Best Jobs in Arizona
The sunny desert state of Arizona houses some of the most stunning natural wonders in America. Every year, thousands of visitors flock to take in the Grand Canyon, a 277-mile canyon cut by the rushing currents of the Colorado River. In addition, the state’s picturesque Route 66 and Apache Trail Historic Road bring in curious sight seers as well. Yet, the Copper State has much more to offer than just its natural splendor. Visit any big city or small town and you will find it packed with Southwestern flair. The food in Arizona has been particularly lauded for its fusion of Mexican and American flavors. Hollywood has not been blind to the appeal of the state either. Numerous movies, including too many Westerns to count, have been filmed in Arizona, including Psycho, Forrest Gump, 3:10 to Yuma, and two of the Star Trek movies, according to the state’s Department of Commerce.
But before packing your bags and relocating to Arizona, it is important to understand the economy there. The state’s unemployment rate in March 2010 was 9.6 percent, which was only 0.1 percent less than the national unemployment rate of 9.7 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That means that out of the 3,160,900-strong labor force, only 2,858,600 are actually employed. Though job opportunities are available, they still will require effort to locate. Luckily, working in Arizona has its perks. Phoenix, the Grand Canyon State’s capital and most populous city, has repeatedly been ranked as one of the best places to reside because of its relatively low cost of living for such a big city. After all, for a bustling urban center that contains the fifth largest population of city dwellers in the United States, it is still an affordable place to not only live, but also thrive. The mean annual income for Arizonans is $40,910, which is typically enough to support a comfortable lifestyle, according to the Bureau.
Certain industries are also thriving over others in the Copper State. Jobs that used to be mainstays of the Arizona economy are now floundering after the recession, such as government jobs and construction, the latter of which had the most losses over the course of the 2009 year with a 20.1 percent job loss, which amounted to approximately 28,200 cut jobs, according to the state’s Workforce Informer. Instead, the education and health care sectors are seeing steady growth. Educational occupations are projected to experience a whopping 29.6 percent employment growth during the 2006-2016 decade, according to the Informer. The pay for educators is substantial as well, with the mean annual salary at $42,220 and the mean hourly wage at $20.30 for those in educational positions. Health care occupations are expecting to experience a 30.3 percent increase in openings, pouring in about 3,647 new jobs into the work force. If you are looking to work in education or health care, Arizona is an ideal place to get your career started.
