Mobility Tool

What Opportunities and Challenges Characterize Houston's Labor Market Today?

This dashboard provides industry-level insight into Houston's workforce – showing where people work and at what wage, how those sectors are growing, and what education needs look like – against a national benchmark. Use it to better understand the Houston labor market, and how each major industry’s demand and growth exceed, match, or lag national benchmarks.

Labor Force Size3,562,412

Employment Growth2.7%

National Benchmark: 1.2%

Labor Force Participation Rate67.3%

National Benchmark: 62.3%

Unemployment Rate5%

National Benchmark: 4.3%

College Attainment Rate36.3%

National Benchmark: 42.0%

*Sources: BGI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Community Survey, and Lightcast data

Sort by

Share of Total Labor Force

Location Quotient

Job Postings

Employment Growth

Pay

Non-BA Share of Workforce

Health Care and Social Assistance

11.7%

-15.3%

191,904

+10.1%

$50,929

52.5%

Retail Trade

10.2%

-1.6%

102,364

-5.5%

$39,520

80.9%

Construction

9.8%

42.1%

39,491

-6.9%

$57,500

86.5%

Educational Services

9.2%

1.2%

86,181

+5.6%

$62,000

31.6%

Manufacturing

9.1%

2.9%

83,924

+6.4%

$62,400

63.7%

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

8.4%

-6.8%

118,157

+8.4%

$84,198

32.8%

Accommodation and Food Services

6.6%

1.0%

68,063

+7.7%

$31,575

88.5%

Transportation and Warehousing

6.0%

13.4%

29,504

+1.9%

$65,000

79.9%

Other Services (except Public Administration)

5.1%

6.4%

28,915

+3.1%

$45,000

80.1%

Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services

5.0%

10.5%

152,695

-1.3%

$61,750

82.1%

Finance and Insurance

4.1%

-19.5%

46,865

+2.0%

$77,231

46.5%

Public Administration

3.2%

-40.0%

15,942

-5.6%

$58,448

55.1%

Wholesale Trade

2.8%

17.0%

41,698

+10.6%

$43,160

63.1%

Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction

2.5%

841.0%

14,872

-8.6%

$75,000

36.9%

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

2.1%

3.7%

28,575

-10.4%

$47,840

61.8%

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

1.4%

-33.8%

10,707

+13.9%

$43,680

67.2%

Information

1.2%

-42.6%

14,172

-0.8%

$60,000

55.6%

Utilities

1.1%

48.0%

12,360

+17.4%

$98,800

53.5%

Significantly Below National Average

Below National Average

On par with National Average

Above National Average

Significantly Above National Average

*Sources: BGI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Community Survey, and Lightcast data

Key Insights

Oil & Gas: High Pay, Fewer Jobs.

Oil & Gas offers top-tier wages ($72.8k, much above benchmark), but employment declined (much below benchmark) and postings are below benchmark. Non-BA access is much below benchmark → more BA-screened than the U.S. pattern.

Manufacturing is Expanding but Demand Signals are Mixed

Sizeable base (9.1% of jobs), growth above benchmark (+6.4%), pay above ($61k), yet postings are below benchmark.

PSTS (Professional, Scientific & Technical) is a Bright Spot on Growth and Pay

+8.4% growth (much above) and pay above ($83.2k), but postings are below benchmark.

Which Industries Can Drive Greater Economic Mobility in Houston?* Click on a bubble to explore roles for this industry.

Explore how industries in Houston compare in terms of talent mobility and employment growth. Use this tool to identify sectors that could benefit the most from upskilling or career pathways.Bubble size reflects the number of workers in each industry.

Mobility Gaps

Opportunity Engines

Redeployment Opportunities

Thinning Launchpads

Mobility Index

Employment Growth

How can Houston Mobilize Talent to Strengthen Opportunity Engines?

This chart highlights the roles that merit recruiting, reskilling, or redesign focus.

Roles inEducation Level

Address Opportunity Gaps

Mobilize Now

Redeploy

Build On Strengths

Mobility Index

Talent Shortage Index

Which High-Mobility Roles Should Houston Target to Unlock Opportunities?

This section highlights individual roles with high talent mobility – occupations where workers can transition into, grow, or move across roles more easily.

Roles in

High Mobility Roles with Talent Shortages in Houston

Talent Flows into Accountants and Auditors

This chart shows transition pathways into Accountants and Auditors

Loading chart...

Feeder Roles

Select a role to see its feeder roles

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