Special Report

This is the Most Iconic Job in Washington

Samuel Stebbins

Published: April 2, 2021 1:00 am

Last Updated: April 22, 2021 12:52 pm

Each of the 50 states has its own unique identity. These identities have been shaped over decades and centuries and are often defined, at least in part, by economic forces.

Whether it is agriculture in California or resource extraction in Texas, certain industries — and therefore certain jobs — are far more common in some states than others. Often, these occupations serve as both economic engines and as symbols of local identity.

Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on the concentration of jobs in a given state relative to their concentration nationwide, 24/7 Wall St. identified the most iconic job in each state.

More than one in every seven avionics technicians in the U.S. work in Washington state. The job generally entails inspecting, installing, and repairing avionics equipment, which can include radar, navigation, radio, and other systems. Boeing, one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world, has a nearly 100 acre manufacturing facility in Everett, Washington. The plant employs thousands and produces the company’s 747, 767, 777, and 787 airplanes.

Jobs for avionics technicians are also relatively well paying in Washington. The average annual income for those working in the field is $83,940, nearly $17,000 more than the average annual wage for all avionics technicians nationwide.

To determine the most iconic job by state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the relative concentration of occupations within all 50 states with data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2019 Occupational Employment Statistics program. Detailed occupations were ranked based on location quotient — the concentration of an occupation within a state’s labor force relative to the concentration in the national labor force — as of 2019. Additional data on median annual wage at the state and national levels also came from the BLS. This is the most iconic job in every state.