Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Fallers work in a niche occupation with a relatively small national workforce of about 6,000 people. The typical entry point is accessible, requiring a high school diploma or equivalent, which can make this path appealing to those who want to enter the workforce without a lengthy educational commitment. A national median annual salary of $53,900 reflects solid earning potential for an occupation with this education level. The role draws heavily on physical strength and stamina, as well as fine motor and mechanical skills, making it a strong fit for people who are comfortable with physically demanding, hands-on work. Analytical skills such as problem solving, decision making, and critical thinking also play a role, alongside interpersonal skills and adaptability. While national employment is projected to decline, there are still about 1,000 annual openings, suggesting ongoing turnover and replacement needs. This combination of modest scale, focused skills, and defined education requirements creates a specialized but accessible career path for the right candidates.
Fallers earn a national median annual salary of $53,900, offering meaningful earning potential for an occupation where the typical education is a high school diploma or equivalent. Pay varies across states and metro areas. Among the highlighted states, California and Maryland show higher median salaries of $59,590 and $58,300, respectively, while New York and Georgia offer lower medians of $36,190 and $39,380. Virginia sits between these ranges at $48,340. At the metro level, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA stands out with a median salary of $76,940, significantly above the national median, while the Richmond, VA metro shows a median of $40,560. These differences indicate that location can have a substantial impact on earnings for fallers, with some regions offering notably higher pay than others.
Fallers represent a relatively small occupation with national employment of about 6,000. The projected employment growth is -7.3%, indicating an expected decline over the projection period. Despite this negative growth rate, the occupation still shows an estimated 1,000 annual openings. This combination suggests that even as overall employment is projected to fall, there will continue to be hiring activity driven by factors such as workforce turnover and replacement needs. The -7.3% projected growth appears consistently across the listed states and metro areas, indicating that the overall outlook is similar in multiple regions. For individuals considering this career, the data points to a field that is not expanding in terms of total jobs, but one where opportunities may still arise regularly for qualified candidates who meet the physical, mechanical, and analytical demands of the work.
Geography plays a clear role in the opportunity landscape for fallers. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, California leads with a score of 67.38, a median salary of $59,590, and employment of 260. New York also ranks high with a score of 65.78, though it has a lower median salary of $36,190 and smaller employment of 120. Virginia combines a median salary of $48,340 with the highest listed state employment at 330 and an opportunity score of 54.96. Maryland and Georgia show more moderate employment levels (60 and 170, respectively) and opportunity scores of 52.88 and 41.49. At the metro level, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA stands out with a high median salary of $76,940 and an opportunity score of 51.53, while Richmond, VA offers a median of $40,560 and a score of 47.74. These figures highlight meaningful differences in both pay and opportunity scores across regions, providing several strategic choices for job seekers.
The typical education for fallers is a high school diploma or equivalent, making this occupation accessible to those who do not plan to pursue a four-year degree. While formal education requirements are relatively modest, the skill profile is broad and demanding. Success in this field depends heavily on physical strength and stamina, as well as fine motor skills and mechanical abilities. The inclusion of science and mathematics among the top skills points to the value of quantitative thinking and basic scientific understanding. Problem solving, decision making, and critical and analytical thinking highlight the need for sound judgment and the ability to evaluate situations effectively. Detail orientation, interpersonal skills, and adaptability round out the profile, suggesting that fallers must pay close attention to their work environment while working effectively with others and adjusting to changing conditions. Together, these skills complement the baseline educational requirement and define the core competencies for this career.
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