Looking for a new job? The McClure Foundation can help. Since 1995, the organization has released a recurring brochure spotlighting Vermont’s most promising jobs—the state’s highest-paying jobs in highest demand.

Broken down by education level, working style, interests, and potential earnings, the Most Promising Jobs brochure is a valuable guide for job seekers at any stage—whether you’re fresh out of high school, changing careers, or relocating to Vermont.

What Makes a Job “Promising”?

A promising job in Vermont is defined as:

• Paying at least $30/hour

• Projected to have at least 300 job openings over 10 years

Each edition of the brochure features 50–60 occupations selected from the state’s 600 official job types.

The brochure aims to encourage people to head in directions where they can reasonably expect employment opportunities.

– Mathew Barewicz, Labor Market Info Director for the Vermont Department of Labor. 

It’s a tool that goes beyond salary stats—designed to help people visualize careers based on how they like to work. “Someone thinking about relocating here, depending on their background or work experience, might already have a good sense of what they’re looking to do. If not, (the brochure) can be helpful – occupations are grouped by the style and type of work,” Barewicz said. For instance, “the essential part in this yellow category is that you work with people and you use your creativity. It’s helpful to conceptualize” what type of job might be your next best fit. .

Over the years, consistent roles like teachers, carpenters, nurses, bookkeepers, and accountants have remained at the top of the list—highlighting stable, long-term demand.

New to the Most Promising Jobs roster? 

“For the first time ever, waitstaff made the list,” Barewicz noted, thanks to changes in how tips are factored in.

Despite national economic fluctuations, Vermont’s job market is holding steady—and in fact, still favors job seekers. The state is experiencing record-low unemployment, coupled with an aging workforce, creating an environment where there are approximately two open jobs for every one unemployed person.

Despite a tight job market globally, the Department of Labor says job seekers are strongly positioned in the Vermont job market because of the state’s low unemployment rate and older demographic.  

“Employers are feverishly looking for workers and talent, but we don’t have enough talent to fill those spots. As a whole, we have about two jobs for every one unemployed person in Vermont,” said Michael Harrington, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Labor. 

“Globally, what we’re seeing is a cooling off of the market and the economy from a jobs perspective, but here in Vermont, we have record low unemployment and we have more jobs available than we have people without jobs. It is still a job seekers’ market at this point,” Harrington said.