A recent CareerBuilder survey indicated self-employment seeing a decline in the U.S.—with an estimated 10 million self-employed jobs as of 2013—down to 6.6% (from 7.2% in 2006). However, the findings of the survey, done in conjunction with Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. (EMSI), revealed key insights on specific industries that show gains in self-employment (defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, as those who “consider self-employment to be a significant part of their income or time working.” Incorporated business owners are not counted among the self-employed nor are freelancers or professionals who have other smaller, secondary sources of income.)
If you’re looking to become self-employed or want to know the trending industries seeing an uptick, take a look at further findings of the study in terms of booming markets and those that aren’t doing so well in that department.
Self-Employed Occupations with the Most Total New Jobs (2006-2013)
| Description | Change | % Change |
| Managers, All Other | 39,839 | 15% |
| Landscaping & Groundskeeping Workers | 37,939 | 13% |
| Maids & Housekeeping Cleaners | 37,102 | 9% |
| Construction Laborers | 30,287 | 10% |
| Personal Care Aides | 17,367 | 18% |
| Web Developers | 10,819 | 67% |
| Recreation Workers | 9,116 | 40% |
| Medical Transcriptionists | 8,902 | 375% |
| Home Health Aides | 8,151 | 22% |
| Photographers | 7,968 | 12% |
Self-Employed Occupations with the Most Total Job Losses (2006-2013)
| Description | Change | % Change |
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | -124,620 | -22% |
| Construction Managers | -93,185 | -38% |
| Real Estate Sales Agents | -71,132 | -22% |
| Carpenters | -67,497 | -14% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | -64,446 | -33% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers2 | -62,494 | -19% |
| Childcare Workers | -52,502 | -9% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | -35,342 | -15% |
| Painters, Construction and Maintenance | -28,054 | -13% |
| First-Line Supervisors, Non-Retail Sales Workers | -27,568 | -21% |