Occupation Cluster Definitions

Agriculture: Includes farm, fishing, and forestry labor, as well as farm management and agricultural production occupations. Most Agriculture occupations do not require any post-secondary educational attainment. 

Architecture: Includes residential, commercial, industrial, and landscape architects. Architecture occupations require a bachelor’s degree.

Back Office: Encompasses a variety of business support occupations, including clerks, human resource professionals, and office administration staff in a variety of industries. Most Back Office occupations require at least a high school diploma and a significant number require a bachelor’s degree.

Business: Includes chief executives, managers, and analysts. Virtually all Business occupations require at least bachelor’s degree and several occupations require a master’s degree.

Communications: Includes advertising and public relations occupations, as well supporting writers, editors, and analysts. Nearly all Communications occupations require a bachelor’s degree.

Computer: Encompasses electrical engineers, hardware engineers, network support specialists, software and web-based developers, and related computer programmers and security analysts. The majority of Computer occupations require a bachelor’s degree.

Construction: Includes construction managers and laborers, equipment operations, and specialized trade contractors. Most construction occupations require a high school diploma and an apprenticeship or some on-the-job training.

Design: Includes artists and animators, graphic and industrial designers, and audiovisual production professionals. Educational requirements within the Design cluster vary widely.

Education: Includes teachers, related administrators, and library science professionals. Virtually all Education occupations require a bachelor’s degree and a significant number require a master’s degree.

Engineering: Includes virtually all engineers, with the exception of those directly related to computers. The majority of engineering occupations require a bachelor’s degree.

Financial: Includes financial advisors and analysts, accountants, loan officers, and real estate professionals. Most Financial occupations require a bachelor’s degree.

Geology: Includes operators of oil, gas, and mining equipment. The majority of Geology occupations require a high school diploma, with remaining occupations only requiring on-the-job training.

Hospitality: Includes food related occupations such as cooks and wait staff, as well as laborers and maintenance workers in industries such as gaming and lodging. Hospitality occupations typically require a high school diploma or some on-the-job training.

Legal: Includes lawyers, judges, paralegals and related support staff. Educational requirements within the Legal cluster vary widely.

Logistics: Includes air passenger and cargo workers, drivers, laborers in the shipping and rail industries, and transportation-related machine operators. Most Logistics occupations do not require a post-secondary education.

Math: A narrow occupation cluster involving actuaries, mathematicians, and statisticians. Math occupations require at least a bachelor’s degree.

Mechanics: Includes technicians and repair personnel for a host of industries, including automotive, aircraft, telecommunications, electrical, and electronic products. Most Mechanics occupations do not require a post-secondary education.

Medical: Includes doctors, nurses, aids and attendants, equipment technicians, and therapists (both physical and psychological). Medical occupations also include veterinarians as well as dentists and related workers. Educational requirements within the Medical cluster vary widely.

Performance: Includes occupations involved with athletic, dance, musical, televised, and theatrical performances. Performance occupations typically require at least a high school diploma.

Personal Services: Includes personal appearance professionals, childcare providers, and retail salespersons, clerks, and cashiers. Most Personal Service occupations require either a high school diploma or postsecondary non-degree award.

Political: Includes occupations typically related to public policy, including urban planners, geographers, and political scientists. The majority of Political occupations require a master’s degree.

Plant Operators: Includes operators of large-scale chemical, gas, nuclear, and water systems.

Production: Includes assembly workers, machinists, and equipment operators in a variety of manufacturing-oriented industries.

Sales & Marketing: Includes sales and marketing managers. These positions typically require a bachelor’s degree. 

Social Service: Include public safety workers such as firefighters and police officers as well as postal workers and religious officials. Social Service occupations typically require at least a high school diploma.