10 Jobs That Will Shrink the Fastest Over the Next Decade

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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest estimates on the fastest-declining occupations project that many of them will decline by well over 20% by 2030. Here’s what that will mean: hundreds of thousands of lost jobs within a decade.

At the same time, however, other occupations are seeing increased demand, as you’ll see in “The 10 Fastest-Growing Jobs for the Next 10 Years.”

Read on to check out the 10 jobs that are expected to see the greatest decline by 2030, going from No. 10 to the No. 1 job facing the greatest change.

10. Shoe machine operators

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Employment in 2020: 5,000 jobs

Projected employment in 2030: 3,900 jobs

Projected job decline for 2020-2030: 21.6%

Median annual wage as of 2020: $30,630

9. Data entry keyers

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Employment in 2020: 158,400 jobs

Projected employment in 2030: 122,800 jobs

Projected job decline for 2020-2030: 22.5%

Median annual wage as of 2020: $34,440

8. Switchboard operators (includes answering services)

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Employment in 2020: 59,900 jobs

Projected employment in 2030: 46,300 jobs

Projected job decline for 2020-2030: 22.7%

Median annual wage as of 2020: $31,430

7. Door-to-door sales, news and street vendors

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Employment in 2020: 54,000 jobs

Projected employment in 2030: 41,000 jobs

Projected job decline for 2020-2030: 24.1%

Median annual wage as of 2020: $29,730

6. Watch and clock repairers

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Employment in 2020: 2,800 jobs

Projected employment in 2030: 2,100 jobs

Projected job decline for 2020-2030: 24.9%

Median annual wage as of 2020: $45,290

5. Telephone operators

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Employment in 2020: 4,800 jobs

Projected employment in 2030: 3,600 jobs

Projected job decline for 2020-2030: 25.4%

Median annual wage as of 2020: $37,710

4. Hand cutters and trimmers

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Employment in 2020: 8,100 jobs

Projected employment in 2030: 5,700 jobs

Projected job decline for 2020-2030: 29.7%

Median annual wage as of 2020: $31,630

3. Nuclear power reactor operators

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Employment in 2020: 5,300 jobs

Projected employment in 2030: 3,600 jobs

Projected job decline for 2020-2030: 32.9%

Median annual wage as of 2020: $104,040

2. Parking enforcement workers

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Employment in 2020: 7,900 jobs

Projected employment in 2030: 5,100 jobs

Projected job decline for 2020-2030: 35%

Median annual wage as of 2020: $42,070

1. Word processors and typists

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Employment in 2020: 45,200 jobs

Projected employment in 2030: 28,900 jobs

Projected job decline for 2020-2030: 36%

Median annual wage as of 2020: $41,050

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