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 |
62,060 |
$18.28 |
$38,020 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
10,010 |
$14.39 |
$29,940 |
| Sales and related occupations |
8,070 |
$15.66 |
$32,580 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
7,180 |
$20.07 |
$41,750 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
5,950 |
$11.01 |
$22,910 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
4,260 |
$15.80 |
$32,870 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
3,230 |
$19.41 |
$40,380 |
| Production occupations |
3,130 |
$15.10 |
$31,420 |
| Retail salespersons |
3,050 |
$13.68 |
$28,460 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
3,000 |
$18.42 |
$38,310 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
2,660 |
$33.53 |
$69,740 |
| Management occupations |
2,360 |
$39.23 |
$81,600 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
2,030 |
$27.12 |
$56,410 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
1,790 |
$12.25 |
$25,470 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,760 |
$11.84 |
$24,630 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
1,650 |
$8.40 |
$17,480 |
| Cashiers |
1,640 |
$9.72 |
$20,220 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,630 |
$13.79 |
$28,680 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,470 |
$10.42 |
$21,680 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
1,360 |
$20.26 |
$42,140 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,330 |
Not available |
Not available |
| General and operations managers |
1,200 |
$40.35 |
$83,920 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,060 |
$11.24 |
$23,380 |
| Protective service occupations |
970 |
$21.12 |
$43,940 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
930 |
$19.21 |
$39,970 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
890 |
$14.09 |
$29,300 |
| Community and social services occupations |
870 |
$16.89 |
$35,130 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
830 |
$31.55 |
$65,630 |
| Registered nurses |
820 |
$29.51 |
$61,380 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
790 |
$32.81 |
$68,240 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
750 |
$20.41 |
$42,450 |
| Rotary drill operators, oil and gas |
750 |
$26.24 |
$54,580 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
670 |
$11.10 |
$23,080 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
660 |
$22.83 |
$47,480 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
650 |
$11.38 |
$23,660 |
| Construction laborers |
640 |
$13.87 |
$28,840 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
620 |
$13.09 |
$27,240 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
600 |
$12.54 |
$26,090 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
600 |
$11.28 |
$23,460 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
570 |
$21.19 |
$44,070 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
570 |
$28.03 |
$58,300 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
560 |
$32.93 |
$68,500 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
540 |
$14.88 |
$30,940 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
540 |
$11.94 |
$24,840 |
| Home health aides |
530 |
$8.83 |
$18,360 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
520 |
$18.94 |
$39,390 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
510 |
$11.81 |
$24,570 |
| Accountants and auditors |
500 |
$25.36 |
$52,750 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
480 |
$28.50 |
$59,280 |
| Electricians |
480 |
$20.60 |
$42,850 |
| Customer service representatives |
470 |
$12.81 |
$26,650 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
470 |
$9.44 |
$19,630 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
460 |
$21.29 |
$44,290 |
| Food preparation workers |
460 |
$9.80 |
$20,380 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
460 |
$20.12 |
$41,850 |
| Legal occupations |
410 |
$33.37 |
$69,410 |
| Carpenters |
400 |
$17.25 |
$35,890 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
390 |
$13.90 |
$28,920 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
380 |
$11.07 |
$23,030 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
380 |
$14.90 |
$30,990 |
| Dishwashers |
360 |
$9.23 |
$19,210 |
| Driver/sales workers |
350 |
$10.55 |
$21,930 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
330 |
$18.12 |
$37,680 |
| Tellers |
330 |
$11.18 |
$23,240 |
| Service unit operators, oil, gas, and mining |
320 |
$19.44 |
$40,440 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
320 |
$18.82 |
$39,140 |
| Child care workers |
310 |
$9.74 |
$20,260 |
| Parts salespersons |
290 |
$17.34 |
$36,070 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
280 |
$17.00 |
$35,360 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
280 |
$9.51 |
$19,770 |
| Personal and home care aides |
280 |
$8.91 |
$18,540 |
| Sheet metal workers |
270 |
$19.83 |
$41,250 |
| Medical secretaries |
250 |
$16.02 |
$33,320 |
| Bartenders |
240 |
$14.70 |
$30,570 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
240 |
$10.94 |
$22,760 |
| Team assemblers |
240 |
$12.18 |
$25,330 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
230 |
$8.93 |
$18,570 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
230 |
$30.80 |
$64,070 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
220 |
$10.51 |
$21,860 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
220 |
$8.21 |
$17,070 |
| Lawyers |
220 |
$43.06 |
$89,550 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
220 |
$19.49 |
$40,540 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
210 |
$13.97 |
$29,060 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
210 |
$11.97 |
$24,900 |
| Construction managers |
200 |
$29.44 |
$61,240 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
200 |
$25.77 |
$53,600 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
200 |
$11.56 |
$24,050 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
190 |
$28.57 |
$59,430 |
| Civil engineers |
180 |
$35.62 |
$74,090 |
| Bill and account collectors |
170 |
$19.70 |
$40,970 |
| Managers, all other |
170 |
$44.97 |
$93,540 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
160 |
$22.44 |
$46,670 |
| Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic |
160 |
$13.88 |
$28,880 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
160 |
$12.18 |
$25,340 |
| Helpers--production workers |
160 |
$11.50 |
$23,910 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
160 |
$8.47 |
$17,630 |
| Social and human service assistants |
160 |
$11.32 |
$23,540 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
150 |
$15.10 |
$31,400 |
| Computer support specialists |
150 |
$21.60 |
$44,930 |
| Dental assistants |
150 |
$14.21 |
$29,560 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
150 |
$13.82 |
$28,730 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
150 |
$16.84 |
$35,030 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
150 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Cooks, fast food |
140 |
$8.59 |
$17,860 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
140 |
$13.06 |
$27,170 |
| Machinists |
140 |
$17.80 |
$37,030 |
| Medical assistants |
140 |
$14.52 |
$30,210 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
140 |
$10.88 |
$22,640 |
| All other information and record clerks |
130 |
$17.48 |
$36,350 |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers |
130 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators |
130 |
$17.82 |
$37,060 |
| Insurance sales agents |
130 |
$18.99 |
$39,500 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
130 |
$17.66 |
$36,730 |
| Recreation workers |
130 |
$11.59 |
$24,100 |
| Security guards |
130 |
$12.46 |
$25,920 |
| Dental hygienists |
120 |
$31.72 |
$65,980 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
120 |
$19.39 |
$40,330 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
120 |
$14.34 |
$29,820 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
110 |
$8.31 |
$17,290 |
| Conservation scientists |
110 |
$23.91 |
$49,730 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
110 |
$33.53 |
$69,750 |
| Loan officers |
110 |
$30.47 |
$63,380 |
| Public relations specialists |
110 |
$20.78 |
$43,220 |
| Coaches and scouts |
100 |
Not available |
$32,520 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
100 |
$22.58 |
$46,970 |
| Cost estimators |
100 |
$26.92 |
$55,990 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
100 |
$8.85 |
$18,410 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
100 |
$13.98 |
$29,090 |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
100 |
$16.05 |
$33,380 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
100 |
$12.81 |
$26,640 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
90 |
$15.55 |
$32,340 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
90 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
90 |
$18.40 |
$38,280 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
90 |
$20.19 |
$42,000 |
| File clerks |
90 |
$11.86 |
$24,660 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
90 |
$17.22 |
$35,830 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
90 |
$17.24 |
$35,860 |
| Medical and health services managers |
90 |
$40.27 |
$83,760 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
90 |
$13.24 |
$27,540 |
| Pharmacists |
90 |
$52.17 |
$108,520 |
| Physical therapists |
90 |
$33.17 |
$69,000 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
90 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
90 |
$22.66 |
$47,140 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
90 |
$13.36 |
$27,790 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
80 |
$15.82 |
$32,900 |
| Crane and tower operators |
80 |
$27.22 |
$56,610 |
| Financial managers |
80 |
$41.88 |
$87,100 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
80 |
$21.99 |
$45,730 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
80 |
$22.75 |
$47,320 |
| Vocational education teachers, postsecondary |
80 |
$16.34 |
$34,000 |
| Advertising sales agents |
70 |
$25.98 |
$54,030 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
70 |
$25.62 |
$53,280 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
70 |
$17.32 |
$36,030 |
| Mechanical engineers |
70 |
$39.74 |
$82,670 |
| New accounts clerks |
70 |
$14.19 |
$29,510 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
70 |
$8.84 |
$18,400 |
| Radio and television announcers |
70 |
$12.11 |
$25,200 |
| Roofers |
70 |
$13.63 |
$28,350 |
| Sales managers |
70 |
$40.50 |
$84,240 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
70 |
Not available |
$40,460 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
70 |
$11.23 |
$23,370 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
60 |
$23.02 |
$47,890 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
60 |
$46.36 |
$96,430 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
60 |
$9.15 |
$19,030 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
60 |
$12.00 |
$24,950 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
60 |
$21.88 |
$45,510 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
60 |
$31.24 |
$64,970 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
60 |
$11.07 |
$23,020 |
| Legal secretaries |
60 |
$16.58 |
$34,490 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
60 |
$21.17 |
$44,030 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
60 |
$12.24 |
$25,460 |
| Mental health counselors |
60 |
$15.68 |
$32,620 |
| Order clerks |
60 |
$16.11 |
$33,520 |
| Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics |
60 |
$16.02 |
$33,330 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
60 |
$21.87 |
$45,500 |
| Postal service clerks |
60 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
60 |
$29.87 |
$62,130 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
60 |
$28.76 |
$59,810 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
60 |
$25.72 |
$53,510 |
| Training and development specialists |
60 |
$23.19 |
$48,230 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
60 |
$21.05 |
$43,780 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
50 |
$21.87 |
$45,500 |
| Chief executives |
50 |
$75.25 |
$156,520 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
50 |
$27.35 |
$56,880 |
| Couriers and messengers |
50 |
$10.93 |
$22,730 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
50 |
$14.16 |
$29,450 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
50 |
$19.24 |
$40,010 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
50 |
$28.76 |
$59,820 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
50 |
$13.58 |
$28,250 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
50 |
$15.24 |
$31,690 |
| Personal financial advisors |
50 |
$49.73 |
$103,430 |
| Printing machine operators |
50 |
$14.13 |
$29,400 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
50 |
$17.92 |
$37,280 |
| Surveying and mapping technicians |
50 |
$16.46 |
$34,230 |
| Tile and marble setters |
50 |
$16.23 |
$33,750 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
50 |
$39.85 |
$82,880 |
| Veterinarians |
50 |
$26.06 |
$54,200 |
| Appraisers and assessors of real estate |
40 |
$25.59 |
$53,220 |
| Baggage porters and bellhops |
40 |
$9.20 |
$19,140 |
| Broadcast technicians |
40 |
$15.09 |
$31,390 |
| Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders |
40 |
$12.52 |
$26,040 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
40 |
$23.44 |
$48,750 |
| Computer systems analysts |
40 |
$30.56 |
$63,560 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
40 |
$15.57 |
$32,390 |
| Dental laboratory technicians |
40 |
$17.83 |
$37,090 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
40 |
$22.85 |
$47,530 |
| Graphic designers |
40 |
$19.78 |
$41,130 |
| Interior designers |
40 |
$18.39 |
$38,250 |
| Job printers |
40 |
$16.03 |
$33,330 |
| Librarians |
40 |
$27.47 |
$57,140 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
40 |
$11.21 |
$23,320 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
40 |
$30.39 |
$63,210 |
| Occupational therapists |
40 |
$29.83 |
$62,050 |
| Pest control workers |
40 |
$14.99 |
$31,190 |
| Producers and directors |
40 |
$19.60 |
$40,760 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
40 |
$23.04 |
$47,920 |
| Social and community service managers |
40 |
$28.67 |
$59,620 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
40 |
$11.96 |
$24,870 |
| Urban and regional planners |
40 |
$29.20 |
$60,740 |
| Bakers |
30 |
$12.09 |
$25,160 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
30 |
$49.56 |
$103,080 |
| Data entry keyers |
30 |
$13.52 |
$28,120 |
| Dentists, general |
30 |
$77.25 |
$160,690 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists |
30 |
$27.96 |
$58,150 |
| Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers |
30 |
$12.81 |
$26,650 |
| Environmental scientists and specialists, including health |
30 |
$34.32 |
$71,390 |
| Floral designers |
30 |
$11.37 |
$23,660 |
| Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons |
30 |
$11.70 |
$24,330 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
30 |
$15.19 |
$31,590 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
30 |
$23.66 |
$49,200 |
| Optometrists |
30 |
$29.17 |
$60,680 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
Not available |
$12.20 |
$25,380 |
| Construction and related workers, all other |
Not available |
$13.24 |
$27,540 |
| Cooks, short order |
Not available |
$11.57 |
$24,070 |
| Derrick operators, oil and gas |
Not available |
$18.27 |
$38,010 |
| Electrical engineers |
Not available |
$46.57 |
$96,860 |
| Family and general practitioners |
Not available |
$102.41 |
$213,010 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
Not available |
$16.52 |
$34,360 |
| Health diagnosing and treating practitioners, all other |
Not available |
$40.31 |
$83,840 |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks |
Not available |
$19.00 |
$39,530 |
| Insurance underwriters |
Not available |
$32.15 |
$66,870 |
| Management analysts |
Not available |
$33.32 |
$69,300 |
| Market research analysts |
Not available |
$26.75 |
$55,630 |
| Massage therapists |
Not available |
$19.29 |
$40,130 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
Not available |
$17.52 |
$36,450 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
Not available |
$21.42 |
$44,560 |
| Motorcycle mechanics |
Not available |
$16.63 |
$34,590 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
Not available |
$15.04 |
$31,280 |
| Painters, transportation equipment |
Not available |
$19.25 |
$40,040 |
| Painting, coating, and decorating workers |
Not available |
$14.92 |
$31,030 |
| Photographers |
Not available |
$11.25 |
$23,410 |
| Physician assistants |
Not available |
$37.07 |
$77,100 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
Not available |
More than $70 |
More than $145,600 |
| Pipelayers |
Not available |
$19.74 |
$41,060 |
| Plasterers and stucco masons |
Not available |
$22.24 |
$46,260 |
| Private detectives and investigators |
Not available |
$9.75 |
$20,270 |
| Production workers, all other |
Not available |
$14.38 |
$29,910 |
| Real estate sales agents |
Not available |
$25.21 |
$52,430 |
| Recreational vehicle service technicians |
Not available |
$17.85 |
$37,120 |
| Roustabouts, oil and gas |
Not available |
$14.23 |
$29,600 |
| Security and fire alarm systems installers |
Not available |
$14.97 |
$31,140 |
| Surveyors |
Not available |
$21.14 |
$43,970 |
| Telemarketers |
Not available |
$10.06 |
$20,910 |
| Woodworkers, all other |
Not available |
$12.35 |
$25,690 |
