The 15 Most Common Jobs In America - Zippia (2024)

Retail Sales Representative

Average Annual Salary: $37,907
Number of Retail Salespeople in the US: 4,633,100
Job Outlook: Retail sales representative jobs are projected to decline by 1% through 2030, according to the BLS.

Being a retail sales representative is the most common job in America because there are one million retail establishments in the United States, a statistic growing by an average rate of 4% annually. Each of these locations needs a staff of highly trained retail salespeople to make the buying experience pleasant for customers.

One of the main reasons that being a retail salesperson is the most common job in America by a wide margin is the demand for them everywhere. It’s often an accessible position to get regardless of education or experience level. These qualities make it an attractive professional option for over 4.5 million employees in the United States currently working as retail salespeople.

Being a retail salesperson involves ensuring customer satisfaction throughout the shopping process, using product knowledge to answer any questions, and assisting in inventory procedures.

There are several skills that retail salespeople rely on for accomplishing their responsibilities. Some necessary skills for the role include:

• Customer service

• Sales skills

• Communication

• Problem-solving

• Positivity

• Dependability

Office Clerk

Average Annual Salary: $30,927
Number of Office Clerks in the US: 3,126,300
Job Outlook: Office clerk jobs are projected to decline by 2% through 2030, according to the BLS.

Like retail positions, office clerks find employment across the United States because there are many available jobs in endless administrative settings from coast to coast, and why this is the second most common job in the United States.

As their title suggests, an office clerk works in an administrative setting to provide support and maintain the organization’s functioning.

Office clerks need to be familiar with a variety of administrative skills, like typing and basic accounting. Candidates hoping to be hired for this position are also often expected to have excellent communication skills and strong attention to detail.

Employers looking for office clerks usually require candidates to have a high school diploma or GED and knowledge of general computer skills.

Some of an office clerk’s typical responsibilities include:

• Sorting and distributing mail

• Answering and transferring incoming phone calls

• Handling bookkeeping tasks

• Take notes at meetings

• Keeping an inventory of office supplies and restocking when needed

• Making travel arrangements

Registered Nurse

Average Annual Salary: $63,827
Number of Registered Nurses in the US: 3,096,700
Job Outlook: Registered nurse jobs are projected to grow by 9% through 2030, according to the BLS.

Nursing is a common job because nurses are needed to help run healthcare centers like hospitals and doctor’s offices. Registered nurses take care of people in their most vulnerable, painful, or difficult moments.

In this position, you act as a communication point for these patients to rely on. Some job responsibilities in this position include running diagnostic tests on patients, collecting their health history, and educating them on their condition and the steps to move forward.

The position also demands remaining collected under pressure, strong organizational skills, and the stamina to stand for shifts up to 16 hours long.

Out of the three million registered nurses in the United States, many nursing jobs are in metropolitan areas with a greater need for healthcare professionals to account for the large population.

Cities with the most registered nurses include:

• New York (123,640)

• Los Angeles (75,160)

• Chicago (73,820)

• Houston (50,780)

Customer Service Representative

Average Annual Salary: $32,260
Number of Customer Service Representatives in the US: 3,018,800
Job Outlook: Customer service representative jobs are projected to decline by 1% through 2030, according to the BLS.

Customer service representative jobs are popular and common because companies need to be prepared for the wave of questions, concerns, and customer complaints about their products and services. In this position, you usually work with customers remotely to handle their queries and take actions like processing requests and maintaining a clear record of interactions.

Having strong customer service skills and problem-solving abilities are often required for this position because you will be resolving issues that a customer has.

Becoming a customer service representative requires a high school diploma or general education degree. Basic experience with technology and computers is also helpful for the role.

Many people in America are attracted to a job as a customer service representative because most positions can be worked remotely from the comfort of an employee’s home.

Even as a part-time job or side hustle, being a customer service representative is an excellent way to bring in some extra cash, which might be the reason for it being one of the most popular jobs in the United States.

Janitor

Average Annual Salary: $27,954
Number of Janitors in the US: 2,374,200
Job Outlook: Janitor jobs are projected to grow by 6% through 2030, according to the BLS.

The janitor position is another common job seen in every state across the United States, which contributes to its standing as one of the most common careers in the country.

Janitors are the professionals who are responsible for keeping spaces clean. Without them, the buildings that people use daily would be caked with debris and destroyed. A janitor’s tidying efforts usually include:

• Emptying trash bins

  See Also

  The 10 Biggest Digital Marketing Challenges (& How To Overcome Them)Is Digital Marketing a Good Career: Unveiling the TruthTop 10 Highest Paying Digital Marketing Jobs in India [2024]These 30 Low-Stress Jobs Pay Over $100,000 a Year

• Sweeping and mopping the floor

• Disinfecting surfaces and areas of use

• Steaming carpets

• Cleaning windows

• Using various cleaning agents and tools

• Providing outdoor maintenance like shoveling snow in the winter

Becoming a janitor usually doesn’t require much formal schooling or experience, but it demands a few core soft skills. Some of the soft skills associated with being a janitor include:

• Teamwork

• Organization

• Patience

• Attention to detail

Server

Average Annual Salary: $29,901
Number of Servers in the US: 1,944,240
Job Outlook: Server jobs are projected to grow by 17% through 2030, according to the BLS.

People love to eat out at their favorite restaurant so servers are needed to help assist them making a server job common across the country. Servers work in restaurants and other establishments to provide customers with a superb dining experience. To be successful as a server, you need to demonstrate a great memory, the ability to accomplish tasks quickly, and an upbeat demeanor regardless of the circ*mstances.

As a server, you must be knowledgeable about the restaurant’s food dishes, and specialty drinks. You also need excellent communication skills to communicate these details clearly with patrons and in your interactions with the other service team members, like managers and cooks.

Some of the common responsibilities that a server undertakes include:

• Taking food and drink orders

• Maintaining a positive demeanor

• Making dining suggestions

• Continually checking on their tables’ needs

• Assisting with food preparation

• Preparing and delivering the bill

The best states for servers to work in include Arizona, New York, and Pennsylvania because of the multitude of available jobs and the high average salary compared to other areas.

Elementary School Teacher

Average Annual Salary: $52,161
Number of Elementary School Teachers in the US: 1,579,800
Job Outlook: Elementary school teacher jobs are projected to grow by 7% through 2030, according to the BLS.

One of the most common but important jobs out there is an elementary school teacher. As a teacher, you are educating the young minds that will take over in the future.

While elementary school teachers can find employment throughout the United States, the teaching job market is particularly large in California, Illinois, New York, and New Jersey. The demand for teachers is high because there are more children born every day that will need an elementary education.

The big difference between working as a teacher and another occupation is that most of their time is spent with children. This means that elementary school teachers need to have strengths in communication, patience, and compassion to positively impact their students’ lives.

The duties of an elementary school teacher can include:

• Maintaining classroom order

• Developing detailed lesson plans

• Informing parents about children’s progress

• Creating a positive environment for learning

• Preparing children for standardized tests

• Providing an encouraging atmosphere

• Giving students extra help when needed

• Resolving issues with/between students

There are a bunch of ways that elementary teachers can make extra money using their skills. Some options that teachers have for making extra money include:

• Tutoring online

• Selling lesson plans

• Standardized test supervision

• Grading papers

• Editing services

Accountant

Average Annual Salary: $54,890
Number of Accountants in the US: 1,436,100
Job Outlook: Accountant jobs are projected to grow by 7% through 2030, according to the BLS.

The finances of a business or individual largely describe their success making accounting another common job. They consult with accountants for advice in their area of expertise to promote their continued financial success. Accountants can have many different specialties, such as:

• Forensic accounting

• Personal finance planning

• Auditor

• Cost accounting

• Project accounting

  See Also

  What Is Digital Marketing: The 3 Basic Components

Accountants must have at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field and pass all four sections of the Uniform CPA exam.

Despite the more intense requirements, over a million individuals choose to pursue the path of becoming an accountant because it’s a lucrative position with the potential to earn more through related side hustles like bookkeeping services or tutoring people for the CPA exam.

There is a high demand for accounting services in cities like Atlanta, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. The educational and experience requirements for accountants can change depending on an individual’s state of residence.

Receptionist

Average Annual Salary: $30,571
Number of Receptionists in the US: 1,105,300
Job outlook: Receptionist jobs are projected to grow by 4% through 2030, according to the BLS.

There are over a million receptionists currently working at locations across the United States, making it one of the most common jobs in the country. Receptionists work in office settings to perform administrative tasks and provide customer service to visitors. Your tasks in this job include greeting people with a warm smile and a helpful demeanor when they enter places like medical offices, car dealerships, and home service providers.

To accomplish your tasks efficiently, you must be organized multi-taskers, display professionalism, and exude friendliness. Getting hired for a receptionist role also requires at least a high school diploma and relevant work experience.

A receptionist’s responsibilities can include things like:

• Welcoming visitors as they arrive

• Answering and forwarding phone calls

• Directing visitors to the proper locations or individuals

• General cleaning tasks

• Updating the calendar

• Scheduling meetings

• Keeping a record of office expenses

Food Preparation Worker

Average Annual Salary: $25,004
Number of Food Preparation Workers in the US: 886,700
Job Outlook: Food preparation worker jobs are projected to grow by 6% through 2030, according to the BLS.

Food preparation worker is another common and popular restaurant profession in the United States. In this position, your job is working with ingredients in the kitchen to prepare various food items. While making the food is a big part of their responsibility, you also need to be mindful of all the safety and sanitization measures in the kitchen.

The skills that food preparation workers need to succeed involve general cooking and food safety knowledge. It’s also crucial for you to have skills in time management, decision-making, and teamwork. While the role only requires a high school diploma, a deep understanding of these skills is needed.

Food preparation workers can provide their services in a multitude of establishments, such as:

• Restaurants

• Hotels

• Hospitals

• Grocery Stores

• Universities

According to the average salary and number of open positions in these areas, the best states for food preparation workers include Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and California.

Automotive Service Technician

Average Annual Salary: $43,077
Number of Automotive Service Technicians in the US: 756,600
Job Outlook: Automotive service technician jobs are projected to grow by 0% through 2030, according to the BLS.

With the average person having a car, car maintenance is essential to keep the roads safe meaning automotive service technician jobs commo. If someone’s car is running funny or they have something funky going on with their ride, they will turn to the expertise of an automotive service technician before the issue worsens.

An automotive service technician inspects, repairs, and performs routine maintenance on a variety of vehicles. Their typical daily tasks involve things like:

• Identifying car problems using diagnostic equipment

• Performing tasks like oil checks and tire rotations

• Repairing and replacing brake pads and other parts

• Cleaning the repair shop accordingly

Becoming an automotive service technician requires an associate’s degree in an automobile maintenance and repair program, a driver’s license, and relevant training. Automotive service technicians must also demonstrate soft skills like customer service, problem-solving, and communication.

In addition to the money they can make with their day job, automotive service technicians can utilize their skills to make extra income by inspecting used cars before purchasing and performing interior detailing services.

Medical Assistant

Average Annual Salary: $34,900
Number of Medical Assistants in the US: 725,200
Job Outlook: Medical assistant jobs are projected to grow by 18% through 2030, according to the BLS.

The medical assistant field is one of the most common and fastest-growing careers in the United States. The job of a medical assistant falls somewhere in between handling administrative tasks and performing clinical procedures.

Medical assistants need to have earned at least a high school diploma and certification from an accredited medical assistant program. Possessing organization, administrative, and time management abilities are also crucial for success in the field.

Job responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

• Scheduling appointments over the phone

• Arranging laboratory services

• Taking care of the billing process

• Taking patient’s vital signs and preparing them for exams

• Administering injections and medication

• Managing the office’s supplies of medical inventory

While they work across the country, the best states for medical assistants to find plentiful work opportunities are Washington, Minnesota, Alaska, and West Virginia.

Police Officer

Average Annual Salary: $47,961
Number of Police Officers in the US: 654,900
Job Outlook: Police officer jobs are projected to grow by 7% through 2030, according to the BLS.

Being a police officer is one of the most common jobs in the United States because they protect the community they work in by preventing crimes and enforcing the laws. If you take some time to look around your town or city, chances are you will find police officers everywhere. It’s a position that can come with a fair amount of responsibility and danger from car chases to arrests.

The requirements for being a cop vary depending on the state of residence, but the role often demands a high school diploma, completing a physical exam, and a minimum age of 21. Being a police officer also requires a special set of skills to perform the job properly. Some of the skills needed for police work include:

• Critical thinking

• Empathy

• Physical fitness

• Negotiation

• Morality and ethics

• Leadership

In Atlantic City, New Jersey alone, there are 101 police officers to match every 10,000 citizens. The majority of police officers work in large cities.

Cities with the largest police force presence include:

• New York, New York (36,228)

• Chicago, Illinois (11,954)

• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (6,313)

• Washington DC (3,753)

• St Louis, Missouri (1,194)

Bartender

Average Annual Salary: $26,362
Number of Bartenders in the US: 654,700
Job Outlook: Bartender jobs are projected to grow by 32% through 2030, according to the BLS.

There are bars in almost every town in America, whether it be your local dive bar or at your favorite restaurant, meaning bartenders are needed everywhere making this another common job. Bartenders are mixology experts who prepare alcoholic beverages using specific techniques and cleanliness habits to make the best drink possible.

Bartenders need to have a vast knowledge of mixology and customer service. While the role doesn’t usually have any formal education requirements, bartenders are expected to know their stuff when it comes to drinks. In addition to mixology knowledge, it’s also helpful for bartenders to have skills in communication, multitasking, and working under pressure.

A bartenders’ duties involve:

• Mixing a wide variety of drinks quickly

• Tending to the guest’s questions

• Making recommendations based on customer preferences

• Maintaining an upbeat and friendly demeanor

• Processing payments

• Verifying legal age

• Placing inventory orders when needed

The geographical hotspots for an abundance of bartending work include:

• California

• Nevada

• New York

• Texas

• Florida

Administrative Assistant

Average Annual Salary: $33,510
Number of Administrative Assistants in the US: 503,390
Job Outlook: Administrative assistant jobs are projected to decline by 7% through 2030, according to the BLS.

Administrative assistants jobs are common because they act as a support system for all of the tasks that happen in an office. In this position, you act as a vital link between various departments and individuals making this a common job in offices all over America.

While the position is traditionally worked in-office, the rise of technology has allowed administrative assistants to take their services online. Many full-time administrative employees do virtual assistant work on the side to earn extra money as well. In this position, you need a high school diploma and experience with tools like Microsoft Suites.

Completing these tasks successfully requires strengths in organization, administrative software, and problem-solving. The job’s specific responsibilities can differ depending on the employer, but often administrative assistants do things like:

• Answering and forwarding phone calls and emails

• Directing visitors as they arrive at the office

• Filing, typing, copying, and other administrative tasks

• Creating and managing schedules

• Making travel arrangements

• Maintaining office equipment

The best states to find available jobs as an administrative assistant are New York, Massachusetts, California, and Washington.

What is the most common job in America?

The most common job in America is retail sales representative with over four million sales people in the US. Some other common jobs in America include office clerk, registered nurse, and customer service representative.

Is having a common job good?

Yes, having a common job is good if it allows you to have a healthy work-life balance. You don’t need to have a unique job to be successful and happy. Common jobs like cashier and waitress can be just as fulfilling as any job.