Assessors and Appraisers

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that employment of assessors and appraisers will grow by 5 percent, faster than the average for all careers, through 2032. In general, assessors work in a fairly secure field. As long as governments levy property taxes, assessors will be needed to provide them with information. The real estate industry, however, is influenced dramatically by the overall health of the economy, so appraisers in real estate can expect to benefit during periods of growth and experience slowdowns during recessions and depressions.

Technology innovations such as mobile technologies and automated valuation models that appraise property for mortgages are allowing real estate appraisers to do their jobs more efficiently. This has reduced the need somewhat for workers in the field. Appraisers who have the ability to appraise different types of properties—such as hotels, homes, and restaurants—will have the best job prospects.