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 |
41,920 |
$19.44 |
$40,440 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
6,000 |
$15.11 |
$31,420 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
4,470 |
$9.18 |
$19,090 |
| Sales and related occupations |
4,370 |
$14.01 |
$29,140 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
3,960 |
$34.13 |
$70,990 |
| Production occupations |
3,640 |
$16.13 |
$33,550 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
1,940 |
$26.75 |
$55,650 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,910 |
$25.21 |
$52,440 |
| Management occupations |
1,860 |
$41.30 |
$85,900 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
1,820 |
$13.43 |
$27,930 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
1,740 |
$18.38 |
$38,240 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
1,670 |
$12.11 |
$25,190 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
1,430 |
$18.20 |
$37,860 |
| Retail salespersons |
1,410 |
$11.37 |
$23,660 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
1,290 |
$24.97 |
$51,950 |
| Cashiers |
1,140 |
$9.57 |
$19,900 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,130 |
$14.57 |
$30,300 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,100 |
$10.42 |
$21,670 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
1,060 |
$7.91 |
$16,460 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
1,050 |
$28.66 |
$59,610 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
1,020 |
$30.28 |
$62,970 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
930 |
$9.63 |
$20,040 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
830 |
$16.99 |
$35,340 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
810 |
$13.33 |
$27,720 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
790 |
$12.01 |
$24,980 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
710 |
$19.48 |
$40,520 |
| Registered nurses |
710 |
$27.02 |
$56,210 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
700 |
$24.80 |
$51,590 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
610 |
$13.08 |
$27,210 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
570 |
$17.26 |
$35,890 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
560 |
$15.13 |
$31,460 |
| Community and social services occupations |
560 |
$16.00 |
$33,290 |
| Food preparation workers |
530 |
$8.53 |
$17,750 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
530 |
$11.82 |
$24,590 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
400 |
$17.63 |
$36,680 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
400 |
$11.21 |
$23,310 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
390 |
$19.12 |
$39,760 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
380 |
$12.26 |
$25,510 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
380 |
Not available |
$47,050 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
360 |
$12.19 |
$25,360 |
| Protective service occupations |
360 |
$18.63 |
$38,740 |
| Biological technicians |
350 |
$17.74 |
$36,910 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
300 |
$9.34 |
$19,430 |
| General and operations managers |
290 |
$44.24 |
$92,020 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
290 |
$23.25 |
$48,350 |
| Teacher assistants |
290 |
Not available |
$21,310 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
280 |
$12.75 |
$26,530 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
280 |
$15.41 |
$32,050 |
| Accountants and auditors |
260 |
$25.67 |
$53,400 |
| Civil engineers |
260 |
$36.64 |
$76,210 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
260 |
$13.09 |
$27,230 |
| Computer systems analysts |
250 |
$30.39 |
$63,200 |
| Cooks, fast food |
250 |
$7.86 |
$16,350 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
250 |
$25.74 |
$53,530 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
230 |
$8.45 |
$17,570 |
| Child care workers |
220 |
$8.06 |
$16,760 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
220 |
$10.25 |
$21,330 |
| Personal and home care aides |
220 |
$10.11 |
$21,030 |
| Printing machine operators |
220 |
$17.06 |
$35,490 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
210 |
$19.98 |
$41,560 |
| Carpenters |
210 |
$15.84 |
$32,950 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
210 |
Not available |
$40,230 |
| Construction laborers |
200 |
$15.58 |
$32,410 |
| Customer service representatives |
200 |
$13.61 |
$28,320 |
| Bartenders |
190 |
$8.26 |
$17,190 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
190 |
$25.26 |
$52,530 |
| Electricians |
190 |
$19.54 |
$40,650 |
| Tellers |
190 |
$11.15 |
$23,190 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
180 |
$15.81 |
$32,890 |
| Medical and health services managers |
170 |
$36.99 |
$76,940 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
170 |
$19.52 |
$40,590 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
160 |
$14.36 |
$29,860 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
150 |
$9.19 |
$19,110 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
150 |
$14.24 |
$29,620 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
150 |
$12.39 |
$25,780 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
150 |
$9.75 |
$20,270 |
| Dishwashers |
140 |
$7.83 |
$16,280 |
| Helpers--production workers |
140 |
$11.32 |
$23,540 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
140 |
$28.16 |
$58,560 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
140 |
$9.28 |
$19,290 |
| Public relations specialists |
140 |
$22.98 |
$47,790 |
| Training and development specialists |
140 |
$23.09 |
$48,030 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
130 |
$22.08 |
$45,930 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
130 |
$12.54 |
$26,090 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
130 |
$9.12 |
$18,970 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
130 |
$16.92 |
$35,190 |
| Loan officers |
130 |
$30.70 |
$63,860 |
| Machinists |
130 |
$16.73 |
$34,800 |
| Managers, all other |
130 |
$33.14 |
$68,940 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
130 |
$30.43 |
$63,300 |
| Computer programmers |
120 |
$25.61 |
$53,270 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
120 |
$29.79 |
$61,960 |
| Legal occupations |
120 |
$31.75 |
$66,040 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
120 |
$17.81 |
$37,040 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
120 |
$11.34 |
$23,590 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
120 |
$9.86 |
$20,500 |
| Construction managers |
110 |
$35.28 |
$73,370 |
| Financial managers |
110 |
$47.44 |
$98,670 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
110 |
$27.61 |
$57,430 |
| Management analysts |
110 |
$27.86 |
$57,940 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
110 |
$12.62 |
$26,250 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
110 |
$22.79 |
$47,400 |
| Prepress technicians and workers |
110 |
$17.15 |
$35,670 |
| Social and human service assistants |
110 |
$11.39 |
$23,690 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
110 |
$14.81 |
$30,800 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
100 |
$13.60 |
$28,280 |
| Computer support specialists |
100 |
$20.48 |
$42,600 |
| Food service managers |
100 |
$19.97 |
$41,530 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
100 |
$23.65 |
$49,180 |
| Soil and plant scientists |
100 |
$27.75 |
$57,730 |
| Bus drivers, school |
90 |
$14.21 |
$29,560 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
90 |
$22.32 |
$46,420 |
| Cost estimators |
90 |
$24.41 |
$50,770 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
90 |
$20.49 |
$42,620 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
90 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Food cooking machine operators and tenders |
90 |
$10.47 |
$21,770 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
90 |
$18.49 |
$38,460 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
90 |
$19.30 |
$40,140 |
| Medical assistants |
90 |
$14.22 |
$29,580 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
90 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Administrative services managers |
80 |
$39.24 |
$81,630 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
80 |
$18.46 |
$38,410 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
80 |
$16.54 |
$34,400 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
80 |
$20.42 |
$42,480 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
80 |
$9.97 |
$20,730 |
| Pharmacists |
80 |
$41.84 |
$87,020 |
| Real estate sales agents |
80 |
$25.89 |
$53,850 |
| Word processors and typists |
80 |
$15.68 |
$32,620 |
| Chief executives |
70 |
$72.39 |
$150,570 |
| Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators |
70 |
$18.29 |
$38,050 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
70 |
$13.49 |
$28,060 |
| Graphic designers |
70 |
$19.63 |
$40,830 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
70 |
$18.53 |
$38,530 |
| Medical secretaries |
70 |
$12.91 |
$26,860 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
70 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Opticians, dispensing |
70 |
$12.64 |
$26,290 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
70 |
$12.33 |
$25,640 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
70 |
$21.05 |
$43,790 |
| Security guards |
70 |
$10.79 |
$22,450 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
70 |
$26.09 |
$54,260 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
70 |
$15.95 |
$33,170 |
| Architects, except landscape and naval |
60 |
$28.33 |
$58,930 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
60 |
$16.83 |
$35,000 |
| Bindery workers |
60 |
$12.52 |
$26,030 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
60 |
$15.97 |
$33,220 |
| Dental hygienists |
60 |
$31.53 |
$65,590 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
60 |
$8.11 |
$16,860 |
| Home health aides |
60 |
$11.67 |
$24,280 |
| Industrial engineers |
60 |
$33.13 |
$68,900 |
| Lawyers |
60 |
$39.79 |
$82,750 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
60 |
$22.76 |
$47,340 |
| Postsecondary teachers, all other |
60 |
Not available |
$73,140 |
| Power plant operators |
60 |
$23.48 |
$48,840 |
| Residential advisors |
60 |
$11.18 |
$23,240 |
| Veterinarians |
60 |
$37.08 |
$77,130 |
| Chemical technicians |
50 |
$19.20 |
$39,940 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
50 |
$9.76 |
$20,290 |
| Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders |
50 |
$20.40 |
$42,430 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
50 |
$42.52 |
$88,450 |
| Dental assistants |
50 |
$17.61 |
$36,630 |
| Editors |
50 |
$17.60 |
$36,600 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
50 |
Not available |
$79,000 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
50 |
$24.32 |
$50,590 |
| Engineering managers |
50 |
$45.76 |
$95,190 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
50 |
$15.95 |
$33,180 |
| Food batchmakers |
50 |
$12.47 |
$25,940 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
50 |
$10.87 |
$22,600 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
50 |
$18.65 |
$38,790 |
| Industrial engineering technicians |
50 |
$25.76 |
$53,580 |
| Industrial production managers |
50 |
$48.27 |
$100,390 |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks |
50 |
$12.64 |
$26,290 |
| Legal secretaries |
50 |
$11.93 |
$24,820 |
| Library technicians |
50 |
$15.19 |
$31,600 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
50 |
$14.12 |
$29,370 |
| Mechanical engineers |
50 |
$37.62 |
$78,250 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Office machine operators, except computer |
50 |
$11.09 |
$23,070 |
| Order clerks |
50 |
$12.65 |
$26,320 |
| Parts salespersons |
50 |
$13.84 |
$28,790 |
| Production workers, all other |
50 |
$11.60 |
$24,130 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
50 |
$17.58 |
$36,560 |
| Protective service workers, all other |
50 |
$10.01 |
$20,830 |
| Reporters and correspondents |
50 |
$9.72 |
$20,220 |
| Special education teachers, middle school |
50 |
Not available |
$46,860 |
| Bakers |
40 |
$12.04 |
$25,040 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
40 |
$28.56 |
$59,400 |
| Engineers, all other |
40 |
$30.64 |
$63,730 |
| File clerks |
40 |
$9.53 |
$19,830 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
40 |
$28.59 |
$59,470 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
40 |
$28.48 |
$59,230 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
40 |
$23.92 |
$49,750 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
40 |
$10.61 |
$22,070 |
| Librarians |
40 |
$18.95 |
$39,410 |
| Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
40 |
$17.81 |
$37,040 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
40 |
$15.74 |
$32,730 |
| Photographers |
40 |
$11.87 |
$24,690 |
| Recreation workers |
40 |
$15.11 |
$31,430 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
40 |
$30.68 |
$63,810 |
| Social and community service managers |
40 |
$22.87 |
$47,570 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
40 |
$18.09 |
$37,620 |
| Advertising sales agents |
30 |
$13.07 |
$27,190 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
30 |
$8.27 |
$17,200 |
| Construction and building inspectors |
30 |
$25.56 |
$53,160 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
30 |
$17.79 |
$37,010 |
| Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other |
30 |
$22.76 |
$47,330 |
| Food scientists and technologists |
30 |
$28.24 |
$58,740 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
30 |
$19.06 |
$39,650 |
| Legislators |
30 |
Not available |
$30,130 |
| Market research analysts |
30 |
$26.15 |
$54,400 |
| Mechanical drafters |
30 |
$19.68 |
$40,940 |
| Chemists |
Not available |
$34.22 |
$71,170 |
| Coaches and scouts |
Not available |
Not available |
$24,880 |
| Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers |
Not available |
$9.52 |
$19,790 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
Not available |
$35.25 |
$73,330 |
| Environmental science and protection technicians, including health |
Not available |
$22.82 |
$47,470 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
Not available |
$10.63 |
$22,120 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
Not available |
$15.08 |
$31,360 |
| Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other |
Not available |
$19.41 |
$40,360 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
Not available |
$21.11 |
$43,910 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
Not available |
Not available |
$40,400 |
| Millwrights |
Not available |
$14.04 |
$29,210 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
Not available |
$17.06 |
$35,480 |
| Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders |
Not available |
$14.86 |
$30,900 |
| Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation |
Not available |
$15.66 |
$32,580 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
Not available |
$22.34 |
$46,470 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
Not available |
Not available |
$38,970 |
| Sheet metal workers |
Not available |
$19.76 |
$41,100 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
Not available |
Not available |
$41,630 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
Not available |
$10.87 |
$22,610 |
| Telemarketers |
Not available |
$13.20 |
$27,450 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
Not available |
$21.98 |
$45,720 |
| Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing |
Not available |
$11.75 |
$24,430 |
