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 |
62,820 |
$17.53 |
$36,470 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
11,050 |
$13.91 |
$28,930 |
| Sales and related occupations |
6,790 |
$14.58 |
$30,320 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
5,250 |
$9.54 |
$19,850 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
4,920 |
$14.85 |
$30,890 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
4,700 |
$22.21 |
$46,210 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
3,670 |
$32.54 |
$67,680 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
3,010 |
$16.87 |
$35,090 |
| Management occupations |
2,920 |
$35.91 |
$74,690 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,900 |
$17.78 |
$36,990 |
| Production occupations |
2,870 |
$15.08 |
$31,360 |
| Retail salespersons |
2,360 |
$12.12 |
$25,220 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
2,220 |
$12.75 |
$26,510 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
2,130 |
$11.42 |
$23,750 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
2,050 |
$25.66 |
$53,360 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,910 |
$11.33 |
$23,570 |
| Cashiers |
1,740 |
$8.59 |
$17,860 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
1,730 |
$18.14 |
$37,730 |
| Community and social services occupations |
1,720 |
$16.96 |
$35,270 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,550 |
$12.04 |
$25,050 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
1,540 |
$8.59 |
$17,880 |
| Registered nurses |
1,490 |
$27.99 |
$58,210 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,350 |
$14.53 |
$30,230 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,240 |
$13.89 |
$28,900 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
1,080 |
$11.30 |
$23,500 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
910 |
$11.20 |
$23,290 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
910 |
$11.36 |
$23,640 |
| General and operations managers |
880 |
$39.21 |
$81,550 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
880 |
$8.85 |
$18,400 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
860 |
$10.39 |
$21,610 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
780 |
$15.23 |
$31,680 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
770 |
$17.76 |
$36,930 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
740 |
$26.14 |
$54,380 |
| Teacher assistants |
720 |
Not available |
$26,870 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
690 |
$19.46 |
$40,480 |
| Social and human service assistants |
680 |
$11.90 |
$24,760 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
660 |
$14.56 |
$30,290 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
640 |
$27.64 |
$57,490 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
630 |
Not available |
$40,820 |
| Personal and home care aides |
630 |
$11.45 |
$23,820 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
580 |
$9.72 |
$20,210 |
| Order clerks |
570 |
$9.65 |
$20,070 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
560 |
$23.22 |
$48,290 |
| Customer service representatives |
520 |
$15.41 |
$32,050 |
| Food preparation workers |
510 |
$10.73 |
$22,330 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
510 |
$22.93 |
$47,690 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
510 |
$15.07 |
$31,340 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
480 |
$15.76 |
$32,790 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
460 |
$15.42 |
$32,080 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
440 |
$12.32 |
$25,620 |
| Security guards |
440 |
$9.90 |
$20,600 |
| Child care workers |
430 |
$10.05 |
$20,910 |
| Construction laborers |
410 |
$13.06 |
$27,160 |
| Legal occupations |
410 |
$26.95 |
$56,050 |
| Medical secretaries |
410 |
$13.96 |
$29,030 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
410 |
$11.37 |
$23,640 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
410 |
Not available |
$43,570 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
400 |
$9.70 |
$20,170 |
| Education teachers, postsecondary |
390 |
Not available |
$57,900 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
390 |
$13.52 |
$28,110 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
380 |
$17.01 |
$35,380 |
| Carpenters |
360 |
$16.37 |
$34,040 |
| Bus drivers, school |
350 |
$9.62 |
$20,010 |
| Accountants and auditors |
340 |
$31.05 |
$64,580 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
340 |
$22.34 |
$46,470 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
330 |
$18.29 |
$38,050 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
330 |
$24.92 |
$51,840 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
330 |
$18.69 |
$38,870 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
320 |
Not available |
$46,320 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
300 |
$24.63 |
$51,220 |
| Bill and account collectors |
290 |
$15.00 |
$31,190 |
| Bartenders |
280 |
$9.27 |
$19,290 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
280 |
$12.05 |
$25,060 |
| Electricians |
280 |
$20.98 |
$43,640 |
| Home health aides |
280 |
$10.08 |
$20,960 |
| Medical assistants |
280 |
$13.77 |
$28,640 |
| Tellers |
280 |
$10.51 |
$21,860 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
270 |
$11.16 |
$23,210 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
260 |
$19.07 |
$39,660 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
260 |
$12.01 |
$24,970 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
260 |
$12.50 |
$25,990 |
| Coaches and scouts |
250 |
Not available |
$22,890 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
240 |
$14.72 |
$30,610 |
| Financial managers |
240 |
$41.99 |
$87,340 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
240 |
$21.57 |
$44,870 |
| Loan officers |
240 |
$28.46 |
$59,200 |
| Parts salespersons |
240 |
$15.42 |
$32,070 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
240 |
$18.73 |
$38,950 |
| Fire fighters |
230 |
$14.65 |
$30,460 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
230 |
$19.23 |
$40,000 |
| Dishwashers |
220 |
$8.47 |
$17,610 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
210 |
$12.83 |
$26,680 |
| Cooks, fast food |
200 |
$8.45 |
$17,570 |
| Medical and health services managers |
200 |
$43.41 |
$90,300 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
200 |
$8.38 |
$17,440 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
200 |
$18.45 |
$38,370 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
200 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
200 |
$34.22 |
$71,170 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
200 |
$26.94 |
$56,040 |
| Team assemblers |
200 |
$13.38 |
$27,830 |
| Lawyers |
190 |
$33.55 |
$69,780 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
190 |
Not available |
$23,700 |
| Computer support specialists |
180 |
$18.29 |
$38,040 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
180 |
$15.81 |
$32,880 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
180 |
$18.68 |
$38,860 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
180 |
$13.10 |
$27,250 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
170 |
$19.12 |
$39,770 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
170 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
170 |
Not available |
$41,450 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
160 |
$8.57 |
$17,820 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
160 |
$9.94 |
$20,680 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
160 |
$14.04 |
$29,190 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
160 |
$18.94 |
$39,390 |
| Driver/sales workers |
150 |
$11.98 |
$24,910 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
150 |
$8.67 |
$18,040 |
| Social and community service managers |
150 |
$23.81 |
$49,520 |
| Administrative services managers |
140 |
$28.84 |
$59,990 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
140 |
$20.13 |
$41,880 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
140 |
Not available |
$66,290 |
| Education administrators, postsecondary |
140 |
$35.64 |
$74,130 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
140 |
$14.22 |
$29,580 |
| Insurance sales agents |
140 |
$21.11 |
$43,910 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
140 |
$13.53 |
$28,150 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
140 |
$13.24 |
$27,540 |
| Recreation workers |
140 |
$10.89 |
$22,660 |
| Sales managers |
140 |
$40.35 |
$83,930 |
| Service station attendants |
140 |
$8.45 |
$17,570 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
130 |
$11.08 |
$23,050 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
130 |
$20.66 |
$42,970 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
130 |
$46.15 |
$95,990 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
120 |
$39.01 |
$81,140 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
120 |
$16.36 |
$34,020 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
120 |
$14.40 |
$29,960 |
| Data entry keyers |
120 |
$12.23 |
$25,430 |
| Dental assistants |
120 |
$15.54 |
$32,330 |
| Dental hygienists |
120 |
$24.66 |
$51,300 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
120 |
$16.88 |
$35,110 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
120 |
$15.81 |
$32,880 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
120 |
$12.76 |
$26,540 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
120 |
$10.42 |
$21,670 |
| Logging equipment operators |
120 |
$14.14 |
$29,410 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
120 |
$15.73 |
$32,730 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
120 |
$27.47 |
$57,140 |
| Pharmacists |
120 |
$55.23 |
$114,880 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
110 |
$12.53 |
$26,070 |
| Managers, all other |
110 |
$32.38 |
$67,360 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
110 |
$12.38 |
$25,740 |
| Public relations specialists |
110 |
$19.89 |
$41,370 |
| Self-enrichment education teachers |
110 |
$14.93 |
$31,060 |
| Telephone operators |
110 |
$12.01 |
$24,980 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
110 |
$31.96 |
$66,470 |
| Food service managers |
100 |
$22.50 |
$46,790 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
100 |
$15.46 |
$32,160 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
100 |
$15.08 |
$31,360 |
| Printing machine operators |
100 |
$14.95 |
$31,090 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
100 |
$17.95 |
$37,330 |
| Training and development specialists |
100 |
$21.88 |
$45,520 |
| Computer systems analysts |
90 |
$29.00 |
$60,320 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
90 |
$24.87 |
$51,730 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
90 |
$16.79 |
$34,920 |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks |
90 |
$13.95 |
$29,010 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
90 |
Not available |
$42,860 |
| Physician assistants |
90 |
$44.42 |
$92,400 |
| Respiratory therapists |
90 |
$26.17 |
$54,430 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
90 |
$10.62 |
$22,090 |
| Biological science teachers, postsecondary |
80 |
Not available |
$72,610 |
| Biological technicians |
80 |
$17.40 |
$36,190 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
80 |
$14.61 |
$30,390 |
| Cooks, short order |
80 |
$8.43 |
$17,540 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
80 |
$18.84 |
$39,180 |
| Financial specialists, all other |
80 |
$26.25 |
$54,610 |
| Librarians |
80 |
$20.52 |
$42,690 |
| Library technicians |
80 |
$14.09 |
$29,300 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
80 |
$14.78 |
$30,740 |
| Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators |
80 |
$15.30 |
$31,830 |
| Physical therapists |
80 |
$35.86 |
$74,580 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
80 |
$18.04 |
$37,520 |
| Power plant operators |
80 |
$27.73 |
$57,680 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
80 |
$22.05 |
$45,860 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
80 |
$10.42 |
$21,680 |
| Aircraft mechanics and service technicians |
70 |
$23.20 |
$48,260 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
70 |
$10.42 |
$21,670 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
70 |
$16.47 |
$34,260 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
70 |
$25.38 |
$52,780 |
| Communications teachers, postsecondary |
70 |
Not available |
$47,160 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
70 |
$22.65 |
$47,120 |
| Cost estimators |
70 |
$20.65 |
$42,940 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
70 |
$11.55 |
$24,010 |
| Eligibility interviewers, government programs |
70 |
$15.58 |
$32,400 |
| English language and literature teachers, postsecondary |
70 |
Not available |
$54,350 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
70 |
$15.65 |
$32,550 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
70 |
$29.08 |
$60,500 |
| Legal secretaries |
70 |
$15.29 |
$31,810 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
70 |
$15.33 |
$31,880 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
70 |
$24.98 |
$51,960 |
| Mental health counselors |
70 |
$27.91 |
$58,050 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
70 |
Not available |
$45,200 |
| Surgeons |
70 |
More than $70 |
More than $145,600 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
70 |
$10.42 |
$21,670 |
| Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing |
70 |
$11.59 |
$24,100 |
| Advertising sales agents |
60 |
$14.22 |
$29,570 |
| All other information and record clerks |
60 |
$16.53 |
$34,380 |
| Appraisers and assessors of real estate |
60 |
$25.23 |
$52,470 |
| Business teachers, postsecondary |
60 |
Not available |
$77,200 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
60 |
$14.73 |
$30,650 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
60 |
$21.72 |
$45,190 |
| Civil engineers |
60 |
$31.71 |
$65,950 |
| Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists |
60 |
$30.33 |
$63,090 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
60 |
$30.54 |
$63,530 |
| Construction managers |
60 |
$33.26 |
$69,180 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
60 |
$26.64 |
$55,420 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
60 |
$17.08 |
$35,540 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
60 |
$18.30 |
$38,050 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
60 |
$12.46 |
$25,920 |
| Job printers |
60 |
$20.99 |
$43,650 |
| Machinists |
60 |
$20.23 |
$42,080 |
| Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary |
60 |
Not available |
$61,180 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
60 |
$84.03 |
$174,790 |
| Radio and television announcers |
60 |
$13.17 |
$27,380 |
| Structural iron and steel workers |
60 |
$18.29 |
$38,050 |
| Structural metal fabricators and fitters |
60 |
$17.64 |
$36,690 |
| Surgical technologists |
60 |
$17.56 |
$36,530 |
| Surveyors |
60 |
$20.72 |
$43,100 |
| Telecommunications line installers and repairers |
60 |
$22.89 |
$47,600 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
60 |
$13.64 |
$28,380 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
60 |
$22.06 |
$45,890 |
| Bakers |
50 |
$11.29 |
$23,480 |
| Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers |
50 |
$12.64 |
$26,280 |
| Demonstrators and product promoters |
50 |
$9.97 |
$20,750 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
50 |
$8.03 |
$16,700 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
50 |
$26.70 |
$55,550 |
| File clerks |
50 |
$11.58 |
$24,080 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of farming, fishing, and forestry workers |
50 |
$19.81 |
$41,210 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and prevention workers |
50 |
$23.68 |
$49,260 |
| Graphic designers |
50 |
$16.86 |
$35,080 |
| Health technologists and technicians, all other |
50 |
$25.30 |
$52,630 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other |
50 |
$25.93 |
$53,940 |
| Helpers, construction trades, all other |
50 |
$10.20 |
$21,220 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
50 |
$9.12 |
$18,980 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
50 |
$27.79 |
$57,800 |
| Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other |
50 |
$17.68 |
$36,780 |
| Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary |
50 |
Not available |
$59,640 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
50 |
$19.45 |
$40,460 |
| Special education teachers, middle school |
50 |
Not available |
$45,370 |
| Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Surveying and mapping technicians |
50 |
$15.57 |
$32,380 |
| Word processors and typists |
50 |
$13.50 |
$28,070 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
40 |
$18.06 |
$37,560 |
| Broadcast technicians |
40 |
$15.61 |
$32,460 |
| Chefs and head cooks |
40 |
$16.33 |
$33,970 |
| Chief executives |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Computer programmers |
40 |
$24.10 |
$50,140 |
| Computer science teachers, postsecondary |
40 |
Not available |
$77,210 |
| Detectives and criminal investigators |
40 |
$23.60 |
$49,090 |
| Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers |
40 |
$17.96 |
$37,360 |
| Electrical engineers |
40 |
$36.49 |
$75,890 |
| Environmental scientists and specialists, including health |
40 |
$24.01 |
$49,950 |
| Family and general practitioners |
40 |
$81.09 |
$168,660 |
| Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse |
40 |
$10.43 |
$21,690 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
40 |
$29.27 |
$60,890 |
| Industrial engineers |
40 |
$36.40 |
$75,710 |
| Industrial production managers |
40 |
$33.64 |
$69,980 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
40 |
$12.24 |
$25,450 |
| Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers |
40 |
$9.84 |
$20,460 |
| Opticians, dispensing |
40 |
$13.88 |
$28,860 |
| Postal service clerks |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Procurement clerks |
40 |
$17.77 |
$36,960 |
| Psychiatrists |
40 |
$78.96 |
$164,230 |
| Psychology teachers, postsecondary |
40 |
Not available |
$67,730 |
| Tax examiners, collectors, and revenue agents |
40 |
$22.70 |
$47,210 |
| Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other |
30 |
$16.25 |
$33,800 |
| Instructional coordinators |
30 |
$21.97 |
$45,700 |
| Loan counselors |
30 |
$23.38 |
$48,630 |
| Postmasters and mail superintendents |
30 |
$27.31 |
$56,800 |
| Public relations managers |
30 |
$38.66 |
$80,400 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
30 |
$18.36 |
$38,190 |
| Urban and regional planners |
30 |
$26.84 |
$55,830 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
30 |
$18.14 |
$37,720 |
| Computer software engineers, systems software |
Not available |
$35.49 |
$73,820 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
Not available |
$30.33 |
$63,090 |
| Couriers and messengers |
Not available |
$12.00 |
$24,950 |
| Crossing guards |
Not available |
$9.60 |
$19,970 |
| Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
Not available |
$18.84 |
$39,180 |
| Editors |
Not available |
$15.97 |
$33,220 |
| Electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles |
Not available |
$13.76 |
$28,620 |
| Helpers--electricians |
Not available |
$15.32 |
$31,880 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
Not available |
$20.05 |
$41,690 |
| Management analysts |
Not available |
$25.89 |
$53,850 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
Not available |
$16.75 |
$34,840 |
| Motor vehicle operators, all other |
Not available |
$9.48 |
$19,710 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
Not available |
$27.95 |
$58,140 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
Not available |
$9.86 |
$20,520 |
| Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other |
Not available |
$23.78 |
$49,470 |
| Psychiatric aides |
Not available |
$14.52 |
$30,210 |
| Reporters and correspondents |
Not available |
$14.59 |
$30,350 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
Not available |
$44.59 |
$92,750 |
| Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood |
Not available |
$12.75 |
$26,520 |
| Sheet metal workers |
Not available |
$15.45 |
$32,130 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
Not available |
$21.54 |
$44,810 |
| Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping |
Not available |
$15.84 |
$32,950 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
Not available |
$17.01 |
$35,380 |
