The U.S. Workforce From 1960 to 2020: A RIASEC View

Abstract

This paper analyzes civilian occupations and employment data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau over seven decades (1960–2020) with respect to six kinds of work (Holland’s RIASEC classification). The focus is on (a) occupational titles used, (b) civilian employment, and (c) income. This study is a continuation and extension of eight articles published earlier by 11 different scholars, and it represents a 10th contribution to career development and vocational psychology literature with respect to the environmental aspects of Holland’s theory. In each census period, the Artistic area was the smallest area of employment at 1% or 2%. At the other extreme, the Realistic area was a large area of employment, ranging from 55% in 1960 to 26% in 2020. The principal findings of the current study are examined in terms of three research questions followed by a discussion of the implications for career counseling practice.