Oregon Jobs: State Forecasts Historically High Job Growth By 2030

BEAVERTON, OR — Waiter. Waitress. Bartender. Fitness trainer. Fast food worker. Chef. Cook. Maybe nurse practitioner. Massage therapist. Physician assistant.

What do all these jobs have in common?

They fall into one of two categories: leisure and hospitality and private healthcare and social assistance. The Oregon Department of Employment says those two sectors will help lead the way as the state sees 16 percent job growth by 2030.

The department released a report on Thursday predicting that Oregon will add 317,600 jobs between 2020 and 2030. That's on top of the 1,998,400 jobs that were here in 2020.

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While officials say the number will mark historically high growth for the state, they caution that some of those jobs are part of the recovery from pandemic-related low employment and the associated recession.

The state forecasts that there will be an additional 51,000 jobs in the private healthcare and social assistance sector and an additional 73,800 jobs in the leisure and hospitality sector, which would represent a 46 percent jump.

Officials say there is expected to see growth in all parts of the state led by Central Oregon, which they see increasing by 18 percent and the Portland area, for which they forecast 16 percent growth.