Plunkett's Companion to the Almanac of American Employers 2026

Jack W. Plunkett is CEO & Publisher of Plunkett Research, Ltd., a Houston-based provider of market research and industry information in printed and electronic formats. Plunkett Research provides analysis, statistics and other vital data on all major industry sectors, from InfoTech to Retailing to Banking and Internet of Things. Plunkett's client list includes 10,000 leading corporations, universities and government agencies worldwide. Plunkett's products are distributed electronically through subscriptions to its online service, and around the globe by major distributors, including ThomsonReuters.Jack Plunkett is the author of numerous books, including the gold medal-winning The Next Boom: What you absolutely, positively have to know about the world between now and 2025. Plunkett is frequently interviewed as an expert source by publications such as Time magazine, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Investor's Business Daily, media outlets such as NPR's Marketplace, ABC, and Marketwatch, as well as local and regional newspapers and national columnists. Plunkett received an Academic Book of the Year Award for his Plunkett's Health Care Industry Almanac, and he was a regional finalist in the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards sponsored by EY.

Introduction 1 How to Use This Book 3 Chapter 1: Major Trends Affecting Job Seekers 7 1) The U.S. Job Market Overview 7 2) Cost Control Remains a Major Concern at Employers/Consolidation Through Mergers Continues 9 3) The Sharing & Gig Economy's Effect on Employment, Work Life and Careers 9 4) Technology Continues to Create Sweeping Changes in the Workplace 10 5) Continued Growth in Outsourcing, Including Supply Chain and Logistics Services 11 6) Offshoring and the Reshoring of American Manufacturing 12 7) Older Americans Will Delay Retirement and Work Longer/Many Employers Find Older Employees Desirable 12 8) Employment Sectors that Will Offer an Above-Average Number of Job Opportunities 13 Chapter 2: Statistics 15 U.S. Employment Statistics Overview: 2024-2025 16 U.S. Civilian Labor Force: 1998 - July 2025 17 Employment by Major Industry Sector: 2013, 2023 & Projected 2033 18 Number of People Employed and Unemployed, U.S.: July 2024 vs. July 2025 19 U.S. Labor Force Ages 16 to 24 Years Old by School Enrollment, Educational Attainment, Sex, Race & Ethnicity: October 2024 20 Retirement Benefits in the U.S.: Access, Participation and Take-Up Rates, March 2024 21 Top 30 U.S. Fastest Growing Occupations By Percent Change: 2023-2033 22 Occupations with the Largest Expected Employment Increases, U.S.: 2023-2033 23 Occupations with the Fastest Expected Decline, U.S.: 2023-2033 24 Chapter 3: Research: 7 Keys for Job Seekers 25 1) Financial Stability 25 2) Growth Plans 25 3) Research & Development Programs 25 4) Product Launch & Production 25 5) Marketing & Distribution Methods 25 6) Employee Benefits 26 7) Quality of Work Factors 26 Other Considerations 26 Chapter 4: Important Contacts for Job Seekers 33 (Addresses, Phone Numbers and Internet Sites) Chapter 5: THE MID-SIZE EMPLOYERS 500: Who They Are and How They Were Chosen 59 Index of Companies Within Industry Groups 61 Alphabetical Index 76 Index of Headquarters Location by U.S. State 78 Individual Data Profiles on Each of THE MID-SIZE EMPLOYERS 500 83 Additional Indexes Index of Firms Noted as Hot Spots for Advancement for Women & Minorities 582 Index of Subsidiaries, Brand Names and Selected Affiliations 583