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 |
51,570 |
$16.34 |
$33,990 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
8,650 |
$13.13 |
$27,300 |
| Production occupations |
6,540 |
$14.99 |
$31,170 |
| Sales and related occupations |
6,110 |
$15.08 |
$31,370 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
5,000 |
$9.09 |
$18,910 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
4,070 |
$13.94 |
$29,000 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
3,240 |
$17.96 |
$37,350 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
2,940 |
$31.61 |
$65,750 |
| Retail salespersons |
2,130 |
$11.45 |
$23,810 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,100 |
$17.30 |
$35,980 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,030 |
$17.52 |
$36,450 |
| Team assemblers |
1,790 |
$13.95 |
$29,020 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,690 |
$24.82 |
$51,630 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,600 |
$11.74 |
$24,430 |
| Management occupations |
1,580 |
$37.43 |
$77,850 |
| Cashiers |
1,530 |
$8.25 |
$17,170 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
1,460 |
$10.87 |
$22,620 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,420 |
$10.57 |
$21,980 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
1,290 |
$8.22 |
$17,110 |
| Customer service representatives |
1,260 |
$14.27 |
$29,680 |
| Registered nurses |
1,150 |
$23.80 |
$49,500 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,040 |
$11.66 |
$24,250 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
960 |
$8.81 |
$18,330 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
940 |
$11.88 |
$24,710 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
930 |
$17.44 |
$36,270 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
880 |
$12.62 |
$26,240 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
750 |
$11.41 |
$23,740 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
740 |
$10.19 |
$21,200 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
730 |
$11.12 |
$23,130 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
730 |
Not available |
$42,520 |
| Protective service occupations |
720 |
$16.58 |
$34,490 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
700 |
$31.41 |
$65,330 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
670 |
$13.26 |
$27,580 |
| Teacher assistants |
660 |
Not available |
$21,860 |
| Community and social services occupations |
600 |
$17.13 |
$35,620 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
580 |
$16.24 |
$33,790 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
540 |
$15.38 |
$32,000 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
510 |
$24.93 |
$51,850 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
490 |
Not available |
$36,790 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
490 |
$15.56 |
$32,360 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
470 |
$10.49 |
$21,820 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
410 |
$13.50 |
$28,070 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
400 |
$24.86 |
$51,710 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
400 |
$10.00 |
$20,800 |
| Food preparation workers |
400 |
$9.06 |
$18,850 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
400 |
$9.03 |
$18,780 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
400 |
$13.12 |
$27,290 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
380 |
$12.53 |
$26,070 |
| Carpenters |
370 |
$16.57 |
$34,470 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
340 |
$20.65 |
$42,960 |
| Bartenders |
330 |
$9.47 |
$19,710 |
| Child care workers |
330 |
$8.35 |
$17,360 |
| Tellers |
330 |
$10.70 |
$22,250 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
310 |
$8.13 |
$16,900 |
| Construction laborers |
300 |
$15.75 |
$32,760 |
| Home health aides |
300 |
$9.81 |
$20,400 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
290 |
$23.23 |
$48,310 |
| General and operations managers |
290 |
$42.73 |
$88,870 |
| Accountants and auditors |
280 |
$27.43 |
$57,050 |
| Data entry keyers |
280 |
$12.61 |
$26,230 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
280 |
$13.79 |
$28,690 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
270 |
$15.82 |
$32,910 |
| Machinists |
270 |
$16.55 |
$34,420 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
260 |
$10.03 |
$20,860 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
260 |
$20.51 |
$42,670 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
250 |
$15.41 |
$32,040 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
240 |
$10.93 |
$22,730 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
240 |
$17.56 |
$36,530 |
| Security guards |
220 |
$13.30 |
$27,670 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
220 |
Not available |
$28,170 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
210 |
$10.89 |
$22,640 |
| Driver/sales workers |
210 |
$9.83 |
$20,440 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
200 |
$14.23 |
$29,590 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
200 |
$13.11 |
$27,280 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
180 |
$14.63 |
$30,430 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
180 |
$23.40 |
$48,660 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
180 |
$17.29 |
$35,970 |
| Insurance sales agents |
180 |
$21.74 |
$45,210 |
| Printing machine operators |
180 |
$16.69 |
$34,710 |
| Sewing machine operators |
180 |
$12.42 |
$25,840 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
180 |
$16.64 |
$34,600 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
170 |
$18.15 |
$37,760 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
160 |
$11.57 |
$24,060 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
160 |
$9.77 |
$20,320 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
160 |
$8.36 |
$17,390 |
| Dishwashers |
160 |
$8.15 |
$16,950 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
160 |
$29.46 |
$61,280 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
160 |
$10.59 |
$22,040 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
160 |
$8.19 |
$17,040 |
| Dental assistants |
150 |
$14.93 |
$31,060 |
| Helpers--production workers |
150 |
$12.63 |
$26,270 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
150 |
$19.10 |
$39,740 |
| Legal occupations |
150 |
$36.00 |
$74,870 |
| Loan officers |
150 |
$27.85 |
$57,930 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
150 |
$22.22 |
$46,220 |
| Production workers, all other |
150 |
$12.37 |
$25,720 |
| Social and human service assistants |
150 |
$11.11 |
$23,120 |
| Cooks, fast food |
140 |
$8.06 |
$16,770 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
140 |
$22.12 |
$46,000 |
| Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders |
140 |
$14.96 |
$31,120 |
| Parts salespersons |
140 |
$14.75 |
$30,690 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
140 |
$17.58 |
$36,570 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
140 |
$22.55 |
$46,900 |
| Coaches and scouts |
130 |
Not available |
$29,140 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
130 |
$13.53 |
$28,150 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
130 |
$23.76 |
$49,410 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
130 |
$8.80 |
$18,300 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
130 |
$9.29 |
$19,330 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
130 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
130 |
$10.06 |
$20,930 |
| Recreation workers |
130 |
$11.73 |
$24,390 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
120 |
$21.42 |
$44,560 |
| Graphic designers |
120 |
$17.73 |
$36,880 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
120 |
$18.21 |
$37,870 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
120 |
$17.80 |
$37,030 |
| Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers |
120 |
$8.31 |
$17,290 |
| Medical assistants |
120 |
$13.86 |
$28,830 |
| Pharmacists |
120 |
$42.84 |
$89,110 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
120 |
$22.49 |
$46,770 |
| Structural metal fabricators and fitters |
120 |
$13.59 |
$28,270 |
| Computer support specialists |
110 |
$18.71 |
$38,910 |
| Cost estimators |
110 |
$21.37 |
$44,450 |
| Dental hygienists |
110 |
$26.54 |
$55,200 |
| Electricians |
110 |
$21.00 |
$43,690 |
| Financial managers |
110 |
$49.41 |
$102,770 |
| Managers, all other |
110 |
$27.63 |
$57,480 |
| Medical secretaries |
110 |
$14.16 |
$29,450 |
| Sales managers |
110 |
$34.03 |
$70,780 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
100 |
$24.66 |
$51,280 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
100 |
$17.99 |
$37,420 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
100 |
$15.09 |
$31,390 |
| Mechanical engineers |
100 |
$25.79 |
$53,630 |
| Medical and health services managers |
100 |
$30.24 |
$62,910 |
| Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
100 |
$13.48 |
$28,030 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
100 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
100 |
Not available |
$36,690 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
100 |
$12.49 |
$25,980 |
| Chief executives |
90 |
$78.10 |
$162,450 |
| Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders |
90 |
$15.09 |
$31,390 |
| Computer operators |
90 |
$13.91 |
$28,930 |
| Computer programmers |
90 |
$23.43 |
$48,730 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
90 |
$9.58 |
$19,920 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
90 |
$8.93 |
$18,570 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
90 |
$8.92 |
$18,550 |
| Prepress technicians and workers |
90 |
$15.98 |
$33,230 |
| Advertising sales agents |
80 |
$20.60 |
$42,840 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
80 |
$20.02 |
$41,650 |
| Cooks, short order |
80 |
$8.52 |
$17,720 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
80 |
Not available |
$72,830 |
| Education administrators, postsecondary |
80 |
$34.08 |
$70,890 |
| Tool and die makers |
80 |
$20.54 |
$42,720 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
70 |
$20.25 |
$42,120 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
70 |
$12.15 |
$25,260 |
| English language and literature teachers, postsecondary |
70 |
Not available |
$56,220 |
| Helpers--electricians |
70 |
$12.78 |
$26,590 |
| Lawyers |
70 |
$49.02 |
$101,950 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
70 |
$11.50 |
$23,920 |
| Administrative services managers |
60 |
$30.96 |
$64,400 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
60 |
$19.04 |
$39,610 |
| Computer systems analysts |
60 |
$24.34 |
$50,620 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
60 |
$16.90 |
$35,150 |
| Couriers and messengers |
60 |
$9.43 |
$19,610 |
| Farm equipment mechanics |
60 |
$15.92 |
$33,110 |
| File clerks |
60 |
$11.28 |
$23,470 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
60 |
$20.55 |
$42,740 |
| Maintenance workers, machinery |
60 |
$19.32 |
$40,190 |
| Market research analysts |
60 |
$21.49 |
$44,710 |
| Marketing managers |
60 |
$40.56 |
$84,370 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
60 |
$12.72 |
$26,470 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
60 |
$24.77 |
$51,530 |
| Order clerks |
60 |
$12.84 |
$26,710 |
| Physical therapists |
60 |
$33.11 |
$68,870 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
60 |
$22.34 |
$46,470 |
| Social and community service managers |
60 |
$24.88 |
$51,750 |
| Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers |
60 |
$7.85 |
$16,330 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Demonstrators and product promoters |
50 |
$14.46 |
$30,080 |
| Dentists, general |
50 |
$81.86 |
$170,260 |
| Education teachers, postsecondary |
50 |
Not available |
$49,280 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
50 |
$11.63 |
$24,180 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
50 |
$20.01 |
$41,620 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
50 |
$14.90 |
$30,980 |
| Food service managers |
50 |
$19.65 |
$40,870 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
50 |
$15.67 |
$32,590 |
| Industrial engineers |
50 |
$29.34 |
$61,030 |
| Librarians |
50 |
$27.28 |
$56,740 |
| Library technicians |
50 |
$15.58 |
$32,410 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
50 |
$11.89 |
$24,730 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
50 |
$19.60 |
$40,770 |
| Parking lot attendants |
50 |
$9.01 |
$18,740 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
50 |
$41.78 |
$86,900 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
50 |
$18.43 |
$38,330 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
40 |
$14.50 |
$30,160 |
| Carpet installers |
40 |
$16.60 |
$34,520 |
| Clergy |
40 |
$18.36 |
$38,190 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
40 |
$29.64 |
$61,640 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists |
40 |
$21.06 |
$43,810 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
40 |
$18.06 |
$37,570 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
40 |
$10.87 |
$22,610 |
| Industrial production managers |
40 |
$42.02 |
$87,400 |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks |
40 |
$15.02 |
$31,240 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
40 |
Not available |
$37,980 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
40 |
$9.52 |
$19,800 |
| Mechanical drafters |
40 |
$17.83 |
$37,080 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
40 |
$19.64 |
$40,840 |
| Meeting and convention planners |
40 |
$18.67 |
$38,820 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
40 |
$14.47 |
$30,090 |
| Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic |
40 |
$13.94 |
$28,990 |
| Opticians, dispensing |
40 |
$15.28 |
$31,790 |
| Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics |
40 |
$14.07 |
$29,260 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
40 |
$15.23 |
$31,680 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
40 |
$14.55 |
$30,270 |
| Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary |
40 |
Not available |
$43,450 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
40 |
$18.43 |
$38,330 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
40 |
$26.80 |
$55,740 |
| Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood |
40 |
$10.28 |
$21,380 |
| Technical writers |
40 |
$21.93 |
$45,620 |
| Training and development specialists |
40 |
$18.48 |
$38,430 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
40 |
$30.76 |
$63,970 |
| Architects, except landscape and naval |
30 |
$20.48 |
$42,600 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
30 |
$13.47 |
$28,020 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
30 |
$25.37 |
$52,770 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
30 |
$36.07 |
$75,030 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
30 |
$19.29 |
$40,130 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
30 |
$22.42 |
$46,630 |
| Office machine operators, except computer |
30 |
$11.26 |
$23,410 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
30 |
$17.18 |
$35,730 |
| Public relations specialists |
30 |
$24.47 |
$50,890 |
| Veterinarians |
30 |
$35.24 |
$73,300 |
| Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary |
Not available |
Not available |
$56,810 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
Not available |
$16.74 |
$34,830 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
Not available |
$12.81 |
$26,640 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
Not available |
$30.75 |
$63,960 |
| Computer software engineers, systems software |
Not available |
$32.88 |
$68,390 |
| Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$16.39 |
$34,090 |
| Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
Not available |
$14.47 |
$30,100 |
| Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators |
Not available |
$19.57 |
$40,710 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
Not available |
$11.59 |
$24,110 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
Not available |
$13.57 |
$28,230 |
| Legal secretaries |
Not available |
$12.15 |
$25,280 |
| Machine feeders and offbearers |
Not available |
$15.21 |
$31,640 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
Not available |
$9.83 |
$20,440 |
| Merchandise displayers and window trimmers |
Not available |
$12.19 |
$25,350 |
| Motorboat mechanics |
Not available |
$11.08 |
$23,050 |
| Personal and home care aides |
Not available |
$10.38 |
$21,590 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
Not available |
$102.59 |
$213,390 |
| Plasterers and stucco masons |
Not available |
$15.52 |
$32,280 |
| Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$13.71 |
$28,510 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
Not available |
$21.06 |
$43,800 |
