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 |
35,670 |
$15.76 |
$32,780 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
6,850 |
$12.97 |
$26,970 |
| Sales and related occupations |
4,380 |
$13.42 |
$27,910 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
3,410 |
$8.34 |
$17,360 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
2,290 |
$18.57 |
$38,620 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
2,230 |
$13.27 |
$27,610 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
2,220 |
$27.12 |
$56,410 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,010 |
$17.49 |
$36,380 |
| Retail salespersons |
1,750 |
$12.46 |
$25,910 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
1,720 |
$18.39 |
$38,250 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
1,520 |
$10.58 |
$22,000 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,360 |
$11.21 |
$23,320 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,290 |
$25.68 |
$53,410 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,240 |
$9.88 |
$20,550 |
| Cashiers |
1,150 |
$8.56 |
$17,810 |
| Management occupations |
1,080 |
$34.22 |
$71,170 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
980 |
$13.69 |
$28,480 |
| Production occupations |
890 |
$14.08 |
$29,290 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
880 |
$11.43 |
$23,770 |
| Registered nurses |
850 |
$27.10 |
$56,380 |
| Community and social services occupations |
810 |
$17.44 |
$36,280 |
| Protective service occupations |
720 |
$18.43 |
$38,340 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
710 |
$10.68 |
$22,210 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
670 |
$7.55 |
$15,700 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
600 |
$11.16 |
$23,210 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
520 |
$14.28 |
$29,710 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
510 |
Not available |
$41,780 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
490 |
$7.83 |
$16,280 |
| Carpenters |
480 |
$15.51 |
$32,250 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
480 |
$7.69 |
$15,980 |
| General and operations managers |
480 |
$37.60 |
$78,210 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
470 |
$10.61 |
$22,070 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
460 |
$11.63 |
$24,190 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
420 |
$17.04 |
$35,450 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
420 |
$10.54 |
$21,920 |
| Bartenders |
380 |
$8.77 |
$18,240 |
| Cooks, fast food |
380 |
$8.11 |
$16,870 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
360 |
$26.22 |
$54,540 |
| Office clerks, general |
360 |
$9.81 |
$20,400 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
360 |
Not available |
$40,060 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
340 |
$10.57 |
$21,980 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
340 |
$14.60 |
$30,370 |
| Child care workers |
330 |
$8.49 |
$17,660 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
330 |
$16.72 |
$34,780 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
310 |
$20.66 |
$42,970 |
| Home health aides |
310 |
$8.68 |
$18,050 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
300 |
$8.68 |
$18,050 |
| Accountants and auditors |
290 |
$30.57 |
$63,580 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
290 |
$14.13 |
$29,390 |
| Construction laborers |
280 |
$14.97 |
$31,140 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
280 |
$17.10 |
$35,570 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
270 |
Not available |
$33,390 |
| Personal and home care aides |
270 |
$10.08 |
$20,960 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
260 |
$21.40 |
$44,510 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
260 |
$23.91 |
$49,730 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
250 |
$19.47 |
$40,500 |
| Food preparation workers |
240 |
$8.84 |
$18,400 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
240 |
$9.80 |
$20,380 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
220 |
$9.76 |
$20,300 |
| Legal occupations |
220 |
$28.28 |
$58,810 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
210 |
$17.33 |
$36,040 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
200 |
$26.08 |
$54,250 |
| Dishwashers |
180 |
$7.19 |
$14,960 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
180 |
$13.76 |
$28,620 |
| Teacher assistants |
180 |
Not available |
$18,160 |
| Medical assistants |
170 |
$12.35 |
$25,690 |
| Social and human service assistants |
170 |
$12.13 |
$25,220 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
160 |
$10.13 |
$21,060 |
| Medical secretaries |
160 |
$13.19 |
$27,430 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
160 |
$18.87 |
$39,250 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
160 |
Not available |
$24,950 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
150 |
$23.92 |
$49,750 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
150 |
$26.56 |
$55,250 |
| Tellers |
150 |
$10.32 |
$21,470 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
140 |
$17.21 |
$35,790 |
| Lawyers |
140 |
$33.88 |
$70,470 |
| Legal secretaries |
140 |
$13.62 |
$28,320 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
140 |
$22.17 |
$46,120 |
| Bus drivers, school |
130 |
$10.76 |
$22,380 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
130 |
$17.53 |
$36,470 |
| Dental assistants |
120 |
$15.44 |
$32,110 |
| Electricians |
120 |
$24.05 |
$50,020 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
120 |
$13.27 |
$27,600 |
| Pharmacists |
120 |
$42.18 |
$87,740 |
| Aircraft mechanics and service technicians |
110 |
$23.33 |
$48,530 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
110 |
$21.25 |
$44,190 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
110 |
$13.08 |
$27,210 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
100 |
$14.99 |
$31,190 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
100 |
$16.85 |
$35,040 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
100 |
$14.71 |
$30,600 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
100 |
$8.85 |
$18,410 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
100 |
$9.45 |
$19,650 |
| Data entry keyers |
100 |
$11.04 |
$22,960 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
100 |
$21.44 |
$44,600 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
100 |
$16.25 |
$33,790 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
100 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
100 |
$23.98 |
$49,870 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
90 |
$13.70 |
$28,490 |
| Computer support specialists |
90 |
$17.94 |
$37,310 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
90 |
$13.30 |
$27,670 |
| Parts salespersons |
90 |
$14.10 |
$29,320 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
90 |
$13.19 |
$27,440 |
| Recreation workers |
90 |
$12.34 |
$25,670 |
| All other information and record clerks |
80 |
$16.91 |
$35,170 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
80 |
$7.27 |
$15,120 |
| Farm equipment mechanics |
80 |
$16.52 |
$34,370 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
80 |
$8.02 |
$16,690 |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks |
80 |
$14.18 |
$29,490 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
80 |
$9.72 |
$20,210 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
80 |
$15.68 |
$32,610 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
80 |
$21.89 |
$45,530 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
80 |
$10.39 |
$21,600 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
70 |
$7.58 |
$15,770 |
| Civil engineers |
70 |
$33.89 |
$70,500 |
| Coaches and scouts |
70 |
Not available |
$19,080 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
70 |
$22.56 |
$46,930 |
| Computer programmers |
70 |
$17.05 |
$35,470 |
| Fire fighters |
70 |
$21.04 |
$43,760 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
70 |
$13.44 |
$27,950 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
70 |
$12.98 |
$27,010 |
| Social workers, all other |
70 |
$17.01 |
$35,380 |
| Advertising sales agents |
60 |
$15.06 |
$31,330 |
| Appraisers and assessors of real estate |
60 |
$22.26 |
$46,300 |
| Bill and account collectors |
60 |
$15.86 |
$32,980 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
60 |
$19.69 |
$40,960 |
| Instructional coordinators |
60 |
$20.31 |
$42,240 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
60 |
$24.84 |
$51,660 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
60 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks |
60 |
$11.32 |
$23,540 |
| Roofers |
60 |
$11.95 |
$24,850 |
| Sales managers |
60 |
$36.38 |
$75,680 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
60 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Security guards |
60 |
$11.18 |
$23,250 |
| Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors |
60 |
$18.82 |
$39,150 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
60 |
$15.22 |
$31,650 |
| Bakers |
50 |
$10.38 |
$21,590 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
50 |
$19.11 |
$39,750 |
| Conveyor operators and tenders |
50 |
$15.56 |
$32,370 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
50 |
Not available |
$71,580 |
| Financial managers |
50 |
$41.54 |
$86,400 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
50 |
$22.50 |
$46,790 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
50 |
$14.85 |
$30,890 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
50 |
$24.02 |
$49,970 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
50 |
$11.08 |
$23,040 |
| Managers, all other |
50 |
$29.84 |
$62,070 |
| Medical and health services managers |
50 |
$30.47 |
$63,370 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
50 |
$19.37 |
$40,290 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
50 |
$9.87 |
$20,540 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
50 |
$12.93 |
$26,900 |
| Social and community service managers |
50 |
$17.10 |
$35,570 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
50 |
Not available |
$41,590 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
40 |
$19.44 |
$40,440 |
| Chief executives |
40 |
$44.25 |
$92,040 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
40 |
$19.23 |
$40,000 |
| Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Construction and building inspectors |
40 |
$22.07 |
$45,900 |
| Cost estimators |
40 |
$22.72 |
$47,260 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
40 |
$11.84 |
$24,630 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
40 |
$16.55 |
$34,430 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
40 |
$17.68 |
$36,780 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
40 |
$11.57 |
$24,070 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
40 |
$14.39 |
$29,930 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
40 |
Not available |
$39,300 |
| Librarians |
40 |
$21.49 |
$44,710 |
| Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers |
40 |
$9.78 |
$20,340 |
| Loan officers |
40 |
$17.82 |
$37,070 |
| Order clerks |
40 |
$12.86 |
$26,750 |
| Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers |
40 |
$25.18 |
$52,370 |
| Public relations specialists |
40 |
$17.83 |
$37,080 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
40 |
$16.81 |
$34,970 |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
40 |
$12.25 |
$25,490 |
| Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners |
40 |
$14.56 |
$30,290 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
40 |
Not available |
$35,290 |
| Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers |
40 |
$9.93 |
$20,650 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
40 |
$27.69 |
$57,590 |
| Administrative services managers |
30 |
$26.39 |
$54,900 |
| Athletic trainers |
30 |
Not available |
$19,060 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
30 |
$14.29 |
$29,720 |
| Dental hygienists |
30 |
$31.40 |
$65,310 |
| Graphic designers |
30 |
$15.14 |
$31,500 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
30 |
$16.49 |
$34,290 |
| Mental health counselors |
30 |
$17.12 |
$35,610 |
| Opticians, dispensing |
30 |
$10.91 |
$22,700 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
30 |
$20.13 |
$41,860 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
30 |
$24.28 |
$50,500 |
| Word processors and typists |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
Not available |
$12.01 |
$24,980 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
Not available |
$11.70 |
$24,340 |
| Clergy |
Not available |
$29.93 |
$62,260 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
Not available |
$12.35 |
$25,680 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
Not available |
$7.53 |
$15,670 |
| Customer service representatives |
Not available |
$11.82 |
$24,580 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
Not available |
$15.99 |
$33,270 |
| Glaziers |
Not available |
$15.57 |
$32,380 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
Not available |
$7.30 |
$15,190 |
| Insurance sales agents |
Not available |
$12.82 |
$26,670 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
Not available |
$8.89 |
$18,500 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
Not available |
$11.77 |
$24,490 |
| New accounts clerks |
Not available |
$12.59 |
$26,190 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
Not available |
$8.57 |
$17,830 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
Not available |
$18.80 |
$39,100 |
| Personal financial advisors |
Not available |
$49.33 |
$102,600 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
Not available |
$9.71 |
$20,190 |
| Real estate sales agents |
Not available |
$17.23 |
$35,840 |
| Self-enrichment education teachers |
Not available |
$25.20 |
$52,420 |
| Sheet metal workers |
Not available |
$20.15 |
$41,910 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
Not available |
$15.62 |
$32,500 |
