2021–2031 Economic and Employment Projections — 2022-09-08

The U.S. economy is projected to add 8.3 million jobs from 2021 to 2031, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Total employment is projected to increase from 158.1 million to 166.5 million and grow 0.5 percent annually, which is slower than the 1.0 percent annual growth recorded over the 2011-21 decade. The 2021-31 projections use 2021 annual average employment levels as the base year. The 2021 annual average levels do not reflect much of the employment recovery and reallocation that has already occurred in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying recession, given total employment continued to grow rapidly through the first half of 2022. As a result, total employment for the 2021-31 projections, and projected growth in many sectors, reflects fast projected growth resulting from low base year employment levels.