Nationwide, 4.4% of the American labor force is unemployed, a large improvement from the recessionary unemployment peak of 9.9% in 2010. In the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson metro area, the unemployment rate of 4.5% is roughly similar to the national figure and far lower than the city’s recessionary peak unemployment rate of 8.3%. The industry composition within a […]

There are more medical doctors in the top 1% of earners than any other profession. The average salary of family and general practitioners nationwide is $192,120. Doctors who choose to specialize can earn even higher salaries. Anesthesiologists, for example, are among the highest paid medical professionals, earning about $258,000 a year on average. The average […]

Whether it is a gaming supervisor in Nevada, a farm worker in California, an extraction worker in North Dakota, or a petroleum engineer in Texas, one occupation is often more strongly associated with a state than any other. Such iconic occupations can be identified across the country, and often highlight each state’s unique contribution to […]

With 2016 unemployment rates of 2.7%, New Hampshire and South Dakota replaced North Dakota as the states with the lowest unemployment rates — the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Tuesday. New Mexico’s 6.7% unemployment rate is the highest in the country, pushing West Virginia and Nevada out of that position. National unemployment figures were […]

The U.S. economy has changed drastically in the past decade. As the housing bubble burst and the economy spiraled into the worst recession the country has faced since the Great Depression, unemployment hit a multi-decade high of 10% in 2009. Despite major setbacks, the U.S. economy began improving in June 2009, and many parts of […]

More than a quarter million jobs were added to the U.S. economy in July, and the official unemployment rate remained unchanged at just under 5%, according to the latest jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, some of these jobs were undesired part-time positions, and the official unemployment rate often gives an incomplete […]

More than 10 million Americans received Social Security disability benefits in 2014. These benefits — paid to disabled workers, disabled widows and widowers, and some other disabled adults — totaled $11.4 billion per month nationwide, a substantial increase from the $6.1 billion paid monthly a decade earlier. The number of disability beneficiaries varies between states. […]

Automobiles are one of the most expensive purchases many Americans make in their lifetimes. A car or truck’s sticker price is only the beginning of this expense, however, as maintenance and repair — both anticipated and otherwise — can be costly. Just how expensive a visit to the mechanic can be varies dramatically depending on […]

The United States has added more than 12 million jobs since the spring of 2011. Since then, the unemployment rate has fallen from 9.1% to 5.0% — close to an eight-year low. The vast majority of states have added jobs during April 2011 through April 2016. Most states added at least 100,000 positions. Delaware and […]

When thinking of relocation, Americans consider an area’s job prospects as among the most important factors. While other factors such as the school system or the cost of housing may play a role, a job ensures the viability of the relocation. Of course, one person’s great job may not suit another person’s skill set. Still, […]