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 |
59,460 |
$18.37 |
$38,210 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
9,950 |
$14.38 |
$29,920 |
| Sales and related occupations |
6,980 |
$13.67 |
$28,440 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
5,730 |
$9.72 |
$20,230 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
4,170 |
$24.16 |
$50,250 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
4,130 |
$14.60 |
$30,360 |
| Production occupations |
3,510 |
$14.67 |
$30,510 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
3,100 |
$20.33 |
$42,290 |
| Retail salespersons |
2,840 |
$12.06 |
$25,090 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
2,830 |
$32.69 |
$67,990 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,780 |
$18.26 |
$37,980 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
2,350 |
$25.93 |
$53,930 |
| Management occupations |
2,130 |
$43.61 |
$90,710 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
1,950 |
$8.04 |
$16,710 |
| Cashiers |
1,890 |
$8.95 |
$18,610 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
1,880 |
$11.71 |
$24,350 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,810 |
$20.41 |
$42,460 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,600 |
$11.73 |
$24,390 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,530 |
$13.38 |
$27,830 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,260 |
$15.98 |
$33,230 |
| Community and social services occupations |
1,170 |
$20.19 |
$42,000 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,170 |
$13.23 |
$27,520 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
1,070 |
$27.48 |
$57,160 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
1,040 |
$11.21 |
$23,310 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
1,030 |
Not available |
$44,310 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
1,010 |
$29.55 |
$61,470 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,010 |
$9.47 |
$19,690 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
940 |
$10.95 |
$22,780 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
900 |
$12.15 |
$25,270 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
770 |
$14.67 |
$30,510 |
| Customer service representatives |
740 |
$13.08 |
$27,200 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
740 |
$12.74 |
$26,500 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
640 |
$25.83 |
$53,730 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
620 |
$16.15 |
$33,600 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
590 |
$18.41 |
$38,300 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
550 |
$17.46 |
$36,320 |
| Construction laborers |
520 |
$12.80 |
$26,630 |
| Legal occupations |
520 |
$33.17 |
$68,990 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
490 |
$19.79 |
$41,170 |
| Accountants and auditors |
470 |
$26.29 |
$54,690 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
450 |
$11.31 |
$23,530 |
| General and operations managers |
450 |
$48.69 |
$101,280 |
| Medical secretaries |
450 |
$12.76 |
$26,540 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
440 |
$10.82 |
$22,510 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
430 |
$20.68 |
$43,020 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
430 |
$17.13 |
$35,640 |
| Bus drivers, school |
420 |
$10.41 |
$21,650 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
420 |
$15.10 |
$31,410 |
| Helpers--production workers |
400 |
$8.55 |
$17,790 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
390 |
$10.99 |
$22,860 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
390 |
$19.74 |
$41,050 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
380 |
$11.88 |
$24,720 |
| Food preparation workers |
360 |
$9.42 |
$19,590 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
360 |
$18.77 |
$39,030 |
| Electricians |
350 |
$20.57 |
$42,780 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
350 |
$21.99 |
$45,740 |
| Teacher assistants |
350 |
Not available |
$34,370 |
| Carpenters |
340 |
$17.34 |
$36,070 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
330 |
$19.11 |
$39,760 |
| Medical assistants |
330 |
$13.73 |
$28,560 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
320 |
$10.85 |
$22,570 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
320 |
$26.68 |
$55,490 |
| Team assemblers |
310 |
$12.48 |
$25,960 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
280 |
$27.13 |
$56,430 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
280 |
$15.00 |
$31,210 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
280 |
$21.13 |
$43,960 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
280 |
$8.78 |
$18,270 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
270 |
$20.44 |
$42,510 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
260 |
$29.40 |
$61,150 |
| Driver/sales workers |
250 |
$12.33 |
$25,650 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
250 |
$14.60 |
$30,370 |
| Child care workers |
240 |
$11.48 |
$23,880 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
230 |
$12.47 |
$25,940 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
230 |
$17.96 |
$37,360 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
230 |
$12.92 |
$26,870 |
| Security guards |
230 |
$11.76 |
$24,470 |
| Bill and account collectors |
220 |
$13.79 |
$28,690 |
| Computer systems analysts |
220 |
$33.91 |
$70,540 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
220 |
$8.28 |
$17,220 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
220 |
$15.57 |
$32,390 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
220 |
$23.91 |
$49,730 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
220 |
$12.32 |
$25,620 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
220 |
$12.24 |
$25,450 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
220 |
$29.34 |
$61,030 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
220 |
$24.60 |
$51,170 |
| Civil engineers |
210 |
$33.73 |
$70,160 |
| Dishwashers |
210 |
$8.44 |
$17,560 |
| Bartenders |
200 |
$9.79 |
$20,350 |
| Computer programmers |
200 |
$29.79 |
$61,960 |
| Computer support specialists |
200 |
$23.84 |
$49,580 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
200 |
$25.86 |
$53,780 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
200 |
$25.49 |
$53,010 |
| Telecommunications line installers and repairers |
200 |
$25.12 |
$52,250 |
| Tellers |
200 |
$10.83 |
$22,520 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
190 |
$15.81 |
$32,890 |
| Medical and health services managers |
190 |
$40.04 |
$83,280 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
190 |
$10.01 |
$20,830 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
180 |
$14.96 |
$31,120 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
180 |
$20.39 |
$42,420 |
| Lawyers |
180 |
$51.30 |
$106,700 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
180 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Social and human service assistants |
180 |
$13.61 |
$28,310 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
170 |
$29.59 |
$61,550 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
170 |
$26.30 |
$54,710 |
| Insurance sales agents |
170 |
$28.77 |
$59,850 |
| Management analysts |
170 |
$28.51 |
$59,300 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
160 |
$10.37 |
$21,570 |
| Data entry keyers |
160 |
$12.67 |
$26,360 |
| Legal secretaries |
160 |
$15.92 |
$33,120 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
150 |
$9.16 |
$19,050 |
| Dental assistants |
140 |
$15.61 |
$32,470 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
140 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Financial managers |
140 |
$45.66 |
$94,960 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
140 |
$24.43 |
$50,810 |
| Crossing guards |
130 |
$12.67 |
$26,350 |
| Environmental scientists and specialists, including health |
130 |
$28.05 |
$58,340 |
| Law clerks |
130 |
$18.60 |
$38,690 |
| Parts salespersons |
130 |
$15.17 |
$31,560 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
130 |
$24.18 |
$50,290 |
| Construction managers |
120 |
$39.27 |
$81,680 |
| Food service managers |
120 |
$26.97 |
$56,100 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
120 |
$10.30 |
$21,420 |
| Training and development specialists |
120 |
$24.89 |
$51,760 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
110 |
$9.82 |
$20,430 |
| Education administrators, postsecondary |
110 |
$44.26 |
$92,060 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
110 |
$23.91 |
$49,740 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
110 |
$16.41 |
$34,120 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
110 |
$19.58 |
$40,730 |
| Cooks, fast food |
100 |
$9.36 |
$19,460 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
100 |
$14.52 |
$30,200 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
100 |
$20.93 |
$43,530 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
100 |
$9.58 |
$19,920 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
100 |
$17.96 |
$37,360 |
| Motor vehicle operators, all other |
100 |
$14.56 |
$30,270 |
| Order clerks |
100 |
$12.69 |
$26,400 |
| Pharmacists |
100 |
$45.97 |
$95,610 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
100 |
$25.16 |
$52,340 |
| Recreation workers |
100 |
$13.80 |
$28,710 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
100 |
$10.47 |
$21,770 |
| Chief executives |
90 |
$90.10 |
$187,410 |
| Coaches and scouts |
90 |
Not available |
$55,410 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
90 |
$45.09 |
$93,780 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
90 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Legislators |
90 |
Not available |
$66,680 |
| Loan officers |
90 |
$25.24 |
$52,500 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
90 |
$19.92 |
$41,440 |
| Public relations specialists |
90 |
$25.44 |
$52,920 |
| Administrative services managers |
80 |
$37.91 |
$78,840 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
80 |
$17.59 |
$36,590 |
| Cost estimators |
80 |
$26.07 |
$54,230 |
| File clerks |
80 |
$12.93 |
$26,900 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
80 |
$12.69 |
$26,400 |
| Librarians |
80 |
$27.54 |
$57,280 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
80 |
$13.34 |
$27,750 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
80 |
$31.26 |
$65,030 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
80 |
$9.39 |
$19,530 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
80 |
$15.01 |
$31,220 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
80 |
$15.09 |
$31,380 |
| Personal financial advisors |
80 |
$33.50 |
$69,680 |
| Real estate sales agents |
80 |
$25.16 |
$52,320 |
| Social and community service managers |
80 |
$32.05 |
$66,660 |
| Word processors and typists |
80 |
$14.99 |
$31,180 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
70 |
$15.67 |
$32,590 |
| Construction and building inspectors |
70 |
$23.54 |
$48,960 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
70 |
$15.65 |
$32,560 |
| Industrial engineers |
70 |
$34.40 |
$71,550 |
| Instructional coordinators |
70 |
$30.06 |
$62,520 |
| Logisticians |
70 |
$28.55 |
$59,380 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
70 |
$19.00 |
$39,520 |
| Ophthalmic laboratory technicians |
70 |
$12.10 |
$25,160 |
| Parking lot attendants |
70 |
$8.25 |
$17,160 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
70 |
$19.60 |
$40,770 |
| Sales managers |
70 |
$53.04 |
$110,310 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
70 |
$16.74 |
$34,810 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
70 |
$17.77 |
$36,950 |
| Appraisers and assessors of real estate |
60 |
$25.91 |
$53,890 |
| Bakers |
60 |
$9.29 |
$19,320 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
60 |
$18.39 |
$38,240 |
| Chemists |
60 |
$31.34 |
$65,190 |
| Environmental engineering technicians |
60 |
$17.17 |
$35,710 |
| Family and general practitioners |
60 |
$86.81 |
$180,570 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
60 |
$44.82 |
$93,220 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
60 |
$20.54 |
$42,710 |
| Machinists |
60 |
$14.91 |
$31,010 |
| Market research analysts |
60 |
$19.85 |
$41,290 |
| Occupational health and safety specialists |
60 |
$26.13 |
$54,350 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
60 |
$15.33 |
$31,890 |
| Opticians, dispensing |
60 |
$16.05 |
$33,380 |
| Physician assistants |
60 |
$44.06 |
$91,650 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
50 |
$20.06 |
$41,720 |
| Budget analysts |
50 |
$26.99 |
$56,140 |
| Dental hygienists |
50 |
$29.92 |
$62,240 |
| Dietetic technicians |
50 |
$10.94 |
$22,760 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
50 |
$22.22 |
$46,220 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
50 |
$29.96 |
$62,320 |
| Graphic designers |
50 |
$17.10 |
$35,570 |
| Industrial production managers |
50 |
$42.26 |
$87,900 |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks |
50 |
$13.99 |
$29,100 |
| Managers, all other |
50 |
$39.46 |
$82,070 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
50 |
$21.72 |
$45,180 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
50 |
$15.10 |
$31,410 |
| Meter readers, utilities |
50 |
$19.26 |
$40,050 |
| Photographic processing machine operators |
50 |
$9.81 |
$20,400 |
| Physical therapists |
50 |
$37.54 |
$78,070 |
| Printing machine operators |
50 |
$14.91 |
$31,010 |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
50 |
$17.46 |
$36,310 |
| Tax preparers |
50 |
$16.48 |
$34,290 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
50 |
$34.35 |
$71,450 |
| Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers |
50 |
$10.70 |
$22,250 |
| Chefs and head cooks |
40 |
$20.02 |
$41,640 |
| Chemical technicians |
40 |
$15.59 |
$32,420 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers |
40 |
$14.49 |
$30,130 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
40 |
$22.44 |
$46,670 |
| Computer software engineers, systems software |
40 |
$44.12 |
$91,770 |
| Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door |
40 |
$21.71 |
$45,160 |
| Dentists, general |
40 |
$92.46 |
$192,310 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
40 |
$17.75 |
$36,920 |
| Environmental engineers |
40 |
$33.32 |
$69,310 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
40 |
$24.87 |
$51,730 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
40 |
$11.42 |
$23,750 |
| New accounts clerks |
40 |
$14.84 |
$30,860 |
| Photographers |
40 |
$12.34 |
$25,680 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
40 |
$104.91 |
$218,200 |
| Procurement clerks |
40 |
$15.54 |
$32,320 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
40 |
$44.79 |
$93,150 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
40 |
$32.09 |
$66,760 |
| Veterinarians |
40 |
$50.52 |
$105,080 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
40 |
$13.88 |
$28,880 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
40 |
$22.35 |
$46,480 |
| Electrical engineers |
30 |
$35.26 |
$73,340 |
| Engineering managers |
30 |
$59.94 |
$124,680 |
| Financial analysts |
30 |
$36.74 |
$76,410 |
| Financial specialists, all other |
30 |
$38.16 |
$79,370 |
| Natural sciences managers |
30 |
$44.16 |
$91,840 |
| Postal service clerks |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
30 |
$21.28 |
$44,260 |
| Surgeons |
30 |
$101.49 |
$211,090 |
| Surveying and mapping technicians |
30 |
$19.57 |
$40,710 |
| Aircraft mechanics and service technicians |
Not available |
$25.94 |
$53,950 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
Not available |
$18.39 |
$38,240 |
| Cooks, short order |
Not available |
$9.02 |
$18,750 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$18.99 |
$39,510 |
| Demonstrators and product promoters |
Not available |
$12.30 |
$25,590 |
| Diagnostic medical sonographers |
Not available |
$31.46 |
$65,430 |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers |
Not available |
$30.62 |
$63,680 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
Not available |
$13.86 |
$28,830 |
| Glaziers |
Not available |
$15.30 |
$31,830 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
Not available |
$18.07 |
$37,580 |
| Helpers--electricians |
Not available |
$11.80 |
$24,540 |
| Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
Not available |
$13.46 |
$27,990 |
| Home health aides |
Not available |
$12.97 |
$26,980 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
Not available |
$9.12 |
$18,980 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
Not available |
$18.96 |
$39,440 |
| Merchandise displayers and window trimmers |
Not available |
$17.42 |
$36,240 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
Not available |
$17.66 |
$36,730 |
| Security and fire alarm systems installers |
Not available |
$17.87 |
$37,160 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
Not available |
Not available |
$63,190 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
Not available |
$13.13 |
$27,310 |
| Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers |
Not available |
$16.29 |
$33,880 |
