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 |
71,920 |
$22.25 |
$46,290 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
13,420 |
$17.46 |
$36,320 |
| Sales and related occupations |
10,540 |
$18.95 |
$39,420 |
| Production occupations |
5,400 |
$17.34 |
$36,070 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
5,160 |
$11.78 |
$24,510 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
4,710 |
$25.22 |
$52,450 |
| Retail salespersons |
4,540 |
$14.01 |
$29,140 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
4,040 |
$36.92 |
$76,800 |
| Management occupations |
3,900 |
$51.83 |
$107,800 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
3,660 |
$15.89 |
$33,050 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,720 |
$22.94 |
$47,710 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
2,620 |
$14.74 |
$30,660 |
| Cashiers |
2,520 |
$9.73 |
$20,240 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,510 |
$22.77 |
$47,360 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
2,390 |
$14.13 |
$29,390 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
2,290 |
$31.43 |
$65,370 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,900 |
$13.13 |
$27,300 |
| Customer service representatives |
1,820 |
$18.08 |
$37,600 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
1,660 |
$13.97 |
$29,050 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
1,610 |
$19.31 |
$40,160 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
1,590 |
$32.92 |
$68,480 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,470 |
$14.61 |
$30,390 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
1,390 |
$36.28 |
$75,460 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,290 |
$10.02 |
$20,850 |
| Registered nurses |
1,230 |
$33.85 |
$70,400 |
| Community and social services occupations |
1,180 |
$24.98 |
$51,960 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
1,130 |
$13.05 |
$27,140 |
| General and operations managers |
1,090 |
$62.03 |
$129,030 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,040 |
$16.79 |
$34,930 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
1,000 |
$12.27 |
$25,520 |
| Protective service occupations |
990 |
$22.25 |
$46,270 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
980 |
$13.16 |
$27,360 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
980 |
$45.71 |
$95,080 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
900 |
$22.01 |
$45,790 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
880 |
$26.34 |
$54,780 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
850 |
$20.04 |
$41,680 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
850 |
$13.75 |
$28,610 |
| Teacher assistants |
850 |
Not available |
$25,750 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
720 |
Not available |
$63,290 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
720 |
$19.44 |
$40,430 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
710 |
$19.68 |
$40,940 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
690 |
$15.72 |
$32,710 |
| Accountants and auditors |
570 |
$31.51 |
$65,530 |
| Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers |
540 |
$14.56 |
$30,290 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
540 |
Not available |
$63,780 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
530 |
$15.70 |
$32,650 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
520 |
$17.01 |
$35,380 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
490 |
$11.21 |
$23,320 |
| Food preparation workers |
480 |
$11.14 |
$23,160 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
460 |
$15.41 |
$32,050 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
450 |
Not available |
$65,790 |
| Personal and home care aides |
430 |
$10.42 |
$21,670 |
| Carpenters |
420 |
$23.08 |
$48,000 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
420 |
$29.13 |
$60,580 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
420 |
$38.42 |
$79,920 |
| Electricians |
410 |
$28.08 |
$58,420 |
| Team assemblers |
410 |
$16.36 |
$34,030 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
390 |
$26.98 |
$56,130 |
| Construction laborers |
390 |
$17.63 |
$36,670 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
380 |
$14.92 |
$31,020 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
370 |
$9.21 |
$19,160 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
370 |
$15.91 |
$33,090 |
| Financial managers |
360 |
$47.84 |
$99,510 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
360 |
$10.41 |
$21,650 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
360 |
$21.55 |
$44,830 |
| Electromechanical equipment assemblers |
350 |
$15.34 |
$31,900 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
350 |
$23.66 |
$49,200 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
350 |
$23.81 |
$49,520 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
350 |
$33.02 |
$68,670 |
| Electrical engineers |
330 |
$38.56 |
$80,200 |
| Child care workers |
320 |
$10.41 |
$21,660 |
| Computer programmers |
320 |
$39.15 |
$81,440 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
310 |
$19.64 |
$40,850 |
| Sales managers |
310 |
$53.34 |
$110,950 |
| Machinists |
300 |
$20.25 |
$42,110 |
| Cooks, fast food |
290 |
$10.60 |
$22,050 |
| Mechanical engineers |
290 |
$38.69 |
$80,470 |
| Medical assistants |
290 |
$15.52 |
$32,270 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
280 |
$40.80 |
$84,870 |
| Management analysts |
280 |
$38.35 |
$79,780 |
| Tellers |
280 |
$14.78 |
$30,750 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
270 |
$17.68 |
$36,770 |
| Medical and health services managers |
270 |
$48.98 |
$101,880 |
| Legal occupations |
260 |
$44.21 |
$91,960 |
| Security guards |
260 |
$14.05 |
$29,230 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
250 |
$27.01 |
$56,180 |
| Computer support specialists |
230 |
$22.20 |
$46,180 |
| Dental hygienists |
230 |
$34.10 |
$70,920 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
230 |
$26.92 |
$56,000 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
230 |
$12.46 |
$25,920 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
220 |
$30.41 |
$63,250 |
| Order clerks |
220 |
$16.38 |
$34,080 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
220 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Training and development specialists |
220 |
$30.77 |
$64,000 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
210 |
$24.32 |
$50,590 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
210 |
$14.09 |
$29,310 |
| Dishwashers |
210 |
$9.47 |
$19,690 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
210 |
$27.79 |
$57,800 |
| Medical secretaries |
200 |
$15.96 |
$33,200 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
200 |
$21.33 |
$44,370 |
| Bartenders |
190 |
$12.55 |
$26,100 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
190 |
$18.59 |
$38,670 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
190 |
$11.04 |
$22,970 |
| Physical therapists |
190 |
$34.88 |
$72,550 |
| Engineering managers |
180 |
$58.34 |
$121,350 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
180 |
$34.87 |
$72,520 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
180 |
$10.80 |
$22,470 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
180 |
$24.34 |
$50,620 |
| Administrative services managers |
170 |
$38.65 |
$80,390 |
| Data entry keyers |
170 |
$16.69 |
$34,710 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
170 |
$23.11 |
$48,060 |
| Social and human service assistants |
170 |
$25.86 |
$53,780 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
160 |
$22.29 |
$46,370 |
| Chief executives |
160 |
$94.16 |
$195,840 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
160 |
$15.91 |
$33,100 |
| Dental assistants |
160 |
$17.46 |
$36,310 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
160 |
$29.48 |
$61,330 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
150 |
$14.82 |
$30,820 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
150 |
$11.89 |
$24,740 |
| Managers, all other |
150 |
$45.31 |
$94,240 |
| Computer systems analysts |
140 |
$37.83 |
$78,690 |
| Industrial production managers |
140 |
$42.55 |
$88,500 |
| Lawyers |
140 |
$61.30 |
$127,500 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
140 |
$36.24 |
$75,380 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
140 |
$16.07 |
$33,430 |
| Self-enrichment education teachers |
140 |
$22.26 |
$46,310 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
130 |
$10.88 |
$22,640 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
130 |
$51.77 |
$107,670 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
130 |
$22.94 |
$47,720 |
| Mental health counselors |
130 |
$15.38 |
$31,980 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
130 |
$25.44 |
$52,920 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
120 |
$19.19 |
$39,920 |
| File clerks |
120 |
$12.56 |
$26,110 |
| Graphic designers |
120 |
$24.35 |
$50,650 |
| Insurance sales agents |
120 |
$27.90 |
$58,030 |
| Loan officers |
120 |
$28.26 |
$58,770 |
| Pharmacists |
120 |
$53.45 |
$111,190 |
| Recreation workers |
120 |
$14.43 |
$30,000 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
120 |
$17.89 |
$37,210 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
110 |
$13.24 |
$27,540 |
| Computer software engineers, systems software |
110 |
$49.02 |
$101,950 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
110 |
$8.83 |
$18,370 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
110 |
Not available |
$106,460 |
| Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment |
110 |
$20.24 |
$42,100 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
110 |
$21.40 |
$44,520 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
110 |
$37.26 |
$77,500 |
| Helpers--production workers |
110 |
$12.66 |
$26,330 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
110 |
$9.70 |
$20,170 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
110 |
$16.02 |
$33,310 |
| Marketing managers |
110 |
$49.36 |
$102,670 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
110 |
$12.50 |
$25,990 |
| Coaches and scouts |
100 |
Not available |
$25,510 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
100 |
$33.94 |
$70,590 |
| Industrial engineers |
100 |
$37.14 |
$77,250 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
100 |
$18.40 |
$38,270 |
| Librarians |
100 |
$30.08 |
$62,570 |
| Market research analysts |
100 |
$29.15 |
$60,640 |
| Mechanical drafters |
100 |
$23.82 |
$49,550 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
100 |
$23.46 |
$48,790 |
| Parts salespersons |
100 |
$19.29 |
$40,130 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
100 |
$49.51 |
$102,990 |
| Service station attendants |
100 |
$10.55 |
$21,930 |
| Social and community service managers |
100 |
$28.90 |
$60,110 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
100 |
$14.98 |
$31,150 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
90 |
$25.11 |
$52,220 |
| Cooks, short order |
90 |
$12.31 |
$25,600 |
| Cost estimators |
90 |
$31.08 |
$64,650 |
| Driver/sales workers |
90 |
$16.39 |
$34,090 |
| Electronics engineers, except computer |
90 |
$34.45 |
$71,650 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
90 |
$22.11 |
$46,000 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
90 |
$17.77 |
$36,970 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
90 |
$14.14 |
$29,410 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
90 |
$77.49 |
$161,180 |
| Sales engineers |
90 |
$34.74 |
$72,270 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
90 |
$14.97 |
$31,140 |
| Electro-mechanical technicians |
80 |
$21.33 |
$44,370 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
80 |
$27.79 |
$57,800 |
| Food service managers |
80 |
$21.19 |
$44,070 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
80 |
$26.08 |
$54,250 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
80 |
$17.78 |
$36,980 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
80 |
$34.78 |
$72,330 |
| Numerical tool and process control programmers |
80 |
$19.68 |
$40,930 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
80 |
$27.25 |
$56,670 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
80 |
Not available |
$65,420 |
| Surgeons |
80 |
$104.12 |
$216,570 |
| Telemarketers |
80 |
$11.04 |
$22,950 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
80 |
$22.65 |
$47,100 |
| Bakers |
70 |
$14.78 |
$30,740 |
| Chefs and head cooks |
70 |
$19.19 |
$39,920 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
70 |
$21.95 |
$45,670 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
70 |
$18.42 |
$38,320 |
| Dentists, general |
70 |
$74.96 |
$155,920 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
70 |
Not available |
$53,170 |
| Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
70 |
$18.71 |
$38,910 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
70 |
$18.52 |
$38,510 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
70 |
$29.86 |
$62,120 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
70 |
$10.70 |
$22,260 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
70 |
$19.48 |
$40,520 |
| Physician assistants |
70 |
$42.31 |
$88,000 |
| Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials |
70 |
$10.33 |
$21,490 |
| Purchasing managers |
70 |
$44.98 |
$93,560 |
| Sewing machine operators |
70 |
$12.10 |
$25,170 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
70 |
$15.03 |
$31,260 |
| Word processors and typists |
70 |
$17.09 |
$35,550 |
| Advertising sales agents |
60 |
$40.52 |
$84,280 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
60 |
$19.24 |
$40,020 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
60 |
$33.18 |
$69,010 |
| Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic |
60 |
$21.89 |
$45,530 |
| Construction managers |
60 |
$44.93 |
$93,450 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
60 |
$17.63 |
$36,670 |
| Helpers--electricians |
60 |
$18.90 |
$39,310 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
60 |
$18.73 |
$38,960 |
| Library technicians |
60 |
$17.09 |
$35,550 |
| Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers |
60 |
$10.70 |
$22,250 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
60 |
$24.74 |
$51,460 |
| Printing machine operators |
60 |
$16.79 |
$34,920 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
60 |
Not available |
$62,670 |
| Tool and die makers |
60 |
$27.94 |
$58,110 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
50 |
$22.83 |
$47,500 |
| Civil engineers |
50 |
$36.90 |
$76,750 |
| Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists |
50 |
$37.10 |
$77,170 |
| Demonstrators and product promoters |
50 |
$13.08 |
$27,200 |
| Diagnostic medical sonographers |
50 |
$34.70 |
$72,170 |
| Engineers, all other |
50 |
$43.19 |
$89,840 |
| Financial specialists, all other |
50 |
$20.23 |
$42,070 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
50 |
$26.18 |
$54,450 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
50 |
$36.50 |
$75,920 |
| Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
50 |
$17.26 |
$35,900 |
| Instructional coordinators |
50 |
$36.35 |
$75,620 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
50 |
$17.30 |
$35,990 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
50 |
$15.39 |
$32,010 |
| Occupational therapists |
50 |
$34.63 |
$72,040 |
| Pediatricians, general |
50 |
$67.43 |
$140,260 |
| Postal service clerks |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Speech-language pathologists |
50 |
$36.64 |
$76,220 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
40 |
$22.59 |
$46,990 |
| Compensation and benefits managers |
40 |
$37.47 |
$77,940 |
| Computer operators |
40 |
$23.79 |
$49,480 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists |
40 |
$31.03 |
$64,540 |
| Education administrators, preschool and child care center/program |
40 |
$21.57 |
$44,860 |
| Electrical and electronics drafters |
40 |
$24.69 |
$51,350 |
| Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders |
40 |
$12.21 |
$25,390 |
| Floral designers |
40 |
$13.93 |
$28,980 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
40 |
$28.17 |
$58,580 |
| Interior designers |
40 |
$19.83 |
$41,240 |
| Internists, general |
40 |
More than $70 |
More than $145,600 |
| Legal secretaries |
40 |
$21.57 |
$44,860 |
| Logisticians |
40 |
$30.45 |
$63,340 |
| Personal financial advisors |
40 |
$50.99 |
$106,060 |
| Plating and coating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
40 |
$15.33 |
$31,890 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Procurement clerks |
40 |
$17.62 |
$36,650 |
| Public relations specialists |
40 |
$32.34 |
$67,270 |
| Special education teachers, middle school |
40 |
Not available |
$68,590 |
| Structural metal fabricators and fitters |
40 |
$16.31 |
$33,930 |
| Surveyors |
40 |
$30.14 |
$62,700 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
40 |
$10.68 |
$22,210 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
40 |
$36.98 |
$76,920 |
| Travel agents |
40 |
$19.51 |
$40,570 |
| Veterinarians |
40 |
$61.37 |
$127,640 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
40 |
$20.44 |
$42,520 |
| Couriers and messengers |
30 |
$12.81 |
$26,640 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
30 |
$20.41 |
$42,450 |
| Human resources managers, all other |
30 |
$48.07 |
$99,980 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
30 |
$15.84 |
$32,960 |
| Lodging managers |
30 |
$26.34 |
$54,790 |
| Painters, transportation equipment |
30 |
$20.50 |
$42,630 |
| Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators |
30 |
$21.17 |
$44,020 |
| Pharmacy aides |
30 |
$13.84 |
$28,790 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
30 |
$19.30 |
$40,150 |
| Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers |
30 |
$10.59 |
$22,020 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
Not available |
$12.55 |
$26,100 |
| Bill and account collectors |
Not available |
$18.61 |
$38,720 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
Not available |
$18.64 |
$38,770 |
| Chemists |
Not available |
$35.96 |
$74,790 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
Not available |
$33.98 |
$70,680 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
Not available |
$21.17 |
$44,040 |
| Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door |
Not available |
$27.94 |
$58,120 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
Not available |
$11.98 |
$24,930 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
Not available |
$30.57 |
$63,580 |
| Financial analysts |
Not available |
$34.48 |
$71,730 |
| Helpers, construction trades, all other |
Not available |
$14.38 |
$29,920 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
Not available |
$16.30 |
$33,910 |
| Home health aides |
Not available |
$15.38 |
$31,990 |
| Industrial engineering technicians |
Not available |
$27.52 |
$57,240 |
| Mechanical engineering technicians |
Not available |
$24.03 |
$49,980 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
Not available |
$20.01 |
$41,630 |
| Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$14.73 |
$30,650 |
| Motorboat mechanics |
Not available |
$23.34 |
$48,550 |
| Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics |
Not available |
$17.57 |
$36,540 |
| Parking lot attendants |
Not available |
$11.88 |
$24,700 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
Not available |
$13.92 |
$28,960 |
| Production workers, all other |
Not available |
$12.28 |
$25,540 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
Not available |
$18.68 |
$38,850 |
| Security and fire alarm systems installers |
Not available |
$24.73 |
$51,450 |
| Sheet metal workers |
Not available |
$19.52 |
$40,610 |
| Skin care specialists |
Not available |
$15.85 |
$32,960 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
Not available |
Not available |
$63,620 |
| Vocational education teachers, secondary school |
Not available |
Not available |
$61,870 |
