Health care and social assistance have become pivotal sectors in Oregon’s economy, experiencing significant job growth despite a slowdown in overall employment.
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In 2024, Oregon employers added 5,700 jobs to nonfarm payrolls, marking a 0.3% increase. However, the private health care and social assistance sector saw a remarkable surge, adding 16,100 jobs, a 5.7% increase, reaching an all-time high of 301,000 jobs.
Since 2001, total nonfarm employment in Oregon has grown by 24%, while the private health care and social assistance sector has expanded by 92%. For most of the past 12 years, this sector has reported the largest number of job openings among all sectors in Oregon’s economy. Before the pandemic recession, health care and social assistance accounted for one out of every five private-sector job openings. In 2024, this share rose to nearly one-third of all job vacancies, with an average of 18,200 job openings at any given time during the year.
Personal care aides and registered nurses had the largest number of health care job openings in 2024, with employers reporting these positions as difficult to fill. Looking ahead, health care and social assistance are expected to lead job growth in Oregon. Total employment is projected to grow by 170,000 jobs, or 8%, between 2023 and 2033. The health care and social assistance sector is anticipated to grow by 13%, adding 37,000 jobs.
One out of every five new jobs added in Oregon by 2033 will be in health care and social assistance. Seven of the 15 fastest-growing occupations in Oregon over the decade are related to health care, including nurse practitioners, physician assistants, medical health and services managers, veterinarians, and veterinary assistants and technicians.
Employers will also need to replace workers who retire, leave the labor force, or change occupations. Including these replacement job openings, health care and social assistance are expected to average nearly 38,000 total job openings each year through 2033. However, growth expectations could be hindered by increasing retirements or an insufficient pipeline of workers entering the sector.