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 |
79,270 |
$15.02 |
$31,240 |
| Production occupations |
11,780 |
$13.01 |
$27,070 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
11,430 |
$12.38 |
$25,750 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
10,260 |
$13.90 |
$28,920 |
| Sales and related occupations |
8,780 |
$12.19 |
$25,360 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
6,530 |
$8.56 |
$17,800 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
5,480 |
$25.04 |
$52,090 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
4,480 |
$16.37 |
$34,040 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
4,280 |
$18.08 |
$37,610 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
3,860 |
$15.93 |
$33,130 |
| Retail salespersons |
2,970 |
$10.80 |
$22,470 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,840 |
$16.58 |
$34,480 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
2,500 |
$7.72 |
$16,060 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
2,480 |
$11.45 |
$23,820 |
| Cashiers |
2,450 |
$8.41 |
$17,500 |
| Office clerks, general |
2,290 |
$11.25 |
$23,410 |
| Management occupations |
2,140 |
$39.19 |
$81,520 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
2,010 |
$10.59 |
$22,030 |
| Team assemblers |
2,000 |
$10.54 |
$21,920 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
1,910 |
$10.11 |
$21,020 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,890 |
$9.04 |
$18,810 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,830 |
$22.93 |
$47,700 |
| Registered nurses |
1,760 |
$24.47 |
$50,900 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,410 |
$7.93 |
$16,490 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
990 |
$13.09 |
$27,220 |
| Protective service occupations |
990 |
$15.21 |
$31,630 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
970 |
Not available |
$37,600 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
970 |
$10.28 |
$21,380 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
950 |
$12.38 |
$25,750 |
| Telemarketers |
950 |
$8.83 |
$18,380 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
880 |
$9.82 |
$20,430 |
| Personal and home care aides |
860 |
$8.54 |
$17,770 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
820 |
$28.07 |
$58,390 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
820 |
$15.07 |
$31,340 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
790 |
$9.52 |
$19,800 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
760 |
$12.48 |
$25,970 |
| General and operations managers |
730 |
$39.08 |
$81,280 |
| Community and social services occupations |
720 |
$17.00 |
$35,360 |
| Construction laborers |
720 |
$12.64 |
$26,280 |
| Customer service representatives |
710 |
$12.47 |
$25,940 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
710 |
$12.62 |
$26,250 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
690 |
$13.56 |
$28,200 |
| Teacher assistants |
690 |
Not available |
$18,820 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
670 |
$9.55 |
$19,860 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
650 |
$16.49 |
$34,310 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
640 |
$18.83 |
$39,160 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
630 |
$10.96 |
$22,800 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
610 |
$13.02 |
$27,070 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
590 |
$20.58 |
$42,810 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
570 |
$22.09 |
$45,950 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
550 |
$9.08 |
$18,900 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
530 |
$8.75 |
$18,190 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
530 |
Not available |
$39,470 |
| Production workers, all other |
510 |
$10.89 |
$22,650 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
490 |
$22.46 |
$46,720 |
| Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers |
490 |
$14.49 |
$30,150 |
| Medical secretaries |
480 |
$11.66 |
$24,250 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
480 |
$9.52 |
$19,800 |
| Home health aides |
470 |
$8.96 |
$18,630 |
| Tellers |
460 |
$10.01 |
$20,820 |
| Accountants and auditors |
420 |
$22.80 |
$47,420 |
| Cooks, fast food |
410 |
$8.12 |
$16,900 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
390 |
$15.45 |
$32,130 |
| Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
390 |
$13.78 |
$28,660 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
390 |
$12.13 |
$25,230 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
380 |
$13.61 |
$28,300 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
380 |
$12.89 |
$26,810 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
380 |
$13.37 |
$27,810 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
370 |
$17.61 |
$36,620 |
| Driver/sales workers |
370 |
$12.08 |
$25,120 |
| Helpers--production workers |
370 |
$8.97 |
$18,660 |
| Printing machine operators |
370 |
$16.21 |
$33,720 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
360 |
$16.81 |
$34,970 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
330 |
$12.14 |
$25,250 |
| Medical assistants |
330 |
$12.04 |
$25,050 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
310 |
$15.04 |
$31,280 |
| Carpenters |
300 |
$14.88 |
$30,960 |
| Electricians |
300 |
$20.71 |
$43,080 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
300 |
$10.54 |
$21,920 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
300 |
$15.82 |
$32,910 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
300 |
$10.44 |
$21,710 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
280 |
$9.46 |
$19,670 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
280 |
$17.10 |
$35,570 |
| Food preparation workers |
270 |
$8.53 |
$17,730 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
260 |
$11.84 |
$24,630 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
260 |
$22.17 |
$46,110 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
250 |
Not available |
$36,640 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
240 |
$16.69 |
$34,710 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
240 |
$22.09 |
$45,950 |
| Industrial engineers |
240 |
$29.58 |
$61,520 |
| Legal occupations |
240 |
$25.61 |
$53,270 |
| Loan officers |
240 |
$28.82 |
$59,940 |
| Order clerks |
240 |
$11.22 |
$23,340 |
| Bill and account collectors |
230 |
$10.37 |
$21,560 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
220 |
$12.43 |
$25,850 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
220 |
$23.68 |
$49,260 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
220 |
$22.84 |
$47,520 |
| Security guards |
220 |
$11.35 |
$23,610 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
210 |
$19.58 |
$40,730 |
| Child care workers |
210 |
$7.64 |
$15,890 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
210 |
$12.52 |
$26,040 |
| Bartenders |
200 |
$9.47 |
$19,700 |
| Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic |
200 |
$13.61 |
$28,320 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
200 |
$11.04 |
$22,960 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
190 |
$20.85 |
$43,360 |
| Medical and health services managers |
190 |
$30.93 |
$64,340 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
180 |
$9.16 |
$19,050 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
180 |
Not available |
$38,740 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
180 |
$22.44 |
$46,680 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
180 |
$18.65 |
$38,790 |
| Bus drivers, school |
170 |
$9.02 |
$18,750 |
| Physical therapists |
170 |
$29.59 |
$61,550 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
170 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
170 |
$17.03 |
$35,430 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
170 |
Not available |
$42,060 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
160 |
$11.50 |
$23,920 |
| Financial managers |
160 |
$51.16 |
$106,400 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
160 |
$27.84 |
$57,910 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
160 |
$9.55 |
$19,870 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
160 |
$10.82 |
$22,510 |
| Pharmacists |
160 |
$53.32 |
$110,900 |
| Chief executives |
150 |
$60.62 |
$126,080 |
| Dishwashers |
150 |
$8.13 |
$16,910 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
150 |
$20.22 |
$42,050 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
150 |
$19.84 |
$41,280 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
150 |
$8.21 |
$17,070 |
| Legal secretaries |
150 |
$12.73 |
$26,480 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
150 |
Not available |
$26,490 |
| Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
150 |
$13.34 |
$27,740 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
140 |
$9.69 |
$20,150 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
140 |
$7.97 |
$16,580 |
| Fire fighters |
140 |
$13.71 |
$28,510 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
140 |
$22.29 |
$46,360 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
140 |
$12.90 |
$26,830 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
140 |
$12.84 |
$26,700 |
| Parts salespersons |
140 |
$13.75 |
$28,600 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
140 |
$19.75 |
$41,080 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
130 |
$14.98 |
$31,160 |
| Computer support specialists |
130 |
$16.01 |
$33,310 |
| Engine and other machine assemblers |
130 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
130 |
$8.64 |
$17,980 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
130 |
$13.89 |
$28,890 |
| Surgical technologists |
130 |
$14.12 |
$29,360 |
| Vocational education teachers, postsecondary |
130 |
$21.18 |
$44,050 |
| Cost estimators |
120 |
$26.21 |
$54,510 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
120 |
Not available |
$71,210 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
120 |
$12.49 |
$25,980 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
120 |
$98.94 |
$205,800 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
120 |
$19.05 |
$39,630 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
120 |
$18.06 |
$37,570 |
| Advertising sales agents |
110 |
$19.71 |
$40,990 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
110 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Dental assistants |
110 |
$13.85 |
$28,810 |
| Dental hygienists |
110 |
$27.38 |
$56,950 |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers |
110 |
$23.71 |
$49,310 |
| Food batchmakers |
110 |
$11.42 |
$23,750 |
| Industrial production managers |
110 |
$36.38 |
$75,680 |
| Public relations specialists |
110 |
$19.13 |
$39,790 |
| Recreation workers |
110 |
$9.76 |
$20,300 |
| Respiratory therapists |
110 |
$17.87 |
$37,170 |
| Lawyers |
100 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Library assistants, clerical |
100 |
$8.23 |
$17,110 |
| Occupational therapists |
100 |
$26.24 |
$54,580 |
| Data entry keyers |
90 |
$10.76 |
$22,380 |
| Family and general practitioners |
90 |
Not available |
Not available |
| File clerks |
90 |
$9.31 |
$19,360 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
90 |
$13.97 |
$29,060 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
90 |
$8.66 |
$18,020 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
90 |
$14.91 |
$31,020 |
| New accounts clerks |
90 |
$12.04 |
$25,050 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
90 |
$26.38 |
$54,860 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
90 |
Not available |
$38,610 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
90 |
$9.60 |
$19,980 |
| Training and development specialists |
90 |
$16.97 |
$35,300 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
80 |
$12.68 |
$26,370 |
| Civil engineers |
80 |
$31.54 |
$65,610 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
80 |
$17.05 |
$35,470 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
80 |
$16.77 |
$34,890 |
| Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall |
80 |
$12.30 |
$25,590 |
| Insurance sales agents |
80 |
$31.47 |
$65,450 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
80 |
$20.74 |
$43,130 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
80 |
$12.94 |
$26,910 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
80 |
$23.92 |
$49,760 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
80 |
$13.55 |
$28,180 |
| Broadcast technicians |
70 |
$9.15 |
$19,040 |
| Computer systems analysts |
70 |
$25.42 |
$52,870 |
| Conveyor operators and tenders |
70 |
$13.57 |
$28,220 |
| Couriers and messengers |
70 |
$10.17 |
$21,150 |
| Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
70 |
$12.41 |
$25,820 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
70 |
$15.70 |
$32,650 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
70 |
$11.45 |
$23,820 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
70 |
$22.33 |
$46,450 |
| Industrial engineering technicians |
70 |
$15.39 |
$32,020 |
| Librarians |
70 |
$20.55 |
$42,740 |
| Roofers |
70 |
$16.67 |
$34,670 |
| Sales managers |
70 |
$37.84 |
$78,710 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
70 |
$19.01 |
$39,530 |
| Vocational education teachers, secondary school |
70 |
Not available |
$40,470 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
60 |
$11.78 |
$24,500 |
| Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders |
60 |
$11.91 |
$24,770 |
| Construction managers |
60 |
$46.01 |
$95,700 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
60 |
$11.75 |
$24,440 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
60 |
$14.20 |
$29,540 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
60 |
$27.03 |
$56,230 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
60 |
$23.47 |
$48,810 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
60 |
$12.95 |
$26,930 |
| Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials |
60 |
$7.76 |
$16,130 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
60 |
$15.96 |
$33,210 |
| Reporters and correspondents |
60 |
$12.11 |
$25,190 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
60 |
$10.38 |
$21,590 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
60 |
$33.33 |
$69,320 |
| Administrative services managers |
50 |
$37.30 |
$77,580 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
50 |
$17.90 |
$37,230 |
| Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists |
50 |
$22.24 |
$46,250 |
| Coaches and scouts |
50 |
Not available |
$34,920 |
| Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers |
50 |
$12.77 |
$26,560 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
50 |
$20.11 |
$41,820 |
| Construction and building inspectors |
50 |
$20.00 |
$41,600 |
| Dentists, general |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Detectives and criminal investigators |
50 |
$18.76 |
$39,020 |
| Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders |
50 |
$12.80 |
$26,630 |
| Financial analysts |
50 |
$32.13 |
$66,830 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and prevention workers |
50 |
$26.69 |
$55,510 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
50 |
$27.54 |
$57,280 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
50 |
$10.29 |
$21,410 |
| Floral designers |
50 |
$9.31 |
$19,360 |
| Graphic designers |
50 |
$14.08 |
$29,290 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
50 |
$10.68 |
$22,200 |
| Maintenance workers, machinery |
50 |
$15.92 |
$33,100 |
| Medical equipment preparers |
50 |
$12.51 |
$26,020 |
| Motorcycle mechanics |
50 |
$13.60 |
$28,280 |
| Opticians, dispensing |
50 |
$11.45 |
$23,820 |
| Social and community service managers |
50 |
$20.68 |
$43,020 |
| Social and human service assistants |
50 |
$14.02 |
$29,170 |
| Surveyors |
50 |
$17.18 |
$35,730 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
50 |
$10.39 |
$21,620 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
50 |
$16.67 |
$34,680 |
| Word processors and typists |
50 |
$11.24 |
$23,380 |
| Appraisers and assessors of real estate |
40 |
$18.92 |
$39,340 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
40 |
$17.01 |
$35,390 |
| Bakers |
40 |
$10.06 |
$20,920 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
40 |
$12.59 |
$26,180 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
40 |
$19.56 |
$40,690 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
40 |
$40.10 |
$83,410 |
| Computer operators |
40 |
$10.64 |
$22,130 |
| Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
40 |
$13.87 |
$28,840 |
| Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers |
40 |
$17.31 |
$36,000 |
| Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators |
40 |
$15.37 |
$31,970 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
40 |
$15.76 |
$32,790 |
| Management analysts |
40 |
$32.28 |
$67,140 |
| Market research analysts |
40 |
$31.18 |
$64,850 |
| Mechanical engineers |
40 |
$42.44 |
$88,270 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
40 |
$18.03 |
$37,500 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
40 |
$16.81 |
$34,960 |
| Photographers |
40 |
$9.37 |
$19,490 |
| Photographic processing machine operators |
40 |
$8.75 |
$18,200 |
| Physical therapist assistants |
40 |
$16.40 |
$34,100 |
| Producers and directors |
40 |
$12.43 |
$25,860 |
| Protective service workers, all other |
40 |
$12.79 |
$26,610 |
| Purchasing managers |
40 |
$39.03 |
$81,190 |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
40 |
$10.39 |
$21,600 |
| Self-enrichment education teachers |
40 |
$25.07 |
$52,150 |
| Special education teachers, middle school |
40 |
Not available |
$36,680 |
| Structural metal fabricators and fitters |
40 |
$16.69 |
$34,720 |
| Surgeons |
40 |
More than $70 |
More than $145,600 |
| Tool and die makers |
40 |
$16.83 |
$35,010 |
| Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing |
40 |
$12.26 |
$25,510 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
30 |
$26.33 |
$54,760 |
| Computer science teachers, postsecondary |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Database administrators |
30 |
$28.60 |
$59,480 |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers |
30 |
$13.69 |
$28,470 |
| Education administrators, postsecondary |
30 |
$39.38 |
$81,900 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
30 |
$24.19 |
$50,320 |
| Engineering managers |
30 |
$40.44 |
$84,120 |
| Funeral attendants |
30 |
$8.86 |
$18,440 |
| Health educators |
30 |
$19.01 |
$39,540 |
| Managers, all other |
30 |
$34.94 |
$72,670 |
| Marketing managers |
30 |
$42.81 |
$89,040 |
| Painters, transportation equipment |
30 |
$12.55 |
$26,110 |
| Procurement clerks |
30 |
$13.16 |
$27,370 |
| Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders |
30 |
$11.01 |
$22,910 |
| Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors |
Not available |
$19.06 |
$39,650 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
Not available |
$15.98 |
$33,240 |
| Computer programmers |
Not available |
$26.22 |
$54,540 |
| Cooks, short order |
Not available |
$8.21 |
$17,070 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
Not available |
$9.03 |
$18,790 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists |
Not available |
$17.97 |
$37,380 |
| Electronic home entertainment equipment installers and repairers |
Not available |
$10.84 |
$22,550 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
Not available |
$13.07 |
$27,180 |
| Food cooking machine operators and tenders |
Not available |
$8.70 |
$18,100 |
| Health technologists and technicians, all other |
Not available |
$17.31 |
$36,010 |
| Home appliance repairers |
Not available |
$16.42 |
$34,150 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
Not available |
$14.55 |
$30,260 |
| Machinists |
Not available |
$13.75 |
$28,590 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
Not available |
$7.94 |
$16,520 |
| Medical equipment repairers |
Not available |
$26.95 |
$56,060 |
| Motor vehicle operators, all other |
Not available |
$8.00 |
$16,640 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
Not available |
$10.24 |
$21,300 |
| Painting, coating, and decorating workers |
Not available |
$12.64 |
$26,290 |
| Prepress technicians and workers |
Not available |
$14.74 |
$30,660 |
| Recreational vehicle service technicians |
Not available |
$16.18 |
$33,650 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
Not available |
$34.14 |
$71,010 |
| Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders |
Not available |
$9.47 |
$19,690 |
| Sheet metal workers |
Not available |
$13.40 |
$27,860 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
Not available |
$9.17 |
$19,070 |
