The line graph illustrates changes in employment levels across four economic sectors in the US (manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare) from 1960 to 2020.
Overall, manufacturing and agriculture experienced a long-term decline in employment. Healthcare and retail showed consistent growth throughout the period.
In 1960, retail and agriculture started at the same point with over 5 million jobs. A significant growth was shown in retail employment, which climbed to 15 million jobs in 2000 and reached a peak of approximately 16 million jobs 20 years later. Otherwise, agriculture declined steadily from about 3 million jobs in 1980 to under 3 in 2000. By 2020, it fell to just under 2 million jobs.
Manufacturing was the largest employer in 1960. It peaked at 20 million jobs in 1980, before decreasing steadily to about 17 million jobs in 2000 and ended the period at approximately 13 million jobs. Retail and healthcare surpassed manufacturing by 2020. Healthcare started with the lowest employment at 2 million jobs, after which it experienced a dramatic rise to 5 million jobs in 1980. Compared with agriculture, healthcare witnessed a continuous growth, ending the last year of the period examined at over 15 million jobs. Manufacturing employed fewer people than healthcare by the end of the period.
