Why Labor Market Information Matters
Labor Market Information helps you understand workforce trends, job demand, salaries, required education, and employment projections. Using labor market data can help you make informed decisions about majors, careers, internships, graduate school, and job opportunities.
Questions Labor Market Information Can Answer
Explore questions such as:
- What careers are growing?
- What jobs are projected to decline?
- What can I earn in this occupation?
- What education is required?
- Which industries are hiring?
- What jobs are available in Ohio?
- What careers align with my interests?
- What occupations are related to my major?
Featured Resources
Understanding labor market information can help you make informed decisions about majors, careers, internships, graduate school, and future employment opportunities. The resources below provide reliable information on career options, job outlook, salaries, required education, workforce trends, and in-demand occupations.
Use O*NET to:
- Explore occupations
- Review job duties
- Identify skills and competencies
- Learn about education requirements
- Discover related careers
Use the Occupational Handbook to:
- Research salary information
- Review projected job growth
- Learn about working conditions
- Understand required education
Use Ohio labor market data to:
- Review Ohio-specific demand
- Explore regional workforce trends
- Identify in-demand occupations
Scroll to the bottom of this page to access links to these resources and begin exploring careers that align with your interests, skills, and goals.
Career Outlook by Career Community
Explore growing career areas within each career community to learn about occupations with strong employment outlooks, increasing demand, and opportunities for future growth.
The Law, Justice & Social Sciences career community prepares students for a wide range of careers focused on understanding human behavior, serving communities, analyzing policy, promoting justice, and improving organizations. While many students pursue traditional pathways such as law school or law enforcement, growing opportunities also exist in mental health services, social work, public policy, human resources, research, and data analysis.
High-growth areas:
- Mental Health Counselor
- Substance Abuse Counselor
- Behavioral Health Specialist
- School Counselor
- Social Worker
- Victim Advocate
- Program Coordinator
- Community Outreach Coordinator
- Intelligence Analyst
- Probation Officer
- Emergency Management Specialist
- Paralegal
- Compliance Specialist
- Contract Administrator
- Public Policy Analyst
- City Planner
- Government Relations Specialist
- Human Resources Specialist
- Training and Development Coordinator
Students interested in teaching, community engagement, public service, government, nonprofit leadership, and social impact can pursue careers that strengthen communities, support individuals, and improve systems. While some careers focus directly on teaching and service delivery, growing opportunities also exist in educational leadership, workforce development, nonprofit management, community health, and public administration.
High-growth areas:
- Special Education
- School Counselor
- Instructional Coordinator
- Student Success Specialist
- Mental Health Counselor
- Social Worker
- Case Manager
- Workforce Development Specialist
- Economic Development Specialist
- Grant Writer
- Community Engagement Manager
- Public Health Educator
- Outreach Specialist
- Public Administrator
- Training and Development Specialist
- Corporate Trainer
- Assessment Coordinator
- Institutional Research Analyst
Students interested in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, data, environmental studies, and innovation can pursue careers that solve complex problems, develop new technologies, improve systems, and drive discovery. As organizations increasingly rely on technology, data, research, and innovation, demand continues to grow for professionals with strong analytical, technical, and problem-solving skills.
High-growth examples:
- Data analyst
- Environmental Scientist
- Software Developer
- Cybersecurity Analyst
- Operations Analyst
- Risk Analyst
- Industrial Engineer
- Process Improvement Specialist
- Manufacturing Engineer
- Conservation Scientist
- Clinical Research Coordinator
- Laboratory Scientist
- Health Informatics Specialist
- Research Scientist
- Research & Development Associate
- GIS Analyst
- Remote Sensing Specialist
- Mapping Technician
Students interested in healthcare, nursing, public health, exercise science, health and fitness, nutrition, and wellness can pursue careers that improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities. An aging population, advances in healthcare technology, and increased focus on prevention and wellness continue to create strong demand for professionals across a wide range of healthcare and health-related fields.
High-growth examples:
- Registered Nurse
- Nurse Practitioner
- Care Coordinator
- Physical Therapist
- Occupational Therapist
- Speech-Language Pathologist
- Respiratory Therapist
- Healthcare Operations Coordinator
- Medical Laboratory Scientist
- Medical and Health Services Manager
- Mental Health Counselor
- Public Health Educator
- Epidemiologist
- Substance Abuse Counselor
- Community Mental Health Professional
- Health Informatics Specialist
- Electronic Health Records Specialist
Students interested in communication, English, history, media, languages, art, music, theater, public relations, and related fields can pursue careers across a variety of industries. Employers increasingly value strong communication, critical thinking, creativity, storytelling, and problem-solving skills, creating opportunities in both traditional and emerging career fields.
High-growth areas:
- Digital Marketing Specialist
- Content Strategist
- Social Media Manager
- Brand Specialist
- Public Relations Specialist
- Communications Coordinator
- Media Relations Specialist
- Community Relations Manager
- Technical Writer
- Grant Writer
- Copywriter
- UX Writer
- Motion Graphis Designer
- Information Architect
- Education Program Coordinator
- Donor Relations Specialist
- Nonprofit Program Manager
- Translator
- Global Communication Specialist
Students interested in business, accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing, entrepreneurship, and analytics can pursue careers in virtually every industry. As organizations navigate technological change, data-driven decision making, and an increasingly complex global economy, demand continues to grow for professionals who can analyze information, manage resources, solve problems, and drive organizational success.
High-growth examples:
- Financial Analyst
- Financial Planner
- Investment Analyst
- Business Analyst
- Market Research Analyst
- Supply Chain Analyst
- Logistics Coordinator
- Human Resource Specialist
- Training and Development Specialist
- Operations Manager
- Accountant
- Auditor
- Tax Associate
- Forensic Accountant
- Marketing Analyst
- Brand Manager
- Customer Experience Specialist
- Compliance/Risk Analyst
Ohio’s Top Growing Occupations
| Occupation | Growth Outlook | Typical Education Level |
| Nurse Practitioner | Very High | Master’s |
| Data Scientist | Very High | Bachelor’s |
| Medical & Health Services Manager | High | Bachelor’s |
| Physical/Occupational Therapist | High | Master’s/Doctorate |
| Physician Assistant | High | Master’s |
| Financial Analyst | High | Bachelor’s |
| Mental Health Counselor | Very High | Master’s |
| Workforce Development Professionals | High | Bachelor’s |
| Instructional Coordinator | High | Master’s |
| Technical Writer | High | Bachelor’s |
Salary Research Guide
Salary information can be a valuable tool when exploring careers, evaluating job opportunities, and planning for your future.
When researching salaries, consider:
- Geographic location
- Experience level
- Industry
- Education level
- Certifications
Salary information resources:
- O*NET
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Wage Data
- Ohio Job and Family Services
Scroll to the bottom of this page to access links to these resources and explore potential earnings in your areas of interest.
Using Labor Market Information in Career Planning
Research:
- Skills employers seek
- Career options
- Educational requirements
Research:
- Employment demand
- Salary outcomes
- Required credentials
Research:
- Hiring trends
- Geographic demand
- Emerging industries
Career Research Starter Guide
The Career Research Starter Guide is designed to help you quickly identify the best resources for answering common career-related questions. Whether you’re exploring majors, researching occupations, comparing salaries, or considering graduate school, this guide will connect you with trusted tools and information to support your career decision-making.
| I Want to Know | Resource |
| What Can I Do With This Major? | What Can I Do With This Major |
| What jobs are growing? | Occupational Outlook Handbook |
| What skills employers want? | O*NET |
| What careers are hiring in Ohio? | Ohio Labor Market Data |
| What salary can I expect? | Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Wage Data |
| Should I go to graduate school? | Occupational Outlook Handbook |
