‘Green’ Jobs Made Up Just 2.4% of the Workforce in 2010

NEW YORK (MainStreet) — For all the talk about the green job revolution, these jobs still account for just a tiny fraction of the overall labor market.

There were 3.1 million jobs related to green goods and services in the U.S. in 2010, according to a new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That represents just 2.4% of the country’s total workforce.

The vast majority of those jobs came from the private sector, which had 2.3 million green jobs in 2010. Within this sector, the two industries that accounted for the most green jobs were manufacturing and construction.

Those interested in getting in on the green industry might consider moving out to California, which had 338,400 green jobs in 2010 and was one of just six states to have more than 100,000 such jobs. At least in this state, it appears the gold rush has been replaced by the green rush.

If you’re interested in getting one of these positions, check out MainStreet’s guide to landing a green dream job.

Seth Fiegerman is a staff reporter for MainStreet. You can reach him by e-mail at seth.fiegerman@thestreet.com, or follow him on Twitter @sfiegerman.