Most state job openings don’t require four-year degrees

Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2005 | 8:53 a.m.

The complete jobs report is available online at www.NevadaWorkForce.com. On the left side of the home page click "occupations." When the new screen comes up, scroll down to occupation projections and select "Nevada Statewide." On the next screen on the right side, click "Go to Publications," then select "View Publications."

CARSON CITY -- Education pays off, but the most job openings in Nevada last year were in categories for which college degrees typically are not required, according to a new report from the state Employment, Training and Rehabilitation Department.

The report states the already well known -- that people with four or more years of college earn higher average salaries and those with the least education are at the lower end of the pay scale.

And it also shows that the most job openings in 2004 were in categories that were down toward the lower pay end of the scale.

The categories of jobs with the greatest number of openings in Nevada last year were cashiers, table waiters and retail salespeople, according to the report.

There were 38,814 cashiers in the state in 2004 and 3,240 openings. There were 36,378 waiters and waitresses, and 3,130 job openings.

There were 2,775 openings for retail salespersons. Their ranks numbered 37,203, and they were paid an average salary of $24,730 each.

Lawyers had the job with the highest average salary in the state, $93,500, while the second highest average pay, $92,962, went to "general and operations managers," according to the report.

Joe Reel, of the state employment division's research and analysis bureau, said most of the managers in that No. 2 category are found in small businesses where they are jacks-of-all-trades.

Speaking of jacks, casino dealers earned an average wage of $13,507; waiters and waitresses pulled down $16,117; and bartenders made $20,020, according to the state report. But those amounts don't include tips, Reel said.

The report is aimed at "spurring people's interest in different categories," Reel said. While gaming dominates the economy, there are many other job opportunities for people to consider, he said.

Administrators at elementary and high schools earned an average of $79,849 each, for example. High school teachers earned an average of $43,463 each, elementary school teachers $42,312, special education teachers at high schools $43,821 and special education teachers in kindergarten and the elementary schools were paid an average of $44,099 each, according to the report.

Maids earned an average of $20,910 annually, while food preparers and servers in fast food restaurants were paid an average of $16,313 each and cashiers received an average annual wage of $19,360 each.

There are some good-paying opportunities for positions that require from four months to three years of job training. For instance, wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives earned an average of $57,781 each in 2004, while police and sheriff's department patrol officers had an average annual pay of $51,647 each.

Casino supervisors earned an average of $41,024; slot key workers were paid an average $23,987; sports book writers earned $19,885; and casino booth cashier and change persons were paid an average of $20,281.

Cy Ryan can be reached at (775) 687-5032 or cy@lasvegassun.com.