Mobility Tool

What Opportunities and Challenges Characterize Chicago's Labor Market Today?

This dashboard provides industry-level insight into Chicago's workforce – showing where people work and at what wage, how those sectors are growing, and what education needs look like – against a national benchmark. Use it to better understand the Chicago labor market, and how each major industry’s demand and growth exceed, match, or lag national benchmarks.

Labor Force Size4,931,440

Employment Growth0.6%

National Benchmark: 1.2%

Labor Force Participation Rate67.2%

National Benchmark: 62.3%

Unemployment Rate4.6%

National Benchmark: 4.3%

College Attainment Rate42.2%

National Benchmark: 42.0%

*Sources: BGI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Community Survey, and Lightcast data

Sort by

Share of Total Labor Force

Location Quotient

Job Postings

Employment Growth

Pay

Non-BA Share of Workforce

Health Care and Social Assistance

13.4%

-2.7%

306,756

+3.1%

$59,400

49.0%

Manufacturing

10.8%

22.1%

157,976

+0.3%

$71,500

63.3%

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

9.9%

10.5%

201,898

-1.9%

$90,085

22.4%

Retail Trade

9.7%

-6.3%

192,013

-5.7%

$42,360

74.7%

Educational Services

9.2%

1.5%

116,924

+5.9%

$61,027

27.0%

Transportation and Warehousing

7.0%

32.2%

65,369

-6.7%

$65,062

78.5%

Accommodation and Food Services

6.2%

-5.8%

104,402

+9.9%

$39,520

83.5%

Finance and Insurance

5.9%

15.1%

94,153

-0.8%

$100,000

32.8%

Construction

5.6%

-19.6%

32,373

-0.7%

$67,500

81.6%

Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services

4.6%

1.1%

316,139

+4.3%

$70,000

74.6%

Other Services (except Public Administration)

4.6%

-3.3%

48,997

-1.8%

$57,200

68.1%

Public Administration

3.5%

-34.1%

23,837

+16.8%

$73,495

50.8%

Wholesale Trade

2.8%

17.9%

79,526

+0.5%

$56,160

55.6%

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

2.1%

-1.4%

20,603

+7.0%

$45,000

55.9%

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

1.9%

-6.7%

40,628

-9.3%

$58,500

48.2%

Information

1.8%

-14.5%

37,055

-4.5%

$87,500

38.0%

Utilities

0.6%

-20.0%

7,088

+1.3%

$113,800

55.5%

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting

0.3%

-61.9%

2,919

-3.8%

$49,920

70.6%

Significantly Below National Average

Below National Average

On par with National Average

Above National Average

Significantly Above National Average

*Sources: BGI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Community Survey, and Lightcast data

Key Insights

Wages are a Relative Strength Across Many Industries

9 of 18 sectors are much above the national pay benchmark and 6 are above it. Top medians: Utilities ($111k), Finance ($99k), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services ($90k), Information ($76k), Public Admin ($73k).

In Education, Pay and Demand are Bright Spots

Share 9.2%; +5.9% growth (on par); postings above benchmark; pay much above ($60k); but non-BA = 27%, much below benchmark.

Real Estate & Rental/Leasing are in a Clear Downcycle

Roughly 9.3% growth (below benchmark); postings below benchmark; non-BA share also much below benchmark.

Which Industries Can Drive Greater Economic Mobility in Chicago?* Click on a bubble to explore roles for this industry.

Explore how industries in Chicago compare in terms of talent mobility and employment growth. Use this tool to identify sectors that could benefit the most from upskilling or career pathways.Bubble size reflects the number of workers in each industry.

Mobility Gaps

Opportunity Engines

Redeployment Opportunities

Thinning Launchpads

Mobility Index

Employment Growth

How can Chicago Mobilize Talent to Strengthen Opportunity Engines?

This chart highlights the roles that merit recruiting, reskilling, or redesign focus.

Roles inEducation Level

Address Opportunity Gaps

Mobilize Now

Redeploy

Build On Strengths

Mobility Index

Talent Shortage Index

Which High-Mobility Roles Should Chicago Target to Unlock Opportunities?

This section highlights individual roles with high talent mobility – occupations where workers can transition into, grow, or move across roles more easily.

Roles in

High Mobility Roles with Talent Shortages in Chicago

Talent Flows into Accountants and Auditors

This chart shows transition pathways into Accountants and Auditors

Loading chart...

Feeder Roles

Select a role to see its feeder roles

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