United States
Internet Adoption in America: Who Isn’t Online Yet?
America Offline: Who Isn’t on the Internet Yet?
The internet is so widely used today that for many, it’s hard to imagine life without it. Yet, despite its prevalence, there’s still a small fraction of Americans who aren’t online.
Who are these non-adopters? Using data from Pew Research Center, this graphic provides a demographic breakdown of the U.S. adults who don’t use the internet.
The Demographic Breakdown
In the last two decades, internet adoption in the U.S. has skyrocketed, causing America’s offline population shrink to just 7%.
That’s a significant drop from 2000, when almost half of the American population did not use the internet.
According to the data, age seems closely linked to non-internet use—25% of respondents aged 65+ claimed they do not use the internet, compared to just 4% of those aged 50-64.
| Age | % of U.S. Adults Who Don’t Use the Internet |
|---|---|
| 18–29 | 1% |
| 30–49 | 2% |
| 50–64 | 4% |
| 65+ | 25% |
However, it’s worth noting that 86% of U.S. seniors (65+) weren’t online in 2000, so this age group has seen a significant increase in internet adoption over the last two decades.
Income also seems to be correlated with non-internet use. 14% of respondents with an annual household income below $30,000 claimed to not use the internet, compared to 1% who make $75,000 or more per year.
| Annual Household Income | % of U.S. Adults Who Don’t Use the Internet |
|---|---|
| <$30K | 14% |
| $30K–$49,999 | 9% |
| $50K–$74,999 | 2% |
| $75K+ | 1% |
Additionally, education may have positive correlation with internet adoption. Just 2–3% of survey respondents who went to college claimed to not use the internet, compared to 14% for those who didn’t study beyond high school. Interestingly, the data did not show a strong correlation between non-adoption and gender or race.
Why is This Important?
As the world becomes increasingly more digital, the internet is starting to become a necessity rather than a luxury. And those who don’t have good access to the web are starting to face significant obstacles in their day-to-day lives.
For instance, when schools closed down during the early days of the global pandemic, many American children in lower-income homes did not have reliable internet at home or didn’t have a computer to complete their schoolwork on.
Where does this data come from?
Source: Pew Research Center
Details: This survey is based on telephone interviews conducted in the U.S. from Jan. 25-Feb. 8, 2021, among a national sample of 1,502 adults, 18 years of age or older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Full details on methodology here.
Jobs
Visualizing the Most Sought-After Entry Level Jobs in 2023
Some jobs need a degree, while others don’t. Here are the top 20 most sought-after entry level jobs with and without a degree.
The Most Sought-After Entry Level Jobs of 2023
In the fast-paced realm of job hunting, staying ahead of the curve is crucial. And if you are an entry-level job applicant, the pressure is a notch higher.
New entrants in any job market today compete with groundbreaking technology like ChatGPT in addition to their peers. In the United States, these applicants have to also wade through an uncertain labor market, inflation, and long lists of job requirements.
Indeed.com has identified the most sought-after entry level positions for applicants both with and without a degree in the U.S., and the year-on-year growth of these job postings.
Most Sought-After Entry-Level Jobs With a Degree
As the U.S. job market recovers from its pandemic slump, some careers are now booming. This in turn has opened up numerous opportunities for entry-level job applicants.
| Rank | Job Title | Average Annual Salary | Change in Postings (2022‒2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Outside Sales Representative | $60,000 | +258% |
| 2 | Transportation Coordinator | $47,500 | +227% |
| 3 | Quality Auditor | $84,500 | +131% |
| 4 | Accounting | $52,000 | +125% |
| 5 | Tax Preparer | $67,500 | +123% |
| 6 | Loan Processor | $55,000 | +100% |
| 7 | Retention Specialist | $50,000 | +100% |
| 8 | Network Operations Technician | $85,500 | +94% |
| 9 | Mental Health Manager | $42,000 | +93% |
| 10 | Speech-Language Pathologist | $60,000 | +84% |
| 11 | Geotechnical Engineer | $65,000 | +80% |
| 12 | Patient Access Manager | $90,000 | +77% |
| 13 | HR Coordinator | $67,500 | +75% |
| 14 | Lead Generation Specialist | $62,500 | +73% |
| 15 | Design Coordinator | $55,000 | +73% |
| 16 | Pharmaceutical Sales Representative | $74,378 | +71% |
| 17 | Behavioral Therapist | $50,000 | +68% |
| 18 | Special Events Coordinator | $54,000 | +67% |
| 19 | IT Engineer | $92,500 | +67% |
| 20 | Structural Engineer | $90,000 | +63% |
The demand for sales jobs multiplied this year as customer-facing businesses slowly returned to their pre-pandemic levels.
At the top of this list is the job for an Outside Sales Representative. Paying upwards of $60,000, postings for this job have grown by over 250% in a year, making it the most sought-after position for applicants with a degree.
The healthcare industry has secured its place in the top ranks too. Careers including mental health case managers, speech pathologists, behavioral therapists, and patient access managers dominate the Top 20 list.
Let’s not forget about the tech sector. While entry-level network technicians can earn upwards of $85,000 on average, while IT engineers are paid an entry package of over $90,000.
Most Sought-After Entry-Level Jobs Without a Degree
Nearly 65% of the U.S. working population does not have a four-year degree. However, millions of these workers continue to be highly skilled across professions and have a shot at some of the most sought-after entry level jobs in the country.
| Rank | Job Title | Average Annual Salary | Change in Postings (2022‒2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inventory Manager | $59,000 | +189% |
| 2 | Auto Body Technician | $82,500 | +100% |
| 3 | Environmental Health and Safety Specialist | $65,000 | +100% |
| 4 | Salon Manager | $41,000 | +95% |
| 5 | Drafting Technician | $50,000 | +94% |
| 6 | Business Analyst | $72,500 | +82% |
| 7 | Sheet Metal Mechanic | $62,140 | +67% |
| 8 | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | $57,500 | +64% |
| 9 | Catering Manager | $47,500 | +56% |
| 10 | Transportation/Logistics Coordinator | $62,500 | +53% |
| 11 | Route Sales Representative | $50,000 | +51% |
| 12 | Rental Agent | $45,520 | +50% |
| 13 | Distribution Center Coordinator | $52,500 | +47% |
| 14 | General Maintenance Technician | $40,650 | +46% |
| 15 | Patient Care Coordinator | $43,152 | +44% |
| 16 | Forestry Technician | $45,760 | +43% |
| 17 | Relationship Banker | $43,576 | +43% |
| 18 | Field Sales Representative | $57,018 | +42% |
| 19 | Park Ranger | $45,912 | +42% |
| 20 | Warehouse Receiver | $45,000 | +39% |
One example of this job is that of an Inventory Manager. The demand for skilled inventory managers in warehouses and companies post-pandemic has doubled the position’s job share in a year.
One of the highest paying non-degree jobs in this list—Auto Body Technician—can fetch highly-skilled entry-level workers a salary of $82,000 per year.
These jobs don’t seem to require a degree according to Indeed. However, the rising competition for these positions might give the upper edge to applicants with one, especially for jobs on the list such as Business Analyst and Relationship Banker.
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