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 |
29,860 |
$20.32 |
$42,270 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
5,900 |
$16.13 |
$33,550 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
2,600 |
$9.25 |
$19,250 |
| Production occupations |
2,550 |
$14.99 |
$31,170 |
| Sales and related occupations |
2,450 |
$14.62 |
$30,420 |
| Management occupations |
1,850 |
$38.96 |
$81,040 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
1,660 |
$37.46 |
$77,920 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,630 |
$28.68 |
$59,660 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
1,130 |
$23.41 |
$48,690 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
1,120 |
$19.89 |
$41,380 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
1,110 |
$12.76 |
$26,540 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,020 |
$17.95 |
$37,340 |
| Protective service occupations |
970 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
920 |
$11.62 |
$24,170 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
800 |
$10.71 |
$22,270 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
750 |
$14.01 |
$29,140 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
740 |
$28.86 |
$60,030 |
| Office clerks, general |
730 |
$13.28 |
$27,630 |
| Cashiers |
680 |
$10.01 |
$20,820 |
| Retail salespersons |
680 |
$12.37 |
$25,740 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
640 |
$30.31 |
$63,030 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
600 |
$18.09 |
$37,620 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
590 |
$7.64 |
$15,890 |
| Registered nurses |
580 |
$31.73 |
$65,990 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
490 |
$27.52 |
$57,250 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
480 |
$10.79 |
$22,450 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
480 |
$8.03 |
$16,700 |
| General and operations managers |
470 |
$41.41 |
$86,130 |
| Community and social services occupations |
440 |
$25.07 |
$52,150 |
| Legal occupations |
430 |
$41.89 |
$87,120 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
380 |
$12.40 |
$25,790 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
370 |
$10.89 |
$22,660 |
| Management analysts |
360 |
$29.48 |
$61,320 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
350 |
$27.95 |
$58,140 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
340 |
$20.57 |
$42,790 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
330 |
$33.68 |
$70,050 |
| Customer service representatives |
310 |
$15.79 |
$32,850 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
310 |
$13.42 |
$27,910 |
| Accountants and auditors |
300 |
$28.64 |
$59,570 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
290 |
$11.42 |
$23,750 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
290 |
$15.42 |
$32,080 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
280 |
$11.70 |
$24,330 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
270 |
$23.47 |
$48,830 |
| Helpers--production workers |
260 |
$13.28 |
$27,630 |
| Civil engineers |
250 |
$31.26 |
$65,020 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
250 |
$19.15 |
$39,830 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
250 |
$17.16 |
$35,690 |
| Managers, all other |
240 |
$41.10 |
$85,490 |
| Lawyers |
220 |
$48.87 |
$101,650 |
| Bartenders |
210 |
$8.07 |
$16,790 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
200 |
$22.17 |
$46,110 |
| Team assemblers |
200 |
$12.23 |
$25,440 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
190 |
$14.33 |
$29,800 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
190 |
$10.16 |
$21,130 |
| Computer support specialists |
180 |
$22.48 |
$46,760 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
180 |
$27.73 |
$57,680 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
180 |
$12.99 |
$27,020 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
180 |
$9.40 |
$19,540 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
170 |
$20.52 |
$42,670 |
| Machinists |
170 |
$17.84 |
$37,110 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
160 |
$18.67 |
$38,830 |
| Dishwashers |
160 |
$9.45 |
$19,660 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
160 |
$13.10 |
$27,240 |
| Tellers |
160 |
$12.72 |
$26,460 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
150 |
$7.75 |
$16,120 |
| Medical assistants |
150 |
$15.12 |
$31,450 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
150 |
$14.03 |
$29,180 |
| Carpenters |
140 |
$25.89 |
$53,850 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
140 |
$30.99 |
$64,460 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
140 |
$17.29 |
$35,970 |
| Gaming dealers |
140 |
$7.06 |
$14,680 |
| Financial managers |
130 |
$45.03 |
$93,660 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
130 |
$31.82 |
$66,180 |
| Food preparation workers |
130 |
$9.89 |
$20,580 |
| Gaming change persons and booth cashiers |
130 |
$7.87 |
$16,380 |
| Electricians |
120 |
$24.27 |
$50,480 |
| Home health aides |
120 |
$9.93 |
$20,650 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
120 |
$22.82 |
$47,470 |
| Administrative services managers |
110 |
$32.87 |
$68,370 |
| Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic |
110 |
$16.68 |
$34,690 |
| Construction managers |
110 |
$42.43 |
$88,260 |
| Environmental scientists and specialists, including health |
110 |
$31.93 |
$66,420 |
| Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
110 |
$16.11 |
$33,510 |
| Security guards |
110 |
$13.85 |
$28,800 |
| Construction laborers |
100 |
$18.84 |
$39,200 |
| Insurance sales agents |
100 |
$18.37 |
$38,200 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
100 |
$9.80 |
$20,390 |
| Parts salespersons |
100 |
$14.22 |
$29,580 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
100 |
$15.50 |
$32,230 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
100 |
$12.10 |
$25,160 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
100 |
$17.74 |
$36,900 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
90 |
$12.42 |
$25,840 |
| Bill and account collectors |
90 |
$15.29 |
$31,810 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
90 |
$9.50 |
$19,760 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
90 |
$29.29 |
$60,920 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
90 |
$17.49 |
$36,380 |
| Medical and health services managers |
90 |
$45.83 |
$95,330 |
| Bakers |
80 |
$9.26 |
$19,270 |
| Child care workers |
80 |
$8.98 |
$18,670 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
80 |
$39.46 |
$82,080 |
| Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers |
80 |
$13.10 |
$27,240 |
| Engineering managers |
80 |
$48.20 |
$100,250 |
| Legal secretaries |
80 |
$20.30 |
$42,220 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
70 |
$12.12 |
$25,210 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
70 |
$12.83 |
$26,680 |
| Gaming supervisors |
70 |
$16.00 |
$33,270 |
| Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
70 |
$13.00 |
$27,030 |
| Loan officers |
70 |
$30.79 |
$64,040 |
| Pharmacists |
70 |
$53.74 |
$111,780 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
70 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
70 |
$17.39 |
$36,160 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
60 |
$17.89 |
$37,200 |
| Dental assistants |
60 |
$18.98 |
$39,480 |
| Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders |
60 |
$11.45 |
$23,820 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
60 |
$10.30 |
$21,410 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
60 |
$7.85 |
$16,330 |
| Public relations specialists |
60 |
$26.05 |
$54,180 |
| Sales managers |
60 |
$53.60 |
$111,490 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
60 |
$18.54 |
$38,550 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
60 |
$12.63 |
$26,270 |
| Education, training, and library workers, all other |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
50 |
$21.29 |
$44,280 |
| Environmental engineers |
50 |
$34.99 |
$72,770 |
| Family and general practitioners |
50 |
$84.25 |
$175,240 |
| File clerks |
50 |
$10.65 |
$22,140 |
| Food preparation and serving related workers, all other |
50 |
$8.72 |
$18,140 |
| Gaming cage workers |
50 |
$11.57 |
$24,070 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
50 |
$13.67 |
$28,430 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
50 |
$8.75 |
$18,190 |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks |
50 |
$18.20 |
$37,850 |
| Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
50 |
$14.32 |
$29,780 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
50 |
$17.21 |
$35,800 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
50 |
$24.38 |
$50,720 |
| Real estate sales agents |
50 |
$28.31 |
$58,870 |
| Social and community service managers |
50 |
$31.90 |
$66,360 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
40 |
$28.23 |
$58,710 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
40 |
$28.58 |
$59,450 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
40 |
$15.71 |
$32,680 |
| Food service managers |
40 |
$20.53 |
$42,710 |
| Industrial production managers |
40 |
$29.25 |
$60,850 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
40 |
$21.35 |
$44,410 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
40 |
$16.86 |
$35,070 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
40 |
$21.90 |
$45,560 |
| Physical therapists |
40 |
$34.74 |
$72,250 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
40 |
$32.38 |
$67,360 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
40 |
$28.02 |
$58,270 |
| Tool and die makers |
40 |
$22.07 |
$45,900 |
| Training and development specialists |
40 |
$27.45 |
$57,100 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
30 |
$24.99 |
$51,980 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
30 |
$19.46 |
$40,470 |
| Cooks, short order |
30 |
$9.92 |
$20,640 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
30 |
$9.41 |
$19,580 |
| Dentists, general |
30 |
$86.04 |
$178,960 |
| Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
30 |
$10.53 |
$21,900 |
| Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
30 |
$14.99 |
$31,180 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
30 |
$22.74 |
$47,310 |
| Hydrologists |
30 |
$36.27 |
$75,430 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
30 |
$14.95 |
$31,100 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
30 |
$25.09 |
$52,200 |
| Order clerks |
30 |
$11.89 |
$24,740 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
30 |
$11.73 |
$24,400 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
30 |
$15.01 |
$31,210 |
| Cooks, fast food |
Not available |
$7.85 |
$16,320 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
Not available |
$10.47 |
$21,780 |
| Dental hygienists |
Not available |
$43.74 |
$90,980 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
Not available |
$14.07 |
$29,260 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
Not available |
$13.81 |
$28,730 |
| Helpers--electricians |
Not available |
$11.90 |
$24,760 |
| Home appliance repairers |
Not available |
$17.62 |
$36,660 |
| Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other |
Not available |
$21.79 |
$45,320 |
| Medical secretaries |
Not available |
$14.89 |
$30,960 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
Not available |
$29.38 |
$61,110 |
| Printing machine operators |
Not available |
$22.18 |
$46,130 |
| Surgeons |
Not available |
More than $70 |
More than $145,600 |
| Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers |
Not available |
$27.26 |
$56,700 |
