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Ranked: The U.S. Jobs Losing the Most Workers by 2034
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Key Takeaways
- Cashiers could lose 313,600 jobs by 2034, the largest projected decline of any U.S. occupation.
- Administrative roles dominate the list, including office assistants, bookkeepers, and data entry clerks.
- Some occupations are shrinking fastest in percentage terms, including clerical typists (-36%) and phone operators (-27%).
- Automation, software, and self-service technologies are driving many of these declines.
Some of the most common jobs in America could shrink sharply over the next decade.
According to projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupations like cashiers, office assistants, and customer service representatives are expected to lose hundreds of thousands of roles between 2024 and 2034 as automation and digital tools reshape the workforce.
This graphic shows the 20 occupations projected to lose the most jobs overall, along with those expected to see the fastest percentage declines.
Cashiers Could Lose Over 313,000 Jobs by 2034
Cashiers stand as the hardest-hit occupation in absolute terms, with 313,600 roles set to disappear by 2034, a 10% decline.
This follows an already entrenched trend, with full-time cashier roles falling from 1.3 million in 2014 to 1 million in 2025. At the same time, self-checkouts account for 38% of U.S. grocery lanes.
| Rank | Occupation | Employment Change 2024-2034P |
Median Annual Wage 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cashier | -313.6K | $31,190 |
| 2 | Office Assistant | -177.8K | $43,630 |
| 3 | Customer Service Rep | -153.7K | $42,830 |
| 4 | Bookkeeper | -94.3K | $49,210 |
| 5 | Fast Food Cook | -90.3K | $30,160 |
| 6 | Retail Supervisor | -72.3K | $47,320 |
| 7 | Inventory Clerk | -66.3K | $43,190 |
| 8 | Bank Teller | -44.9K | $39,340 |
| 9 | Data Entry | -36.7K | $39,850 |
| 10 | Packer | -32.2K | $35,580 |
| 11 | Food Prep | -30.9K | $34,220 |
| 12 | Admin Assistant* | -30.8K | $46,290 |
| 13 | Corrections Officer | -30.1K | $57,970 |
| 14 | Childcare Provider | -29.2K | $32,050 |
| 15 | Elementary School Teacher | -27.9K | $62,340 |
| 16 | Payroll Clerk | -27.0K | $55,290 |
| 17 | IT Support | -27.0K | $60,340 |
| 18 | Machine Operator | -21.1K | $45,590 |
| 19 | Teacher’s Aide | -21.1K | $35,240 |
| 20 | Sales Associate | -19.6K | $34,580 |
Office assistant roles follow next in line, with 177,800 roles expected to vanish by 2034.
Overall, administrative-related positions account for six of the top 20 largest declines, spanning from bookkeepers (-94,300) to payroll clerks (-27,000). Many of these roles are highly exposed to AI, along with retail supervisors and customer service representatives.
Bank tellers, meanwhile, are projected to decline by 44,900 positions, ranking eighth-highest overall. Outside office roles, only two jobs—packers and machine operators—appear among the top 20 largest projected declines.
The Jobs Facing the Steepest Percentage Declines
Many of the fastest-declining occupations are administrative or clerical roles, which involve routine tasks that can now be handled by software.
While some large occupations are losing the most workers overall, smaller occupations are shrinking much faster in percentage terms.
| Rank | Occupation | Employment Change 2024-2034P |
Median Annual Wage 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clerical Typist | -36.1% | $47,850 |
| 2 | Roof Bolter | -34.2% | $76,640 |
| 3 | Phone Operator | -27.5% | $39,130 |
| 4 | Receptionist/ Switchboard Operator |
-26.3% | $38,370 |
| 5 | Data Entry | -25.9% | $39,850 |
| 6 | Foundry Mold Maker | -25.9% | $45,700 |
| 7 | Patternmaker | -24.4% | $54,540 |
| 8 | Underground Machine Operator |
-22.3% | $68,860 |
| 9 | Telemarketers | -22.1% | $34,410 |
| 10 | Hand Finisher | -21.2% | $41,690 |
| 11 | Mechanical Assembler | -21.1% | $52,540 |
| 12 | Drill Press Operator | -19.6% | $46,630 |
| 13 | Forge Operator | -18.9% | $49,240 |
| 14 | Model Maker | -18.2% | $62,700 |
| 15 | Manual Cutter | -18.1% | $38,800 |
| 16 | Precision Assembler | -17.5% | $40,790 |
| 17 | Order Clerk | -17.2% | $44,660 |
| 18 | Refractory Technician | -16.9% | $58,540 |
| 19 | Payroll Clerk | -16.7% | $55,290 |
| 20 | Metal Fabricator | -16.3% | $49,900 |
Clerical typists are projected to see the steepest decline (-36.1%) between 2024 and 2034, while phone operators (-27.5%), receptionists (-26.3%), and data entry roles (-25.9%) fall in the top five.
Outside office-based occupations, the list also includes several industrial and production roles, such as roof bolters, foundry mold makers, and underground machine operators. In many cases, advances in automation and productivity-enhancing technologies are reducing the need for these positions across the economy.
Telemarketers (-22.1%) also appear among the fastest-declining occupations, reflecting the growing use of automated marketing platforms and AI-driven customer outreach tools among U.S. firms.
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