Table 3: Union membership and union coverage, 12-months ending December, 2019 to 2025
By occupation
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Change
2025-2024 2025-2019
Coverage (%)
Management, professional, and related occupations 12.8% 13.0% 12.6% 12.0% 11.8% 11.9% 12.0% 0.1 −0.8
Management occupations 5.1% 5.3% 5.3% 4.8% 4.9% 5.0% 5.0% 0.0 0.0
Business and financial operations occupations 6.0% 5.6% 5.6% 5.1% 4.9% 5.1% 5.8% 0.7 −0.2
Computer and mathematical science occupations 4.9% 5.1% 4.8% 4.2% 4.7% 4.7% 4.4% −0.3 −0.5
Architecture and engineering occupations 8.4% 7.5% 7.0% 7.0% 7.3% 7.3% 7.7% 0.4 −0.7
Life, physical, and social science occupations 9.9% 12.0% 12.4% 10.7% 12.0% 11.5% 12.8% 1.2 2.9
Community and social service occupations 17.4% 17.5% 16.2% 18.0% 16.0% 15.3% 15.8% 0.5 −1.6
Legal occupations 6.9% 7.9% 6.8% 6.6% 6.6% 7.0% 8.5% 1.6 1.6
Education, training, and library occupations 36.6% 39.8% 38.7% 37.3% 36.4% 35.8% 35.9% 0.2 −0.7
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations 7.9% 7.2% 8.1% 9.1% 8.9% 7.8% 7.6% −0.2 −0.4
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations 13.7% 13.6% 13.5% 13.0% 13.1% 13.7% 13.6% −0.2 −0.1
Service occupations 10.3% 11.7% 10.6% 10.9% 10.2% 10.2% 10.6% 0.4 0.3
Healthcare support occupations 8.3% 9.4% 9.4% 9.2% 8.8% 9.2% 10.2% 0.9 1.9
Protective service occupations 35.7% 38.8% 35.5% 36.7% 34.3% 32.5% 34.0% 1.5 −1.7
Food preparation and serving related occupations 4.2% 4.1% 3.5% 4.1% 3.6% 4.5% 4.3% −0.2 0.1
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations 9.7% 10.6% 10.6% 10.5% 10.5% 9.7% 9.2% −0.5 −0.5
Personal care and service occupations 6.7% 4.4% 4.5% 4.7% 4.9% 4.9% 4.6% −0.2 −2.1
Sales and office occupations 7.0% 7.1% 7.2% 6.9% 7.1% 6.8% 6.9% 0.2 −0.1
Sales and related occupations 3.5% 3.7% 4.0% 3.6% 3.6% 3.3% 3.1% −0.2 −0.4
Office and administrative support occupations 9.7% 10.0% 9.8% 9.5% 9.9% 9.6% 9.9% 0.3 0.2
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations 16.0% 16.3% 16.1% 15.3% 15.4% 14.4% 14.9% 0.6 −1.1
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 3.3% 2.9% 4.7% 4.8% 4.8% 1.5% 2.7% 1.2 −0.6
Construction and extraction occupations 18.5% 18.7% 18.4% 17.4% 17.3% 16.4% 17.4% 1.0 −1.1
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations 15.2% 15.8% 15.3% 14.2% 14.4% 13.7% 13.5% −0.2 −1.7
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 14.1% 14.2% 13.1% 13.4% 13.8% 13.6% 13.6% 0.0 −0.6
Production occupations 12.8% 12.9% 11.9% 12.2% 13.1% 12.7% 12.7% 0.0 −0.1
Transportation and material moving occupations 15.3% 15.3% 14.0% 14.2% 14.3% 14.2% 14.1% −0.1 −1.2
Membership (%)
Management, professional, and related occupations 11.1% 11.3% 11.0% 10.5% 10.3% 10.3% 10.5% 0.2 −0.6
Management occupations 4.1% 4.3% 4.4% 3.8% 4.1% 4.2% 4.1% −0.1 −0.1
Business and financial operations occupations 4.7% 4.5% 4.6% 4.0% 4.0% 4.0% 4.7% 0.7 −0.1
Computer and mathematical science occupations 3.8% 3.8% 3.7% 3.3% 3.8% 3.7% 3.7% 0.0 −0.1
Architecture and engineering occupations 7.0% 6.2% 5.9% 6.0% 5.9% 5.7% 6.4% 0.7 −0.6
Life, physical, and social science occupations 8.6% 9.6% 10.0% 9.0% 10.6% 10.6% 10.8% 0.2 2.1
Community and social service occupations 15.6% 15.6% 14.6% 15.9% 14.3% 13.6% 14.5% 0.8 −1.1
Legal occupations 4.8% 6.9% 5.8% 5.1% 5.1% 5.4% 7.3% 1.8 2.4
Education, training, and library occupations 33.1% 35.9% 34.7% 33.8% 32.6% 32.2% 32.5% 0.2 −0.7
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations 7.3% 6.2% 7.1% 7.9% 8.3% 6.5% 6.6% 0.1 −0.7
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations 11.8% 11.9% 11.7% 11.3% 11.6% 12.0% 12.0% −0.1 0.2
Service occupations 9.3% 10.6% 9.6% 10.0% 9.2% 9.2% 9.4% 0.3 0.1
Healthcare support occupations 7.4% 8.1% 8.3% 8.3% 7.6% 8.2% 8.7% 0.5 1.3
Protective service occupations 33.7% 36.6% 33.3% 34.6% 32.0% 29.6% 31.2% 1.6 −2.5
Food preparation and serving related occupations 3.5% 3.4% 3.1% 3.6% 3.2% 3.9% 3.7% −0.2 0.2
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations 8.7% 9.6% 9.4% 9.5% 9.1% 8.7% 8.2% −0.5 −0.5
Personal care and service occupations 5.7% 3.6% 3.9% 4.2% 4.3% 4.3% 4.0% −0.3 −1.8
Sales and office occupations 6.1% 6.4% 6.1% 6.0% 6.2% 6.0% 6.0% 0.1 −0.1
Sales and related occupations 2.8% 3.2% 3.3% 3.0% 2.9% 2.7% 2.5% −0.2 −0.3
Office and administrative support occupations 8.7% 9.0% 8.5% 8.4% 8.9% 8.5% 8.7% 0.2 0.1
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations 14.9% 15.3% 14.9% 14.3% 14.3% 13.4% 14.0% 0.6 −1.0
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 2.0% 2.6% 4.0% 4.4% 4.5% 1.5% 2.4% 1.0 0.4
Construction and extraction occupations 17.4% 17.7% 17.1% 16.4% 16.2% 15.4% 16.4% 1.0 −1.0
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations 14.2% 14.5% 13.9% 13.0% 13.3% 12.6% 12.5% −0.1 −1.7
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 12.9% 13.2% 12.0% 12.3% 12.6% 12.5% 12.4% −0.1 −0.5
Production occupations 11.7% 11.9% 10.8% 11.4% 11.6% 11.6% 11.8% 0.2 0.1
Transportation and material moving occupations 14.0% 14.3% 12.9% 13.0% 13.3% 13.2% 12.8% −0.4 −1.2
Coverage
Management, professional, and related occupations 7,204,000 7,264,000 7,179,000 7,197,000 7,355,000 7,440,000 7,571,000 131,000 367,000
Management occupations 745,000 759,000 784,000 746,000 818,000 824,000 831,000 7,000 86,000
Business and financial operations occupations 435,000 433,000 458,000 420,000 431,000 469,000 524,000 56,000 89,000
Computer and mathematical science occupations 253,000 269,000 260,000 248,000 300,000 291,000 285,000 −6,000 32,000
Architecture and engineering occupations 264,000 228,000 215,000 232,000 256,000 250,000 277,000 27,000 13,000
Life, physical, and social science occupations 137,000 185,000 190,000 179,000 212,000 200,000 229,000 29,000 92,000
Community and social service occupations 454,000 451,000 425,000 494,000 440,000 424,000 420,000 −4,000 −34,000
Legal occupations 110,000 120,000 103,000 102,000 106,000 108,000 136,000 28,000 26,000
Education, training, and library occupations 3,379,000 3,442,000 3,355,000 3,346,000 3,351,000 3,341,000 3,366,000 25,000 −13,000
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations 180,000 151,000 171,000 215,000 207,000 183,000 181,000 −2,000 1,000
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations 1,246,000 1,225,000 1,219,000 1,216,000 1,233,000 1,350,000 1,322,000 −28,000 76,000
Service occupations 2,538,000 2,405,000 2,314,000 2,499,000 2,409,000 2,431,000 2,614,000 183,000 77,000
Healthcare support occupations 299,000 435,000 438,000 441,000 427,000 477,000 562,000 86,000 263,000
Protective service occupations 1,098,000 1,166,000 1,036,000 1,127,000 1,059,000 999,000 1,135,000 136,000 37,000
Food preparation and serving related occupations 351,000 267,000 255,000 316,000 288,000 355,000 351,000 −4,000 0
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations 482,000 436,000 471,000 484,000 488,000 465,000 431,000 −33,000 −51,000
Personal care and service occupations 307,000 102,000 113,000 131,000 147,000 137,000 135,000 −2,000 −173,000
Sales and office occupations 2,158,000 1,937,000 1,986,000 1,924,000 1,971,000 1,834,000 1,942,000 107,000 −216,000
Sales and related occupations 469,000 444,000 489,000 435,000 438,000 391,000 382,000 −10,000 −87,000
Office and administrative support occupations 1,689,000 1,494,000 1,497,000 1,490,000 1,533,000 1,443,000 1,560,000 117,000 −129,000
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations 1,990,000 1,869,000 1,922,000 1,864,000 1,862,000 1,759,000 1,829,000 70,000 −161,000
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 36,000 27,000 44,000 44,000 42,000 13,000 24,000 11,000 −12,000
Construction and extraction occupations 1,269,000 1,167,000 1,199,000 1,190,000 1,194,000 1,138,000 1,192,000 53,000 −77,000
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations 686,000 675,000 679,000 630,000 626,000 608,000 614,000 6,000 −72,000
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 2,485,000 2,460,000 2,395,000 2,510,000 2,588,000 2,550,000 2,522,000 −28,000 36,000
Production occupations 1,065,000 941,000 908,000 965,000 1,036,000 978,000 956,000 −22,000 −108,000
Transportation and material moving occupations 1,420,000 1,519,000 1,486,000 1,545,000 1,552,000 1,572,000 1,565,000 −7,000 145,000
Membership
Management, professional, and related occupations 6,270,000 6,308,000 6,241,000 6,264,000 6,436,000 6,465,000 6,632,000 167,000 362,000
Management occupations 611,000 610,000 643,000 602,000 682,000 688,000 677,000 −11,000 66,000
Business and financial operations occupations 343,000 352,000 375,000 328,000 353,000 362,000 425,000 63,000 82,000
Computer and mathematical science occupations 196,000 202,000 203,000 195,000 242,000 228,000 239,000 11,000 44,000
Architecture and engineering occupations 220,000 189,000 181,000 200,000 208,000 196,000 231,000 35,000 11,000
Life, physical, and social science occupations 120,000 148,000 154,000 151,000 188,000 184,000 193,000 10,000 73,000
Community and social service occupations 408,000 401,000 383,000 436,000 391,000 378,000 384,000 6,000 −24,000
Legal occupations 77,000 105,000 89,000 80,000 81,000 84,000 116,000 32,000 38,000
Education, training, and library occupations 3,055,000 3,102,000 3,006,000 3,028,000 3,000,000 3,010,000 3,041,000 30,000 −14,000
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations 165,000 131,000 149,000 187,000 191,000 152,000 157,000 5,000 −7,000
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations 1,075,000 1,069,000 1,058,000 1,058,000 1,099,000 1,183,000 1,168,000 −15,000 93,000
Service occupations 2,293,000 2,173,000 2,094,000 2,291,000 2,163,000 2,183,000 2,322,000 139,000 29,000
Healthcare support occupations 266,000 375,000 385,000 394,000 368,000 423,000 480,000 57,000 214,000
Protective service occupations 1,036,000 1,102,000 970,000 1,063,000 987,000 909,000 1,040,000 132,000 5,000
Food preparation and serving related occupations 294,000 219,000 222,000 278,000 260,000 311,000 300,000 −11,000 6,000
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations 433,000 395,000 420,000 438,000 420,000 419,000 386,000 −33,000 −47,000
Personal care and service occupations 264,000 83,000 98,000 117,000 127,000 121,000 115,000 −5,000 −149,000
Sales and office occupations 1,882,000 1,733,000 1,697,000 1,674,000 1,728,000 1,612,000 1,686,000 74,000 −196,000
Sales and related occupations 376,000 389,000 404,000 361,000 357,000 325,000 309,000 −16,000 −67,000
Office and administrative support occupations 1,506,000 1,344,000 1,293,000 1,313,000 1,371,000 1,287,000 1,377,000 90,000 −129,000
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations 1,854,000 1,749,000 1,775,000 1,736,000 1,737,000 1,637,000 1,709,000 72,000 −144,000
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 22,000 24,000 37,000 40,000 39,000 13,000 21,000 8,000 0
Construction and extraction occupations 1,192,000 1,105,000 1,119,000 1,121,000 1,123,000 1,067,000 1,122,000 55,000 −71,000
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations 640,000 619,000 619,000 576,000 575,000 558,000 567,000 9,000 −73,000
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 2,268,000 2,287,000 2,196,000 2,315,000 2,351,000 2,348,000 2,307,000 −41,000 40,000
Production occupations 974,000 868,000 824,000 902,000 916,000 893,000 887,000 −6,000 −87,000
Transportation and material moving occupations 1,294,000 1,420,000 1,372,000 1,413,000 1,435,000 1,455,000 1,420,000 −35,000 126,000
Total employment
Management, professional, and related occupations 56,459,000 55,848,000 56,862,000 59,936,000 62,375,000 62,772,000 63,288,000 516,000 6,829,000
Management occupations 14,740,000 14,338,000 14,720,000 15,681,000 16,617,000 16,402,000 16,541,000 139,000 1,801,000
Business and financial operations occupations 7,234,000 7,781,000 8,121,000 8,308,000 8,812,000 9,151,000 9,081,000 −71,000 1,847,000
Computer and mathematical science occupations 5,146,000 5,317,000 5,467,000 5,940,000 6,364,000 6,193,000 6,514,000 320,000 1,368,000
Architecture and engineering occupations 3,135,000 3,035,000 3,081,000 3,332,000 3,513,000 3,430,000 3,593,000 163,000 458,000
Life, physical, and social science occupations 1,390,000 1,542,000 1,536,000 1,675,000 1,772,000 1,739,000 1,795,000 56,000 405,000
Community and social service occupations 2,614,000 2,570,000 2,630,000 2,745,000 2,743,000 2,774,000 2,657,000 −117,000 43,000
Legal occupations 1,597,000 1,524,000 1,517,000 1,546,000 1,593,000 1,549,000 1,596,000 47,000 −1,000
Education, training, and library occupations 9,223,000 8,639,000 8,671,000 8,972,000 9,198,000 9,341,000 9,365,000 24,000 143,000
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations 2,264,000 2,104,000 2,115,000 2,351,000 2,315,000 2,359,000 2,393,000 34,000 129,000
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations 9,115,000 8,997,000 9,004,000 9,386,000 9,447,000 9,834,000 9,753,000 −81,000 638,000
Service occupations 24,579,000 20,529,000 21,731,000 23,012,000 23,613,000 23,748,000 24,584,000 836,000 5,000
Healthcare support occupations 3,611,000 4,641,000 4,641,000 4,775,000 4,826,000 5,163,000 5,529,000 366,000 1,918,000
Protective service occupations 3,074,000 3,006,000 2,917,000 3,069,000 3,084,000 3,069,000 3,335,000 266,000 261,000
Food preparation and serving related occupations 8,335,000 6,469,000 7,209,000 7,791,000 8,081,000 7,891,000 8,107,000 216,000 −227,000
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations 4,959,000 4,104,000 4,448,000 4,598,000 4,636,000 4,810,000 4,698,000 −112,000 −261,000
Personal care and service occupations 4,601,000 2,309,000 2,515,000 2,779,000 2,986,000 2,814,000 2,914,000 101,000 −1,686,000
Sales and office occupations 30,731,000 27,124,000 27,667,000 27,815,000 27,740,000 27,039,000 27,971,000 932,000 −2,760,000
Sales and related occupations 13,390,000 12,135,000 12,386,000 12,200,000 12,247,000 11,940,000 12,213,000 273,000 −1,176,000
Office and administrative support occupations 17,341,000 14,989,000 15,281,000 15,616,000 15,493,000 15,099,000 15,758,000 659,000 −1,583,000
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations 12,428,000 11,435,000 11,911,000 12,183,000 12,130,000 12,241,000 12,250,000 9,000 −179,000
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 1,064,000 928,000 932,000 911,000 877,000 881,000 870,000 −12,000 −194,000
Construction and extraction occupations 6,859,000 6,243,000 6,526,000 6,833,000 6,915,000 6,936,000 6,849,000 −87,000 −10,000
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations 4,506,000 4,263,000 4,453,000 4,439,000 4,338,000 4,423,000 4,530,000 107,000 25,000
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 17,570,000 17,270,000 18,250,000 18,752,000 18,709,000 18,744,000 18,595,000 −149,000 1,025,000
Production occupations 8,301,000 7,319,000 7,646,000 7,901,000 7,883,000 7,696,000 7,504,000 −193,000 −797,000
Transportation and material moving occupations 9,269,000 9,951,000 10,604,000 10,851,000 10,826,000 11,048,000 11,091,000 43,000 1,822,000
Sample size
Management, professional, and related occupations 62,506 57,179 56,587 55,661 54,703 55,195 47,903

Management occupations 16,393 14,882 14,710 14,776 14,782 14,637 12,699

Business and financial operations occupations 7,758 7,697 7,882 7,535 7,510 7,863 6,704

Computer and mathematical science occupations 5,228 4,985 5,023 5,125 5,126 5,077 4,502

Architecture and engineering occupations 3,362 2,998 2,959 3,017 3,003 2,951 2,605

Life, physical, and social science occupations 1,640 1,669 1,602 1,644 1,647 1,599 1,446

Community and social service occupations 3,022 2,680 2,651 2,552 2,466 2,476 2,102

Legal occupations 1,877 1,677 1,623 1,534 1,483 1,464 1,295

Education, training, and library occupations 10,519 9,189 8,890 8,579 8,302 8,394 7,349

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations 2,463 2,080 2,067 2,127 1,940 2,003 1,793

Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations 10,244 9,322 9,180 8,772 8,444 8,731 7,408

Service occupations 26,166 20,212 20,868 20,401 19,891 20,036 17,752

Healthcare support occupations 3,833 4,522 4,394 4,223 4,115 4,320 3,979

Protective service occupations 3,282 2,934 2,875 2,715 2,576 2,571 2,424

Food preparation and serving related occupations 8,802 6,329 6,843 6,852 6,677 6,587 5,754

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations 5,367 4,158 4,380 4,173 4,063 4,197 3,530

Personal care and service occupations 4,882 2,269 2,376 2,438 2,460 2,361 2,065

Sales and office occupations 33,491 27,483 27,173 25,600 24,261 23,573 20,931

Sales and related occupations 14,352 12,109 11,983 11,094 10,539 10,274 9,019

Office and administrative support occupations 19,139 15,374 15,190 14,506 13,722 13,299 11,912

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations 13,770 11,635 11,798 11,265 10,821 10,855 9,317

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 1,264 1,011 990 937 880 865 698

Construction and extraction occupations 7,450 6,198 6,335 6,156 6,005 6,017 5,180

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations 5,056 4,426 4,473 4,172 3,936 3,973 3,439

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 18,794 17,162 17,751 16,787 16,079 15,927 13,636

Production occupations 9,067 7,401 7,577 7,194 6,901 6,676 5,607

Transportation and material moving occupations 9,727 9,761 10,174 9,593 9,178 9,251 8,029

* Many estimates here and in the final published BLS report are subject to substantial sampling error due to small underlying sample sizes.
Note: Workers 16 and older; excludes self-employed and self-incorporated. Changes may not match exactly due to rounding.
Source: Economic Policy Institute. 2026. Current Population Survey Extracts, Version 2026.1.14, https://microdata.epi.org.