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 |
36,200 |
$15.73 |
$32,710 |
| Production occupations |
6,800 |
$14.17 |
$29,460 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
5,320 |
$13.28 |
$27,620 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
3,560 |
$8.34 |
$17,350 |
| Sales and related occupations |
3,420 |
$14.43 |
$30,010 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
2,640 |
$17.35 |
$36,090 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
2,620 |
$13.74 |
$28,580 |
| Management occupations |
1,830 |
$31.99 |
$66,530 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
1,810 |
$29.74 |
$61,860 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
1,450 |
$16.93 |
$35,210 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
1,260 |
$16.77 |
$34,890 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,200 |
$10.42 |
$21,680 |
| Cashiers |
1,170 |
$7.93 |
$16,500 |
| Retail salespersons |
1,010 |
$11.32 |
$23,550 |
| Production workers, all other |
990 |
$12.83 |
$26,680 |
| Team assemblers |
970 |
$13.86 |
$28,830 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
960 |
$9.41 |
$19,580 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
940 |
$7.10 |
$14,760 |
| Office clerks, general |
890 |
$11.33 |
$23,570 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
820 |
$20.89 |
$43,440 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
760 |
$8.43 |
$17,530 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
690 |
$11.20 |
$23,290 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
660 |
$18.25 |
$37,960 |
| Protective service occupations |
610 |
$17.82 |
$37,060 |
| Registered nurses |
600 |
$27.01 |
$56,180 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
540 |
Not available |
$43,290 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
530 |
$16.97 |
$35,290 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
510 |
$11.73 |
$24,400 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
480 |
$10.64 |
$22,130 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
440 |
$8.05 |
$16,740 |
| Teacher assistants |
440 |
Not available |
$17,330 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
430 |
$13.67 |
$28,440 |
| Customer service representatives |
430 |
$12.17 |
$25,310 |
| General and operations managers |
430 |
$38.49 |
$80,060 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
400 |
$21.62 |
$44,960 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
400 |
$9.38 |
$19,510 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
390 |
$16.56 |
$34,450 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
380 |
$15.83 |
$32,930 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
350 |
$19.27 |
$40,090 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
330 |
$10.74 |
$22,340 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
320 |
$11.78 |
$24,500 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
300 |
$8.90 |
$18,520 |
| Financial managers |
300 |
$27.41 |
$57,020 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
300 |
Not available |
$45,340 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
290 |
$29.45 |
$61,250 |
| Food preparation workers |
290 |
$7.82 |
$16,260 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
290 |
$8.53 |
$17,730 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
290 |
$10.06 |
$20,930 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
280 |
$15.13 |
$31,480 |
| Community and social services occupations |
270 |
$18.73 |
$38,960 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
260 |
$13.80 |
$28,700 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
260 |
$11.74 |
$24,420 |
| Chemical equipment operators and tenders |
260 |
$28.40 |
$59,070 |
| Sewing machine operators |
250 |
$9.42 |
$19,600 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
230 |
$14.35 |
$29,850 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
230 |
Not available |
$43,640 |
| Construction laborers |
220 |
$12.64 |
$26,280 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
220 |
$10.78 |
$22,420 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
220 |
$33.07 |
$68,790 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
220 |
$12.98 |
$27,000 |
| Cooks, fast food |
210 |
$7.90 |
$16,430 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
210 |
$9.87 |
$20,520 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
210 |
$19.59 |
$40,750 |
| Tellers |
210 |
$11.55 |
$24,030 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
200 |
$21.53 |
$44,780 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
190 |
$10.85 |
$22,560 |
| Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
180 |
$13.16 |
$27,370 |
| Loan officers |
180 |
$17.89 |
$37,220 |
| Accountants and auditors |
170 |
$24.46 |
$50,870 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
170 |
$14.11 |
$29,350 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
170 |
$12.61 |
$26,230 |
| Machine feeders and offbearers |
160 |
$11.47 |
$23,860 |
| Electricians |
150 |
$29.33 |
$61,000 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
150 |
$11.05 |
$22,990 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
150 |
$14.62 |
$30,410 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
150 |
$12.59 |
$26,200 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
140 |
$21.89 |
$45,540 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
140 |
$22.60 |
$47,010 |
| Helpers--production workers |
130 |
$12.19 |
$25,350 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
130 |
$16.94 |
$35,230 |
| Machinists |
130 |
$18.61 |
$38,710 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
120 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Dishwashers |
120 |
$7.94 |
$16,520 |
| Medical assistants |
120 |
$12.93 |
$26,890 |
| Chief executives |
110 |
$60.57 |
$125,980 |
| Food service managers |
110 |
$20.41 |
$42,450 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
110 |
$7.91 |
$16,440 |
| Insurance sales agents |
110 |
$26.96 |
$56,090 |
| Legal occupations |
110 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Parts salespersons |
110 |
$13.56 |
$28,200 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
110 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
110 |
$12.32 |
$25,620 |
| Bakers |
100 |
$12.09 |
$25,140 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
100 |
$13.83 |
$28,760 |
| Child care workers |
100 |
$8.17 |
$17,000 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
100 |
$24.19 |
$50,320 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
100 |
$12.79 |
$26,600 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
100 |
$24.06 |
$50,050 |
| Recreation workers |
100 |
$7.50 |
$15,600 |
| Administrative services managers |
90 |
$18.14 |
$37,730 |
| Carpenters |
90 |
$16.11 |
$33,520 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
90 |
$8.83 |
$18,370 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
90 |
$19.71 |
$41,000 |
| Home health aides |
90 |
$9.07 |
$18,860 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
90 |
$16.67 |
$34,680 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
80 |
$21.84 |
$45,430 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
80 |
$10.42 |
$21,680 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
80 |
$15.06 |
$31,330 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
80 |
$7.03 |
$14,620 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
80 |
Not available |
$72,820 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
80 |
Not available |
$41,370 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
80 |
$17.34 |
$36,060 |
| Medical secretaries |
80 |
$13.17 |
$27,390 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
70 |
$7.53 |
$15,670 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
70 |
$13.90 |
$28,910 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
70 |
$16.83 |
$35,000 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
70 |
$10.12 |
$21,040 |
| Driver/sales workers |
70 |
$14.32 |
$29,790 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
70 |
$16.02 |
$33,310 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
70 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Pharmacists |
70 |
$59.13 |
$122,980 |
| Photographers |
70 |
$11.07 |
$23,030 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
70 |
$13.76 |
$28,620 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
70 |
$18.44 |
$38,350 |
| Sales managers |
70 |
$40.83 |
$84,920 |
| Security guards |
70 |
$9.61 |
$19,980 |
| Vocational education teachers, secondary school |
70 |
Not available |
$41,900 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
70 |
$14.74 |
$30,670 |
| Bartenders |
60 |
$8.66 |
$18,020 |
| Dental hygienists |
60 |
$25.02 |
$52,040 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
60 |
$10.83 |
$22,530 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
60 |
$7.32 |
$15,220 |
| Legislators |
60 |
Not available |
$14,600 |
| Medical and health services managers |
60 |
$35.27 |
$73,360 |
| Order clerks |
60 |
$13.06 |
$27,170 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
60 |
$14.43 |
$30,010 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
60 |
Not available |
$42,280 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
60 |
$9.15 |
$19,040 |
| Bus drivers, school |
50 |
$9.64 |
$20,040 |
| Chemical technicians |
50 |
$25.80 |
$53,670 |
| Computer systems analysts |
50 |
$22.80 |
$47,430 |
| Dental assistants |
50 |
$14.41 |
$29,970 |
| Industrial production managers |
50 |
$37.43 |
$77,850 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
50 |
More than $70 |
More than $145,600 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
50 |
$26.57 |
$55,260 |
| Tool and die makers |
50 |
$17.84 |
$37,110 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
50 |
$14.89 |
$30,970 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
40 |
$13.85 |
$28,810 |
| Coaches and scouts |
40 |
Not available |
$36,160 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
40 |
$23.90 |
$49,700 |
| Computer programmers |
40 |
$19.56 |
$40,680 |
| Computer support specialists |
40 |
$15.52 |
$32,290 |
| Crossing guards |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Financial specialists, all other |
40 |
$21.36 |
$44,420 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
40 |
$16.69 |
$34,720 |
| Graphic designers |
40 |
$14.42 |
$30,000 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
40 |
$8.29 |
$17,250 |
| Librarians |
40 |
$21.10 |
$43,880 |
| Managers, all other |
40 |
$29.02 |
$60,350 |
| Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators |
40 |
$15.57 |
$32,380 |
| Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood |
40 |
$11.59 |
$24,100 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
40 |
Not available |
$42,590 |
| Detectives and criminal investigators |
30 |
$21.08 |
$43,850 |
| File clerks |
30 |
$9.28 |
$19,300 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
30 |
$42.51 |
$88,420 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
30 |
$14.96 |
$31,120 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
30 |
$14.42 |
$30,000 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
30 |
$16.42 |
$34,150 |
| Purchasing managers |
30 |
$28.28 |
$58,820 |
| Training and development specialists |
30 |
$18.87 |
$39,250 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
30 |
$20.72 |
$43,100 |
| Bill and account collectors |
Not available |
$12.80 |
$26,620 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
Not available |
$15.05 |
$31,300 |
| Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
Not available |
$12.33 |
$25,640 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
Not available |
$10.75 |
$22,370 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
Not available |
$15.93 |
$33,140 |
| Industrial engineers |
Not available |
$32.62 |
$67,850 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
Not available |
$17.84 |
$37,100 |
| Personal and home care aides |
Not available |
$9.07 |
$18,860 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
Not available |
$8.22 |
$17,100 |
| Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials |
Not available |
$8.66 |
$18,010 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
Not available |
$10.87 |
$22,600 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
Not available |
$34.63 |
$72,030 |
| Self-enrichment education teachers |
Not available |
$14.32 |
$29,790 |
| Tour guides and escorts |
Not available |
$7.95 |
$16,530 |
