The cannabis industry is in flux throughout the U.S. Markets are in various stages of development, and that means it might be easier to get hired in one state than another. Those interested in working in weed may wonder where they could move for the best chance of breaking in.
A recent jobs report released by lead staffing agency Vangst in partnership with Whitney Economics spelled out where cannabis careers are shrinking and where things are only just getting started.
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Where to get a cannabis job in 2025
This marks the third year Vangst has released an in-depth job report covering cannabis employment analyses by state, retail performance, and workforce trends. The key findings showed that cannabis employment is down 3.4 percent year over year. This may seem bad, but the full picture is more positive.
“Even amid short-term employment declines, companies are adopting more disciplined hiring models and staying resilient through challenging conditions.” Beau Whitney, chief economist at Whitney Economics, said in a press release. “With $30.1 billion in retail sales and major job growth in new markets like New York and Ohio, the long-term outlook for cannabis remains incredibly strong.”
Retail sales at $30.1 billion is a 4.5 percent increase from 2023 to 2024. This indicates that the cannabis industry may not be going away, but perhaps some markets are consolidating, causing layoffs. The industry supports 425,000 jobs as of 2025.
New careers are more promising in emerging states like:
- New York, which had 209 percent more weed jobs year-over-year
- Mississippi, with 103 percent more weed jobs
- Ohio, with 34 percent more weed jobs
Job losses were most prominent in three more veteran weed states. The report blames the employment glut on high taxes, oversupply of products, and fewer consumers.
Cannabis employment shrank in these states in 2024:
- Illinois had 25 percent fewer cannabis jobs
- Arizona had 52 percent fewer cannabis jobs
- Colorado had nine percent fewer cannabis jobs
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Individual markets means differing opportunities
These results support the theory that mature markets are seeing a decline in employment. However, states with fresher cannabis reform are more apt for growth. People hoping to break into the cannabis industry may consider relocating to a newly legal state or pushing for reform where they live.
The report also showed that temp-to-hire and similar flexible staffing options were more common than full-time hiring last year. This helps keep company margins agile in a fickle market, but can be a red flag for some hopeful employees.
“The cannabis industry has shifted from a phase of hypergrowth to one of operational discipline,” Vangst founder and CEO Karson Humiston said in the release. “This recalibration reflects a maturing industry focused on sustainability and efficiency.”
Working in the cannabis industry is not for the faint of heart. One day spent scrolling through weed LinkedIn accounts will show a person the struggles experienced by cannabis entrepreneurs and employees every day.
As markets peak and hit their stride in each state, employment opportunities can plateau or even shrink. Those who want to start a career in cannabis should start in newer markets that have their licensed operations off the ground. The report declared continued growth probable from New York, Florida, New Jersey, Maryland, and Ohio. Anyone looking to get hired in weed should start there.
