How Many Jobs Are Available in Consumer Services?

Consumer services is the engine of the U.S. economy. From retail stores and financial institutions to health care clinics and food-service providers, these businesses deliver goods and experiences directly to individuals. Recent government data show that over 130 million people work in service-providing industries in the U.S.—that’s the vast majority of non-farm employment.

Yet millions of roles remain unfilled. If you’re exploring your next move, here’s what those numbers mean and how you can use them to your advantage.

What Counts as Consumer Services?

Consumer services include any industry that delivers products or services directly to individual customers. This umbrella covers:

• Retail and Wholesale Trade – selling everything from groceries to electronics.
• Transportation and Warehousing – shipping goods, warehousing operations and last-mile delivery.
• Information and Media – telecommunications, streaming, and digital platforms.
• Financial Services – banking, insurance and real-estate services.
• Professional and Business Services – legal, consulting, marketing and administrative support.
• Education and Health Services – schools, universities, hospitals and clinics.
• Leisure and Hospitality – restaurants, hotels, entertainment and recreation.
• Other Services – repair services, personal care and community organizations.
  

These industries collectively shape everyday life. Each has its own hiring climate, skill requirements and growth trends.

How Many Jobs Are Open Now?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks job openings across industries. The latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) for June 2025 estimates about 7.4 million job openings across all industries, and many of these belong to consumer-facing sectors:

• Trade, Transportation & Utilities: ~1.1 million job openings. Retail trade alone accounts for 656,000 open positions, reflecting constant turnover and seasonal demand.
• Information: ~244,000 open jobs, including roles in telecommunications, streaming services and software support.
• Financial Activities: ~344,000 openings spanning banking, insurance and real-estate offices.
• Professional and Business Services: ~1.46 million openings for administrative assistants, marketing specialists, IT consultants and legal aides.
• Education & Health Services: ~1.5 million openings driven mainly by healthcare’s expansion.
• Leisure & Hospitality: ~935,000 openings with persistent staffing needs in restaurants and hotels.
• Other Services: ~273,000 openings, including personal care and repair work.
  

In total, these figures suggest millions of opportunities across consumer-oriented industries. Even industries with modest growth create a steady stream of openings due to employee turnover, retirements and internal promotions.

Where the Jobs Are: Employment Breakdown

Job openings only tell part of the story. To understand where the workforce is concentrated, consider employment numbers for July 2025:

• Retail Trade: ~15.6 million people employed—cashiers, sales associates and stock clerks make up much of this workforce.
• Transportation & Warehousing: ~6.7 million workers handling logistics, shipping and last-mile delivery.
• Information: ~2.9 million people supporting telecoms, media and software services.
• Financial Activities: ~9.3 million employees, including finance and insurance workers (6.8 million) and real-estate professionals (2.5 million).
• Professional & Business Services: 22.6 million workers spanning consulting, design, IT and administrative services.
• Education & Health Services: 27.4 million employees, of which 23.4 million work in healthcare and social assistance.
• Leisure & Hospitality: 17.0 million employees in restaurants, hotels and entertainment.
• Other Services: 6.0 million workers providing personal care, repair, laundry and religious services.
  

These numbers illustrate the sheer size of consumer services. Even sectors with slowing growth—such as retail—employ millions and have sizeable turnover. Meanwhile, education and health services have become the largest consumer-facing employer, reflecting demographic shifts and rising demand for healthcare.

Trends Shaping the Consumer Service Job Market

1. Healthcare Dominates Growth – The BLS projects healthcare and social assistance to be the fastest-growing industry through 2033. An aging population and wider access to care are fueling demand for nurses, medical assistants, home health aides and allied health professionals. Administrative and IT roles in healthcare are also expanding.
2. Digital Transformation – Information and professional services are projected to grow at 0.7% per year. Companies are investing in cloud services, CRM, AI-powered support and digital marketing, creating jobs for tech-savvy customer service representatives, UX designers and data analysts.
3. Retail’s Evolution – Retail employment is projected to decline slightly (-0.2% per year) as e-commerce and automation reduce some in-store roles. However, this shift creates new jobs in logistics, e-commerce customer support, and data-driven merchandising.
4. Flexible and Remote Work – The pandemic normalized remote customer support and telehealth. Many companies now hire work-from-home agents, opening roles previously concentrated in urban centers. This flexibility is especially strong in finance, tech support and telemedicine.
5. Sustainability and Community-Focused Services – Consumers increasingly value sustainability and social impact, driving new roles in renewable-energy services, eco-tourism and community health outreach.

Your Path Into Consumer Services: Practical Tips

• Identify Growth Niches: Focus on sectors with strong demand, such as healthcare, financial services, tech-enabled customer support and logistics.
• Highlight Transferable Skills: Customer empathy, communication, problem-solving and adaptability matter across all services.
• Build Digital Literacy: Learn CRM systems, chatbots, scheduling software and data analytics to stand out.
• Tailor Your Resume: Mirror the keywords and required skills in job descriptions, and emphasize measurable achievements.
• Network Strategically: Join sector-specific associations and communities. Informational interviews can reveal hidden opportunities.
• Consider Certification or Short-Term Training: For healthcare or finance, certifications like CNA, medical billing, insurance licensing, or Series 6 can open doors.

Mini-Case Example: Pivoting from Retail to Healthcare

Maya spent three years as a retail supervisor. She enjoyed helping customers but sought better hours and stability. After researching growth sectors, she enrolled in a short medical administrative assistant program. Her retail experience made her comfortable with people and problem-solving. Within six months she landed a clinic coordinator role. Employers valued her customer-service background, attention to detail and new healthcare knowledge. Maya’s story shows that pivoting within consumer services is often about reframing existing skills and adding a targeted credential.

Conclusion: Your Next Step

Consumer services aren’t just a “job” – they’re a dynamic arena where skills in communication, technology and empathy unlock opportunities across retail, healthcare, finance and beyond. With over 130 million employees and millions of job openings, this sector offers options for every career stage. Embrace growth areas, keep learning and don’t underestimate the value of your customer-service skills.

That’s where Jobubu comes in. It scans 20,000+ job boards, applies while you sleep and keeps track of every application—so you don’t have to. Start free and get 10× more interviews—without burning out.