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 |
42,210 |
$17.64 |
$36,700 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
5,880 |
$13.98 |
$29,070 |
| Sales and related occupations |
4,600 |
$13.17 |
$27,390 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
3,950 |
$9.16 |
$19,060 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
3,740 |
$14.08 |
$29,290 |
| Production occupations |
3,280 |
$15.75 |
$32,760 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
3,240 |
$21.98 |
$45,720 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,180 |
$17.47 |
$36,330 |
| Cashiers |
1,710 |
$8.85 |
$18,410 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,640 |
$12.39 |
$25,770 |
| Management occupations |
1,530 |
$38.95 |
$81,010 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,460 |
$26.26 |
$54,620 |
| Retail salespersons |
1,420 |
$11.62 |
$24,170 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,380 |
$19.11 |
$39,750 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
1,290 |
$25.77 |
$53,600 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
1,140 |
$12.45 |
$25,900 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
1,110 |
$11.37 |
$23,660 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
1,060 |
$11.30 |
$23,510 |
| Office clerks, general |
970 |
$11.77 |
$24,490 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
960 |
$10.94 |
$22,750 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
900 |
Not available |
$49,020 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
880 |
$15.77 |
$32,810 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
840 |
$8.26 |
$17,180 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
730 |
$8.49 |
$17,660 |
| Community and social services occupations |
720 |
$17.44 |
$36,270 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
720 |
$18.42 |
$38,310 |
| Production workers, all other |
680 |
$13.36 |
$27,790 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
640 |
$12.57 |
$26,140 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
580 |
$12.54 |
$26,080 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
540 |
$10.56 |
$21,970 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
510 |
$13.60 |
$28,280 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
440 |
Not available |
$47,850 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
420 |
$10.55 |
$21,950 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
410 |
$17.28 |
$35,950 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
410 |
$16.61 |
$34,540 |
| Team assemblers |
410 |
$15.30 |
$31,830 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
400 |
$22.97 |
$47,770 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
380 |
$17.32 |
$36,020 |
| Food preparation workers |
380 |
$8.97 |
$18,660 |
| General and operations managers |
380 |
$41.70 |
$86,730 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
350 |
$17.57 |
$36,540 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
340 |
$17.90 |
$37,230 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
320 |
$16.63 |
$34,580 |
| Customer service representatives |
320 |
$14.36 |
$29,870 |
| Fire fighters |
320 |
$20.00 |
$41,600 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
310 |
$25.13 |
$52,280 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
310 |
$18.82 |
$39,150 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
280 |
Not available |
$56,510 |
| Teacher assistants |
280 |
Not available |
$19,250 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
270 |
$19.68 |
$40,940 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
260 |
$9.77 |
$20,330 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
260 |
$14.40 |
$29,940 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
260 |
$15.50 |
$32,250 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
250 |
$28.27 |
$58,800 |
| Bus drivers, school |
250 |
$12.97 |
$26,970 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
250 |
$12.27 |
$25,520 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
240 |
$9.06 |
$18,850 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
240 |
$28.66 |
$59,620 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
240 |
$14.99 |
$31,170 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
230 |
$12.66 |
$26,320 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
220 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Managers, all other |
220 |
$32.85 |
$68,330 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
220 |
Not available |
$39,800 |
| Tellers |
220 |
$10.47 |
$21,780 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
210 |
$10.62 |
$22,090 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
210 |
$13.18 |
$27,410 |
| Bartenders |
200 |
$8.59 |
$17,880 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
200 |
$25.55 |
$53,140 |
| Electricians |
190 |
$24.28 |
$50,500 |
| Machinists |
190 |
$19.79 |
$41,160 |
| Dishwashers |
180 |
$8.22 |
$17,110 |
| Carpenters |
170 |
$26.35 |
$54,810 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
170 |
$26.74 |
$55,620 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
170 |
$10.74 |
$22,340 |
| Accountants and auditors |
150 |
$26.24 |
$54,570 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
150 |
$26.97 |
$56,110 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
150 |
$14.07 |
$29,260 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
150 |
$15.30 |
$31,830 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
150 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Construction laborers |
140 |
$22.42 |
$46,630 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
130 |
$7.98 |
$16,590 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
130 |
$29.36 |
$61,060 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
130 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Chemical technicians |
120 |
$23.28 |
$48,430 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
120 |
$11.39 |
$23,680 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
120 |
$8.65 |
$18,000 |
| Sales managers |
120 |
$53.90 |
$112,110 |
| Dental assistants |
110 |
$13.95 |
$29,020 |
| Helpers--production workers |
110 |
$12.88 |
$26,790 |
| Insurance sales agents |
110 |
$31.82 |
$66,190 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
110 |
$22.14 |
$46,050 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
100 |
$13.39 |
$27,860 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
100 |
$25.10 |
$52,210 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
90 |
$10.36 |
$21,540 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
90 |
$14.61 |
$30,390 |
| Chief executives |
90 |
$55.28 |
$114,980 |
| Financial managers |
90 |
$41.11 |
$85,520 |
| Librarians |
90 |
$21.38 |
$44,480 |
| Pharmacists |
90 |
$50.01 |
$104,030 |
| Printing machine operators |
90 |
$14.93 |
$31,050 |
| Social and human service assistants |
90 |
$15.50 |
$32,250 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
90 |
$13.33 |
$27,740 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
80 |
$16.83 |
$35,010 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
80 |
$21.10 |
$43,890 |
| Legal occupations |
80 |
$34.75 |
$72,280 |
| Medical secretaries |
80 |
$14.54 |
$30,250 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
80 |
$39.59 |
$82,360 |
| Administrative services managers |
70 |
$29.21 |
$60,750 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
70 |
$17.28 |
$35,940 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
70 |
$25.60 |
$53,260 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
70 |
Not available |
$93,360 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
70 |
$22.70 |
$47,220 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
70 |
$16.06 |
$33,410 |
| Bill and account collectors |
60 |
$14.74 |
$30,660 |
| Computer support specialists |
60 |
$21.57 |
$44,870 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
60 |
$8.84 |
$18,390 |
| Food service managers |
60 |
$23.42 |
$48,720 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
60 |
$16.75 |
$34,840 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
60 |
$16.82 |
$34,990 |
| Legal secretaries |
60 |
$15.74 |
$32,730 |
| Legislators |
60 |
Not available |
$27,080 |
| Parts salespersons |
60 |
$16.63 |
$34,590 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
60 |
$32.13 |
$66,840 |
| Recreation workers |
60 |
$11.49 |
$23,890 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
60 |
Not available |
$49,290 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
60 |
$25.98 |
$54,040 |
| All other information and record clerks |
50 |
$12.27 |
$25,520 |
| Data entry keyers |
50 |
$11.81 |
$24,560 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
50 |
$16.50 |
$34,310 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
50 |
$31.98 |
$66,530 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
50 |
$20.00 |
$41,590 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
50 |
$44.32 |
$92,180 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
50 |
$9.64 |
$20,050 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
50 |
$18.55 |
$38,580 |
| Physical therapists |
50 |
$34.46 |
$71,670 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
50 |
$79.41 |
$165,180 |
| Respiratory therapists |
50 |
$21.71 |
$45,160 |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
50 |
$22.14 |
$46,050 |
| Social workers, all other |
50 |
$22.87 |
$47,570 |
| Bakers |
40 |
$11.43 |
$23,760 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
40 |
$22.50 |
$46,800 |
| Civil engineers |
40 |
$36.50 |
$75,920 |
| Coaches and scouts |
40 |
Not available |
$27,240 |
| Cost estimators |
40 |
$29.29 |
$60,930 |
| Dental hygienists |
40 |
$33.24 |
$69,130 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
40 |
$46.59 |
$96,920 |
| Floral designers |
40 |
$9.61 |
$19,990 |
| Graphic designers |
40 |
$19.74 |
$41,050 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
40 |
$22.00 |
$45,770 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
40 |
$22.43 |
$46,660 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
40 |
$8.90 |
$18,520 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
40 |
$16.86 |
$35,080 |
| Instructional coordinators |
40 |
$26.89 |
$55,930 |
| Lawyers |
40 |
$40.61 |
$84,480 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
40 |
$14.88 |
$30,960 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
40 |
$24.58 |
$51,120 |
| Respiratory therapy technicians |
40 |
$21.00 |
$43,680 |
| Special education teachers, middle school |
40 |
Not available |
$56,940 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
40 |
$33.79 |
$70,280 |
| Training and development specialists |
40 |
$22.35 |
$46,490 |
| Advertising sales agents |
30 |
$24.21 |
$50,350 |
| Cardiovascular technologists and technicians |
30 |
$18.06 |
$37,570 |
| Computer systems analysts |
30 |
$33.73 |
$70,160 |
| Financial specialists, all other |
30 |
$29.88 |
$62,140 |
| Industrial production managers |
30 |
$41.04 |
$85,350 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
30 |
$16.78 |
$34,900 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Medical transcriptionists |
30 |
$16.05 |
$33,390 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
30 |
$19.44 |
$40,430 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
30 |
$26.52 |
$55,160 |
| Public relations specialists |
30 |
$23.51 |
$48,890 |
| Recreational therapists |
30 |
$18.72 |
$38,940 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
30 |
$19.89 |
$41,360 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
30 |
$37.02 |
$76,990 |
| Automotive glass installers and repairers |
Not available |
$17.30 |
$35,980 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
Not available |
$16.75 |
$34,840 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
Not available |
$22.76 |
$47,340 |
| Chefs and head cooks |
Not available |
$9.93 |
$20,660 |
| Child care workers |
Not available |
$10.12 |
$21,040 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
Not available |
$8.97 |
$18,660 |
| Cooks, fast food |
Not available |
$9.18 |
$19,100 |
| Cooks, short order |
Not available |
$8.52 |
$17,720 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists |
Not available |
$21.48 |
$44,670 |
| Education, training, and library workers, all other |
Not available |
$15.04 |
$31,280 |
| Family and general practitioners |
Not available |
$70.99 |
$147,660 |
| Financial analysts |
Not available |
$28.37 |
$59,000 |
| First-line supervisors/managers, protective service workers, all other |
Not available |
$19.06 |
$39,650 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
Not available |
$11.43 |
$23,780 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
Not available |
$8.61 |
$17,910 |
| Loan officers |
Not available |
$27.00 |
$56,160 |
| Management analysts |
Not available |
$34.17 |
$71,080 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
Not available |
$14.57 |
$30,310 |
| Medical and health services managers |
Not available |
$38.18 |
$79,410 |
| Medical assistants |
Not available |
$13.16 |
$27,370 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
Not available |
$26.56 |
$55,240 |
| Painting, coating, and decorating workers |
Not available |
$11.42 |
$23,760 |
| Pharmacy aides |
Not available |
$11.74 |
$24,410 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
Not available |
$13.78 |
$28,660 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
Not available |
$23.63 |
$49,160 |
| Registered nurses |
Not available |
$28.47 |
$59,210 |
| Security guards |
Not available |
$11.53 |
$23,990 |
| Service station attendants |
Not available |
$9.20 |
$19,140 |
| Sewing machine operators |
Not available |
$15.63 |
$32,500 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
Not available |
Not available |
$40,330 |
| Surgeons |
Not available |
More than $70 |
More than $145,600 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
Not available |
$12.17 |
$25,320 |
| Telemarketers |
Not available |
$14.60 |
$30,370 |
