Job security varies sharply by occupation, with workers in technology, data and management roles reporting greater confidence in their positions than those in delivery, retail, food service and other location-dependent jobs, according to a new analysis.
The Zety 2026 Job Security Index draws on millions of employee-reported ratings and sentiment data. Zety grouped occupations into 50 standardized categories and compared them with O*NET data on skills, work activities, abilities, technology use and preparation requirements. Scores ranged from 3.89 to 2.25 out of five, showing a substantial gap in how secure workers feel across different types of jobs.
Data And Management Jobs Top The List
Human resources managers had the highest job security score at 3.89, followed by postsecondary teaching assistants at 3.73 and data engineers and database architects at 3.71.
The rest of the top 10 included business intelligence and data analysts, data scientists, management analysts and consultants, software developers, financial and investment analysts, human resource specialists, and accountants and auditors.
These occupations generally involve analyzing information, solving problems, applying specialized knowledge and working with digital tools.
All 10 fall within O*NET Job Zones 4 or 5, which cover occupations that typically require substantial education, experience or training.
Physical And Customer-Facing Jobs Rank Lower
The lowest scores were concentrated among occupations involving physical work, customer interaction or a strong connection to a specific workplace.
Mental health counselors ranked last at 2.25, followed by light truck and delivery drivers at 2.57 and security guards at 2.66. Warehouse and material-moving workers, heavy truck drivers, maintenance workers, bartenders, retail salespeople, restaurant cooks, and baristas and counter-service workers rounded out the bottom 10.
Nine of those 10 occupations fall within O*NET Job Zones 2 or 3, where preparation requirements are generally lower.
The jobs also tend to involve more physical activity and routine task execution, while the highest-ranked occupations more frequently require analysis, critical thinking and specialized expertise.
Education Does Not Tell The Whole Story
The rankings suggest that preparation level is associated with perceived job security, but it does not explain every result.
Mental health counselors are the clearest exception. The occupation requires graduate-level preparation and sits in O*NET Job Zone 5, yet received the lowest security score in the analysis.
