Table 2.

High- and Low-Mobility Occupations, by Education Level

College Degree or Higher

High mobility (26%–39% migration rate)

Clergy, physical scientists, aircraft pilots/flight engineers, athletes/coaches/umpires, physicians/surgeons, veterinarians, biological scientists, postsecondary teachers, marketing and sales managers

Low mobility (7%–14% migration rate)

Farmers/ranchers, real estate agents, insurance agents, elementary and middle school teachers, bookkeeping/accounting and audit clerks, manager of construction and mining workers, dentists, librarians, registered nurses, secondary school teachers

High School Diploma

High mobility (17%–22% migration rate)

Aircraft mechanics and service technicians, chefs/head cooks, network systems and data communications analysts, waiters/waitresses, bartenders, marketing and sales managers, computer software engineers

Low mobility (4%–7% migration rate)

Farmers/ranchers, first line/managers of police/detectives, highway maintenance workers, postal service mail carriers, postal service clerks, water and waste treatment operators, bus drivers, teacher assistants, firefighters, sewing machine operator

Less Than a High School Diploma

High mobility (11%–14%)

Waiters/waitresses, cashiers, construction laborers, carpenters, painters, retail salespersons, welders, stock clerks

Low mobility (6%–9%)

Manager of production workers, childcare workers, farmers/ranchers, janitors, secretaries/administrative assistants, mechanics, construction equipment operators

Notes: Calculations from 2000 PUMS. Mobility rate is the fraction of workers who, in the past five years, either (1) changed metropolitan area or (2) if in nonmetropolitan area, changed PUMA.