Bachelor’s Degree
This degree requires completion of 4 – 5 years of full-time academic study beyond high school.
Key Terms for the tables below:
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Knowledge Base: learned sets of facts and standards required by many work situations
Content Skills: learned capabilities that allow workers to master and perform the specific activities of their jobs
Generalized Work Activities: the types of tasks that are common to many jobs
Current Supply: number of employees in occupations requiring the knowledge, skill, or work activity at a moderate level
Projected Demand: number of expected annual job openings during the projection period. Includes both growth and replacement
openings
The tables below present the top 5 knowledge bases, the top 5 content skills, and the top 5 generalized work activities for the Short-Term (20092011) and Long-Term (2008-2018) time frames for a Bachelor’s Degree. Additional tables below present the top occupations having at least one
knowledge base, one content skill, and one generalized work activity in the top 5.
Top 5 Knowledge Bases (Short-Term)
Knowledge Base
2009
Current
Supply
Top 5 Knowledge Bases (Long-Term)
2009-2011
Projected
Demand
Knowledge Base
2008
Current
Supply
2008-2018
Projected
Demand
English Language
86,069
2,748
English Language
83,645
3,161
Education and Training
61,052
2,275
Education and Training
58,088
2,589
Customer and Personal Service
65,222
2,097
Customer and Personal Service
64,702
2,268
Computers and Electronics
48,449
1,591
Computers and Electronics
48,102
1,844
Psychology
34,356
1,307
Psychology
32,234
1,351
In the Short-Term, English Language is the top knowledge base for
Bachelor’s Degree professions. Education and Training is the
second most important knowledge for this educational level.
In the Long-Term, the top 5 knowledge bases are the same as in the
Short-Term. They are also in the same order of importance as in the
Short-Term.
Top 5 Content Skills (Short-Term)
Content Skill
Writing
2009
Current
Supply
Top 5 Content Skills (Long-Term)
2009-2011
Projected
Demand
Content Skill
2008
Current
Supply
2008-2018
Projected
Demand
96,659
3,334
Reading Comprehension
105,999
4,044
Reading Comprehension
108,543
3,639
Active Listening
105,999
4,044
Active Listening
108,543
3,639
Writing
94,292
3,734
Active Learning
106,047
3,573
Critical Thinking
106,304
4,028
Critical Thinking
108,557
3,600
Active Learning
103,492
3,968
Writing and Reading Comprehension are the top two content skills in
the Short-Term time frame.
The top 5 content skills in the Long-Term are the same as the ShortTerm. However, all 5 swap positions with Reading Comprehension
claiming the greatest potential for growth. Active Listening is second
with the same projected demand.
Top 5 Generalized Work Activities (Short-Term)
Top 5 Generalized Work Activities (Long-Term)
Generalized Work Activities
Communicating with supervisors, peers or
subordinates
Organizing, planning and prioritizing work
Updating and using job-relevant knowledge
Establishing and maintaining interpersonal
relationships
Making decisions and solving problems
2009
Current
Supply
2009-2011
Projected
Demand
102,371
3,466
106,409
3,561
103,618
3,496
103,546
3,439
98,383
3,348
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates is the most
important generalized work activity, and it has the greatest potential
for growth. Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work is the second
most important generalized work activity.
Generalized Work Activities
2008
Current
Supply
2008-2018
Projected
Demand
Organizing, planning and prioritizing work
104,211
3,956
Updating and using job-relevant knowledge
Communicating with supervisors, peers or
subordinates
Making decisions and solving problems
Establishing and maintaining interpersonal
relationships
101,294
3,909
99,595
3,827
96,085
3,743
101,188
3,826
The top 5 generalized work activities in the Long-Term are the same
as the Short-Term, but they are in a different order. Organizing,
Planning, and Prioritizing Work is the most important in the long-term
time frame. Updating and Using Job-Relevant Knowledge is
projected to be the second most important
Top Occupations-Short-Term
The following occupations require a Bachelor’s Degree according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and have at least one knowledge base,
one content skill, and one generalized work activity in the top 5. The table lists the top 10 occupations by Total Annual Openings based on the
2009-2011 Short-Term Projections. Due to some differences between BLS and O*NET in determining educational training assignment, some
occupations that would otherwise be among the top 10 are not included.
Occupation
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and
Vocational Education
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Vocational
Education
Accountants and Auditors
2009
Estimated
Employment
2011
Projected
Employment
Net
Growth
Percent
Growth
Annual
OpeningsGrowth
Annual
OpeningsReplacement
Total
Annual
Openings
11,917
12,324
407
3.42%
204
252
456
10,597
10,819
222
2.09%
111
307
418
6,207
6,413
206
3.32%
103
132
235
6,521
6,701
180
2.76%
90
98
188
Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts
2,568
2,757
189
7.36%
95
41
136
Computer Systems Analysts
2,996
3,116
120
4.01%
60
60
120
Computer Programmers
5,018
5,047
29
0.58%
15
91
106
Training and Development Specialists
2,088
2,165
77
3.69%
39
53
92
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education
2,516
2,598
82
3.26%
41
47
88
Employment, Recruitment, and Placement Specialists
1,682
1,741
59
3.51%
30
43
73
Top Occupations-Long-Term
The following occupations require a Bachelor’s Degree according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and have at least one knowledge base,
one content skill, and one generalized work activity in the top 5. The table lists the top 10 occupations by Total Annual Openings based on the
2008-2018 Long-Term Projections. Due to some differences between BLS and O*NET in determining educational training assignment, some
occupations that would otherwise be among the top 10 are not included.
Occupation
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
2008
Estimated
Employment
2018
Projected
Employment
Net
Growth
Percent
Growth
Annual
OpeningsGrowth
Annual
OpeningsReplacement
Total
Annual
Openings
11,009
14,020
3,011
27.35%
301
240
541
9,794
11,601
1,807
18.45%
181
292
473
5,732
7,152
1,420
24.77%
142
125
267
Accountants and Auditors
6,342
7,364
1,022
16.11%
102
112
214
Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts
2,514
3,576
1,062
42.24%
106
51
157
Computer Systems Analysts
3,011
3,688
677
22.48%
68
80
148
Insurance Sales Agents
3,049
3,496
447
14.66%
45
66
111
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education
2,312
3,003
691
29.89%
69
38
107
Computer Programmers
4,948
4,453
-495
-10.00%
0
103
103
Network and Computer Systems Administrators
2,455
2,912
457
18.62%
46
56
102
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and
Vocational Education
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Vocational
Education