Twice a year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics compiles occupational employment and wage estimates by surveying employers nationwide. Current data was released May 1, 2009.
| Occupation |
Total employment |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage |
| All Occupations |
61,450 |
$16.37 |
$34,050 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
10,660 |
$13.01 |
$27,050 |
| Sales and related occupations |
6,410 |
$12.34 |
$25,670 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
5,640 |
$12.10 |
$25,160 |
| Production occupations |
5,630 |
$17.96 |
$37,360 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
5,190 |
$7.77 |
$16,160 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
4,110 |
$19.42 |
$40,400 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
4,050 |
$28.14 |
$58,530 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,700 |
$18.69 |
$38,870 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,550 |
$15.31 |
$31,850 |
| Retail salespersons |
2,510 |
$9.80 |
$20,390 |
| Management occupations |
2,360 |
$37.99 |
$79,020 |
| Protective service occupations |
2,220 |
$13.24 |
$27,540 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
2,060 |
$30.32 |
$63,070 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
1,990 |
$9.60 |
$19,970 |
| Team assemblers |
1,980 |
$21.46 |
$44,640 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,710 |
$9.67 |
$20,120 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
1,630 |
$7.23 |
$15,040 |
| Cashiers |
1,600 |
$7.68 |
$15,980 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
1,570 |
$9.88 |
$20,560 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,490 |
$9.41 |
$19,580 |
| Registered nurses |
1,440 |
$24.01 |
$49,940 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
1,230 |
$9.21 |
$19,160 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
1,220 |
$15.89 |
$33,040 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,150 |
$12.20 |
$25,370 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,130 |
$8.63 |
$17,940 |
| General and operations managers |
1,070 |
$36.93 |
$76,820 |
| Customer service representatives |
920 |
$11.85 |
$24,650 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
880 |
$13.49 |
$28,060 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
880 |
$18.62 |
$38,730 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
850 |
Not available |
$51,320 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
850 |
$6.91 |
$14,370 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
810 |
$20.36 |
$42,350 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
810 |
$22.60 |
$47,010 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
790 |
$11.36 |
$23,630 |
| Community and social services occupations |
760 |
$16.61 |
$34,550 |
| Teacher assistants |
760 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Security guards |
750 |
$8.49 |
$17,650 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
690 |
$8.25 |
$17,150 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
620 |
$15.68 |
$32,610 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
610 |
$17.77 |
$36,960 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
610 |
$13.47 |
$28,020 |
| Construction laborers |
600 |
$12.37 |
$25,730 |
| Bus drivers, school |
530 |
$7.27 |
$15,120 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
520 |
$16.20 |
$33,690 |
| Correctional officers and jailers |
510 |
$13.72 |
$28,530 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
510 |
Not available |
$52,050 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
500 |
$15.34 |
$31,910 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
450 |
$30.52 |
$63,490 |
| Medical secretaries |
440 |
$11.03 |
$22,950 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
430 |
$11.65 |
$24,230 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
410 |
Not available |
$54,630 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
400 |
$9.66 |
$20,080 |
| Child care workers |
390 |
$7.34 |
$15,270 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
390 |
$22.26 |
$46,310 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
370 |
$33.51 |
$69,700 |
| Home health aides |
370 |
$8.28 |
$17,210 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
350 |
$15.76 |
$32,780 |
| Cooks, fast food |
350 |
$7.79 |
$16,200 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
350 |
$7.38 |
$15,360 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
350 |
$11.81 |
$24,570 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
350 |
Not available |
$15,900 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
340 |
$10.04 |
$20,880 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
310 |
$23.25 |
$48,350 |
| Accountants and auditors |
300 |
$33.67 |
$70,040 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
300 |
$28.82 |
$59,940 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
300 |
$10.37 |
$21,580 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
290 |
$12.76 |
$26,550 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
290 |
$16.03 |
$33,340 |
| Legal occupations |
280 |
$40.64 |
$84,540 |
| Medical assistants |
280 |
$11.55 |
$24,020 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
270 |
$15.11 |
$31,420 |
| Logisticians |
270 |
$34.72 |
$72,210 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
270 |
$7.17 |
$14,920 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
260 |
$26.29 |
$54,670 |
| Food preparation workers |
250 |
$7.50 |
$15,610 |
| Chief executives |
230 |
$58.51 |
$121,700 |
| Fire fighters |
230 |
$14.73 |
$30,650 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
230 |
$12.04 |
$25,050 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
220 |
$10.36 |
$21,540 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
220 |
$25.08 |
$52,170 |
| Electricians |
210 |
$18.59 |
$38,660 |
| Administrative services managers |
200 |
$36.03 |
$74,950 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
200 |
$7.29 |
$15,170 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
200 |
$12.27 |
$25,520 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
200 |
$9.01 |
$18,740 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
190 |
$7.06 |
$14,680 |
| Dishwashers |
190 |
$6.91 |
$14,370 |
| Carpenters |
180 |
$15.57 |
$32,390 |
| Machinists |
180 |
$15.40 |
$32,030 |
| Management analysts |
180 |
$38.67 |
$80,440 |
| Tellers |
180 |
$11.45 |
$23,810 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
170 |
$16.15 |
$33,590 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
170 |
$12.12 |
$25,210 |
| Medical and health services managers |
170 |
$36.30 |
$75,500 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
170 |
$14.45 |
$30,060 |
| Driver/sales workers |
160 |
$15.43 |
$32,090 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
160 |
$22.82 |
$47,470 |
| Lawyers |
160 |
$54.74 |
$113,860 |
| Legal secretaries |
160 |
$14.30 |
$29,750 |
| Physical therapists |
160 |
$27.13 |
$56,430 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
160 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Insurance sales agents |
150 |
$19.16 |
$39,850 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
150 |
$7.73 |
$16,090 |
| Pharmacists |
150 |
$49.47 |
$102,900 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
150 |
$15.22 |
$31,660 |
| Bill and account collectors |
140 |
$13.43 |
$27,930 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
140 |
$10.60 |
$22,050 |
| Training and development specialists |
140 |
$24.56 |
$51,090 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
130 |
$16.50 |
$34,310 |
| Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment |
130 |
$23.54 |
$48,960 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
130 |
$16.37 |
$34,050 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
130 |
$7.74 |
$16,100 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
130 |
$15.77 |
$32,790 |
| Social and human service assistants |
130 |
$12.22 |
$25,420 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
130 |
$15.99 |
$33,250 |
| Bartenders |
120 |
$7.21 |
$15,010 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
120 |
$19.27 |
$40,070 |
| Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists |
120 |
$16.15 |
$33,600 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
120 |
$22.50 |
$46,790 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
120 |
$19.62 |
$40,820 |
| Dental assistants |
110 |
$12.27 |
$25,510 |
| Dental hygienists |
110 |
$20.61 |
$42,880 |
| Detectives and criminal investigators |
110 |
$21.04 |
$43,770 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
110 |
$24.50 |
$50,950 |
| Family and general practitioners |
110 |
$91.78 |
$190,900 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
110 |
$24.47 |
$50,900 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
110 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
110 |
$30.47 |
$63,390 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
110 |
$6.96 |
$14,480 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
100 |
$34.68 |
$72,140 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
100 |
$10.89 |
$22,650 |
| Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
100 |
$10.60 |
$22,050 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
100 |
$14.96 |
$31,130 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
100 |
$14.30 |
$29,750 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
100 |
$13.68 |
$28,450 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
100 |
$10.14 |
$21,100 |
| Recreation workers |
100 |
$9.53 |
$19,820 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
90 |
$20.09 |
$41,780 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
90 |
$16.78 |
$34,910 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
90 |
$12.42 |
$25,840 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
90 |
$18.59 |
$38,670 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
90 |
Not available |
$88,660 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
90 |
$13.10 |
$27,250 |
| Order clerks |
90 |
$11.15 |
$23,200 |
| Personal and home care aides |
90 |
$6.95 |
$14,450 |
| Procurement clerks |
90 |
$17.95 |
$37,350 |
| Sales managers |
90 |
$35.45 |
$73,740 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
90 |
$19.58 |
$40,720 |
| Surgical technologists |
90 |
$15.59 |
$32,430 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
80 |
$16.16 |
$33,620 |
| Cost estimators |
80 |
$24.49 |
$50,940 |
| Helpers--production workers |
80 |
$8.98 |
$18,680 |
| Internists, general |
80 |
$102.85 |
$213,930 |
| Parts salespersons |
80 |
$13.61 |
$28,310 |
| Pest control workers |
80 |
$12.66 |
$26,330 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
80 |
$10.42 |
$21,660 |
| Advertising sales agents |
70 |
$11.64 |
$24,220 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
70 |
$11.70 |
$24,340 |
| Computer systems analysts |
70 |
$29.18 |
$60,700 |
| File clerks |
70 |
$11.52 |
$23,970 |
| Financial managers |
70 |
$40.78 |
$84,820 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
70 |
$15.50 |
$32,240 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
70 |
$14.04 |
$29,200 |
| Helpers--electricians |
70 |
$11.80 |
$24,530 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
70 |
$20.10 |
$41,810 |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks |
70 |
$11.63 |
$24,180 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
70 |
$26.79 |
$55,730 |
| Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators |
70 |
$11.63 |
$24,190 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
70 |
$14.56 |
$30,270 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
60 |
$13.26 |
$27,580 |
| Computer operators |
60 |
$14.24 |
$29,620 |
| Construction managers |
60 |
$30.21 |
$62,830 |
| Financial specialists, all other |
60 |
$29.57 |
$61,510 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
60 |
$25.57 |
$53,190 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
60 |
$15.11 |
$31,420 |
| Librarians |
60 |
$23.39 |
$48,650 |
| Loan officers |
60 |
$33.63 |
$69,940 |
| Managers, all other |
60 |
$34.54 |
$71,850 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
60 |
$9.45 |
$19,660 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
60 |
$17.46 |
$36,310 |
| Self-enrichment education teachers |
60 |
$18.28 |
$38,030 |
| Sewing machine operators |
60 |
$7.71 |
$16,030 |
| Structural iron and steel workers |
60 |
$15.73 |
$32,710 |
| Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers |
60 |
$7.53 |
$15,650 |
| Vocational education teachers, secondary school |
60 |
Not available |
$53,740 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
50 |
$27.43 |
$57,050 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
50 |
$20.28 |
$42,180 |
| Data entry keyers |
50 |
$11.83 |
$24,610 |
| Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other |
50 |
$29.51 |
$61,380 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
50 |
$29.60 |
$61,570 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Instructional coordinators |
50 |
$30.03 |
$62,470 |
| Legislators |
50 |
Not available |
$14,050 |
| Physician assistants |
50 |
$37.31 |
$77,600 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
50 |
$19.22 |
$39,970 |
| Sheet metal workers |
50 |
$15.40 |
$32,030 |
| Structural metal fabricators and fitters |
50 |
$12.37 |
$25,740 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
40 |
$39.46 |
$82,070 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
40 |
$12.46 |
$25,910 |
| Dentists, general |
40 |
$67.09 |
$139,550 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
40 |
$29.41 |
$61,170 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
40 |
$16.49 |
$34,310 |
| Environmental scientists and specialists, including health |
40 |
$25.26 |
$52,540 |
| Financial examiners |
40 |
$33.04 |
$68,730 |
| Graphic designers |
40 |
$16.09 |
$33,470 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
40 |
$8.95 |
$18,620 |
| Industrial engineers |
40 |
$35.30 |
$73,430 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
40 |
$9.53 |
$19,810 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
40 |
$10.09 |
$20,980 |
| Physical therapist assistants |
40 |
$22.07 |
$45,910 |
| Printing machine operators |
40 |
$10.83 |
$22,530 |
| Social workers, all other |
40 |
$10.18 |
$21,180 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
40 |
$29.68 |
$61,730 |
| Tax examiners, collectors, and revenue agents |
40 |
$20.68 |
$43,020 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
40 |
$9.37 |
$19,500 |
| Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors |
30 |
$17.60 |
$36,600 |
| Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists |
30 |
$30.92 |
$64,310 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
30 |
$7.10 |
$14,760 |
| Engineering managers |
30 |
$47.77 |
$99,370 |
| Floral designers |
30 |
$8.67 |
$18,040 |
| Mechanical engineers |
30 |
$38.26 |
$79,580 |
| Physical therapist aides |
30 |
$10.55 |
$21,940 |
| Pipelayers |
30 |
$11.50 |
$23,920 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
30 |
Not available |
$48,010 |
| Telecommunications line installers and repairers |
30 |
$25.69 |
$53,430 |
| Civil engineers |
Not available |
$29.38 |
$61,100 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
Not available |
$16.20 |
$33,700 |
| Credit analysts |
Not available |
$26.91 |
$55,970 |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers |
Not available |
$11.96 |
$24,870 |
| Engineers, all other |
Not available |
$33.20 |
$69,050 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
Not available |
$12.28 |
$25,540 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
Not available |
$12.38 |
$25,760 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
Not available |
$7.15 |
$14,870 |
| Library technicians |
Not available |
$13.93 |
$28,970 |
| New accounts clerks |
Not available |
$15.11 |
$31,430 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
Not available |
$8.03 |
$16,690 |
| Pharmacy aides |
Not available |
$7.74 |
$16,090 |
| Photographic processing machine operators |
Not available |
$7.43 |
$15,440 |
| Real estate sales agents |
Not available |
$8.13 |
$16,920 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
Not available |
Not available |
$49,970 |
| Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors |
Not available |
$16.60 |
$34,530 |
| Surgeons |
Not available |
$86.63 |
$180,190 |
| Tax preparers |
Not available |
$10.80 |
$22,460 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
Not available |
$20.53 |
$42,710 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
Not available |
$9.08 |
$18,890 |
| Vocational education teachers, postsecondary |
Not available |
$22.48 |
$46,750 |
| Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping |
Not available |
$15.85 |
$32,970 |
| Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing |
Not available |
$10.23 |
$21,270 |
