Jobs Outlook 2028

The data and insights in this report give us a window into the future. Through it, we see strong growth and momentum for our region, but that’s just the beginning.

With our region aligned on growing and attracting more high-skilled, higher-paying jobs, and providing more pathways to self-sufficiency for all, we are confident that we will exceed these projections by 2028. And that we will connect people from every community in our region to the prosperity of the future.

Some of the insights outlined in the report include:

• The Cincinnati Region is projected to produce more new jobs in the next 10 years than it did in the previous decade—some 67,505 jobs—for a regional total of nearly 1.16 million jobs.
  
  
• Said another way, employment in the Cincinnati MSA is projected to increase by 6.2 percent from 2018-2028.
  
  
• Over the last 10 years, Cincinnati’s job growth out-performed competitive regions such as St. Louis, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh.
  
  
• There will be considerable growth in high-paying jobs that demand a bachelor’s degree or higher. In fact, the growth of these jobs will exceed growth in the same categories from 2008-2018.
  
  
• Two sectors present immediate pathways to higher-paying jobs: Skilled Trades and Information Technology (IT). Moving more women and African Americans into these sectors, where they have been underrepresented, creates opportunities.
  
  
• Seven of the top 25 fastest-growing occupations pay at least a self-sufficient wage. However, median annual earnings for the top four fastest-growing occupations fall below the self-sufficiency standard.
  
  
• Job categories that will see the most growth include registered nurses, software developers, food preparation and serving workers, and home health aides.
  
  
• Pay disparities persist between primarily male and primarily female concentrated occupations. Jobs held primarily by African Americans typically pay less than those held by whites, making pathways to advancement important.

The Jobs Outlook 2028 Report was commissioned by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Partners for a Competitive Workforce, Strive Partnership, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, and the Women’s Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.

The partners on this report and many other organizations in the region are fueling opportunities for career changers, entrepreneurs, underrepresented groups, and more. Here are just a few examples of organizations fueling our regional growth and creating pathways to jobs and opportunity.

• Apprenti Cincinnati
• Workforce Innovation Center
• REDI Cincinnati
• Minority Business Accelerator
• CincyTech
• The Connected Region
• Cincinnati Compass
• Source Cincinnati
• The Women’s Fund Employer Toolkit
• Partners for a Competitive Workforce
• Strive Partnership