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 |
76,840 |
$15.91 |
$33,090 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
14,490 |
$13.39 |
$27,860 |
| Sales and related occupations |
8,220 |
$12.51 |
$26,020 |
| Production occupations |
8,210 |
$14.74 |
$30,660 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
7,800 |
$8.16 |
$16,960 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
6,350 |
$12.64 |
$26,290 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
5,560 |
$21.19 |
$44,080 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
4,020 |
$17.99 |
$37,410 |
| Customer service representatives |
3,370 |
$13.27 |
$27,600 |
| Management occupations |
3,350 |
$34.84 |
$72,460 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
3,050 |
$28.63 |
$59,560 |
| Retail salespersons |
3,040 |
$10.79 |
$22,440 |
| Team assemblers |
2,810 |
$14.68 |
$30,530 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,780 |
$15.63 |
$32,510 |
| Cashiers |
2,570 |
$7.91 |
$16,460 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
2,180 |
$10.26 |
$21,330 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
2,030 |
$7.64 |
$15,890 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
2,020 |
$25.07 |
$52,140 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,930 |
$7.65 |
$15,900 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,840 |
$11.63 |
$24,180 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,830 |
$16.35 |
$34,000 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,490 |
$11.59 |
$24,100 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,450 |
$8.77 |
$18,230 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
1,450 |
$11.50 |
$23,920 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
1,220 |
Not available |
$52,880 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
1,090 |
$17.60 |
$36,610 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
1,070 |
$10.00 |
$20,810 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
1,030 |
$11.38 |
$23,660 |
| Community and social services occupations |
980 |
$18.10 |
$37,640 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
880 |
$11.69 |
$24,310 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
870 |
$26.02 |
$54,110 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
860 |
$14.24 |
$29,630 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
820 |
$28.54 |
$59,360 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
820 |
$17.62 |
$36,640 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
810 |
$14.47 |
$30,090 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
810 |
$10.50 |
$21,840 |
| Registered nurses |
800 |
$25.97 |
$54,010 |
| Driver/sales workers |
760 |
$9.68 |
$20,140 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
750 |
$17.01 |
$35,370 |
| General and operations managers |
740 |
$39.05 |
$81,230 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
700 |
$14.76 |
$30,700 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
690 |
Not available |
$53,630 |
| Teacher assistants |
690 |
Not available |
$22,930 |
| Security guards |
680 |
$16.28 |
$33,850 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
640 |
$11.33 |
$23,570 |
| Child care workers |
620 |
$7.42 |
$15,430 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
620 |
$14.00 |
$29,120 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
600 |
$8.84 |
$18,390 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
580 |
$16.77 |
$34,880 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
560 |
Not available |
$52,600 |
| Construction laborers |
550 |
$12.25 |
$25,480 |
| Tellers |
550 |
$11.24 |
$23,380 |
| Cooks, fast food |
540 |
$6.86 |
$14,270 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
540 |
$8.02 |
$16,680 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
520 |
$14.46 |
$30,070 |
| Aircraft mechanics and service technicians |
490 |
$23.09 |
$48,020 |
| Food preparation workers |
490 |
$7.74 |
$16,090 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
480 |
$10.29 |
$21,410 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
480 |
$11.74 |
$24,420 |
| Bus drivers, school |
460 |
$13.23 |
$27,510 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
440 |
$16.75 |
$34,830 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
440 |
$21.92 |
$45,580 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
420 |
$8.87 |
$18,440 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
400 |
$27.71 |
$57,630 |
| Carpenters |
400 |
$15.55 |
$32,350 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
400 |
$16.55 |
$34,410 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
370 |
$24.68 |
$51,330 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
360 |
$10.76 |
$22,380 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
350 |
$11.62 |
$24,170 |
| Dishwashers |
340 |
$7.24 |
$15,050 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
340 |
Not available |
$39,100 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
330 |
$14.75 |
$30,680 |
| Education administrators, all other |
320 |
$30.98 |
$64,440 |
| Electricians |
310 |
$18.66 |
$38,820 |
| Computer systems analysts |
300 |
$26.39 |
$54,890 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
290 |
$15.44 |
$32,120 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
280 |
$25.15 |
$52,300 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
280 |
$26.57 |
$55,260 |
| Machinists |
280 |
$17.67 |
$36,750 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
280 |
$16.95 |
$35,260 |
| Printing machine operators |
280 |
$16.06 |
$33,400 |
| Accountants and auditors |
270 |
$23.90 |
$49,710 |
| Dental assistants |
270 |
$14.19 |
$29,510 |
| Financial managers |
270 |
$34.76 |
$72,300 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
270 |
Not available |
Not available |
| All other information and record clerks |
260 |
$16.21 |
$33,720 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
260 |
$7.84 |
$16,300 |
| Medical assistants |
260 |
$10.89 |
$22,640 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
240 |
$21.85 |
$45,450 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
230 |
$18.43 |
$38,330 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
230 |
$12.38 |
$25,760 |
| Fire fighters |
220 |
$18.17 |
$37,800 |
| Food service managers |
220 |
$15.43 |
$32,090 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
220 |
$8.55 |
$17,780 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
220 |
$19.67 |
$40,910 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
210 |
$20.91 |
$43,490 |
| Chief executives |
200 |
$74.32 |
$154,590 |
| Parts salespersons |
200 |
$12.43 |
$25,850 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
190 |
$15.42 |
$32,070 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
190 |
$9.17 |
$19,080 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
190 |
$15.56 |
$32,370 |
| Helpers--production workers |
190 |
$11.52 |
$23,960 |
| Production workers, all other |
190 |
$10.80 |
$22,460 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
180 |
$14.42 |
$30,000 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
180 |
Not available |
$81,090 |
| Education, training, and library workers, all other |
180 |
$12.65 |
$26,310 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
180 |
$12.91 |
$26,850 |
| Insurance sales agents |
180 |
$22.13 |
$46,040 |
| Legal occupations |
180 |
$29.95 |
$62,290 |
| Medical secretaries |
180 |
$11.58 |
$24,100 |
| Cooks, short order |
170 |
$7.41 |
$15,420 |
| Industrial engineers |
170 |
$33.25 |
$69,170 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
170 |
Not available |
$54,500 |
| Pharmacists |
170 |
$51.56 |
$107,240 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
160 |
$10.51 |
$21,850 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
160 |
$12.41 |
$25,820 |
| Computer support specialists |
150 |
$23.50 |
$48,880 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
150 |
$7.53 |
$15,660 |
| Loan officers |
150 |
$25.40 |
$52,820 |
| Managers, all other |
150 |
$31.72 |
$65,980 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
150 |
$20.82 |
$43,300 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
150 |
Not available |
$55,300 |
| Librarians |
140 |
$21.78 |
$45,300 |
| Bartenders |
130 |
$7.40 |
$15,400 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
130 |
$18.95 |
$39,420 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
130 |
$17.02 |
$35,390 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
130 |
$25.47 |
$52,970 |
| Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
130 |
$17.94 |
$37,320 |
| Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers |
120 |
$11.45 |
$23,810 |
| Cost estimators |
120 |
$27.12 |
$56,420 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
120 |
$14.20 |
$29,540 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
120 |
$21.13 |
$43,950 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
120 |
$7.87 |
$16,360 |
| Legal secretaries |
120 |
$13.66 |
$28,420 |
| Sales managers |
120 |
$44.51 |
$92,590 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
110 |
$14.28 |
$29,700 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
110 |
$20.89 |
$43,450 |
| Dental hygienists |
110 |
$29.02 |
$60,360 |
| Industrial engineering technicians |
110 |
$23.14 |
$48,130 |
| Medical and health services managers |
110 |
$32.23 |
$67,030 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
110 |
$17.41 |
$36,220 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
110 |
$18.73 |
$38,960 |
| Training and development specialists |
110 |
$26.49 |
$55,100 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
100 |
$13.78 |
$28,660 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
100 |
$45.58 |
$94,800 |
| Detectives and criminal investigators |
100 |
$19.49 |
$40,550 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
100 |
$13.20 |
$27,460 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
100 |
$26.45 |
$55,010 |
| Industrial production managers |
100 |
$34.31 |
$71,360 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
100 |
$11.20 |
$23,310 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
100 |
$15.25 |
$31,720 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
100 |
$80.36 |
$167,140 |
| Special education teachers, middle school |
100 |
Not available |
$52,780 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
90 |
$15.81 |
$32,890 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
90 |
$23.88 |
$49,670 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
90 |
$23.59 |
$49,070 |
| Tax preparers |
90 |
$11.07 |
$23,020 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
80 |
$12.96 |
$26,960 |
| Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders |
80 |
$12.51 |
$26,010 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
80 |
$32.55 |
$67,710 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
80 |
$7.86 |
$16,340 |
| Engineering managers |
80 |
$41.19 |
$85,680 |
| Financial specialists, all other |
80 |
$19.61 |
$40,780 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
80 |
$12.76 |
$26,540 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
80 |
$11.62 |
$24,170 |
| Lawyers |
80 |
$44.50 |
$92,550 |
| Management analysts |
80 |
$29.05 |
$60,420 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
80 |
$15.04 |
$31,290 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
80 |
$17.29 |
$35,960 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
80 |
$8.46 |
$17,590 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
80 |
$14.16 |
$29,450 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
80 |
$16.99 |
$35,340 |
| Recreation workers |
80 |
$9.45 |
$19,650 |
| Social and human service assistants |
80 |
$11.76 |
$24,460 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
80 |
Not available |
$51,340 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
80 |
$9.70 |
$20,180 |
| Transportation inspectors |
80 |
$23.20 |
$48,250 |
| Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers |
80 |
$7.91 |
$16,460 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
80 |
$16.47 |
$34,250 |
| Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists |
70 |
$30.04 |
$62,490 |
| Education administrators, postsecondary |
70 |
$39.79 |
$82,770 |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers |
70 |
$20.37 |
$42,370 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and prevention workers |
70 |
$22.39 |
$46,570 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
70 |
$10.58 |
$22,010 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
70 |
$27.56 |
$57,330 |
| Administrative services managers |
60 |
$25.92 |
$53,910 |
| Bill and account collectors |
60 |
$14.74 |
$30,670 |
| Budget analysts |
60 |
$28.17 |
$58,590 |
| Computer operators |
60 |
$18.15 |
$37,760 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
60 |
$29.84 |
$62,060 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
60 |
$18.30 |
$38,060 |
| Credit analysts |
60 |
$29.33 |
$61,010 |
| Engineers, all other |
60 |
$36.02 |
$74,910 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
60 |
$18.80 |
$39,100 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
60 |
$10.68 |
$22,210 |
| Graphic designers |
60 |
$16.44 |
$34,190 |
| Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
60 |
$10.72 |
$22,310 |
| Library technicians |
60 |
$12.66 |
$26,340 |
| Logisticians |
60 |
$35.39 |
$73,610 |
| Mechanical engineers |
60 |
$30.39 |
$63,200 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
60 |
$18.01 |
$37,460 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
60 |
$14.69 |
$30,560 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
60 |
$17.01 |
$35,390 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
60 |
$14.91 |
$31,020 |
| Procurement clerks |
60 |
$17.65 |
$36,710 |
| Public relations specialists |
60 |
$20.50 |
$42,640 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
60 |
$20.61 |
$42,870 |
| Real estate sales agents |
60 |
$16.17 |
$33,630 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
60 |
$40.67 |
$84,590 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
60 |
$10.03 |
$20,870 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
60 |
$35.71 |
$74,270 |
| Word processors and typists |
60 |
$13.44 |
$27,950 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
50 |
$14.44 |
$30,040 |
| Computer programmers |
50 |
$20.81 |
$43,290 |
| Education administrators, preschool and child care center/program |
50 |
$14.41 |
$29,960 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
50 |
$25.85 |
$53,760 |
| Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other |
50 |
$32.17 |
$66,920 |
| Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse |
50 |
$10.26 |
$21,350 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
50 |
$24.73 |
$51,440 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Funeral directors |
50 |
$17.87 |
$37,170 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
50 |
$14.38 |
$29,900 |
| Marketing managers |
50 |
$36.76 |
$76,460 |
| Occupational health and safety specialists |
50 |
$29.00 |
$60,330 |
| Physician assistants |
50 |
$34.15 |
$71,040 |
| Postal service clerks |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials |
50 |
$7.64 |
$15,890 |
| Sheet metal workers |
50 |
$14.49 |
$30,130 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
50 |
$28.00 |
$58,240 |
| Structural metal fabricators and fitters |
50 |
$16.41 |
$34,130 |
| Tool and die makers |
50 |
$18.89 |
$39,290 |
| Veterinarians |
50 |
$48.81 |
$101,520 |
| Vocational education teachers, postsecondary |
50 |
$19.26 |
$40,070 |
| Vocational education teachers, secondary school |
50 |
Not available |
$52,890 |
| Civil engineers |
40 |
$31.59 |
$65,710 |
| Computer software engineers, systems software |
40 |
$33.91 |
$70,540 |
| Data entry keyers |
40 |
$14.20 |
$29,540 |
| Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment |
40 |
$26.91 |
$55,980 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
40 |
$17.95 |
$37,340 |
| File clerks |
40 |
$9.86 |
$20,500 |
| Floral designers |
40 |
$9.54 |
$19,840 |
| Instructional coordinators |
40 |
$27.63 |
$57,460 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
40 |
$11.88 |
$24,720 |
| Market research analysts |
40 |
$23.01 |
$47,850 |
| Massage therapists |
40 |
$12.86 |
$26,750 |
| Meter readers, utilities |
40 |
$11.40 |
$23,720 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
40 |
$17.49 |
$36,370 |
| Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators |
40 |
$13.40 |
$27,880 |
| Pest control workers |
40 |
$13.05 |
$27,150 |
| Protective service workers, all other |
40 |
$13.03 |
$27,100 |
| Residential advisors |
40 |
$8.34 |
$17,350 |
| Social and community service managers |
40 |
$20.96 |
$43,600 |
| Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping |
40 |
$13.01 |
$27,060 |
| Advertising sales agents |
30 |
$14.39 |
$29,940 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
30 |
$16.43 |
$34,170 |
| Dentists, general |
30 |
$71.84 |
$149,420 |
| Electrical engineers |
30 |
$35.97 |
$74,820 |
| Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
30 |
$13.83 |
$28,760 |
| Maintenance workers, machinery |
30 |
$17.38 |
$36,150 |
| New accounts clerks |
30 |
$14.05 |
$29,220 |
| Physical therapists |
30 |
$40.44 |
$84,110 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
30 |
$16.11 |
$33,510 |
| Respiratory therapists |
30 |
$20.46 |
$42,560 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
30 |
$24.57 |
$51,100 |
| Coaches and scouts |
Not available |
Not available |
$20,730 |
| Construction managers |
Not available |
$28.31 |
$58,890 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
Not available |
$13.45 |
$27,980 |
| Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders |
Not available |
$12.78 |
$26,580 |
| Family and general practitioners |
Not available |
$79.45 |
$165,250 |
| Funeral attendants |
Not available |
$8.21 |
$17,080 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
Not available |
$14.53 |
$30,210 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
Not available |
$10.46 |
$21,760 |
| Helpers--electricians |
Not available |
$11.94 |
$24,830 |
| Home health aides |
Not available |
$9.58 |
$19,930 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
Not available |
$9.08 |
$18,890 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
Not available |
$10.41 |
$21,650 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
Not available |
$22.59 |
$46,990 |
| Ophthalmic laboratory technicians |
Not available |
$11.73 |
$24,400 |
| Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics |
Not available |
$11.16 |
$23,210 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
Not available |
$9.84 |
$20,470 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
Not available |
$13.84 |
$28,780 |
| Painters, transportation equipment |
Not available |
$23.39 |
$48,660 |
| Pipelayers |
Not available |
$17.11 |
$35,600 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
Not available |
$18.01 |
$37,460 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
Not available |
$14.37 |
$29,890 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
Not available |
$34.63 |
$72,030 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
Not available |
$26.68 |
$55,490 |
