Economic & Demographic Overview AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY Aging Workforce / Projected Labor Shortage
The state’s 65+ population continues to grow, increasing retirements and shrinking the pool of prime-age workers (U.S. Census Bureau, 2025). Without higher participation, targeted reskilling, and continued in-migration of working- age adults, these trends could limit long-term economic growth.
Brain Drain and Talent Alignment Although population growth and in-migration have expanded Oklahoma’s overall labor pool, employers continue to struggle to fill positions requiring specialized or advanced credentials. This reflects not only a skills mismatch in high-demand fields such as engineering, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and technology, but also elements of brain drain, as highly trained professionals leave the state in search of stronger compensation, advancement opportunities, or industry depth elsewhere. The challenge, therefore, is not a broad labor shortage, but a targeted shortage of specialized talent. With relatively few workers employed remotely, migration alone is unlikely to close these gaps. Closing these gaps will require stronger alignment between education and industry needs, expanded opportunities for reskilling and credentialing, and focused efforts to retain specialized professionals in Oklahoma. Successfully confronting both the skills mismatch and brain drain will be essential to sustaining economic growth and fully leveraging the state’s population gains. Education: K–12 Performance Oklahoma continues to face challenges in K–12 education. In the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best States rankings, the state ranked 50th nationally in Pre-K–12 education, reflecting gaps in academic outcomes and college readiness. National assessment data also shows below- average reading and math proficiency among Oklahoma students (NAEP, 2025). Policymakers and education leaders are pursuing reforms to address these challenges. One key effort focuses on ensuring students who are not reading at grade level receive intensive support and remain in early grades until proficiency is achieved, building on existing literacy laws (OCPathink, 2026). Other initiatives: Math Achievement: Early-grade math screening and expanded teacher training to strengthen foundational numeracy. Academic Standards: Continued review and updates to Oklahoma Academic Standards, including core subjects like social studies. Teacher Workforce: Legislative action to improve educator recruitment, preparation, and retention. Explore each initiative in more detail by visiting the links provided on the Education & Policy Reform page.
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