Healthcare jobs are the most common occupation in 13 states, according to a July 30 LinkedIn post from personal finance website WalletHub.
Home health and personal care aides and registered nurses were the top occupation in 11 and two states, respectively, according to WalletHub. Other common occupations were fast food and counter workers, retail salespersons, and laborers and freight, stock and material movers.
The list was developed using May 2025 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The industry has remained a key driver of U.S. job growth in 2026, even as the pace has cooled: healthcare added 21,500 jobs in June, down from the average monthly gain of 38,000 over the past year. Hospitals added 9,200 jobs in June, up from 6,800 in May.
For many smaller communities, especially in rural areas, local hospitals are the largest employer.
Here are the states with a healthcare role as the most common occupation, as well as the number of workers in each state’s top role:
Home health and personal care aides
California: 970,000
New York: 663,000
Pennsylvania: 257,000
Minnesota: 129,000
Massachusetts: 118,000
New Jersey: 117,000
Wisconsin: 82,000
Connecticut: 50,000
New Mexico: 39,000
Maine: 19,000
Rhode Island: 13,000
Registered nurses
West Virginia: 23,000
Delaware: 14,000
