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 |
36,520 |
$22.43 |
$46,650 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
6,160 |
$17.65 |
$36,710 |
| Sales and related occupations |
3,180 |
$15.19 |
$31,600 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
3,140 |
$10.65 |
$22,160 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
3,040 |
$27.42 |
$57,030 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,800 |
$27.23 |
$56,640 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
2,470 |
$19.59 |
$40,750 |
| Management occupations |
2,390 |
$38.09 |
$79,230 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,120 |
$26.02 |
$54,120 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
1,790 |
$35.96 |
$74,810 |
| Retail salespersons |
1,530 |
$14.00 |
$29,120 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,250 |
$27.62 |
$57,440 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
1,180 |
$25.75 |
$53,550 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
1,130 |
$15.02 |
$31,230 |
| Production occupations |
1,120 |
$21.82 |
$45,380 |
| Protective service occupations |
980 |
$20.00 |
$41,590 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
950 |
$13.52 |
$28,110 |
| General and operations managers |
840 |
$37.65 |
$78,320 |
| Office clerks, general |
790 |
$15.74 |
$32,740 |
| Cashiers |
740 |
$11.54 |
$24,010 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
650 |
$9.77 |
$20,320 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
630 |
$32.63 |
$67,880 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
620 |
$16.51 |
$34,330 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
600 |
$9.38 |
$19,500 |
| Community and social services occupations |
560 |
$21.71 |
$45,150 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
540 |
$15.86 |
$33,000 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
520 |
$18.13 |
$37,710 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
500 |
$31.11 |
$64,710 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
480 |
$14.88 |
$30,950 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
460 |
$24.05 |
$50,020 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
450 |
$12.73 |
$26,480 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
430 |
$14.20 |
$29,530 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
420 |
$30.52 |
$63,490 |
| Security guards |
400 |
$15.96 |
$33,200 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
390 |
$9.59 |
$19,940 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
390 |
$17.36 |
$36,110 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
380 |
$19.72 |
$41,020 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
320 |
$20.87 |
$43,400 |
| Bartenders |
320 |
$11.56 |
$24,040 |
| Carpenters |
320 |
$29.01 |
$60,350 |
| Electricians |
320 |
$30.64 |
$63,720 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
310 |
$20.57 |
$42,790 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
300 |
$25.51 |
$53,050 |
| Construction laborers |
300 |
$21.14 |
$43,980 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
300 |
$23.32 |
$48,510 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
290 |
$30.43 |
$63,290 |
| Customer service representatives |
290 |
$15.96 |
$33,200 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
290 |
$20.14 |
$41,880 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
270 |
$16.56 |
$34,450 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
260 |
$15.66 |
$32,560 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
260 |
$28.86 |
$60,030 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
240 |
Not available |
$41,180 |
| Tellers |
220 |
$12.52 |
$26,030 |
| Civil engineers |
210 |
$35.60 |
$74,060 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
210 |
$12.75 |
$26,510 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
210 |
$15.69 |
$32,640 |
| Accountants and auditors |
200 |
$28.12 |
$58,500 |
| Aircraft mechanics and service technicians |
200 |
$24.85 |
$51,700 |
| All other information and record clerks |
200 |
$17.61 |
$36,620 |
| Cargo and freight agents |
180 |
$15.28 |
$31,790 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
180 |
$20.40 |
$42,440 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
180 |
$32.84 |
$68,320 |
| Administrative services managers |
170 |
$30.83 |
$64,120 |
| Chief executives |
170 |
$59.33 |
$123,410 |
| Legal occupations |
170 |
$40.89 |
$85,040 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
160 |
$36.23 |
$75,350 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
160 |
$35.52 |
$73,880 |
| Food preparation workers |
160 |
$11.63 |
$24,180 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
150 |
$22.60 |
$47,020 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
150 |
$18.83 |
$39,170 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
140 |
$19.17 |
$39,880 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
140 |
$18.12 |
$37,680 |
| Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other |
140 |
$20.14 |
$41,880 |
| Managers, all other |
140 |
$28.24 |
$58,730 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
140 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Child care workers |
130 |
$13.46 |
$28,000 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
130 |
$33.81 |
$70,320 |
| Cooks, fast food |
130 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Dishwashers |
130 |
$9.88 |
$20,550 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
130 |
$25.43 |
$52,890 |
| Zoologists and wildlife biologists |
130 |
$28.08 |
$58,410 |
| Computer programmers |
120 |
$28.91 |
$60,140 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
120 |
$9.40 |
$19,540 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
120 |
$15.37 |
$31,970 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
110 |
$12.50 |
$26,010 |
| Construction and related workers, all other |
110 |
$23.79 |
$49,490 |
| Dental assistants |
110 |
$18.66 |
$38,810 |
| Financial managers |
110 |
$36.77 |
$76,480 |
| Fire fighters |
110 |
$21.22 |
$44,130 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
110 |
$25.93 |
$53,930 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
110 |
$15.61 |
$32,480 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
110 |
$11.59 |
$24,110 |
| Medical assistants |
110 |
$15.80 |
$32,860 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
110 |
$21.54 |
$44,800 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
110 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Service station attendants |
110 |
$12.03 |
$25,020 |
| Tour guides and escorts |
110 |
$13.99 |
$29,100 |
| Biological technicians |
100 |
$17.57 |
$36,550 |
| Construction managers |
100 |
$41.39 |
$86,080 |
| Driver/sales workers |
100 |
$15.34 |
$31,920 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
100 |
$18.14 |
$37,740 |
| Lawyers |
100 |
$52.49 |
$109,180 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
100 |
$27.79 |
$57,810 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
100 |
$14.21 |
$29,560 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
100 |
$19.62 |
$40,810 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
100 |
$24.26 |
$50,460 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
90 |
$22.36 |
$46,510 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
90 |
$9.40 |
$19,560 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
90 |
$19.20 |
$39,940 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
90 |
$22.38 |
$46,560 |
| Natural sciences managers |
90 |
$41.46 |
$86,250 |
| Parts salespersons |
90 |
$15.95 |
$33,170 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
90 |
$30.18 |
$62,780 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
90 |
$33.03 |
$68,700 |
| Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers |
80 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Cost estimators |
80 |
$29.85 |
$62,080 |
| Data entry keyers |
80 |
$17.75 |
$36,930 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
80 |
$33.83 |
$70,370 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
80 |
$18.54 |
$38,560 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
80 |
$24.42 |
$50,790 |
| Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers |
80 |
$29.80 |
$61,980 |
| Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks |
80 |
$16.09 |
$33,460 |
| Sales managers |
80 |
$34.29 |
$71,320 |
| Budget analysts |
70 |
$27.98 |
$58,200 |
| Computer support specialists |
70 |
$23.03 |
$47,910 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
70 |
$18.03 |
$37,510 |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers |
70 |
$36.59 |
$76,100 |
| Environmental scientists and specialists, including health |
70 |
$27.28 |
$56,740 |
| File clerks |
70 |
$13.26 |
$27,590 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
70 |
$29.14 |
$60,620 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
70 |
$18.50 |
$38,490 |
| Recreation workers |
70 |
$17.96 |
$37,360 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
70 |
$37.31 |
$77,600 |
| Bill and account collectors |
60 |
$17.94 |
$37,320 |
| Chefs and head cooks |
60 |
$13.09 |
$27,220 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
60 |
$12.94 |
$26,910 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
60 |
$19.49 |
$40,530 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
60 |
$34.93 |
$72,650 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
60 |
$14.25 |
$29,630 |
| Food service managers |
60 |
$19.67 |
$40,920 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
60 |
$16.72 |
$34,770 |
| Insurance sales agents |
60 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
60 |
$16.57 |
$34,460 |
| Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers |
60 |
$14.19 |
$29,520 |
| Management analysts |
60 |
$36.89 |
$76,730 |
| Medical and health services managers |
60 |
$35.94 |
$74,760 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
60 |
$43.65 |
$90,780 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
60 |
$21.13 |
$43,960 |
| Pharmacists |
60 |
$53.72 |
$111,740 |
| Procurement clerks |
60 |
$19.52 |
$40,610 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
60 |
$30.03 |
$62,460 |
| Public relations specialists |
60 |
$26.16 |
$54,420 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
60 |
$26.33 |
$54,760 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
60 |
$12.73 |
$26,490 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
50 |
$27.91 |
$58,050 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
50 |
$40.44 |
$84,110 |
| Engineers, all other |
50 |
$37.68 |
$78,380 |
| Environmental engineers |
50 |
$31.28 |
$65,070 |
| Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers |
50 |
$33.55 |
$69,770 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
50 |
$17.94 |
$37,300 |
| Loan officers |
50 |
$26.12 |
$54,320 |
| Motor vehicle operators, all other |
50 |
$23.76 |
$49,410 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
50 |
$23.83 |
$49,580 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
50 |
$17.87 |
$37,180 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
50 |
$19.44 |
$40,440 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Public relations managers |
50 |
$26.37 |
$54,850 |
| Social scientists and related workers, all other |
50 |
$26.13 |
$54,340 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
40 |
$19.22 |
$39,970 |
| Chemical technicians |
40 |
$23.26 |
$48,380 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
40 |
$25.26 |
$52,540 |
| Computer operators |
40 |
$21.77 |
$45,270 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
40 |
$23.20 |
$48,260 |
| Computer systems analysts |
40 |
$33.43 |
$69,530 |
| Couriers and messengers |
40 |
$13.38 |
$27,830 |
| Family and general practitioners |
40 |
$77.36 |
$160,910 |
| Instructional coordinators |
40 |
$28.94 |
$60,190 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
40 |
$11.92 |
$24,800 |
| Legal secretaries |
40 |
$21.79 |
$45,310 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
40 |
$20.90 |
$43,480 |
| Mental health counselors |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Physician assistants |
40 |
$35.81 |
$74,480 |
| Social and community service managers |
40 |
$43.37 |
$90,220 |
| Surveyors |
40 |
$30.64 |
$63,730 |
| Technical writers |
40 |
$24.55 |
$51,070 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
40 |
$13.12 |
$27,290 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
30 |
$20.06 |
$41,730 |
| Earth drillers, except oil and gas |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
30 |
$23.04 |
$47,910 |
| Graphic designers |
30 |
$16.87 |
$35,090 |
| Hazardous materials removal workers |
30 |
$27.42 |
$57,020 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
30 |
$15.40 |
$32,030 |
| Helpers--production workers |
30 |
$14.85 |
$30,890 |
| Mechanical engineers |
30 |
$38.02 |
$79,090 |
| Occupational health and safety specialists |
30 |
$32.31 |
$67,210 |
| Postal service clerks |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
Not available |
$27.16 |
$56,490 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
Not available |
$15.96 |
$33,190 |
| Glaziers |
Not available |
$23.01 |
$47,850 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other |
Not available |
$23.52 |
$48,930 |
| Machinists |
Not available |
$24.96 |
$51,910 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
Not available |
$20.24 |
$42,100 |
| Painters, transportation equipment |
Not available |
$20.54 |
$42,730 |
| Personal and home care aides |
Not available |
$12.89 |
$26,820 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
Not available |
$70.00 |
$145,590 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
Not available |
$27.58 |
$57,360 |
| Real estate sales agents |
Not available |
$27.24 |
$56,660 |
| Registered nurses |
Not available |
$36.27 |
$75,430 |
| Sheet metal workers |
Not available |
$26.12 |
$54,330 |
| Telecommunications line installers and repairers |
Not available |
$34.57 |
$71,900 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
Not available |
$12.57 |
$26,150 |
| Travel agents |
Not available |
$17.45 |
$36,300 |
