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 |
77,670 |
$18.05 |
$37,540 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
12,930 |
$13.44 |
$27,940 |
| Sales and related occupations |
10,760 |
$13.98 |
$29,080 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
10,750 |
$9.77 |
$20,320 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
4,730 |
$29.71 |
$61,800 |
| Retail salespersons |
3,900 |
$11.80 |
$24,550 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
3,840 |
$16.28 |
$33,860 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
3,600 |
$34.51 |
$71,780 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
3,590 |
$19.48 |
$40,530 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
3,210 |
$29.34 |
$61,030 |
| Cashiers |
3,100 |
$8.71 |
$18,110 |
| Production occupations |
3,020 |
$15.78 |
$32,830 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
2,930 |
$10.97 |
$22,830 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
2,760 |
$10.10 |
$21,000 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
2,740 |
$8.33 |
$17,320 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
2,420 |
$13.74 |
$28,570 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
2,210 |
$31.38 |
$65,280 |
| Management occupations |
2,150 |
$37.75 |
$78,510 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
2,100 |
$10.50 |
$21,840 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,720 |
$13.29 |
$27,640 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,690 |
$17.91 |
$37,250 |
| Customer service representatives |
1,550 |
$11.41 |
$23,740 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
1,450 |
$30.23 |
$62,880 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,450 |
$12.27 |
$25,520 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
1,450 |
$10.46 |
$21,750 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
1,380 |
$10.68 |
$22,220 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,310 |
$11.24 |
$23,370 |
| Registered nurses |
1,100 |
$26.18 |
$54,450 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
1,090 |
$10.44 |
$21,720 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
1,040 |
$14.49 |
$30,150 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
1,040 |
$19.37 |
$40,290 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
850 |
$16.84 |
$35,040 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
780 |
$17.30 |
$35,990 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
710 |
$11.72 |
$24,380 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
680 |
$19.12 |
$39,770 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
680 |
$15.62 |
$32,480 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
660 |
$10.65 |
$22,140 |
| Community and social services occupations |
610 |
$17.81 |
$37,040 |
| Engineers, all other |
610 |
$40.35 |
$83,920 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
590 |
$18.15 |
$37,750 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
590 |
$9.17 |
$19,060 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
590 |
$11.32 |
$23,550 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
590 |
$25.01 |
$52,010 |
| Dishwashers |
580 |
$7.85 |
$16,320 |
| Child care workers |
560 |
$9.87 |
$20,530 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
560 |
$21.08 |
$43,840 |
| Accountants and auditors |
550 |
$30.16 |
$62,730 |
| Bartenders |
510 |
$9.49 |
$19,740 |
| Tellers |
510 |
$11.61 |
$24,150 |
| Cooks, fast food |
500 |
$8.11 |
$16,860 |
| Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers |
480 |
$19.04 |
$39,600 |
| Construction laborers |
480 |
$12.13 |
$25,230 |
| General and operations managers |
480 |
$41.34 |
$86,000 |
| Security guards |
480 |
$13.19 |
$27,430 |
| Management analysts |
470 |
$34.93 |
$72,660 |
| Electricians |
460 |
$16.16 |
$33,610 |
| All other information and record clerks |
450 |
$14.96 |
$31,120 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
450 |
$23.83 |
$49,560 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
430 |
$28.07 |
$58,390 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
430 |
$8.45 |
$17,570 |
| Computer software engineers, systems software |
420 |
$35.63 |
$74,110 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
420 |
$8.11 |
$16,880 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
410 |
Not available |
$49,450 |
| Food preparation workers |
400 |
$9.20 |
$19,130 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
400 |
$29.77 |
$61,930 |
| Electrical engineers |
390 |
$37.45 |
$77,900 |
| Loan officers |
390 |
$24.94 |
$51,880 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
380 |
$19.10 |
$39,730 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
370 |
$10.14 |
$21,090 |
| Computer support specialists |
360 |
$21.04 |
$43,770 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
360 |
$11.48 |
$23,890 |
| Real estate sales agents |
360 |
$16.21 |
$33,720 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
360 |
$14.90 |
$30,990 |
| Aircraft mechanics and service technicians |
350 |
$22.10 |
$45,980 |
| Construction managers |
350 |
$29.61 |
$61,590 |
| Legal occupations |
350 |
$32.60 |
$67,810 |
| Insurance sales agents |
330 |
$21.02 |
$43,710 |
| Recreation workers |
320 |
$10.29 |
$21,410 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
310 |
$16.65 |
$34,630 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
310 |
$31.23 |
$64,960 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
310 |
$13.30 |
$27,670 |
| Carpenters |
300 |
$16.27 |
$33,850 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
300 |
$36.24 |
$75,370 |
| Fire fighters |
300 |
$18.31 |
$38,080 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
290 |
$16.35 |
$34,010 |
| Aerospace engineers |
280 |
$41.90 |
$87,140 |
| Computer systems analysts |
280 |
$31.17 |
$64,840 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
270 |
$10.41 |
$21,650 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
270 |
$25.86 |
$53,800 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
270 |
$13.73 |
$28,570 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
260 |
$28.91 |
$60,130 |
| Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers |
250 |
$13.35 |
$27,760 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
250 |
$12.31 |
$25,600 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
250 |
$17.71 |
$36,840 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
250 |
$17.96 |
$37,350 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
250 |
$10.46 |
$21,750 |
| Helpers--electricians |
230 |
$13.02 |
$27,090 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
210 |
$9.66 |
$20,090 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
210 |
$16.41 |
$34,140 |
| Mechanical engineers |
210 |
$43.19 |
$89,830 |
| Medical assistants |
210 |
$13.27 |
$27,610 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
210 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
200 |
$8.80 |
$18,310 |
| Dental assistants |
200 |
$15.70 |
$32,650 |
| Logisticians |
200 |
$31.43 |
$65,380 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
200 |
$11.98 |
$24,910 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
200 |
$17.61 |
$36,630 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
190 |
$98.97 |
$205,850 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
170 |
$9.60 |
$19,970 |
| Driver/sales workers |
170 |
$8.42 |
$17,520 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
170 |
$12.84 |
$26,710 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
170 |
$28.90 |
$60,120 |
| Budget analysts |
160 |
$30.57 |
$63,580 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
160 |
$33.47 |
$69,610 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
160 |
$20.81 |
$43,290 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
160 |
$26.17 |
$54,430 |
| Industrial engineers |
160 |
$32.87 |
$68,370 |
| Machinists |
160 |
$15.62 |
$32,500 |
| Parts salespersons |
160 |
$14.05 |
$29,230 |
| Pest control workers |
160 |
$16.89 |
$35,120 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
150 |
$15.02 |
$31,250 |
| Computer hardware engineers |
150 |
$37.95 |
$78,930 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
150 |
$34.07 |
$70,860 |
| Financial specialists, all other |
150 |
$35.19 |
$73,190 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
150 |
$10.40 |
$21,630 |
| Lawyers |
150 |
$49.71 |
$103,400 |
| Cost estimators |
140 |
$23.16 |
$48,180 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
140 |
$15.46 |
$32,170 |
| Personal care and service workers, all other |
140 |
$10.00 |
$20,810 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
140 |
$27.32 |
$56,830 |
| Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other |
130 |
$23.92 |
$49,760 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
130 |
$15.72 |
$32,700 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
130 |
$29.52 |
$61,390 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
130 |
$7.99 |
$16,610 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
130 |
$21.96 |
$45,670 |
| Food service managers |
120 |
$26.62 |
$55,370 |
| Managers, all other |
120 |
$39.24 |
$81,620 |
| Operations research analysts |
120 |
$35.62 |
$74,080 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
120 |
$17.03 |
$35,420 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
120 |
$14.81 |
$30,800 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
120 |
$35.50 |
$73,830 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
110 |
$24.85 |
$51,700 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
110 |
$15.86 |
$32,990 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
110 |
$12.46 |
$25,910 |
| Financial managers |
110 |
$45.02 |
$93,650 |
| Graphic designers |
110 |
$16.66 |
$34,650 |
| Pharmacists |
110 |
$50.41 |
$104,850 |
| Real estate brokers |
110 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks |
110 |
$11.84 |
$24,620 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
110 |
$16.97 |
$35,310 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
100 |
$21.25 |
$44,190 |
| Computer programmers |
100 |
$30.71 |
$63,880 |
| Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment |
100 |
$26.91 |
$55,970 |
| Engineering managers |
100 |
$53.60 |
$111,480 |
| Industrial engineering technicians |
100 |
$21.50 |
$44,720 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
100 |
$18.78 |
$39,070 |
| Roofers |
100 |
$12.20 |
$25,370 |
| Training and development specialists |
100 |
$26.09 |
$54,260 |
| Travel agents |
100 |
$15.37 |
$31,970 |
| Advertising sales agents |
90 |
$19.02 |
$39,560 |
| Bill and account collectors |
90 |
$13.91 |
$28,930 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
90 |
$12.34 |
$25,670 |
| Chief executives |
90 |
$77.63 |
$161,470 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
90 |
$11.63 |
$24,200 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
90 |
$21.83 |
$45,410 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
90 |
$11.55 |
$24,020 |
| Surveying and mapping technicians |
90 |
$15.87 |
$33,010 |
| Avionics technicians |
80 |
$24.41 |
$50,780 |
| Construction and related workers, all other |
80 |
$15.53 |
$32,290 |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers |
80 |
$12.05 |
$25,060 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
80 |
$11.88 |
$24,700 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
80 |
$16.82 |
$34,970 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
80 |
$13.99 |
$29,090 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
80 |
$16.60 |
$34,520 |
| Painters, transportation equipment |
80 |
$17.63 |
$36,660 |
| Public relations specialists |
80 |
$26.00 |
$54,090 |
| Sales managers |
80 |
$56.35 |
$117,210 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
70 |
$15.17 |
$31,540 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
70 |
$18.28 |
$38,030 |
| Coaches and scouts |
70 |
Not available |
$31,350 |
| Data entry keyers |
70 |
$11.47 |
$23,870 |
| File clerks |
70 |
$10.92 |
$22,700 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
70 |
$13.76 |
$28,630 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
70 |
$35.04 |
$72,880 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
70 |
$15.68 |
$32,610 |
| Helpers--production workers |
70 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
70 |
$15.17 |
$31,550 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
70 |
$14.27 |
$29,690 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
70 |
$11.31 |
$23,530 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
70 |
$21.41 |
$44,540 |
| Medical secretaries |
70 |
$12.66 |
$26,330 |
| Motor vehicle operators, all other |
70 |
$12.22 |
$25,430 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
70 |
$9.53 |
$19,810 |
| Procurement clerks |
70 |
$17.40 |
$36,180 |
| Sheet metal workers |
70 |
$16.39 |
$34,080 |
| Social scientists and related workers, all other |
70 |
$33.21 |
$69,080 |
| Team assemblers |
70 |
$10.37 |
$21,560 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
70 |
$11.95 |
$24,860 |
| Administrative services managers |
60 |
$39.34 |
$81,820 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
60 |
$13.70 |
$28,490 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
60 |
$24.39 |
$50,740 |
| Bakers |
60 |
$12.76 |
$26,530 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
60 |
$22.96 |
$47,770 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
60 |
$45.33 |
$94,280 |
| Construction and building inspectors |
60 |
$22.75 |
$47,320 |
| Counselors, all other |
60 |
$12.11 |
$25,190 |
| Database administrators |
60 |
$28.34 |
$58,950 |
| Drafters, all other |
60 |
$18.99 |
$39,490 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
60 |
$22.63 |
$47,070 |
| Librarians |
60 |
$30.75 |
$63,950 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
60 |
$18.04 |
$37,520 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
60 |
$17.21 |
$35,800 |
| Postal service clerks |
60 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
60 |
$14.88 |
$30,940 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
60 |
$10.07 |
$20,950 |
| Electronic home entertainment equipment installers and repairers |
50 |
$18.68 |
$38,850 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
50 |
$20.19 |
$41,990 |
| Floral designers |
50 |
$11.19 |
$23,280 |
| Helpers, construction trades, all other |
50 |
$13.11 |
$27,260 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
50 |
$14.05 |
$29,220 |
| Maintenance workers, machinery |
50 |
$18.46 |
$38,400 |
| Mental health counselors |
50 |
$17.67 |
$36,760 |
| Motorboat mechanics |
50 |
$15.19 |
$31,590 |
| Personal financial advisors |
50 |
$42.05 |
$87,470 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
50 |
$34.69 |
$72,150 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
50 |
$10.29 |
$21,410 |
| Technical writers |
50 |
$27.62 |
$57,450 |
| Telecommunications line installers and repairers |
50 |
$21.07 |
$43,830 |
| Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers |
50 |
$17.73 |
$36,880 |
| Tour guides and escorts |
50 |
$12.02 |
$25,010 |
| Veterinarians |
50 |
$31.68 |
$65,890 |
| Word processors and typists |
50 |
$15.08 |
$31,370 |
| Appraisers and assessors of real estate |
40 |
$24.36 |
$50,670 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
40 |
$19.30 |
$40,140 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
40 |
$16.91 |
$35,180 |
| Computer operators |
40 |
$14.54 |
$30,250 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
40 |
$13.75 |
$28,590 |
| Financial analysts |
40 |
$38.41 |
$79,890 |
| Locksmiths and safe repairers |
40 |
$12.68 |
$26,370 |
| Market research analysts |
40 |
$18.29 |
$38,040 |
| Marketing managers |
40 |
$48.16 |
$100,170 |
| Medical and health services managers |
40 |
$41.14 |
$85,580 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
40 |
$15.94 |
$33,160 |
| Order clerks |
40 |
$12.79 |
$26,600 |
| Physical scientists, all other |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Physician assistants |
40 |
$36.46 |
$75,830 |
| Respiratory therapists |
40 |
$21.52 |
$44,760 |
| Social and human service assistants |
40 |
$15.20 |
$31,610 |
| Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers |
40 |
$12.17 |
$25,310 |
| Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping |
40 |
$15.91 |
$33,100 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
30 |
$21.38 |
$44,460 |
| Farm and home management advisors |
30 |
$16.43 |
$34,170 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
30 |
$32.85 |
$68,330 |
| Instructional coordinators |
30 |
$23.82 |
$49,550 |
| Occupational health and safety specialists |
30 |
$32.73 |
$68,070 |
| Office machine operators, except computer |
30 |
$10.73 |
$22,320 |
| Optometrists |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Architects, except landscape and naval |
Not available |
$41.59 |
$86,500 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
Not available |
$12.69 |
$26,400 |
| Cardiovascular technologists and technicians |
Not available |
$20.94 |
$43,550 |
| Chefs and head cooks |
Not available |
$22.05 |
$45,870 |
| Civil engineers |
Not available |
$39.15 |
$81,430 |
| Cooks, short order |
Not available |
$8.99 |
$18,710 |
| Couriers and messengers |
Not available |
$10.19 |
$21,190 |
| Crane and tower operators |
Not available |
$15.09 |
$31,400 |
| Dental hygienists |
Not available |
$26.76 |
$55,650 |
| Editors |
Not available |
$27.00 |
$56,160 |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers |
Not available |
$19.90 |
$41,390 |
| First-line supervisors/managers, protective service workers, all other |
Not available |
$23.08 |
$48,000 |
| Glaziers |
Not available |
$17.23 |
$35,850 |
| Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
Not available |
$12.44 |
$25,880 |
| Home health aides |
Not available |
$9.99 |
$20,770 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
Not available |
$29.03 |
$60,390 |
| New accounts clerks |
Not available |
$13.61 |
$28,310 |
| Ophthalmic laboratory technicians |
Not available |
$14.14 |
$29,400 |
| Opticians, dispensing |
Not available |
$20.21 |
$42,040 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
Not available |
$14.37 |
$29,890 |
| Parking lot attendants |
Not available |
$9.32 |
$19,390 |
| Personal and home care aides |
Not available |
$8.97 |
$18,650 |
| Physical therapists |
Not available |
$34.18 |
$71,080 |
| Plasterers and stucco masons |
Not available |
$16.44 |
$34,190 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
Not available |
$11.16 |
$23,220 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
Not available |
$41.62 |
$86,580 |
| Self-enrichment education teachers |
Not available |
$15.45 |
$32,150 |
| Surgical technologists |
Not available |
$16.11 |
$33,510 |
| Tile and marble setters |
Not available |
$12.45 |
$25,890 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
Not available |
$9.72 |
$20,220 |
| Urban and regional planners |
Not available |
$25.90 |
$53,860 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
Not available |
$15.18 |
$31,580 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
Not available |
$19.49 |
$40,530 |
