20 Industries Where Jobs Are Coming Back

Although current economic conditions are disheartening, there are some indicators that jobs are returning to America.

Recently, jobs have been added to the private sector for several consecutive months. However, with about 7.4 million Americans still looking for work as of August 2025, it's premature to declare an end to the recession. Likewise, job growth is still poor in many important industries. Even with this bad news, there is some good news since consumers are more confident and Americans who've been unemployed for extended periods of time are gradually finding jobs. As consumers increase spending, businesses will be confident enough to expand and hire more employees.

Most Americans are concerned about the economy, and the unemployed are desperately searching for job opportunities. According to Department of Labor statistics, in the most recent year job losses have discontinued in some industries, but employment has not increased in others. However, there are industries that are growing and hiring new workers.

Even in growing industries, total employment can still be below pre-pandemic levels in some cases. It will take time for the economy to recover and reach full employment. However, economic growth must begin somewhere, and certain industries are slowly beginning to grow. The following are 20 industries experiencing job growth or notable change, with the latest figures:

Admin and support. It might be just one hire here and another there, but companies are finally starting to rebuild their office staffs. As corporate bosses gain more confidence in the recovery, they'll shift from temporary hires to more full-time staffers. Employment services. The people who help others get jobs are finding more work themselves, a good sign that overall hiring is picking up for real. Demand for temporary workers usually comes first, followed by more interest in permanent full-timers. Healthcare. Healthcare tends to be resilient across business cycles, and employment has risen consistently in many specialties. It is one of the fields where employment has expanded substantially over time. Restaurants. Dining out tracks consumer confidence. While luxury concepts can be cyclical, family restaurants that offer good value often stay busy. Retail. Consumers are still feeling thrifty, mainly because debt levels remain too high. But people are starting to spend again, and many retail outlets are hiring. The strongest gains are at electronics and appliance stores. Department stores, discounters, and clothing retailers are hiring, too. Mining. The growing demand by China and India for copper, aluminum, iron, and a variety of other minerals is helping boost the mining industry worldwide. So is a spike in the price of gold and silver. And domestic demand for coal is bouncing back as the economy recovers. Religious and nonprofit groups. Donations and endowments tend to move with markets, but religious, nonprofit, social, and business organizations often maintain steady staffing. Clergy, a relatively recession-resistant calling, represent a large profession within this group. Salespeople and customer-service reps. What companies need most is new business, and that takes good salespeople. After cutbacks, many employers renew investment in teams that take care of customers. Computer systems design. A lot of lower-end IT work has been outsourced to India or replaced with AI, but companies still need talented systems designers and other well-trained technicians to develop customized software, keep up with new technology, and connect far-flung systems. This is likely to be one of the fastest-growing job markets over the next several years. Transit and ground transportation. Bus drivers have enviable job security. As Americans have cut back on driving to save money, more people have turned to public transportation. Bus, subway, and other transit jobs tend to be stable in many regions. Hotels. Business travel is picking up after a sharp drop, and some consumers are taking vacations again, too. Budget and value properties are hiring the most. Federal government. State and local governments have been cutting deeply, but federal jobs are safe... for now. Newly empowered Republicans who want to cut government could change that, however. Management. Big companies adjust management ranks across cycles and may rehire after deep cuts. With some foreign economies growing faster than ours, multinational companies are looking for managers willing to travel and perhaps even relocate overseas. Performing arts and recreation. As Americans have cut back on lavish travel and long vacations, they've spent more time and money exploring local parks and attractions and even going to sporting events. Plus, people who have been scrimping and saving just need a night out every now and then. Warehousing. It's good news for the overall economy when activity at warehouses, refrigeration facilities, and other storage areas picks up, which it has. The goods that pass through those places end up at business and retail outlets, boosting jobs elsewhere. Oil and gas extraction. Energy demand, prices, technology, and regulation shape employment in the sector. Jobs in this field tend to be high-paying, with a need for specialists like petroleum engineers, geologists, and hydrologists. Rail transportation. Like warehousing, the railroad industry is a good gauge of which direction the overall economy is headed, since much of what we buy gets shipped by rail at some point. The train seems to be picking up steam. Waste management. The trash needs to go out no matter what's happening in the economy. And as the economy recovers, we seem to be producing more of it. Web portals and Internet publishing. The Internet continues to create jobs in search, online media, and new digital services, even as it reshapes other industries. Management and technical consulting. A lot of laid-off managers and other professionals have become self-employed consultants, a trend that's likely to continue. Many companies want to hire seasoned people on a temporary or project basis, instead of bringing them on full-time. Consultants able to manage several clients at once can earn more than they did with a single employer.