As well as a diverse and lively range of industries, employment is also on the rise in the city. Employment in Carlisle has seen growth of over 4% over the last decade, higher than the UK average. The largest industries by employment are retail, manufacturing, health and social care, transport, property services, business services, construction, education, hospitality, local government and agriculture.

Employment rates in manufacturing, construction and agriculture remain higher than the UK average. Tourism is another important and growing industry for the city of Carlisle. It contributes significant amounts to the local economy and supports thousands of jobs in the immediate region.