Top Frontline Industries by Demand and Wage Growth: Q1 2025 Report

Resume Now and Talroo partner to reveal which industries are most in need of essential workers—and where pay is rising fastest

GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico, April 14, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- In Q1 2025, trucking wages surged 16%, and job postings for frontline roles outpaced available candidates across nearly every major sector in the U.S. To provide a comprehensive analysis of the frontline labor market, Resume Now®, a simple and effective resume and cover letter building service, and Talroo, a leading provider of AI-driven job advertising for attracting frontline and skilled trades professionals, have partnered to deliver the Top Frontline Industries by Demand and Wage Growth: Q1 2025 Report, based on data between January 1, 2025 – March 31, 2025.

Frontline workers are the backbone of the economy, and these essential roles are seeing both rising wages and hiring challenges. The report identifies the industries experiencing the biggest hiring gaps and the highest wage growth— providing valuable insight for both job seekers and employers navigating the current labor market.

The 10 Frontline Industries with the Biggest Talent Gaps
These industries saw the largest mismatch between job postings (demand) and candidate supply (resumes) in Q1 2025. The top ten industries with the biggest talent gaps, in order from highest to lowest:

1. Trucking 
2. Allied healthcare 
3. Caregiving
4. Customer service 
5. Manufacturing 
6. Retail 
7. Administrative 
8. Sales 
9. Food services 
10. Warehousing

What the Data Tells Us About Frontline Hiring Demand
As measured by resumes per job post and comparing year over year, additional insight about the most in-demand frontline industries includes:

1. Trucking – High Demand, Fewer Applicants

• The trucking industry continues to face a qualified labor shortage, resulting in fewer applicants per job and steady demand for new drivers.
• Job seekers with a CDL or logistics experience can find strong opportunities with competitive wages, although policy and economic changes in Q2 2025 may result in shifts.

2. Allied Healthcare & Caregiving – More Jobs, Fewer Candidates

• Hospitals, nursing homes, and home healthcare agencies are struggling to fill essential roles.
• Positions such as medical assistants, caregivers, and patient care technicians are seeing increased demand, creating more opportunities for job seekers with relevant skills or training.

3. Customer Service & Retail – Fewer Job Seekers, More Openings

• These industries continue to experience hiring challenges, as the number of active and qualified job seekers has dropped significantly compared to 2024.
• With fewer qualified applicants, job seekers may find faster interview timelines and better leverage in negotiating flexibility or wages—especially in urban markets.

4. Manufacturing & Warehousing – Still Hiring, But Improving Balance

• While these sectors remain in high demand, applicant availability has improved slightly compared to other industries.
• Despite being a particularly tumultuous policy time for this industry, job seekers with experience in logistics, production, or warehouse operations can still find ample opportunities.

5. Sales & Food Services – Shifting Landscapes

• Interest in sales and food service roles has declined, creating hiring difficulties for employers, although these trends will vary state-by-state.
• Job seekers considering these fields may have greater leverage in negotiating pay and schedules due to labor shortages or due to state regulations such as California's recent regulations of food service wages.

6. Administrative Roles – A Stable Job Market

• The admin sector maintains a steady balance of jobs and applicants.
• Data entry, scheduling, and support staff roles remain reliable.

"Despite continued uncertainty across sectors and broader economic concerns, the need for skilled frontline workers remains strong—and in many industries, it's growing," said Thad Price, CEO of Talroo. "From trucking to healthcare, employers are still struggling to fill essential roles that keep our communities running. This data provides a clear call to action: to invest in smarter recruiting strategies, support workforce development, and help more people connect with meaningful, high-demand jobs."

Where Wages Are Rising Fastest for Frontline Workers
This ranking highlights the year-over-year hourly wage increases these in-demand industries experienced. Six of the top ten frontline industries saw above-average wage increases in Q1 2025. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national average total compensation increase in 2024 was 3.8%.

Ordered from highest to lowest, these are the top 10 most in-demand frontline industries by wage growth:

1. Trucking

• Q1 Wage Growth: 16%
• 2025 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $25.49
• 2024 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $22.05

2. Warehousing

• Q1 Wage Growth: 15%
• 2025 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $19.78
• 2024 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $17.23

3. Administrative

• Q1 Wage Growth: 10%
• 2025 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $22.13
• 2024 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $20.20

4. Customer Service

• Q1 Wage Growth: 10%
• 2025 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $19.15
• 2024 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $17.42

5. Caregiving

• Q1 Wage Growth: 8%
• 2025 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $16.82
• 2024 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $15.56

6. Retail

• Q1 Wage Growth: 7%
• 2025 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $17.44
• 2024 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $16.27

7. Allied Healthcare

• Q1 Wage Growth: 3%
• 2025 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $33.80
• 2024 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $32.78

8. Sales

• Q1 Wage Growth: 3%
• 2025 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $16.95
• 2024 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $16.50

9. Food Services

• Q1 Wage Growth: 3%
• 2025 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $16.13
• 2024 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $15.63

10. Manufacturing

• Q1 Wage Growth: -1%
• 2025 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $22.75
• 2024 Q1 Avg Hourly Wage: $23.06

What's Driving Wage Increases in 2025

• Trucking and Warehouse wages surged in Q1 2025 with double-digit wage spikes (16% and 15% growth), hitting new heights not seen since 2022. This followed a protracted softening of wages dating back to 2023. With these two industries anticipated to be impacted by tariffs and other social policies, it will be interesting to monitor how employers respond in Q2 2025.
• Although trucking wages are challenging to analyze in aggregate—due to the industry's use of per-mile, per-diem, and other variable pay models—the wage increases reflected in the Frontline Worker Index align closely with recent industry data. These include the National Transportation Institute's report of the "strongest year-over-year gains in a year," the Driver Pay Index rising to 134, and TruckingDive's observation that pay in the 50-to-55 cent per mile range has become more prevalent for drivers with one to three years of experience.
• Administrative roles saw a 10% rise, reaching $22.13.
• Customer Service, Caregiving, and Retail saw similar gains, growing 10%, 8% and 7% respectively.
• Allied Healthcare remained the highest-paying industry for frontline workers in Q1 2025, with an average hourly wage of $33.80, reflecting a modest 3% annual increase.
• Sales and Food Services experienced modest growth of 3%, reaching $16.95 and $16.13, respectively.
• Manufacturing was the only industry to see a (very) slight decline (-1%) in average frontline worker wages compared to Q1 2024, experiencing a turbulent start to 2025. It continues to grapple with the ripple effects of global tariffs and evolving social policies. Whether these measures will ultimately revitalize domestic manufacturing—and lift wages in the coming quarters—remains uncertain.

"With so many frontline industries experiencing labor shortages and rising wages, now is the perfect time for job seekers to position themselves for success," said Keith Spencer, career expert at Resume Now. "To stand out, workers should focus on crafting resumes that emphasize their most valuable skills. Truck drivers, for example, should highlight certifications like a CDL endorsement or experience with logistics software. Warehouse workers can showcase OSHA safety training and inventory management expertise. By tailoring resumes with industry-specific keywords and demonstrating problem-solving abilities, frontline workers can maximize their job opportunities and take advantage of the current hiring trends."

Methodology:
The rankings are based on Talroo's Frontline Worker Index, which tracks job posting demand, resume supply, wage trends, scheduling shifts, and the broader economic forces shaping the frontline labor market. Powered by Talroo's first-party data, the index processes 26 million job posts monthly, capturing 187 million data points across industries and regions.

Explore the full Q1 2025 Frontline Worker Index at https://www.resume-now.com/job-resources/careers/frontline-index-report or https://www.talroo.com/talroo-frontline-worker-index/ or contact Joseph Santaella at [email protected].

About Resume Now
Since 2005, Resume Now has offered job seekers a fast and easy way to create a beautifully designed, expert-backed resume. With pre-written, industry-specific phrases and recruiter-approved templates, the award-winning builder enables users to create a polished and professional resume in minutes. Resume Now has been featured in major outlets such as Fortune, Forbes, and more. Stay connected with Resume Now's latest updates on Facebook and LinkedIn.

About Talroo
Talroo is a data-driven talent matching platform built to help businesses source and attract frontline and skilled trades workers that traditional job boards overlook. By leveraging real-time applicant tracking system (ATS) data and AI-driven technology, Talroo is reinventing the job board. Powering millions of job searches daily, Talroo optimizes hiring cost and outcomes through its proprietary Apply Intelligence™ technology, apply signals, and behavioral insights.
Recognized for innovation in talent acquisition, Talroo has earned multiple industry awards, including the Lighthouse Research & Advisory HR Tech Award and a Brandon Hall Group Gold Award for Excellence. Talroo has also been named a Leader in Recruitment Marketing and Easiest to Do Business With by G2 based on customer satisfaction and peer reviews. Learn more at http://www.talroo.com.

About Frontline Worker Index
The Frontline Worker Index (FWI) delivers near real-time insights into labor market dynamics for frontline and essential workers. Powered by Talroo's first-party data, the index processes 26 million job posts monthly, capturing 187 million data points across industries and regions. Analyzing trends in job supply and demand, wages, work schedules, education and experience requirements, and valued benefits, FWI equips HR professionals and recruiters with the data needed to attract, hire, and retain talent in a competitive market. Learn more at https://www.talroo.com/talroo-frontline-worker-index/.

Media Contact

Joseph Santaella, Resume Now, 787-236-9388, [email protected], https://www.resume-now.com/

SOURCE Resume Now