Exploring Personal Care Careers: Employment and Wage Trends in 2023

Personal Care and service occupations offer a wide array of fulfilling career paths for individuals passionate about helping others and enhancing well-being. From hairstylists and childcare workers to recreation attendants and funeral service professionals, this diverse sector plays a crucial role in our communities. Understanding the employment landscape and wage trends within personal care is essential for career planning and industry insights. This article delves into the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics from May 2023, providing a comprehensive overview of the personal care and service occupations sector in the United States.

National Overview of Personal Care and Service Occupations

In May 2023, the personal care and service occupations sector in the U.S. employed over 3 million individuals, specifically 3,040,630 workers. This substantial workforce reflects the significant demand for personal care services across the nation. The sector demonstrated a robust employment landscape with a relatively low Relative Standard Error (RSE) of 0.6%, indicating a high degree of reliability in the employment estimate.

Financially, the sector presented an average hourly wage of $18.48, translating to a mean annual wage of $38,430. The wage RSE was also low at 0.5%, reinforcing the accuracy of the wage estimates. These figures provide a general benchmark for earnings within personal care occupations nationwide.

To further understand the wage distribution, percentile data offers valuable insights. The hourly wage percentiles reveal the following:

10th Percentile: $11.12
25th Percentile: $13.66
50th Percentile (Median): $16.47
75th Percentile: $20.83
90th Percentile: $28.19

Converting these to annual wages, we see:

10th Percentile Annual Wage: $23,130
25th Percentile Annual Wage: $28,420
50th Percentile (Median) Annual Wage: $34,260
75th Percentile Annual Wage: $43,320
90th Percentile Annual Wage: $58,630

This percentile breakdown illustrates the wage range within personal care occupations, from entry-level positions to more experienced and specialized roles. The median hourly wage of $16.47 suggests that half of the workers in this sector earned less than this amount, and half earned more, providing a central point of reference for typical earnings.

Industry Insights: Top Sectors for Personal Care Jobs

Analyzing the industry profile reveals where personal care and service occupations are most concentrated and which sectors offer the highest employment levels. Personal Care Services industry itself leads significantly in employing individuals in these occupations.

The industries with the highest levels of employment in personal care and service occupations are:

Industry	Employment	Percent of Industry Employment	Hourly Mean Wage	Annual Mean Wage
Personal Care Services	523,590	71.48%	$19.90	$41,400
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries	474,350	34.73%	$19.37	$40,280
Child Care Services	282,350	30.06%	$14.86	$30,920
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals	184,600	3.35%	$18.89	$39,300
Other Personal Services	176,430	43.89%	$17.49	$36,390

A map illustrating the national employment levels of personal care and service occupations across different states in May 2023, highlighting areas with higher and lower concentrations of employment in the sector.

The Personal Care Services industry stands out, not only employing the largest number of personal care workers (523,590) but also having the highest concentration of these occupations within its sector (71.48%). This indicates that personal care services are central to this industry, encompassing businesses like hair salons, beauty spas, and wellness centers.

Other Amusement and Recreation Industries and Child Care Services also rank high in employment levels, reflecting the significant number of personal care roles within recreational settings and childcare facilities. Local government and other personal services sectors further contribute to the employment landscape of personal care occupations.

Industries with the highest concentration of employment reveal where personal care roles are most integral to the industry’s workforce:

Industry	Employment	Percent of Industry Employment	Hourly Mean Wage	Annual Mean Wage
Personal Care Services	523,590	71.48%	$19.90	$41,400
Death Care Services	63,170	46.01%	$21.87	$45,490
Other Personal Services	176,430	43.89%	$17.49	$36,390
Amusement Parks and Arcades	85,580	37.69%	$15.16	$31,520
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries	474,350	34.73%	$19.37	$40,280

Death Care Services, while employing fewer individuals overall compared to Personal Care Services, shows a very high concentration (46.01%), indicating the essential role of personal care occupations such as embalmers, funeral attendants, and morticians within this industry.

For those seeking higher earning potential within personal care, certain industries offer premium wages:

Industry	Employment	Percent of Industry Employment	Hourly Mean Wage	Annual Mean Wage
Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks	490	0.21%	$46.93	$97,620
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers	120	0.04%	$37.97	$78,970
Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services	360	0.20%	$34.79	$72,370
Telecommunications	30	0.01%	$33.12	$68,890
Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations	330	0.27%	$31.93	$66,420

While these top-paying industries may have smaller employment numbers in personal care occupations, they offer significantly higher mean wages. The Media Streaming and Content Providers sector leads with an impressive mean hourly wage of $46.93, suggesting specialized personal care roles within these technologically advanced industries.

Geographic Hotspots: Where Personal Care Jobs Thrive

The geographic profile of personal care and service occupations reveals regional variations in employment levels, concentration, and wages across the United States.

States with the highest employment levels in personal care and service occupations include:

State	Employment	Employment per Thousand Jobs	Location Quotient	Hourly Mean Wage	Annual Mean Wage
California	378,650	21.10	1.05	$21.23	$44,170
Texas	226,180	16.68	0.83	$16.20	$33,700
Florida	207,200	21.65	1.08	$17.30	$35,980
New York	189,310	20.16	1.01	$21.64	$45,020
Pennsylvania	124,450	20.92	1.04	$16.95	$35,260

A map depicting the location quotient of personal care and service occupations by state in May 2023, indicating states where these occupations are more or less concentrated compared to the national average.

California leads in sheer employment numbers, with 378,650 personal care workers, reflecting its large population and diverse economy. States like Texas, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania also show significant employment levels, indicating strong demand for personal care services in these populous states.

To understand regional concentration, the location quotient is a useful metric. A location quotient above 1.0 indicates a higher concentration of an occupation in a particular area compared to the national average.

States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients are:

State	Employment	Employment per Thousand Jobs	Location Quotient	Hourly Mean Wage	Annual Mean Wage
Nevada	59,020	39.83	1.99	$17.29	$35,970
North Dakota	12,760	30.57	1.53	$16.60	$34,530
Hawaii	17,010	27.58	1.38	$21.24	$44,180
Oregon	52,960	27.25	1.36	$19.80	$41,190
South Dakota	11,310	25.46	1.27	$16.12	$33,530

Nevada stands out with the highest location quotient (1.99), meaning personal care and service occupations are almost twice as concentrated in Nevada compared to the national average. This could be attributed to Nevada’s tourism and hospitality industries, which heavily rely on personal care services. North Dakota, Hawaii, Oregon, and South Dakota also exhibit high location quotients, suggesting regional specializations or demands driving the concentration of these occupations.

For individuals prioritizing higher wages, the top-paying states are:

State	Employment	Employment per Thousand Jobs	Location Quotient	Hourly Mean Wage	Annual Mean Wage
Washington	61,250	17.52	0.88	$24.52	$51,000
District of Columbia	11,420	16.27	0.81	$21.90	$45,560
New York	189,310	20.16	1.01	$21.64	$45,020
Massachusetts	78,900	21.66	1.08	$21.58	$44,880
Alaska	6,810	21.85	1.09	$21.32	$44,350

A map displaying the annual mean wages for personal care and service occupations across states in May 2023, showcasing regions with higher and lower average earnings in the sector.

Washington state leads in annual mean wage at $51,000, significantly higher than the national average. District of Columbia, New York, Massachusetts, and Alaska also offer top-tier wages for personal care professionals. These higher wages may reflect higher costs of living, strong local economies, or industry-specific factors in these regions.

Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas further refine the geographic insights, highlighting specific urban centers and rural regions with notable employment characteristics. For example, the New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan area has the highest employment level in personal care and service occupations, while Grants Pass, Oregon, exhibits the highest location quotient among metropolitan areas. Similarly, the Alaska nonmetropolitan area is the top-paying nonmetropolitan region for these occupations. Detailed tables for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas are available in the original data source for further localized analysis.

Understanding the Data and What It Means for You

The data presented here is derived from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey conducted in May 2023 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This comprehensive survey collects data from employers across all industry sectors and geographic areas, providing a robust and reliable snapshot of the employment and wage landscape.

Key metrics to understand include:

Employment Estimate: The estimated number of jobs in the occupation.
Mean Hourly Wage: The average hourly wage rate.
Mean Annual Wage: The average annual wage, calculated for year-round, full-time hours.
Percentile Wage: The wage below which a certain percentage of workers fall, offering insights into wage distribution.
Relative Standard Error (RSE): A measure of the estimate’s reliability; lower RSE indicates higher precision.
Location Quotient: The ratio of an area’s occupational employment concentration to the national average, indicating occupational specialization in a region.

For individuals considering a career in personal care and service occupations, this data offers valuable guidance. It highlights sectors with high demand, geographic areas with job concentrations, and regions with potentially higher earning potential. For industry analysts and businesses, the statistics provide crucial benchmarks for wage levels, employment trends, and regional market analysis.

Conclusion

The personal care and service occupations sector is a vital component of the U.S. economy, providing essential services and diverse career opportunities. The May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics offer a detailed and reliable overview of this sector, highlighting national trends, industry concentrations, and geographic variations. Whether you are a job seeker, career counselor, or industry professional, understanding these statistics is crucial for navigating and succeeding in the dynamic field of personal care. Explore further into the detailed data to uncover specific occupational insights and regional nuances relevant to your interests and career goals.

References: