We argue that despite widespread agreement that “quality jobs” matter, most regions lack a concrete, measurable definition—especially around wages. Without that clarity, efforts in workforce development, education, and economic incentives often proceed blind, missing whether they truly shift workers into better roles.
We propose that leaders anchor a definition of job quality in wage thresholds, and then use that as a basis to identify which occupations and industries genuinely offer opportunity. Having such a definition allows more precise targeting of training, economic development incentives, and intervention strategies—and allows for accountability in evaluating whether those strategies are working.