The line graph compares the proportion of the US workforce employed in five sectors between 1930 and 2010.
Overall, the period was marked by a dramatic collapse in agricultural employment, while all other sectors expanded steadily. By 2010, farming, fishing and foresting had shifted from being the dominant source of employment to the smallest contributor.
In 1930, around three-quarters of American workers were engaged in agriculture-related occupations, whereas sales and office roles accounted for roughly 10%. Industrial and technical jobs were almost negligible at around 2% each. Over the next two decades, the overall structure changed little, although the technical sector experienced a noticeable increase, tripling its share.
A more pronounced transformation occurred by 1980, when agricultural employment had fallen sharply to 40%. During the same period, industrial and technical roles rose to approximately 13% and 10% respectively, and employment in sales and office work also began to climb.
By 2010, the shift was complete: the agricultural workforce had fallen to just 1 in 10 workers, while the other three major sectors all surpassed 20%, becoming the primary sources of employment.