopping process, using product knowledge to answer any questions, and assisting in inventory procedures.

There are several skills that retail salespeople rely on for accomplishing their responsibilities. Some necessary skills for the role include:
- Customer service
- Sales skills
- Communication
- Problem-solving
- Positivity
- Dependability
One of the main reasons that being a retail salesperson is the most common job in America by a wide margin is the demand for them everywhere. Small towns in Idaho have stores where residents shop, and big cities like Los Angeles also have a multitude of retail locations.

Additionally, it’s often an accessible position to get regardless of education or experience level. These qualities make it an attractive professional option for over 4.5 million employees in the United States currently working as retail salespeople.

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Office Clerk

Average Annual Salary: $27,617
Number of Office Clerks in the US: 3,126,300

The second most common job in the United States is that of an office clerk. As their title suggests, an office clerk works in an administrative setting to provide support and maintain the organization’s functioning.

Some of an office clerk’s typical responsibilities include:
- Sorting and distributing mail
- Answering and transferring incoming phone calls
- Handling bookkeeping tasks
- Take notes at meetings
- Keeping an inventory of office supplies and restocking when needed
- Making travel arrangements
Office clerks need to be familiar with a variety of administrative skills, like typing and basic accounting. Candidates hoping to be hired for this position are also often expected to have excellent communication skills and strong attention to detail.

Employers looking for office clerks usually require candidates to have a high school diploma or GED and knowledge of general computer skills.

Like retail positions, office clerks find employment across the United States because there are many available jobs in endless administrative settings from coast to coast.

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Registered Nurse

Average Annual Salary: $63,827
Number of Registered Nurses in the US: 3,096,700

Registered nurses take care of people in their most vulnerable, painful, or difficult moments. They work in healthcare centers like hospitals and doctor’s offices to perform supporting medical tasks like running diagnostic tests on patients, collecting their health history, and educating them on their condition and the steps to move forward.

Registered nurses act as a communication point for these patients to rely on. Since they’re responsible for acting as emotional support in addition to performing medical procedures, being a registered nurse requires a deep well of empathy.

The position also demands remaining collected under pressure, strong organizational skills, and the stamina to stand for shifts up to 16 hours long.

Out of the three million registered nurses in the United States, many of them are situated in metropolitan areas with a greater need for healthcare professionals to account for the large population.

Cities with the most registered nurses include:
- New York (123,640)
- Los Angeles (75,160)
- Chicago (73,820)
- Houston (50,780)

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Customer Service Representative

Average Annual Salary: $29,624
Number of Customer Service Representatives in the US: 3,018,800

Companies need to be prepared for the wave of questions, concerns, and customer complaints about their products and services. This is why most organizations hire a strong team of customer service representatives.

Customer service representatives usually work with customers remotely to handle their queries and take actions like processing requests and maintaining a clear record of interactions.

The job of a customer service representative often involves resolving issues that a customer has, which is why the position requires a lot of problem-solving abilities and adaptability.

Becoming a customer service representative requires a high school diploma or general education degree. Basic experience with technology and computers is also helpful for the role.

Many people in America are attracted to a job as a customer service representative because most positions can be worked remotely from the comfort of an employee’s home.

Even as a part-time job or side hustle, being a customer service representative is an excellent way to bring in some extra cash, which might be the reason for it being one of the most popular jobs in the United States.

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Janitor

Average Annual Salary: $23,297
Number of Janitors in the US: 2,374,200

Janitors are the professionals who are responsible for keeping spaces clean. Without them, the buildings that people use daily would be caked with debris and destroyed. A janitor’s tidying efforts usually include:
- Emptying trash bins
- Sweeping and mopping the floor
- Disinfecting surfaces and areas of use
- Steaming carpets
- Cleaning windows
- Using various cleaning agents and tools
- Providing outdoor maintenance like shoveling snow in the winter
Becoming a janitor usually doesn’t require much formal schooling or experience, but it demands a few core soft skills. Some of the soft skills associated with being a janitor include:
- Teamwork
- Organization
- Patience
- Attention to detail
The janitor position is another job seen in every state across the United States, which contributes to its standing as one of the most common careers in the country.

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Server

Average Annual Salary: $24,097
Number of Servers in the US: 1,944,240

Servers work in restaurants and other establishments to provide customers with a superb dining experience.

A business’s servers need to be extremely knowledgeable about the restaurant’s food dishes and specialty drinks to communicate these details clearly with patrons. Their communication skills also need to be evident in their interactions with the other service team members, like managers and cooks.

Some of the common responsibilities that a server undertakes include:
- Taking food and drink orders
- Maintaining a positive demeanor
- Making dining suggestions
- Continually checking on their tables’ needs
- Assisting with food preparation
- Preparing and delivering the bill
The best states for servers to work in include Arizona, New York, and Pennsylvania because of the multitude of available jobs and the high average salary compared to other areas.

The strongest servers across these locations demonstrate a great memory, the ability to accomplish tasks quickly, and an upbeat demeanor regardless of the circumstances.

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Elementary School Teacher

Average Annual Salary: $49,952
Number of Elementary School Teachers in the US: 1,579,800

One of the most important jobs out there is educating the young minds that will take over in the future. The individuals that are responsible for instilling children’s earliest years of education are elementary school teachers.

While elementary school teachers can find employment throughout the United States, the teaching job market is particularly large in California, Illinois, New York, and New Jersey. The demand for teachers is high because there are more children born every day that will need an elementary education.

The duties of an elementary school teacher can include:
- Maintaining classroom order
- Developing detailed lesson plans
- Informing parents about children’s progress
- Creating a positive environment for learning
- Preparing children for standardized tests
- Providing an encouraging atmosphere
- Giving students extra help when needed
- Resolving issues with/between students
The big difference between working as a teacher and another occupation is that most of their time is spent with children. This means that elementary school teachers need to have strengths in communication, patience, and compassion to positively impact their students’ lives.

There are a bunch of ways that elementary teachers can make extra money using their skills. Some options that teachers have for making extra money include:
- Tutoring online
- Selling lesson plans
- Standardized test supervision
- Grading papers
- Editing services

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Accountant

Average Annual Salary: $52,548
Number of Accountants in the US: 1,436,100

The finances of a business or individual largely describe their success. They consult with accountants for advice in their area of expertise to promote their continued financial success. Accountants can have many different specialties, such as:
- Forensic accounting
- Personal finance planning
- Auditor
- Cost accounting
- Project accounting
There is a high demand for accounting services in cities like Atlanta, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. The educational and experience requirements for accountants can change depending on an individual’s state of residence.

Generally, accountants must have at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field and pass all four sections of the Uniform CPA exam.

Despite the more intense requirements, over a million individuals choose to pursue the path of becoming an accountant because it’s a lucrative position with the potential to earn more through related side hustles like bookkeeping services or tutoring people for the CPA exam.

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Receptionist

Average Annual Salary: $28,105
Number of Receptionists in the US: 1,105,300

Receptionists work in office settings to perform administrative tasks and provide customer service to visitors. These professionals greet people with a warm smile and a helpful demeanor when they enter places like the medical offices, car dealerships, and home service providers.

A receptionist’s responsibilities can include things like:
- Welcoming visitors as they arrive
- Answering and forwarding phone calls
- Directing visitors to the proper locations or individuals
- General cleaning tasks
- Updating the calendar
- Scheduling meetings
- Keeping a record of office expenses
To accomplish their tasks efficiently, receptionists must be organized multi-taskers, display professionalism, and exude friendliness. Getting hired for a receptionist role also requires at least a high school diploma and relevant work experience.

There are over a million receptionists currently working at locations across the United States, making it one of the most common jobs in the country.

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Food Preparation Worker

Average Annual Salary: $17,746
Number of Food Preparation Workers in the US: 886,700

Another popular restaurant profession in the United States is being a food preparation worker. Their job is working with ingredients in the kitchen to prepare various food items. While making the food is a big part of their responsibility, they also need to be mindful of all the safety and sanitization measures of the kitchen.

According to the average salary and number of open positions in these areas, the best states for food preparation workers include Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and California.

Food preparation workers can provide their services in a multitude of establishments, such as:
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Hospitals
- Grocery Stores
- Universities
The skills that food preparation workers need to succeed involve general cooking and food safety knowledge. It’s also crucial for food preparation workers to have skills in time management, decision-making, and teamwork. While the role only requires a high school diploma, a deep understanding of these skills is needed.

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Automotive Service Technician

Average Annual Salary: $40,701
Number of Automotive Service Technicians in the US: 756,600

People rely heavily upon their vehicles to get them from place to place. When there’s something funky going on with their ride, car owners turn to the expertise of an automotive service technician before the issue worsens.

An automotive service technician inspects, repairs, and performs routine maintenance on a variety of vehicles. Their typical daily tasks involve things like:
- Identifying car problems using diagnostic equipment
- Performing tasks like oil checks and tire rotations
- Repairing and replacing brake pads and other parts
- Cleaning the repair shop accordingly
Becoming an automotive service technician requires an associate’s degree in an automobile maintenance and repair program, a driver’s license, and relevant training. Automotive service technicians must also demonstrate soft skills like customer service, problem-solving, and communication.

In addition to the money they can make with their day job, automotive service technicians can utilize their skills to make extra income by inspecting used cars before purchasing and performing interior detailing services.

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Medical Assistant

Average Annual Salary: $32,314
Number of Medical Assistants in the US: 725,200

The medical assistant field is one of the fastest-growing careers in the United States, with a projected growth rate of 19% over the next ten years. The job of a medical assistant falls somewhere in between handling administrative tasks and performing clinical procedures. Some of their responsibilities include:
- Scheduling appointments over the phone
- Arranging laboratory services
- Taking care of the billing process
- Taking patient’s vital signs and preparing them for exams
- Administering injections and medication
- Managing the office’s supplies of medical inventory
Medical assistants need to have earned at least a high school diploma and certification from an accredited medical assistant program. Possessing organization, administrative, and time management abilities are also crucial for success in the field.

While they work across the country, the best states for medical assistants to find plentiful work opportunities are Washington, Minnesota, Alaska, and West Virginia.

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Police Officer

Average Annual Salary: $47,961
Number of Police Officers in the US: 654,900

The goal of police officers is to protect the community they work in by preventing crimes and enforcing the laws. It’s a position that can come with a fair amount of responsibility and danger from car chases to arrests.

The field of police work is one of the most common jobs in the United States, and it’s an industry that’s expected to grow by 5% over the next decade. In Atlantic City, New Jersey alone, there are 101 police officers to match every 10,000 citizens. The majority of police officers work in large cities.

Cities with the largest police force presence include:
- New York, New York (36,228)
- Chicago, Illinois (11,954)
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (6,313)
- Washington DC (3,753)
- St Louis, Missouri (1,194)
The requirements for being a cop vary depending on the state of residence, but the role often demands a high school diploma, completing a physical exam, and a minimum age of 21. Being a police officer also requires a special set of skills to perform the job properly. Some of the skills needed for police work include:
- Critical thinking
- Empathy
- Physical fitness
- Negotiation
- Morality and ethics
- Leadership

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Bartender

Average Annual Salary: $22,414
Number of Bartenders in the US: 654,700

When going to a packed bar on a Saturday night, patrons often stare in wonder at the establishment’s bartenders’ quick hands and customer service. Bartenders are mixology experts who prepare alcoholic beverages using specific techniques and cleanliness habits to make the best drink possible.

A bartenders’ duties involve:
- Mixing a wide variety of drinks quickly
- Tending to the guest’s questions
- Making recommendations based on customer preferences
- Maintaining an upbeat and friendly demeanor
- Processing payments
- Verifying legal age
- Placing inventory orders when needed
Bartenders need to have a vast knowledge of mixology and customer service. While the role doesn’t usually have any formal education requirements, bartenders are expected to know their stuff when it comes to drinks.

In addition to mixology knowledge, it’s also helpful for bartenders to have skills in communication, multitasking, and working under pressure. The geographical hotspots for an abundance of bartending work include:
- California
- Nevada
- New York
- Texas
- Florida

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Administrative Assistant

Average Annual Salary: $33,510
Number of Administrative Assistants in the US: 503,390

Administrative assistants act as a support system for all of the tasks that happen in an office. The job’s specific responsibilities can differ depending on the employer, but often administrative assistants do things like:
- Answering and forwarding phone calls and emails
- Directing visitors as they arrive at the office
- Filing, typing, copying, and other administrative tasks
- Creating and managing schedules
- Making travel arrangements
- Maintaining office equipment
Completing these tasks successfully requires strengths in organization, administrative software, and problem-solving.

Administrative assistants are expected to have a high school diploma and experience with tools like Microsoft Suites. The best states to find available jobs as an administrative assistant are New York, Massachusetts, California, and Washington.

While the position is traditionally worked in-office, the rise of technology has allowed administrative assistants to take their services online. Many full-time administrative employees do virtual assistant work on the side to earn extra money as well.

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Author

Sky Ariella

Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

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