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 |
62,400 |
$15.87 |
$33,010 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
9,480 |
$12.82 |
$26,660 |
| Sales and related occupations |
6,460 |
$12.00 |
$24,950 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
5,700 |
$26.57 |
$55,260 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
4,800 |
$12.68 |
$26,380 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
4,590 |
$8.30 |
$17,270 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
3,900 |
$16.55 |
$34,430 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
3,310 |
$15.78 |
$32,810 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
3,290 |
$16.71 |
$34,750 |
| Production occupations |
3,090 |
$16.15 |
$33,600 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
3,010 |
$9.76 |
$20,310 |
| Management occupations |
2,700 |
$34.55 |
$71,870 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
2,500 |
$9.37 |
$19,500 |
| Registered nurses |
2,280 |
$25.63 |
$53,300 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
2,170 |
$9.28 |
$19,310 |
| Cashiers |
2,120 |
$7.78 |
$16,190 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,990 |
$17.98 |
$37,390 |
| Retail salespersons |
1,960 |
$10.55 |
$21,940 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
1,640 |
$9.98 |
$20,770 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,560 |
$24.01 |
$49,940 |
| Community and social services occupations |
1,460 |
$16.56 |
$34,450 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,350 |
$11.44 |
$23,800 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
1,240 |
$9.49 |
$19,750 |
| General and operations managers |
1,190 |
$38.53 |
$80,140 |
| Food preparation workers |
1,070 |
$7.58 |
$15,760 |
| Personal and home care aides |
1,060 |
$8.88 |
$18,470 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
960 |
$7.18 |
$14,930 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
950 |
Not available |
$38,040 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
950 |
$14.45 |
$30,050 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
940 |
$14.89 |
$30,980 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
870 |
$16.85 |
$35,060 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
860 |
$16.60 |
$34,540 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
820 |
$13.84 |
$28,780 |
| Office clerks, general |
820 |
$10.13 |
$21,060 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
750 |
$10.22 |
$21,250 |
| Teacher assistants |
700 |
Not available |
$14,980 |
| Home health aides |
650 |
$8.51 |
$17,690 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
640 |
$26.94 |
$56,030 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
630 |
$15.82 |
$32,900 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
620 |
$7.40 |
$15,400 |
| Correctional officers and jailers |
590 |
$18.22 |
$37,890 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
580 |
$9.39 |
$19,530 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
570 |
$14.67 |
$30,510 |
| Construction laborers |
550 |
$12.07 |
$25,090 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
540 |
$19.11 |
$39,760 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
480 |
$8.07 |
$16,780 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
460 |
$15.34 |
$31,920 |
| Carpenters |
450 |
$15.37 |
$31,970 |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers |
450 |
$17.91 |
$37,250 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
430 |
$15.09 |
$31,390 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
430 |
$7.63 |
$15,870 |
| Customer service representatives |
420 |
$13.76 |
$28,630 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
420 |
$13.86 |
$28,830 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
390 |
$12.55 |
$26,110 |
| Child care workers |
380 |
$6.88 |
$14,300 |
| Legal occupations |
380 |
$32.47 |
$67,540 |
| Bus drivers, school |
370 |
$8.42 |
$17,510 |
| Helpers--production workers |
360 |
$12.70 |
$26,420 |
| Psychiatric aides |
340 |
$9.27 |
$19,290 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
320 |
$26.14 |
$54,370 |
| Medical secretaries |
320 |
$10.23 |
$21,280 |
| Tellers |
320 |
$9.24 |
$19,230 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
310 |
$13.68 |
$28,450 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
310 |
$24.85 |
$51,680 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
300 |
$24.25 |
$50,450 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
300 |
$9.99 |
$20,770 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
290 |
$21.91 |
$45,580 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
280 |
$14.69 |
$30,560 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
260 |
$13.52 |
$28,110 |
| Cooks, fast food |
260 |
$7.33 |
$15,240 |
| Driver/sales workers |
260 |
$14.58 |
$30,330 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
260 |
$25.97 |
$54,010 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
260 |
$13.81 |
$28,720 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
260 |
$9.03 |
$18,780 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
250 |
$22.71 |
$47,240 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
250 |
$14.78 |
$30,750 |
| Social and human service assistants |
240 |
$15.18 |
$31,580 |
| Accountants and auditors |
230 |
$30.23 |
$62,890 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
230 |
$22.88 |
$47,600 |
| Personal care and service workers, all other |
230 |
$8.34 |
$17,350 |
| Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
220 |
$13.74 |
$28,580 |
| Insurance sales agents |
220 |
$15.55 |
$32,340 |
| Pharmacists |
220 |
$44.79 |
$93,170 |
| Psychiatric technicians |
220 |
$10.25 |
$21,320 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
200 |
$12.20 |
$25,370 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
200 |
$10.65 |
$22,150 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
200 |
$10.93 |
$22,730 |
| Loan officers |
200 |
$18.36 |
$38,200 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
200 |
$12.46 |
$25,920 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
200 |
$88.13 |
$183,310 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
200 |
$21.07 |
$43,810 |
| Security guards |
200 |
$11.21 |
$23,310 |
| Medical and health services managers |
190 |
$34.28 |
$71,300 |
| All other information and record clerks |
180 |
$16.63 |
$34,580 |
| Financial managers |
180 |
$31.08 |
$64,650 |
| Medical assistants |
180 |
$11.27 |
$23,450 |
| Dishwashers |
170 |
$7.22 |
$15,010 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
170 |
$8.49 |
$17,660 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
170 |
$21.41 |
$44,540 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
160 |
$12.30 |
$25,590 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
160 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Lawyers |
160 |
$50.10 |
$104,200 |
| Legal secretaries |
160 |
$12.99 |
$27,020 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
160 |
$16.34 |
$33,990 |
| Bill and account collectors |
150 |
$13.11 |
$27,270 |
| Electricians |
150 |
$22.16 |
$46,080 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
150 |
Not available |
$36,920 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
150 |
$10.09 |
$20,980 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
150 |
$23.35 |
$48,570 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
150 |
Not available |
Not available |
| First-line supervisors/managers of correctional officers |
140 |
$24.87 |
$51,730 |
| Managers, all other |
140 |
$27.41 |
$57,020 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
140 |
$15.81 |
$32,890 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
140 |
$17.37 |
$36,130 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
140 |
$14.91 |
$31,010 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
140 |
$21.93 |
$45,600 |
| Bakers |
130 |
$10.79 |
$22,450 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
130 |
Not available |
$63,870 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
130 |
$9.29 |
$19,320 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
130 |
$24.50 |
$50,960 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
130 |
$10.52 |
$21,890 |
| Logging equipment operators |
130 |
$16.87 |
$35,080 |
| Maintenance workers, machinery |
130 |
$17.15 |
$35,660 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
130 |
$23.32 |
$48,510 |
| Sales managers |
130 |
$35.58 |
$74,000 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
130 |
$19.13 |
$39,800 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
120 |
$12.58 |
$26,160 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
120 |
$7.21 |
$15,010 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
120 |
Not available |
$45,290 |
| Construction managers |
110 |
$29.36 |
$61,070 |
| Dental assistants |
110 |
$13.27 |
$27,600 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
110 |
$14.84 |
$30,880 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
100 |
$20.82 |
$43,310 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
100 |
$13.51 |
$28,100 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
100 |
$14.52 |
$30,200 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
100 |
$24.68 |
$51,340 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
100 |
$12.05 |
$25,060 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
100 |
$8.98 |
$18,670 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
100 |
$12.76 |
$26,550 |
| Meter readers, utilities |
100 |
$13.06 |
$27,160 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
100 |
$26.62 |
$55,370 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
100 |
$9.79 |
$20,360 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
100 |
$18.81 |
$39,120 |
| Administrative services managers |
90 |
$33.69 |
$70,070 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
90 |
$20.23 |
$42,080 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
90 |
$21.99 |
$45,740 |
| File clerks |
90 |
$9.55 |
$19,870 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other |
90 |
$25.19 |
$52,400 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
90 |
$16.31 |
$33,930 |
| Industrial engineers |
90 |
$32.51 |
$67,610 |
| Respiratory therapists |
90 |
$22.64 |
$47,100 |
| Bartenders |
80 |
$8.51 |
$17,700 |
| Cost estimators |
80 |
$32.22 |
$67,010 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
80 |
$12.13 |
$25,230 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
80 |
$27.20 |
$56,570 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
80 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders |
80 |
$19.43 |
$40,410 |
| Physical therapists |
80 |
$43.37 |
$90,210 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
80 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
80 |
$15.88 |
$33,020 |
| Radio and television announcers |
80 |
$12.06 |
$25,080 |
| Civil engineers |
70 |
$35.19 |
$73,200 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
70 |
$24.98 |
$51,960 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
70 |
$7.77 |
$16,170 |
| Helpers--electricians |
70 |
$11.66 |
$24,250 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
70 |
$15.79 |
$32,840 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
70 |
$9.18 |
$19,100 |
| Parts salespersons |
70 |
$14.52 |
$30,210 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
70 |
$15.07 |
$31,340 |
| Stationary engineers and boiler operators |
70 |
$19.94 |
$41,480 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
60 |
$15.58 |
$32,400 |
| Chefs and head cooks |
60 |
$21.99 |
$45,750 |
| Computer programmers |
60 |
$20.16 |
$41,930 |
| Computer support specialists |
60 |
$21.13 |
$43,950 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
60 |
$14.31 |
$29,760 |
| Couriers and messengers |
60 |
$8.19 |
$17,040 |
| Engineers, all other |
60 |
$25.19 |
$52,390 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
60 |
$17.09 |
$35,540 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
60 |
$12.24 |
$25,450 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
60 |
$16.67 |
$34,680 |
| Occupational therapists |
60 |
$31.39 |
$65,290 |
| Order clerks |
60 |
$11.38 |
$23,670 |
| Pest control workers |
60 |
$12.61 |
$26,230 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
60 |
Not available |
$33,450 |
| Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors |
60 |
$12.31 |
$25,610 |
| Surgical technologists |
60 |
$16.20 |
$33,690 |
| Advertising sales agents |
50 |
$20.97 |
$43,620 |
| Automotive glass installers and repairers |
50 |
$12.68 |
$26,370 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
50 |
$31.70 |
$65,940 |
| Computer systems analysts |
50 |
$24.39 |
$50,730 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
50 |
$7.30 |
$15,180 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
50 |
$15.25 |
$31,720 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
50 |
$25.72 |
$53,500 |
| Industrial production managers |
50 |
$38.21 |
$79,470 |
| Management analysts |
50 |
$28.02 |
$58,270 |
| Medical equipment preparers |
50 |
$10.12 |
$21,040 |
| Physician assistants |
50 |
$35.71 |
$74,270 |
| Production workers, all other |
50 |
$14.75 |
$30,680 |
| Public relations specialists |
50 |
$23.47 |
$48,830 |
| Social and community service managers |
50 |
$29.36 |
$61,070 |
| Training and development specialists |
50 |
$17.76 |
$36,930 |
| Data entry keyers |
40 |
$10.29 |
$21,410 |
| Dental hygienists |
40 |
$25.46 |
$52,960 |
| Dentists, general |
40 |
$50.35 |
$104,720 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists |
40 |
$24.46 |
$50,880 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
40 |
$23.02 |
$47,890 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
40 |
$16.12 |
$33,530 |
| Food service managers |
40 |
$27.11 |
$56,380 |
| Forest and conservation technicians |
40 |
$18.74 |
$38,980 |
| Funeral attendants |
40 |
$8.95 |
$18,610 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
40 |
$27.54 |
$57,280 |
| Opticians, dispensing |
40 |
$15.55 |
$32,340 |
| Physical therapist aides |
40 |
$10.60 |
$22,050 |
| Postal service clerks |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Procurement clerks |
40 |
$17.61 |
$36,630 |
| Security and fire alarm systems installers |
40 |
$15.62 |
$32,500 |
| Surveyors |
40 |
$21.23 |
$44,150 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
40 |
$7.68 |
$15,980 |
| Veterinarians |
40 |
$30.21 |
$62,830 |
| Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors |
30 |
$22.04 |
$45,840 |
| Architects, except landscape and naval |
30 |
$29.24 |
$60,820 |
| Broadcast technicians |
30 |
$11.41 |
$23,730 |
| Chief executives |
30 |
$74.44 |
$154,830 |
| Diagnostic medical sonographers |
30 |
$25.05 |
$52,110 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
30 |
$14.23 |
$29,600 |
| Floral designers |
30 |
$8.86 |
$18,430 |
| Graphic designers |
30 |
$16.06 |
$33,400 |
| Logisticians |
30 |
$25.24 |
$52,490 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Recreation workers |
30 |
$9.21 |
$19,150 |
| Recreational therapists |
30 |
$18.90 |
$39,320 |
| Respiratory therapy technicians |
30 |
$18.91 |
$39,330 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
30 |
$29.06 |
$60,440 |
| Anthropologists and archeologists |
Not available |
$29.82 |
$62,030 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
Not available |
$12.25 |
$25,470 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
Not available |
$19.10 |
$39,730 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
Not available |
$20.50 |
$42,650 |
| Coaches and scouts |
Not available |
Not available |
$36,790 |
| Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders |
Not available |
$13.78 |
$28,660 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
Not available |
$6.89 |
$14,330 |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers |
Not available |
$17.28 |
$35,940 |
| Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse |
Not available |
$8.60 |
$17,880 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
Not available |
$18.37 |
$38,220 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
Not available |
$8.95 |
$18,620 |
| Market research analysts |
Not available |
$14.90 |
$31,000 |
| Mental health counselors |
Not available |
$12.30 |
$25,590 |
| Millwrights |
Not available |
$18.14 |
$37,730 |
| Photographers |
Not available |
$11.92 |
$24,790 |
| Real estate sales agents |
Not available |
$21.72 |
$45,170 |
| Residential advisors |
Not available |
$8.47 |
$17,610 |
| Service station attendants |
Not available |
$9.20 |
$19,140 |
| Structural iron and steel workers |
Not available |
$15.60 |
$32,440 |
| Surgeons |
Not available |
More than $70 |
More than $145,600 |
| Team assemblers |
Not available |
$19.05 |
$39,620 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
Not available |
$10.33 |
$21,480 |
| Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers |
Not available |
$14.21 |
$29,560 |
| Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers |
Not available |
$10.17 |
$21,160 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
Not available |
$11.72 |
$24,380 |
| Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing |
Not available |
$14.22 |
$29,580 |
