Cannabis is the fastest-growing industry in the U.S., according to the newly-released Leafly 2022 Jobs Report. The sector now supports 428,059 jobs, up 33 percent from last year.
It’s the fifth year in a row of job growth at 27 percent or more — the highest rate of any industry in the nation.
Here are more highlights from the report:
- Last year, America’s legal cannabis industry added 107,000 jobs, an average of 280 new jobs a day.
- Jobs in cannabis range from “plant-touching,” like cultivation and retail sales, to ancillary jobs that serve licensed companies like accounting, human resources, compliance, security, maintenance, construction, and many more.
- America’s 11 operating adult-use markets and 27 medical-only states combined to sell $24.6 billion worth of cannabis products in 2021.
- The top five states for total existing cannabis jobs are California, Colorado, Michigan, Illinois, and Massachusetts.
- The top five states hiring in 2022 are Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, and Illinois.
- The outlook for continued job growth is bright for many years to come, with total employment in the U.S. cannabis market estimated to top out at 1.5 to 1.75 million workers.
Oaksterdam University offers a wide range of programs to prepare people for emerging jobs. Our Business of Cannabis Program offers a comprehensive overview, great for students who wish to break into the industry, entrepreneurs looking to launch a business, professionals seeking to change career paths, or ancillary businesses who want to capture clients in the cannabis space. Email [email protected] to talk to an advisor today!
Download the complete 2022 Leafly Jobs Report here.
