Oklahoma is in the middle of a worker shortage crisis. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Oklahoma has fewer available workers than job openings: As of July 2025, the state had just 61 available workers for every 100 open jobs.
With more than 102,000 job openings, the state is having difficulty filling critical roles in healthcare, education, business, technology, and social services. These Oklahoma critical occupations are essential to the state’s economy and future stability. For students, this shortage represents an opportunity. College degree programs play a direct role in closing this gap, equipping students with the specialized knowledge and practical skills employers demand in critical fields across Oklahoma.
What Are Critical Occupations?
Critical occupations are jobs that a state or region formally identifies as essential to its economy and long-term stability. While the terminology differs — some call them priority occupations, in-demand occupations, or targeted occupations — the goal of identifying these jobs is the same: to ensure that essential roles are filled.
The state or region may publish a list of roles that are vital to growth and where worker shortages are most acute. These occupations are typically chosen using criteria such as projected demand, economic impact, skills gaps, wage potential, and level of training or education required. Lists often emphasize fields such as healthcare, education, business, technology, and social services, since these industries support economic stability and community well-being.
Every state or region develops its own list, updated to reflect changing labor needs. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) manages Oklahoma’s top 100 critical occupations list.
What Are the Critical Occupations in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma’s top 100 critical occupations list is updated regularly to reflect the state’s labor market and is used to guide the development of higher education curricula and other workforce development training initiatives.
Current listings highlight strong demand across multiple fields:
- Healthcare: Registered nurses (RNs), medical technologists, nurse practitioners (NPs)
- Education: Elementary, secondary, and middle school teachers
- Business: Accountants, auditors, financial managers
- Technology: Software developers, computer systems analysts, data scientists
- Social services: Social workers, police officers, substance use counselors
These occupations reflect the state’s urgent workforce needs. For students, aligning their educational goals with Oklahoma’s critical occupations list means preparing for high-demand, high-impact careers.
What Is Workforce Development and How Do Degrees Meet Training Needs?
Workforce development is about more than simply filling open positions. It ensures that workers gain the skills and education needed to support industries that drive state and local economies. In Oklahoma, that means preparing students to enter fields recognized on its critical occupations list.
Workforce development training takes many forms, from apprenticeships and certificates to professional development and degree programs. Colleges and universities play a key role in the process by offering programs that build technical expertise in areas such as healthcare, education, business, and technology while strengthening leadership, problem-solving, communication, and other transferable skills.
Earning a workforce development degree in one of Oklahoma’s critical fields positions students for success in industries with the strongest hiring demand. For employers, a college or graduate degree represents more than a credential: It signals readiness for long-term career growth, adaptability, and upward mobility.
What Workforce Development Degrees Does Mid-America Christian University Offer?
Students interested in pursuing Oklahoma’s critical occupations can prepare for rewarding careers by enrolling in a number of degree programs from Mid-America Christian University. These programs combine technical training and professional skills development, aligning with the most in-demand fields.
- Business degrees: Degrees such as Accounting and Ethics, Business Administration and Ethics, Digital Marketing, Media Production and Communication, and Management and Ethics provide a foundation in finance, management, and strategy — supporting careers identified as crucial to Oklahoma’s economy, such as accountant, financial manager, and marketing specialist.
- Technology degrees: Degrees in Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, and Network Management and Security prepare graduates for in-demand information technology (IT) careers safeguarding systems, analyzing data, and managing IT infrastructure. These fields are among the fastest growing in the state, where employers face an ongoing need for skilled technical professionals.
- Healthcare degrees: A degree in Healthcare Management and Ethics can help students build leadership expertise for roles in healthcare administration. This helps address critical shortages in Oklahoma’s healthcare system.
- Education degrees: Degrees in Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, along with the Paraprofessional/Emergency Certified Teachers program, address Oklahoma’s teacher shortage directly, preparing the next generation of educators for classrooms across the state.
- Humanities and social sciences degrees: Degrees in Psychology and Criminal Justice Administration and Ethics can lead to careers in counseling, law enforcement, and public service, all of which are essential to community well-being. MACU also offers Interdisciplinary Studies and Biology degrees that align with workforce development fields.
Meet the Demand for Critical Jobs With a Degree From MACU
Oklahoma’s economy depends on a steady pipeline of professionals to support communities and sustain growth across the state. Preparing for one of these careers means pursuing a degree that aligns with the state’s most urgent workforce needs.
Mid-America Christian University is part of the Reach Higher network, Oklahoma’s statewide initiative to help working adults complete degrees in high-demand fields. Offering programs designed with those needs in mind — in business, technology, education, healthcare, and social sciences — MACU provides flexible pathways that blend academic knowledge with practical preparation. Whether taken on campus or online, MACU’s programs are designed to give students the flexibility to pursue their education while preparing for meaningful careers in Oklahoma’s most essential fields.
If you’re ready to take the next step toward a career in one of Oklahoma’s most vital fields, explore what MACU has to offer and learn how it can help you achieve your goals.
Recommended Readings
Cybersecurity vs. Computer Science: Comparing Educational Paths and Career Outcomes
How to Become a School Counselor
Servant Leadership Training: How Can Leaders Learn to Serve?
Sources:
The Conference Board, Responding to US Labor Shortages
Reach Higher, Mid-America Christian University
Reach Higher, Oklahoma’s Critical Occupations
South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, Priority Occupations
State of Oklahoma, “Oklahoma’s Top 100 Critical Occupations List PY 2024”
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, High-Demand Fields
U.S. Chamber of Commerce, “Understanding America’s Labor Shortage: The Most Impacted States”
Workforce Solutions South Plains, Targeted Occupations