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 |
83,920 |
$16.75 |
$34,840 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
13,210 |
$13.34 |
$27,740 |
| Production occupations |
8,710 |
$15.75 |
$32,750 |
| Sales and related occupations |
8,600 |
$13.61 |
$28,310 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
6,760 |
$8.00 |
$16,640 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
6,550 |
$13.77 |
$28,640 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
6,540 |
$29.00 |
$60,330 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
4,800 |
$18.99 |
$39,500 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
4,230 |
$17.78 |
$36,970 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
3,790 |
$10.38 |
$21,590 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
3,570 |
$14.07 |
$29,260 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
3,380 |
$9.90 |
$20,590 |
| Management occupations |
3,100 |
$44.21 |
$91,950 |
| Retail salespersons |
2,940 |
$11.23 |
$23,360 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
2,930 |
$23.57 |
$49,030 |
| Registered nurses |
2,480 |
$27.75 |
$57,720 |
| Cashiers |
2,430 |
$7.67 |
$15,960 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
2,080 |
$6.98 |
$14,520 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
1,890 |
$9.15 |
$19,030 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
1,730 |
$9.88 |
$20,560 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,670 |
$10.27 |
$21,370 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,490 |
$13.92 |
$28,950 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
1,480 |
$10.85 |
$22,580 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,350 |
$10.35 |
$21,530 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
1,320 |
$18.02 |
$37,490 |
| Community and social services occupations |
1,290 |
$15.44 |
$32,120 |
| Team assemblers |
1,260 |
$15.89 |
$33,050 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
1,230 |
$17.23 |
$35,830 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,170 |
$12.69 |
$26,380 |
| Customer service representatives |
1,160 |
$13.75 |
$28,590 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
1,070 |
$32.82 |
$68,260 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
1,040 |
$20.35 |
$42,330 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
1,000 |
$18.83 |
$39,170 |
| General and operations managers |
1,000 |
$45.86 |
$95,390 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
990 |
$17.60 |
$36,610 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
970 |
Not available |
$44,460 |
| Home health aides |
970 |
$9.51 |
$19,780 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
930 |
$9.86 |
$20,520 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
920 |
$14.31 |
$29,760 |
| Teacher assistants |
900 |
Not available |
$17,550 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
830 |
$7.74 |
$16,100 |
| Accountants and auditors |
780 |
$25.93 |
$53,940 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
780 |
$25.33 |
$52,680 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
780 |
$25.98 |
$54,040 |
| Cooks, fast food |
740 |
$7.21 |
$14,990 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
640 |
$27.27 |
$56,710 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
640 |
$8.40 |
$17,470 |
| Machinists |
630 |
$15.81 |
$32,880 |
| Medical secretaries |
600 |
$11.95 |
$24,850 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
600 |
Not available |
$44,060 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
600 |
$12.74 |
$26,500 |
| Construction laborers |
570 |
$9.96 |
$20,710 |
| Helpers--production workers |
560 |
$10.14 |
$21,090 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
560 |
$10.15 |
$21,100 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
550 |
$14.06 |
$29,240 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
540 |
$18.49 |
$38,450 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
540 |
$12.53 |
$26,070 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
540 |
Not available |
$46,440 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
540 |
$14.67 |
$30,500 |
| Food preparation workers |
490 |
$8.99 |
$18,690 |
| Legal occupations |
490 |
$20.71 |
$43,080 |
| Security guards |
490 |
$10.31 |
$21,440 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
480 |
$19.57 |
$40,710 |
| Electricians |
460 |
$15.96 |
$33,200 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
460 |
$25.24 |
$52,490 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
460 |
$25.45 |
$52,930 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
460 |
$16.81 |
$34,950 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
450 |
$9.75 |
$20,290 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
430 |
$13.38 |
$27,830 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
430 |
$12.41 |
$25,800 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
420 |
$19.62 |
$40,810 |
| Child care workers |
410 |
$7.99 |
$16,610 |
| Carpenters |
400 |
$12.44 |
$25,860 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
400 |
$15.31 |
$31,840 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
390 |
$22.67 |
$47,160 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
390 |
$9.79 |
$20,370 |
| Tellers |
390 |
$11.67 |
$24,270 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
380 |
$8.96 |
$18,630 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
380 |
$8.26 |
$17,170 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
380 |
$8.51 |
$17,710 |
| Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders |
370 |
$16.80 |
$34,930 |
| Driver/sales workers |
360 |
$13.05 |
$27,140 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
350 |
$13.09 |
$27,220 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
340 |
$13.16 |
$27,370 |
| Bill and account collectors |
320 |
$11.22 |
$23,330 |
| Social and human service assistants |
320 |
$10.51 |
$21,850 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
310 |
$10.53 |
$21,910 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
310 |
$9.70 |
$20,180 |
| Insurance sales agents |
300 |
$20.91 |
$43,500 |
| Production workers, all other |
290 |
$12.70 |
$26,420 |
| Chemical equipment operators and tenders |
280 |
$22.17 |
$46,100 |
| Medical assistants |
280 |
$12.07 |
$25,110 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
280 |
$12.22 |
$25,430 |
| Bus drivers, school |
270 |
$9.57 |
$19,910 |
| Industrial engineers |
270 |
$37.56 |
$78,120 |
| Chief executives |
260 |
$78.05 |
$162,330 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
250 |
$15.96 |
$33,190 |
| Pharmacists |
250 |
$51.91 |
$107,970 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
240 |
$16.78 |
$34,910 |
| Medical and health services managers |
230 |
$37.23 |
$77,440 |
| Computer support specialists |
220 |
$17.82 |
$37,060 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
220 |
$13.07 |
$27,190 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
220 |
$32.84 |
$68,310 |
| Instructional coordinators |
220 |
$20.19 |
$42,000 |
| Loan officers |
220 |
$22.94 |
$47,720 |
| Financial managers |
210 |
$46.91 |
$97,570 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
210 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Postal service mail carriers |
210 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
210 |
$23.84 |
$49,580 |
| Social workers, all other |
210 |
$16.38 |
$34,070 |
| Surgical technologists |
210 |
$16.75 |
$34,830 |
| Machine feeders and offbearers |
200 |
$12.93 |
$26,890 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
200 |
$10.79 |
$22,450 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
190 |
$14.92 |
$31,030 |
| Dishwashers |
190 |
$7.55 |
$15,700 |
| Management analysts |
190 |
$27.33 |
$56,840 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
190 |
$14.02 |
$29,170 |
| Parts salespersons |
190 |
$14.34 |
$29,830 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
180 |
$21.87 |
$45,500 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
180 |
$16.23 |
$33,760 |
| Lawyers |
180 |
$30.26 |
$62,940 |
| Credit analysts |
170 |
$18.46 |
$38,390 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
170 |
$22.24 |
$46,260 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
170 |
$27.28 |
$56,740 |
| Computer programmers |
160 |
$27.83 |
$57,880 |
| Correctional officers and jailers |
160 |
$13.66 |
$28,420 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
160 |
$19.66 |
$40,900 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
160 |
$10.27 |
$21,370 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
160 |
$7.68 |
$15,970 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
160 |
Not available |
$23,170 |
| Training and development specialists |
160 |
$24.55 |
$51,060 |
| Administrative services managers |
150 |
$35.37 |
$73,560 |
| Computer systems analysts |
150 |
$26.53 |
$55,180 |
| Dental assistants |
150 |
$13.76 |
$28,630 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
150 |
Not available |
$73,570 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
150 |
$11.89 |
$24,730 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
150 |
$14.99 |
$31,190 |
| Physical therapists |
150 |
$41.85 |
$87,060 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
150 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Sheet metal workers |
150 |
$14.60 |
$30,380 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
150 |
Not available |
$45,530 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
140 |
$13.11 |
$27,270 |
| Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders |
140 |
$17.86 |
$37,150 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
140 |
$24.48 |
$50,910 |
| Helpers--electricians |
140 |
$10.71 |
$22,280 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
140 |
$12.09 |
$25,140 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
140 |
Not available |
$44,400 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
140 |
$11.82 |
$24,590 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
140 |
$16.93 |
$35,210 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
140 |
$13.15 |
$27,350 |
| Sales managers |
140 |
$55.27 |
$114,960 |
| Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic |
130 |
$16.99 |
$35,350 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
130 |
$7.22 |
$15,010 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
130 |
$9.61 |
$19,990 |
| Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders |
120 |
$13.59 |
$28,270 |
| Fire fighters |
120 |
$12.16 |
$25,300 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
120 |
$17.69 |
$36,790 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
120 |
$15.83 |
$32,920 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
120 |
$12.93 |
$26,900 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
120 |
$20.99 |
$43,670 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
120 |
$15.12 |
$31,440 |
| Personal and home care aides |
120 |
$8.50 |
$17,670 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
120 |
$27.81 |
$57,840 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
110 |
$10.94 |
$22,750 |
| Dental hygienists |
110 |
$24.44 |
$50,840 |
| Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment |
110 |
$20.36 |
$42,350 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
110 |
$17.46 |
$36,320 |
| Industrial production managers |
110 |
$50.63 |
$105,310 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
110 |
$18.54 |
$38,570 |
| Vocational education teachers, secondary school |
110 |
Not available |
$43,900 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
100 |
$15.72 |
$32,690 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
100 |
$13.61 |
$28,320 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
100 |
$24.67 |
$51,310 |
| Millwrights |
100 |
$18.87 |
$39,250 |
| Pest control workers |
100 |
$15.21 |
$31,640 |
| Pharmacy aides |
100 |
$9.39 |
$19,520 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
100 |
$98.49 |
$204,860 |
| Real estate sales agents |
100 |
$20.20 |
$42,020 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
100 |
$11.58 |
$24,090 |
| Tax preparers |
100 |
$14.40 |
$29,960 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
90 |
$17.77 |
$36,950 |
| Cardiovascular technologists and technicians |
90 |
$21.33 |
$44,360 |
| Construction managers |
90 |
$33.00 |
$68,640 |
| Electrical engineers |
90 |
$41.93 |
$87,220 |
| Family and general practitioners |
90 |
$85.96 |
$178,800 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
90 |
$15.25 |
$31,720 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
90 |
$18.50 |
$38,480 |
| Legislators |
90 |
Not available |
$15,100 |
| Mechanical engineers |
90 |
$35.95 |
$74,770 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
90 |
$26.76 |
$55,650 |
| Physical therapist assistants |
90 |
$26.93 |
$56,010 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
90 |
$17.45 |
$36,290 |
| Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing |
90 |
$11.34 |
$23,590 |
| All other information and record clerks |
80 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Chemical plant and system operators |
80 |
$28.08 |
$58,410 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
80 |
$27.75 |
$57,720 |
| Data entry keyers |
80 |
$10.99 |
$22,870 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
80 |
$10.89 |
$22,640 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
80 |
$32.06 |
$66,690 |
| Librarians |
80 |
$23.14 |
$48,130 |
| Occupational therapists |
80 |
$32.17 |
$66,900 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
80 |
$12.70 |
$26,420 |
| Public relations specialists |
80 |
$21.38 |
$44,480 |
| Recreation workers |
80 |
$8.90 |
$18,500 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
80 |
$27.57 |
$57,350 |
| Structural metal fabricators and fitters |
80 |
$14.32 |
$29,790 |
| Vocational education teachers, postsecondary |
80 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors |
70 |
$19.99 |
$41,570 |
| Advertising sales agents |
70 |
$9.53 |
$19,820 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
70 |
$9.55 |
$19,860 |
| Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists |
70 |
$20.51 |
$42,660 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
70 |
$43.29 |
$90,050 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
70 |
$13.06 |
$27,160 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
70 |
$9.12 |
$18,970 |
| Library technicians |
70 |
$10.90 |
$22,670 |
| Logging equipment operators |
70 |
$16.72 |
$34,780 |
| Managers, all other |
70 |
$35.32 |
$73,460 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
70 |
$26.96 |
$56,070 |
| Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials |
70 |
$7.34 |
$15,270 |
| Procurement clerks |
70 |
$14.97 |
$31,140 |
| Respiratory therapists |
70 |
$24.28 |
$50,490 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
70 |
$35.36 |
$73,550 |
| Stationary engineers and boiler operators |
70 |
$21.50 |
$44,720 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
60 |
$8.65 |
$17,980 |
| Coaches and scouts |
60 |
Not available |
$30,980 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
60 |
$14.49 |
$30,150 |
| Cost estimators |
60 |
$21.97 |
$45,700 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
60 |
$7.71 |
$16,050 |
| File clerks |
60 |
$11.14 |
$23,160 |
| Food service managers |
60 |
$20.76 |
$43,180 |
| Funeral attendants |
60 |
$11.50 |
$23,920 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
60 |
$14.46 |
$30,070 |
| Occupational health and safety specialists |
60 |
$21.93 |
$45,610 |
| Personal financial advisors |
60 |
$25.81 |
$53,690 |
| Residential advisors |
60 |
$9.84 |
$20,460 |
| Structural iron and steel workers |
60 |
$14.67 |
$30,520 |
| Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers |
60 |
$11.15 |
$23,200 |
| Chemists |
50 |
$45.76 |
$95,180 |
| Civil engineers |
50 |
$32.50 |
$67,600 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
50 |
$27.32 |
$56,830 |
| Computer operators |
50 |
$14.75 |
$30,690 |
| Couriers and messengers |
50 |
$10.42 |
$21,670 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
50 |
$22.22 |
$46,220 |
| Engineering managers |
50 |
$59.05 |
$122,820 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
50 |
$19.92 |
$41,430 |
| Internists, general |
50 |
More than $70 |
More than $145,600 |
| Postal service clerks |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Printing machine operators |
50 |
$14.75 |
$30,670 |
| Purchasing managers |
50 |
$40.05 |
$83,310 |
| Respiratory therapy technicians |
50 |
$20.87 |
$43,410 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
50 |
$42.20 |
$87,780 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
50 |
$19.09 |
$39,700 |
| Chefs and head cooks |
40 |
$12.23 |
$25,430 |
| Chemical engineers |
40 |
$44.40 |
$92,350 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
40 |
$13.57 |
$28,230 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
40 |
$34.55 |
$71,870 |
| Crossing guards |
40 |
$8.10 |
$16,840 |
| Dentists, general |
40 |
$84.73 |
$176,240 |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers |
40 |
$12.77 |
$26,550 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
40 |
$24.99 |
$51,970 |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers |
40 |
$19.41 |
$40,360 |
| Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse |
40 |
$8.05 |
$16,740 |
| Floral designers |
40 |
$10.70 |
$22,260 |
| Graphic designers |
40 |
$19.03 |
$39,580 |
| Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
40 |
$15.52 |
$32,290 |
| Industrial engineering technicians |
40 |
$27.14 |
$56,450 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
40 |
$11.06 |
$23,010 |
| Mechanical drafters |
40 |
$22.83 |
$47,480 |
| Obstetricians and gynecologists |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Order clerks |
40 |
$11.98 |
$24,910 |
| Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
40 |
$18.37 |
$38,210 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
40 |
$25.64 |
$53,340 |
| Self-enrichment education teachers |
40 |
$22.35 |
$46,490 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
40 |
$9.95 |
$20,690 |
| Tool and die makers |
40 |
$17.03 |
$35,430 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists |
30 |
$20.69 |
$43,020 |
| Environmental engineers |
30 |
$35.50 |
$73,830 |
| First-line supervisors/managers, protective service workers, all other |
30 |
$17.56 |
$36,520 |
| Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors |
30 |
$35.20 |
$73,220 |
| Health educators |
30 |
$22.88 |
$47,580 |
| Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates |
30 |
$27.81 |
$57,840 |
| Market research analysts |
30 |
$23.20 |
$48,260 |
| Marketing managers |
30 |
$43.97 |
$91,460 |
| Meter readers, utilities |
30 |
$10.12 |
$21,050 |
| Surgeons |
30 |
More than $70 |
More than $145,600 |
| Surveyors |
30 |
$18.47 |
$38,420 |
| Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
30 |
$14.86 |
$30,900 |
| Bartenders |
Not available |
$7.10 |
$14,780 |
| Cooks, short order |
Not available |
$7.97 |
$16,580 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
Not available |
$7.14 |
$14,850 |
| Financial analysts |
Not available |
$23.46 |
$48,790 |
| Helpers--brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters |
Not available |
$9.78 |
$20,350 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
Not available |
$9.81 |
$20,400 |
| Home appliance repairers |
Not available |
$10.98 |
$22,840 |
| Legal secretaries |
Not available |
$10.75 |
$22,350 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
Not available |
$8.09 |
$16,830 |
| Ophthalmic laboratory technicians |
Not available |
$10.40 |
$21,630 |
| Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators |
Not available |
$15.74 |
$32,750 |
| Prepress technicians and workers |
Not available |
$10.55 |
$21,950 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
Not available |
$11.93 |
$24,810 |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
Not available |
$8.32 |
$17,310 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
Not available |
$16.78 |
$34,910 |
| Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood |
Not available |
$11.50 |
$23,910 |
| Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners |
Not available |
$10.55 |
$21,940 |
| Sewing machine operators |
Not available |
$10.53 |
$21,900 |
| Telecommunications line installers and repairers |
Not available |
$20.05 |
$41,710 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
Not available |
$8.67 |
$18,040 |
