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 |
64,500 |
$18.38 |
$38,220 |
| Production occupations |
8,770 |
$18.19 |
$37,840 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
8,260 |
$13.43 |
$27,930 |
| Sales and related occupations |
7,030 |
$14.44 |
$30,030 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
6,840 |
$9.03 |
$18,770 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
5,460 |
$27.43 |
$57,050 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
3,080 |
$29.68 |
$61,730 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
3,070 |
$12.85 |
$26,740 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,960 |
$16.83 |
$35,020 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,540 |
$16.09 |
$33,470 |
| Retail salespersons |
2,410 |
$11.79 |
$24,520 |
| Management occupations |
2,390 |
$40.66 |
$84,580 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
2,140 |
$9.75 |
$20,280 |
| Cashiers |
2,080 |
$8.07 |
$16,780 |
| Office clerks, general |
2,050 |
$11.93 |
$24,810 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
1,960 |
$8.15 |
$16,950 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,950 |
$26.23 |
$54,550 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
1,660 |
$29.57 |
$61,500 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
1,510 |
$29.93 |
$62,250 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,390 |
$10.78 |
$22,430 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,330 |
$8.38 |
$17,440 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,260 |
$11.82 |
$24,580 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
1,190 |
$24.32 |
$50,590 |
| Community and social services occupations |
1,110 |
$19.81 |
$41,210 |
| Registered nurses |
930 |
$24.83 |
$51,640 |
| Protective service occupations |
910 |
$18.05 |
$37,540 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
850 |
$14.08 |
$29,280 |
| Team assemblers |
850 |
$13.05 |
$27,130 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
770 |
$8.56 |
$17,800 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
710 |
$19.52 |
$40,600 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
690 |
$9.85 |
$20,480 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
680 |
$8.08 |
$16,810 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
680 |
$16.14 |
$33,560 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
670 |
Not available |
$47,290 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
660 |
$18.06 |
$37,560 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
650 |
$9.01 |
$18,740 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
650 |
$10.80 |
$22,460 |
| Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers |
610 |
$14.18 |
$29,490 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
600 |
$16.98 |
$35,310 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
570 |
$10.70 |
$22,250 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
560 |
$10.18 |
$21,170 |
| Production workers, all other |
560 |
$17.42 |
$36,240 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
530 |
$24.38 |
$50,710 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
510 |
$14.87 |
$30,940 |
| General and operations managers |
510 |
$43.83 |
$91,170 |
| Machinists |
490 |
$17.33 |
$36,050 |
| Customer service representatives |
480 |
$12.58 |
$26,170 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
480 |
$19.42 |
$40,380 |
| Carpenters |
470 |
$14.69 |
$30,550 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
460 |
Not available |
$27,560 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
450 |
$19.99 |
$41,590 |
| Teacher assistants |
440 |
Not available |
$23,260 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
430 |
$15.30 |
$31,830 |
| Accountants and auditors |
410 |
$27.02 |
$56,210 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
410 |
$9.76 |
$20,310 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
410 |
$27.40 |
$56,990 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
400 |
$14.65 |
$30,470 |
| Cooks, fast food |
380 |
$10.54 |
$21,920 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
380 |
Not available |
$48,620 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
380 |
$10.32 |
$21,460 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
370 |
$17.82 |
$37,060 |
| Tellers |
360 |
$10.83 |
$22,520 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
330 |
$10.71 |
$22,280 |
| Child care workers |
320 |
$8.36 |
$17,390 |
| Mechanical engineers |
320 |
$36.23 |
$75,360 |
| Dishwashers |
310 |
$7.71 |
$16,040 |
| Food preparation workers |
310 |
$8.50 |
$17,680 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
310 |
$19.63 |
$40,820 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
310 |
$22.44 |
$46,670 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
290 |
$26.59 |
$55,320 |
| Electricians |
290 |
$20.40 |
$42,420 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
290 |
Not available |
$50,930 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
290 |
$12.53 |
$26,050 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
270 |
$22.55 |
$46,900 |
| Bus drivers, school |
260 |
$12.28 |
$25,550 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
250 |
$12.56 |
$26,120 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
240 |
$7.90 |
$16,430 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
240 |
$17.15 |
$35,670 |
| Real estate sales agents |
230 |
$14.72 |
$30,620 |
| Computer support specialists |
220 |
$17.95 |
$37,340 |
| Personal and home care aides |
220 |
$9.98 |
$20,750 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
220 |
$12.24 |
$25,460 |
| Computer systems analysts |
210 |
$34.04 |
$70,800 |
| Electrical engineers |
210 |
$29.22 |
$60,770 |
| Helpers--production workers |
210 |
$11.69 |
$24,310 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
210 |
$11.89 |
$24,730 |
| Public relations specialists |
210 |
$19.29 |
$40,120 |
| Industrial engineers |
200 |
$32.47 |
$67,540 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
200 |
$17.43 |
$36,260 |
| Computer programmers |
190 |
$29.30 |
$60,950 |
| Construction laborers |
190 |
$11.16 |
$23,200 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
190 |
$25.41 |
$52,850 |
| Computer software engineers, systems software |
180 |
$36.34 |
$75,590 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
180 |
$10.18 |
$21,180 |
| Cooks, short order |
180 |
$8.48 |
$17,630 |
| Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
180 |
$15.56 |
$32,370 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
180 |
$19.06 |
$39,650 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
180 |
$13.01 |
$27,070 |
| Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
180 |
$14.53 |
$30,230 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
170 |
$27.56 |
$57,330 |
| Management analysts |
170 |
$42.14 |
$87,650 |
| Medical assistants |
170 |
$12.22 |
$25,420 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
170 |
$14.15 |
$29,430 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
170 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Financial managers |
160 |
$36.07 |
$75,020 |
| Legal occupations |
160 |
$26.97 |
$56,100 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
160 |
$25.48 |
$52,990 |
| Parts salespersons |
160 |
$11.61 |
$24,140 |
| Pharmacists |
160 |
$51.30 |
$106,700 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
150 |
$14.06 |
$29,250 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
150 |
$17.62 |
$36,640 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
150 |
$9.44 |
$19,630 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
150 |
$8.31 |
$17,290 |
| Market research analysts |
150 |
$30.32 |
$63,070 |
| Social and human service assistants |
150 |
$13.62 |
$28,320 |
| All other information and record clerks |
140 |
$15.47 |
$32,180 |
| Bartenders |
140 |
$9.87 |
$20,540 |
| Coaches and scouts |
140 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Correctional officers and jailers |
140 |
$18.80 |
$39,100 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
140 |
$22.64 |
$47,090 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
140 |
$35.39 |
$73,620 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
140 |
$30.98 |
$64,430 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
140 |
$8.96 |
$18,650 |
| Recreation workers |
140 |
$12.21 |
$25,400 |
| Computer and information scientists, research |
130 |
$37.45 |
$77,890 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
130 |
Not available |
$67,430 |
| English language and literature teachers, postsecondary |
130 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Highway maintenance workers |
130 |
$16.06 |
$33,410 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
130 |
$11.54 |
$24,000 |
| Security guards |
130 |
$10.67 |
$22,190 |
| Tool and die makers |
130 |
$22.58 |
$46,960 |
| Civil engineers |
120 |
$28.55 |
$59,390 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
120 |
$19.73 |
$41,050 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
120 |
$19.75 |
$41,070 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
120 |
Not available |
$43,600 |
| Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors |
120 |
$20.35 |
$42,330 |
| Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers |
120 |
$12.62 |
$26,240 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
110 |
$8.35 |
$17,370 |
| Business teachers, postsecondary |
110 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Computer science teachers, postsecondary |
110 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
110 |
$24.45 |
$50,850 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
110 |
$12.69 |
$26,390 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
110 |
$25.84 |
$53,750 |
| Insurance sales agents |
110 |
$19.05 |
$39,620 |
| Librarians |
110 |
$26.12 |
$54,320 |
| Medical and health services managers |
110 |
$46.86 |
$97,460 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
110 |
$21.73 |
$45,200 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
100 |
$16.26 |
$33,810 |
| Biological technicians |
100 |
$15.41 |
$32,060 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
100 |
$8.77 |
$18,240 |
| Coil winders, tapers, and finishers |
100 |
$13.89 |
$28,890 |
| Cost estimators |
100 |
$22.38 |
$46,560 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
100 |
$12.88 |
$26,790 |
| Family and general practitioners |
100 |
$90.82 |
$188,910 |
| Home health aides |
100 |
$9.39 |
$19,530 |
| Industrial production managers |
100 |
$46.95 |
$97,650 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
100 |
$8.60 |
$17,890 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
100 |
$18.87 |
$39,240 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
100 |
$82.37 |
$171,340 |
| Service station attendants |
100 |
$9.37 |
$19,480 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
100 |
$16.33 |
$33,960 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
90 |
$17.68 |
$36,770 |
| Chemical technicians |
90 |
$20.45 |
$42,540 |
| Chief executives |
90 |
$64.33 |
$133,810 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
90 |
$46.49 |
$96,700 |
| Construction managers |
90 |
$33.62 |
$69,920 |
| Dental assistants |
90 |
$15.80 |
$32,860 |
| Dental hygienists |
90 |
$29.16 |
$60,650 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
90 |
$11.03 |
$22,940 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
90 |
$14.34 |
$29,820 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
90 |
$16.24 |
$33,780 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
90 |
$20.95 |
$43,570 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
90 |
$7.94 |
$16,520 |
| Food service managers |
90 |
$21.81 |
$45,370 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
90 |
$17.66 |
$36,740 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
90 |
$11.08 |
$23,060 |
| Managers, all other |
90 |
$32.10 |
$66,760 |
| Mechanical engineering technicians |
90 |
$21.80 |
$45,330 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
90 |
$18.56 |
$38,600 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
90 |
$11.74 |
$24,430 |
| Vocational education teachers, secondary school |
90 |
Not available |
$54,840 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
80 |
$11.28 |
$23,470 |
| Engineering managers |
80 |
$61.76 |
$128,470 |
| Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers |
80 |
$7.44 |
$15,480 |
| Order clerks |
80 |
$9.57 |
$19,900 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
80 |
$18.73 |
$38,970 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
80 |
$17.67 |
$36,750 |
| Physical scientists, all other |
80 |
$36.87 |
$76,700 |
| Physical therapists |
80 |
$34.61 |
$71,990 |
| Sales managers |
80 |
$42.17 |
$87,710 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
80 |
Not available |
$50,000 |
| Bill and account collectors |
70 |
$13.04 |
$27,130 |
| Driver/sales workers |
70 |
$19.33 |
$40,220 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
70 |
$9.55 |
$19,860 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
70 |
$14.37 |
$29,900 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
70 |
$13.92 |
$28,950 |
| Training and development specialists |
70 |
$24.33 |
$50,610 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
60 |
$18.17 |
$37,800 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
60 |
$15.63 |
$32,510 |
| Detectives and criminal investigators |
60 |
$29.87 |
$62,120 |
| Environmental engineers |
60 |
$33.02 |
$68,680 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
60 |
$21.15 |
$43,990 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
60 |
$27.50 |
$57,190 |
| Graphic designers |
60 |
$17.80 |
$37,030 |
| Helpers--electricians |
60 |
$12.29 |
$25,560 |
| Legislators |
60 |
Not available |
$14,550 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
60 |
$16.15 |
$33,590 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
60 |
$14.57 |
$30,310 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
60 |
$29.42 |
$61,200 |
| Social and community service managers |
60 |
$25.72 |
$53,510 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
60 |
$9.80 |
$20,380 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
60 |
$17.05 |
$35,460 |
| Administrative services managers |
50 |
$32.05 |
$66,650 |
| Agricultural and food science technicians |
50 |
$12.99 |
$27,020 |
| Architects, except landscape and naval |
50 |
$33.99 |
$70,690 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
50 |
$17.66 |
$36,740 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
50 |
$16.32 |
$33,950 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
50 |
$11.07 |
$23,020 |
| Chemical engineers |
50 |
$45.43 |
$94,490 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
50 |
$35.34 |
$73,500 |
| Construction and building inspectors |
50 |
$20.92 |
$43,510 |
| File clerks |
50 |
$9.30 |
$19,330 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
50 |
$16.43 |
$34,170 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
50 |
$17.50 |
$36,410 |
| Industrial engineering technicians |
50 |
$19.39 |
$40,330 |
| Lawyers |
50 |
$45.08 |
$93,760 |
| Occupational health and safety specialists |
50 |
$22.03 |
$45,820 |
| Pharmacy aides |
50 |
$9.49 |
$19,730 |
| Printing machine operators |
50 |
$13.07 |
$27,190 |
| Tax preparers |
50 |
$12.37 |
$25,730 |
| Veterinarians |
50 |
$38.05 |
$79,140 |
| Advertising sales agents |
40 |
$12.54 |
$26,070 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
40 |
$15.46 |
$32,160 |
| Chemists |
40 |
$27.68 |
$57,570 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
40 |
$23.71 |
$49,320 |
| Database administrators |
40 |
$37.85 |
$78,740 |
| Education, training, and library workers, all other |
40 |
$15.68 |
$32,610 |
| Environmental science and protection technicians, including health |
40 |
$16.44 |
$34,200 |
| Financial analysts |
40 |
$36.47 |
$75,860 |
| Floral designers |
40 |
$10.42 |
$21,680 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
40 |
$9.47 |
$19,700 |
| Library technicians |
40 |
$13.09 |
$27,220 |
| Loan officers |
40 |
$19.87 |
$41,320 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
40 |
$10.79 |
$22,440 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
40 |
$17.45 |
$36,290 |
| Mental health counselors |
40 |
$23.92 |
$49,750 |
| Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
40 |
$15.10 |
$31,410 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
40 |
$9.98 |
$20,770 |
| Photographers |
40 |
$14.83 |
$30,840 |
| Physical therapist assistants |
40 |
$18.65 |
$38,800 |
| Postal service clerks |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists |
40 |
$22.23 |
$46,250 |
| Protective service workers, all other |
40 |
$13.87 |
$28,840 |
| Purchasing managers |
40 |
$47.27 |
$98,330 |
| Respiratory therapists |
40 |
$22.41 |
$46,620 |
| Sheet metal workers |
40 |
$13.44 |
$27,960 |
| Soil and plant scientists |
40 |
$20.60 |
$42,850 |
| Stationary engineers and boiler operators |
40 |
$18.40 |
$38,280 |
| Surgical technologists |
40 |
$17.10 |
$35,570 |
| Surveyors |
40 |
$22.28 |
$46,340 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
40 |
$12.94 |
$26,910 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
30 |
$22.59 |
$46,990 |
| Editors |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers |
30 |
$24.94 |
$51,880 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
30 |
$20.33 |
$42,280 |
| Engineers, all other |
30 |
$28.15 |
$58,540 |
| Environmental scientists and specialists, including health |
30 |
$32.09 |
$66,750 |
| Marketing managers |
30 |
$65.35 |
$135,930 |
| Medical secretaries |
30 |
$13.62 |
$28,330 |
| Surveying and mapping technicians |
30 |
$12.69 |
$26,400 |
| Urban and regional planners |
30 |
$26.19 |
$54,480 |
| Crane and tower operators |
Not available |
$18.04 |
$37,530 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
Not available |
$7.70 |
$16,010 |
| Eligibility interviewers, government programs |
Not available |
$17.47 |
$36,330 |
| Hazardous materials removal workers |
Not available |
$14.73 |
$30,640 |
| Health educators |
Not available |
$20.56 |
$42,770 |
| Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
Not available |
$10.15 |
$21,100 |
| Opticians, dispensing |
Not available |
$17.72 |
$36,850 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
Not available |
$11.96 |
$24,880 |
| Prepress technicians and workers |
Not available |
$11.21 |
$23,310 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
Not available |
$21.88 |
$45,510 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
Not available |
$35.71 |
$74,280 |
| Special education teachers, middle school |
Not available |
Not available |
$51,490 |
| Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers |
Not available |
$7.36 |
$15,310 |
