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 |
77,640 |
$15.94 |
$33,160 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
15,350 |
$13.16 |
$27,370 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
7,410 |
$8.45 |
$17,590 |
| Sales and related occupations |
7,250 |
$12.22 |
$25,420 |
| Production occupations |
7,030 |
$13.81 |
$28,720 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
6,910 |
$29.74 |
$61,860 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
4,990 |
$12.16 |
$25,280 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
4,580 |
$17.48 |
$36,360 |
| Management occupations |
3,690 |
$34.14 |
$71,010 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
3,140 |
$14.28 |
$29,690 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
2,950 |
$11.15 |
$23,200 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,730 |
$15.35 |
$31,930 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
2,640 |
$12.43 |
$25,840 |
| Retail salespersons |
2,400 |
$10.68 |
$22,210 |
| Registered nurses |
2,330 |
$27.30 |
$56,780 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
2,320 |
$7.50 |
$15,590 |
| Customer service representatives |
2,270 |
$12.33 |
$25,640 |
| Cashiers |
2,180 |
$7.81 |
$16,240 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
2,090 |
$9.93 |
$20,650 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,620 |
$23.33 |
$48,540 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,610 |
$8.16 |
$16,980 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,600 |
$15.05 |
$31,300 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
1,590 |
$10.40 |
$21,620 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,440 |
$11.29 |
$23,480 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
1,440 |
$10.52 |
$21,880 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
1,300 |
$18.92 |
$39,350 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
1,270 |
$10.81 |
$22,490 |
| General and operations managers |
1,170 |
$32.79 |
$68,200 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,170 |
$11.11 |
$23,110 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
1,000 |
$15.16 |
$31,530 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
970 |
$16.82 |
$34,980 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
940 |
$15.49 |
$32,210 |
| Community and social services occupations |
930 |
$17.84 |
$37,110 |
| Teacher assistants |
920 |
Not available |
$15,950 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
880 |
$28.43 |
$59,130 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
830 |
$9.22 |
$19,180 |
| Team assemblers |
830 |
$13.82 |
$28,750 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
790 |
Not available |
$43,100 |
| Construction laborers |
780 |
$11.09 |
$23,070 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
750 |
$13.41 |
$27,890 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
730 |
$13.65 |
$28,400 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
700 |
$8.60 |
$17,880 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
680 |
$14.95 |
$31,090 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
670 |
$10.48 |
$21,790 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
610 |
$25.58 |
$53,210 |
| Security guards |
600 |
$11.54 |
$24,010 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
590 |
$9.45 |
$19,650 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
580 |
$8.42 |
$17,510 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
560 |
$14.36 |
$29,870 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
550 |
$12.69 |
$26,400 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
540 |
$66.93 |
$139,210 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
530 |
Not available |
$43,100 |
| Food preparation workers |
500 |
$9.15 |
$19,030 |
| Machinists |
500 |
$15.78 |
$32,830 |
| Tellers |
440 |
$10.40 |
$21,640 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
440 |
$13.47 |
$28,020 |
| Production workers, all other |
430 |
$11.79 |
$24,510 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
420 |
$21.15 |
$43,980 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
420 |
$17.52 |
$36,430 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
410 |
$24.37 |
$50,680 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
410 |
$10.01 |
$20,820 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
390 |
$15.41 |
$32,060 |
| Child care workers |
390 |
$7.44 |
$15,480 |
| Home health aides |
390 |
$8.25 |
$17,160 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
380 |
Not available |
$42,190 |
| Electricians |
360 |
$15.34 |
$31,920 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
360 |
$17.29 |
$35,970 |
| Financial managers |
350 |
$33.40 |
$69,470 |
| Helpers--production workers |
350 |
$10.27 |
$21,360 |
| Accountants and auditors |
340 |
$24.58 |
$51,130 |
| Bus drivers, school |
320 |
$8.63 |
$17,950 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
320 |
$10.00 |
$20,790 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
300 |
$10.85 |
$22,560 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
300 |
$21.62 |
$44,960 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
300 |
$13.57 |
$28,220 |
| Carpenters |
290 |
$13.77 |
$28,630 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
290 |
$12.48 |
$25,950 |
| Chief executives |
280 |
$61.36 |
$127,620 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
280 |
$7.77 |
$16,150 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
280 |
$10.51 |
$21,850 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
270 |
$21.37 |
$44,440 |
| Medical assistants |
270 |
$12.60 |
$26,210 |
| Medical secretaries |
270 |
$11.14 |
$23,170 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
270 |
$23.17 |
$48,200 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
270 |
$13.13 |
$27,320 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
260 |
$11.38 |
$23,670 |
| Bartenders |
250 |
$8.99 |
$18,710 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
250 |
$10.93 |
$22,740 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
230 |
$13.11 |
$27,270 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
220 |
$16.10 |
$33,490 |
| Medical and health services managers |
220 |
$38.38 |
$79,820 |
| Pharmacists |
220 |
$46.95 |
$97,650 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
220 |
$14.32 |
$29,790 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
220 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Fire fighters |
210 |
$15.89 |
$33,050 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
200 |
$25.28 |
$52,570 |
| Dishwashers |
200 |
$9.05 |
$18,820 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
200 |
$21.45 |
$44,610 |
| Food service managers |
200 |
$22.96 |
$47,750 |
| Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
200 |
$10.83 |
$22,530 |
| Sales managers |
200 |
$35.52 |
$73,890 |
| Administrative services managers |
190 |
$29.76 |
$61,890 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
190 |
$15.43 |
$32,100 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
190 |
$16.21 |
$33,730 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
190 |
$13.64 |
$28,360 |
| Bus drivers, transit and intercity |
180 |
$11.02 |
$22,920 |
| Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
180 |
$16.24 |
$33,770 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
180 |
$15.00 |
$31,200 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
170 |
$8.31 |
$17,290 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
170 |
$15.99 |
$33,260 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
170 |
$14.03 |
$29,190 |
| All other information and record clerks |
160 |
$15.95 |
$33,180 |
| Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
160 |
$15.18 |
$31,560 |
| Telecommunications line installers and repairers |
160 |
$16.34 |
$33,980 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
150 |
$8.38 |
$17,420 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
150 |
$19.64 |
$40,840 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
150 |
$13.95 |
$29,020 |
| Transportation workers, all other |
150 |
$7.39 |
$15,370 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
140 |
$22.18 |
$46,130 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
140 |
$9.40 |
$19,550 |
| Management analysts |
140 |
$24.18 |
$50,290 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
140 |
$15.86 |
$32,980 |
| Tool and die makers |
140 |
$16.24 |
$33,790 |
| Computer support specialists |
130 |
$18.10 |
$37,640 |
| Dental hygienists |
130 |
$29.43 |
$61,210 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
130 |
$14.28 |
$29,690 |
| Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic |
120 |
$14.29 |
$29,720 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
120 |
Not available |
$59,130 |
| Industrial engineers |
120 |
$29.75 |
$61,870 |
| Respiratory therapists |
120 |
$19.54 |
$40,650 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
120 |
$32.54 |
$67,680 |
| Structural iron and steel workers |
120 |
$19.16 |
$39,850 |
| Vocational education teachers, secondary school |
120 |
Not available |
$45,180 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
120 |
$18.62 |
$38,740 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
110 |
$7.46 |
$15,510 |
| Couriers and messengers |
110 |
$13.59 |
$28,270 |
| Dental assistants |
110 |
$14.82 |
$30,820 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
110 |
$13.82 |
$28,740 |
| Health educators |
110 |
$23.03 |
$47,900 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
110 |
$11.77 |
$24,490 |
| Legal occupations |
110 |
$22.69 |
$47,190 |
| Order clerks |
110 |
$10.68 |
$22,210 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
110 |
$14.01 |
$29,140 |
| Physical therapists |
110 |
$39.09 |
$81,320 |
| Recreation workers |
110 |
$11.53 |
$23,970 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
110 |
Not available |
$42,030 |
| Surgical technologists |
110 |
$17.49 |
$36,370 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
110 |
$9.80 |
$20,390 |
| Training and development specialists |
110 |
$21.21 |
$44,120 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
100 |
$13.47 |
$28,010 |
| Loan officers |
100 |
$25.97 |
$54,020 |
| Managers, all other |
100 |
$27.47 |
$57,140 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
100 |
$23.61 |
$49,100 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
100 |
$20.44 |
$42,520 |
| Advertising sales agents |
90 |
$24.10 |
$50,130 |
| Biological technicians |
90 |
$15.15 |
$31,500 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
90 |
$31.16 |
$64,810 |
| Cost estimators |
90 |
$21.46 |
$44,630 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
90 |
$22.25 |
$46,270 |
| Family and general practitioners |
90 |
$71.61 |
$148,940 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
90 |
$13.88 |
$28,880 |
| Graphic designers |
90 |
$15.31 |
$31,840 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
90 |
$13.70 |
$28,500 |
| Industrial production managers |
90 |
$35.48 |
$73,800 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
90 |
Not available |
$42,070 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
90 |
$13.38 |
$27,830 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
90 |
$8.86 |
$18,420 |
| Parts salespersons |
90 |
$12.79 |
$26,600 |
| Pharmacy aides |
90 |
$10.03 |
$20,860 |
| Pipelayers |
90 |
$15.51 |
$32,260 |
| Social and human service assistants |
90 |
$12.39 |
$25,780 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
90 |
Not available |
$45,440 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
90 |
$10.26 |
$21,330 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
80 |
$17.02 |
$35,400 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
80 |
$13.63 |
$28,340 |
| Computer systems analysts |
80 |
$22.79 |
$47,410 |
| Engineering managers |
80 |
$47.46 |
$98,720 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
80 |
$21.18 |
$44,060 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
80 |
$16.19 |
$33,680 |
| Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
80 |
$14.68 |
$30,530 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
80 |
$16.07 |
$33,430 |
| Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators |
80 |
$12.47 |
$25,940 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
80 |
$12.83 |
$26,690 |
| Sheet metal workers |
80 |
$16.91 |
$35,170 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
70 |
$13.32 |
$27,700 |
| Civil engineers |
70 |
$29.77 |
$61,930 |
| Coaches and scouts |
70 |
Not available |
$34,080 |
| Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders |
70 |
$9.16 |
$19,050 |
| Computer programmers |
70 |
$22.09 |
$45,940 |
| Construction managers |
70 |
$29.33 |
$61,000 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
70 |
$15.52 |
$32,290 |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers |
70 |
$28.65 |
$59,600 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
70 |
$17.98 |
$37,390 |
| File clerks |
70 |
$9.53 |
$19,830 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
70 |
$33.21 |
$69,080 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
70 |
$20.49 |
$42,610 |
| Funeral attendants |
70 |
$11.67 |
$24,280 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
70 |
$10.59 |
$22,030 |
| Librarians |
70 |
$21.52 |
$44,770 |
| Machine feeders and offbearers |
70 |
$9.07 |
$18,870 |
| Meter readers, utilities |
70 |
$14.46 |
$30,080 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
70 |
$16.93 |
$35,210 |
| Pest control workers |
70 |
$16.38 |
$34,070 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
70 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists |
70 |
$14.39 |
$29,930 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
70 |
$13.81 |
$28,720 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
60 |
$13.25 |
$27,560 |
| Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists |
60 |
$22.73 |
$47,280 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
60 |
$44.53 |
$92,630 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
60 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door |
60 |
$16.86 |
$35,070 |
| Detectives and criminal investigators |
60 |
$27.01 |
$56,180 |
| Floral designers |
60 |
$10.17 |
$21,160 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other |
60 |
$13.25 |
$27,560 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
60 |
$11.67 |
$24,270 |
| Marketing managers |
60 |
$38.11 |
$79,260 |
| Metal workers and plastic workers, all other |
60 |
$13.37 |
$27,810 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
60 |
$17.02 |
$35,410 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
60 |
$13.38 |
$27,840 |
| Opticians, dispensing |
60 |
$16.82 |
$34,980 |
| Photographers |
60 |
$11.88 |
$24,710 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
60 |
$11.29 |
$23,490 |
| Reporters and correspondents |
60 |
$11.98 |
$24,920 |
| Special education teachers, middle school |
60 |
Not available |
$42,080 |
| Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors |
50 |
$11.99 |
$24,940 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
50 |
$8.66 |
$18,000 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
50 |
$23.93 |
$49,780 |
| Construction and building inspectors |
50 |
$15.88 |
$33,030 |
| Database administrators |
50 |
$22.35 |
$46,500 |
| Engineers, all other |
50 |
$20.38 |
$42,380 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
50 |
$22.83 |
$47,490 |
| Funeral directors |
50 |
$19.05 |
$39,620 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
50 |
$27.03 |
$56,230 |
| Ophthalmic laboratory technicians |
50 |
$11.41 |
$23,740 |
| Physician assistants |
50 |
$36.03 |
$74,940 |
| Prepress technicians and workers |
50 |
$15.43 |
$32,100 |
| Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials |
50 |
$7.83 |
$16,290 |
| Purchasing managers |
50 |
$29.29 |
$60,920 |
| Social workers, all other |
50 |
$27.97 |
$58,180 |
| Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers |
50 |
$9.19 |
$19,110 |
| Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
50 |
$9.87 |
$20,530 |
| Bakers |
40 |
$8.17 |
$17,000 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
40 |
$17.94 |
$37,320 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
40 |
$15.25 |
$31,710 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
40 |
$14.10 |
$29,340 |
| Demonstrators and product promoters |
40 |
$12.47 |
$25,940 |
| Helpers--electricians |
40 |
$12.60 |
$26,220 |
| Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
40 |
$10.13 |
$21,070 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
40 |
$25.64 |
$53,330 |
| Industrial engineering technicians |
40 |
$17.99 |
$37,410 |
| Insulation workers, mechanical |
40 |
$17.81 |
$37,030 |
| Internists, general |
40 |
$77.45 |
$161,100 |
| Legislators |
40 |
Not available |
$13,870 |
| Medical equipment preparers |
40 |
$11.75 |
$24,440 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
40 |
$23.02 |
$47,890 |
| Occupational health and safety specialists |
40 |
$29.35 |
$61,040 |
| Occupational therapists |
40 |
$30.59 |
$63,640 |
| Physical therapist aides |
40 |
$8.84 |
$18,390 |
| Postal service clerks |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Procurement clerks |
40 |
$15.00 |
$31,200 |
| Producers and directors |
40 |
$14.83 |
$30,840 |
| Roofers |
40 |
$9.75 |
$20,280 |
| Social and community service managers |
40 |
$19.58 |
$40,730 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
40 |
$28.86 |
$60,030 |
| Surveyors |
40 |
$17.92 |
$37,260 |
| Traffic technicians |
40 |
$17.15 |
$35,670 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
40 |
$30.14 |
$62,680 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists |
30 |
$23.29 |
$48,450 |
| Drafters, all other |
30 |
$20.45 |
$42,530 |
| Financial specialists, all other |
30 |
$21.94 |
$45,640 |
| Forest and conservation technicians |
30 |
$17.10 |
$35,560 |
| Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics |
30 |
$12.76 |
$26,540 |
| Public relations managers |
30 |
$26.77 |
$55,680 |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
30 |
$14.62 |
$30,400 |
| Bill and account collectors |
Not available |
$14.79 |
$30,770 |
| Cementing and gluing machine operators and tenders |
Not available |
$12.86 |
$26,760 |
| Computer operators |
Not available |
$14.82 |
$30,820 |
| Cooks, fast food |
Not available |
$6.99 |
$14,530 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
Not available |
$8.98 |
$18,690 |
| Cooks, short order |
Not available |
$7.39 |
$15,370 |
| Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks |
Not available |
$12.92 |
$26,880 |
| Data entry keyers |
Not available |
$10.61 |
$22,070 |
| Driver/sales workers |
Not available |
$9.53 |
$19,810 |
| Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders |
Not available |
$14.25 |
$29,640 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
Not available |
$12.07 |
$25,100 |
| Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$13.98 |
$29,080 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
Not available |
$16.37 |
$34,060 |
| Home appliance repairers |
Not available |
$17.06 |
$35,480 |
| Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall |
Not available |
$15.22 |
$31,650 |
| Insurance sales agents |
Not available |
$16.41 |
$34,130 |
| Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers |
Not available |
$8.85 |
$18,400 |
| Massage therapists |
Not available |
$19.10 |
$39,720 |
| Mechanical engineers |
Not available |
$40.25 |
$83,720 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
Not available |
$17.72 |
$36,850 |
| Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$9.21 |
$19,160 |
| Motor vehicle operators, all other |
Not available |
$7.73 |
$16,070 |
| New accounts clerks |
Not available |
$13.45 |
$27,980 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
Not available |
$14.09 |
$29,310 |
| Physical therapist assistants |
Not available |
$19.32 |
$40,180 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
Not available |
$11.62 |
$24,160 |
| Printing machine operators |
Not available |
$10.63 |
$22,120 |
| Public relations specialists |
Not available |
$18.22 |
$37,910 |
| Security and fire alarm systems installers |
Not available |
$15.87 |
$33,000 |
| Surgeons |
Not available |
$97.18 |
$202,130 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
Not available |
Not available |
$37,210 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
Not available |
$19.59 |
$40,750 |
| Telemarketers |
Not available |
$6.82 |
$14,180 |
| Tour guides and escorts |
Not available |
$8.23 |
$17,120 |
