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Workforce

Howard County’s talented workforce is ready to support a variety of high-level industry needs. According to the U.S. Census, the Baltimore-Washington region ranks among the most well educated metropolitan areas in America, with Howard County residents among the best educated in the country.

Employers also can attract employees from neighboring counties easily, due to Howard County’s network of major highways. In fact, a workforce of over 2 million people lives within a 30-mile radius of Howard County.

Looking for a job or looking for employees? Visit the Maryland Workforce Exchange.

Link to critical workforce development information:

Business Composition

The table below shows the distribution of industries in Howard County, Maryland for the 4th quarter, 2011.

CALENDAR YEAR 2011

Industrys

Average
Number
of
Reporting
Units

Annual
Average
Employment

Total Wages

TOTAL EMPLOYMENT

9,057 151,066  $8,840,228,248

GOVERNMENT SECTOR — TOTAL

143 18,280 920,168,905
Federal Government 31 649 48,857,941
State Government 14 3,523 161,618,447
Local Government 98 14,108 709,692,517

PRIVATE SECTOR TOTAL — ALL INDUSTRIES

8,914 132,786 7,920,059,343

GOODS-PRODUCING

1,140 16,703 1,095,670,794
Natural Resources and Mining 29 714 25,235,609
Construction 880 9,617 585,318,285
Manufacturing 231 6,372 485,116,900

SERVICE PROVIDING

7,772 116,083 6,824,388,549
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 1,725 31,325 1,521,012,175
Information 158 3,734 282,083,833
Financial Activities 860 8,791 675,344,237
Professional and Business Services 2,538 39,326 3,300,550,832
Education and Health Services 1,057 14,814 633,973,122
Leisure and Hospitality 668 13,384 249,639,242
Other Services 766 4,709 161,785,108

UNCLASSIFIED

2 0 0

For the most recent reports visit the DLLR website.

Maryland State Employment Composition

The table below shows the distribution of occupations in Maryland (no data available for Howard County, Maryland) for the 2010 – 2020 time period.

Rank

Occupation Group

2010 Estimated Employmennt

2020 Projected Employment

1 Office and Administrative Support Occupations 405,256 434,207
2 Sales and Related Occupations 268,632 284,229
3 Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations 197,693 221,028
4 Management Occupations 187,347 201,819
5 Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations 160,011 198,476
6 Business and Financial Operations Occupations 166,735 197,662
7 Education, Training, and Library Occupations 169,094 193,796
8 Transportation and Material Moving Occupations 141,746 154,918
9 Construction and Extraction Occupations 136,326 149,250
10 Computer and Mathematical Occupations 108,960 134,223

Source: Labor Market Statistics, Occupational Employment Projections Unit
http://www.dllr.state.md.us/

Education: Howard County

The level of educational achievement in Howard County is very high and has increased significantly since 1990. While the Washington-Baltimore area offers a broad choice of job opportunities for this highly educated workforce, an increasing number of new companies also have opened their doors in Howard County, attracted by this growing workforce.

Howard County is home to leading college and university campuses, including Johns Hopkins UniversityLoyola CollegeUniversity of Maryland University CollegeHoward Community College and the University of Phoenix. With a broad choice of college and graduate-level educational opportunities, Howard County residents can find the ideal program to meet their specific needs and goals.

Percentage of residents 25+

High School Diploma or Higher

Bachelor Degree

Professional Degree

United States 84.2% 27.2% 9.06%
Maryland 87.0% 34.5% 15.2%
Howard County 95.0% 57.8% 27.6%

Source: http://www.dllr.state.md.us/

Wage Data

Here is a breakdown of the average weekly salaries per worker for the ten largest industry sectors in Howard County, based on number of employees, for the fourth quarter 2011.

FOURTH QUARTER 2014

Industry Average Weekly
Wage  Per Worker

TOTAL EMPLOYMENT

$1,244

GOVERNMENT SECTOR — TOTAL

1,047
Federal Government 1,507
State Government 1,120
Local Government 1,019

PRIVATE SECTOR TOTAL — ALL INDUSTRIES

1,268

GOODS-PRODUCING

1,348
Natural Resources and Mining 770
Construction 1,335
Manufacturing 1,388

SERVICE PROVIDING

1,256
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 1,094
Information 1,650
Financial Activities 1,519
Professional and Business Services 1,785
Education and Health Services 917
Leisure and Hospitality 398
Other Services 746

For the most recent reports please visit the DLLR website.

  • County Data

    Howard County boasts a thriving and vibrant economy, which makes it the first choice for smart businesses looking to start or expand in the Mid-Atlantic. Add in its central location between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. and you have a real win-win. Howard County also offers more than 70-million square feet of commercial space, providing businesses with the perfect location to do business.

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  • Our Community

    Howard County is continually ranked among the most affluent, advanced and educated communities in the United States. There is immediate access to leading educational and health care institutions, upscale retail, and outstanding recreation and entertainment.

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