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 |
89,020 |
$16.79 |
$34,930 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
13,350 |
$12.61 |
$26,230 |
| Sales and related occupations |
9,930 |
$12.35 |
$25,680 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
7,840 |
$18.32 |
$38,110 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
7,620 |
$8.39 |
$17,450 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
7,100 |
$14.50 |
$30,150 |
| Production occupations |
6,360 |
$21.96 |
$45,670 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
5,060 |
$25.87 |
$53,820 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
4,990 |
$19.13 |
$39,790 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
4,850 |
$18.60 |
$38,680 |
| Management occupations |
3,910 |
$36.39 |
$75,690 |
| Cashiers |
3,330 |
$7.58 |
$15,770 |
| Retail salespersons |
3,140 |
$10.72 |
$22,290 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
2,890 |
$9.71 |
$20,190 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
2,840 |
$9.17 |
$19,080 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
2,660 |
$9.82 |
$20,430 |
| Protective service occupations |
2,330 |
$13.97 |
$29,060 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
2,150 |
$22.79 |
$47,410 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
2,020 |
$11.61 |
$24,140 |
| Registered nurses |
1,820 |
$27.28 |
$56,750 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,710 |
$11.02 |
$22,910 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,700 |
$7.70 |
$16,020 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
1,580 |
$33.02 |
$68,680 |
| General and operations managers |
1,550 |
$40.53 |
$84,300 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,530 |
$10.61 |
$22,080 |
| Food preparation workers |
1,430 |
$7.72 |
$16,060 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
1,430 |
$16.66 |
$34,650 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
1,370 |
$9.36 |
$19,480 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
1,310 |
$14.67 |
$30,500 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
1,290 |
$17.96 |
$37,360 |
| Community and social services occupations |
1,130 |
$18.74 |
$38,980 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
1,100 |
$8.59 |
$17,860 |
| Construction laborers |
1,080 |
$12.36 |
$25,720 |
| Chemical plant and system operators |
1,070 |
$29.74 |
$61,860 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
1,070 |
$15.16 |
$31,530 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
1,050 |
$9.99 |
$20,780 |
| Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers |
990 |
$28.81 |
$59,930 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
950 |
$17.06 |
$35,480 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
930 |
$9.37 |
$19,500 |
| Teacher assistants |
900 |
Not available |
$15,450 |
| Carpenters |
860 |
$17.78 |
$36,980 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
850 |
$16.82 |
$34,990 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
790 |
$28.14 |
$58,540 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
790 |
$22.51 |
$46,820 |
| Gaming dealers |
740 |
$6.94 |
$14,440 |
| Cooks, fast food |
730 |
$7.39 |
$15,360 |
| Electricians |
730 |
$19.13 |
$39,790 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
720 |
$26.31 |
$54,720 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
700 |
$16.82 |
$34,990 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
680 |
$22.52 |
$46,850 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
670 |
$7.88 |
$16,390 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
660 |
$21.47 |
$44,660 |
| Customer service representatives |
650 |
$10.79 |
$22,440 |
| Home health aides |
650 |
$7.84 |
$16,310 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
630 |
$15.32 |
$31,870 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
600 |
$18.05 |
$37,540 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
600 |
$12.49 |
$25,980 |
| Security guards |
590 |
$9.88 |
$20,560 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
580 |
$7.36 |
$15,310 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
550 |
$13.02 |
$27,090 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
530 |
$25.76 |
$53,580 |
| Accountants and auditors |
490 |
$23.28 |
$48,430 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
480 |
$16.52 |
$34,360 |
| Tellers |
480 |
$9.51 |
$19,780 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
470 |
$28.15 |
$58,560 |
| Legal occupations |
470 |
$29.18 |
$60,690 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
450 |
$29.59 |
$61,540 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
450 |
$20.91 |
$43,490 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
440 |
$7.76 |
$16,140 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
420 |
$10.94 |
$22,750 |
| Bartenders |
410 |
$7.14 |
$14,860 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
400 |
$16.79 |
$34,930 |
| Bus drivers, school |
390 |
$6.84 |
$14,220 |
| Chemical technicians |
390 |
$28.70 |
$59,700 |
| Child care workers |
390 |
$8.03 |
$16,690 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
380 |
$22.45 |
$46,690 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
340 |
$15.91 |
$33,100 |
| Correctional officers and jailers |
340 |
$12.94 |
$26,920 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
330 |
$8.49 |
$17,660 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
330 |
$13.87 |
$28,840 |
| Machinists |
330 |
$22.26 |
$46,310 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
320 |
$11.26 |
$23,420 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
300 |
$11.56 |
$24,040 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
300 |
$22.69 |
$47,190 |
| Managers, all other |
290 |
$34.97 |
$72,740 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
290 |
$18.47 |
$38,410 |
| Recreation workers |
290 |
$10.01 |
$20,830 |
| Personal and home care aides |
280 |
$6.67 |
$13,870 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
270 |
$8.32 |
$17,310 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
270 |
$13.47 |
$28,010 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
260 |
$12.66 |
$26,320 |
| Driver/sales workers |
260 |
$9.21 |
$19,150 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
260 |
$15.22 |
$31,650 |
| Insurance sales agents |
260 |
$18.29 |
$38,050 |
| Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels |
250 |
$31.50 |
$65,520 |
| Fire fighters |
250 |
$12.02 |
$24,990 |
| Maintenance workers, machinery |
250 |
$17.77 |
$36,960 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
250 |
$12.59 |
$26,180 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
240 |
$7.72 |
$16,060 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
230 |
$7.07 |
$14,710 |
| Medical assistants |
230 |
$9.83 |
$20,440 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
230 |
$21.65 |
$45,020 |
| Sailors and marine oilers |
230 |
$19.35 |
$40,250 |
| Construction managers |
220 |
$35.61 |
$74,080 |
| Dishwashers |
220 |
$7.43 |
$15,460 |
| Helpers--electricians |
220 |
$12.94 |
$26,910 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
220 |
$8.38 |
$17,420 |
| Legal secretaries |
220 |
$15.45 |
$32,140 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
220 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Production workers, all other |
220 |
$16.67 |
$34,670 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
210 |
$24.64 |
$51,260 |
| Data entry keyers |
210 |
$10.32 |
$21,470 |
| Detectives and criminal investigators |
210 |
$19.27 |
$40,090 |
| Engineers, all other |
210 |
$37.85 |
$78,720 |
| Service unit operators, oil, gas, and mining |
210 |
$19.70 |
$40,970 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
200 |
$11.17 |
$23,230 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
200 |
$16.22 |
$33,730 |
| Social and human service assistants |
200 |
$15.25 |
$31,730 |
| Crane and tower operators |
190 |
$20.12 |
$41,850 |
| Gaming change persons and booth cashiers |
190 |
$9.81 |
$20,410 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
190 |
$8.72 |
$18,130 |
| Instructional coordinators |
190 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Pharmacists |
190 |
$48.07 |
$99,980 |
| Sales managers |
190 |
$32.86 |
$68,340 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
180 |
$9.56 |
$19,870 |
| Lawyers |
180 |
$49.08 |
$102,080 |
| Sheet metal workers |
180 |
$17.94 |
$37,320 |
| Aircraft mechanics and service technicians |
170 |
$21.56 |
$44,850 |
| Chemical engineers |
170 |
$41.52 |
$86,360 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
170 |
$13.37 |
$27,810 |
| Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
170 |
$12.27 |
$25,530 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
170 |
$7.36 |
$15,300 |
| Loan officers |
170 |
$20.17 |
$41,960 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
170 |
$9.73 |
$20,240 |
| Bill and account collectors |
160 |
$10.69 |
$22,240 |
| Financial managers |
160 |
$39.59 |
$82,340 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
160 |
$10.78 |
$22,410 |
| Parking lot attendants |
160 |
$7.64 |
$15,900 |
| Parts salespersons |
160 |
$12.72 |
$26,450 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
160 |
$39.92 |
$83,030 |
| Dental assistants |
150 |
$11.43 |
$23,780 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
150 |
$7.88 |
$16,390 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
150 |
$8.60 |
$17,880 |
| Team assemblers |
150 |
$11.23 |
$23,360 |
| Administrative services managers |
140 |
$22.47 |
$46,740 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
140 |
$18.21 |
$37,870 |
| Construction and building inspectors |
140 |
$26.40 |
$54,920 |
| Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door |
140 |
$26.96 |
$56,070 |
| Dental hygienists |
140 |
$26.44 |
$54,990 |
| Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other |
140 |
$27.66 |
$57,540 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
140 |
$14.85 |
$30,880 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
140 |
$22.64 |
$47,080 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
140 |
$13.19 |
$27,440 |
| Riggers |
140 |
$13.61 |
$28,300 |
| Structural iron and steel workers |
140 |
$18.36 |
$38,180 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
140 |
$20.70 |
$43,060 |
| Chefs and head cooks |
130 |
$19.60 |
$40,780 |
| Engineering managers |
130 |
$58.85 |
$122,410 |
| Mechanical engineers |
130 |
$40.10 |
$83,400 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
130 |
$24.38 |
$50,710 |
| Medical secretaries |
130 |
$10.94 |
$22,760 |
| Personal care and service workers, all other |
130 |
$7.92 |
$16,470 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
130 |
$11.43 |
$23,780 |
| Computer support specialists |
120 |
$21.18 |
$44,050 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
120 |
$23.13 |
$48,100 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
120 |
$11.63 |
$24,190 |
| Insulation workers, mechanical |
120 |
$15.65 |
$32,550 |
| Mechanical drafters |
120 |
$31.97 |
$66,500 |
| Medical and health services managers |
120 |
$30.10 |
$62,620 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
110 |
$17.52 |
$36,440 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
110 |
$21.54 |
$44,800 |
| Computer programmers |
110 |
$27.02 |
$56,200 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
110 |
$25.30 |
$52,620 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
110 |
$27.46 |
$57,120 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
110 |
$13.24 |
$27,540 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
110 |
$20.50 |
$42,650 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
110 |
$23.05 |
$47,930 |
| Respiratory therapists |
110 |
$22.43 |
$46,650 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
110 |
$30.92 |
$64,320 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
110 |
Not available |
$40,710 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
100 |
$13.15 |
$27,360 |
| Cost estimators |
100 |
$26.25 |
$54,600 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
100 |
$16.35 |
$34,010 |
| Helpers, construction trades, all other |
100 |
$12.66 |
$26,340 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
100 |
$10.57 |
$21,990 |
| Physical therapists |
100 |
$34.57 |
$71,900 |
| Advertising sales agents |
90 |
$18.99 |
$39,500 |
| Chief executives |
90 |
$64.09 |
$133,310 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
90 |
$21.14 |
$43,970 |
| Civil engineers |
90 |
$37.04 |
$77,040 |
| Cooks, all other |
90 |
$8.12 |
$16,900 |
| Couriers and messengers |
90 |
$8.21 |
$17,070 |
| Food service managers |
90 |
$24.89 |
$51,770 |
| Librarians |
90 |
$22.19 |
$46,160 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
90 |
$12.44 |
$25,880 |
| Order clerks |
90 |
$12.67 |
$26,360 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
90 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
90 |
$20.21 |
$42,040 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
90 |
$16.28 |
$33,860 |
| Training and development specialists |
90 |
$20.51 |
$42,670 |
| Bakers |
80 |
$9.83 |
$20,450 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
80 |
$12.00 |
$24,970 |
| Chemists |
80 |
$35.88 |
$74,630 |
| Computer systems analysts |
80 |
$26.24 |
$54,590 |
| File clerks |
80 |
$9.91 |
$20,610 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
80 |
$11.86 |
$24,670 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
80 |
$11.62 |
$24,160 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
80 |
$20.72 |
$43,090 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
80 |
$20.08 |
$41,770 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
80 |
$96.99 |
$201,740 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
70 |
$17.10 |
$35,580 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists |
70 |
$17.47 |
$36,350 |
| Eligibility interviewers, government programs |
70 |
$18.43 |
$38,340 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
70 |
$21.27 |
$44,250 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
70 |
$23.59 |
$49,060 |
| Hazardous materials removal workers |
70 |
$18.44 |
$38,360 |
| Industrial production managers |
70 |
$36.50 |
$75,910 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
70 |
$14.30 |
$29,740 |
| Pest control workers |
70 |
$14.27 |
$29,670 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
70 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Surgical technologists |
70 |
$17.22 |
$35,820 |
| Surveyors |
70 |
$18.10 |
$37,650 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
70 |
$31.18 |
$64,860 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
60 |
$29.14 |
$60,600 |
| Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment |
60 |
$27.45 |
$57,100 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
60 |
$19.10 |
$39,720 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
60 |
$13.79 |
$28,680 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
60 |
$17.26 |
$35,900 |
| Graphic designers |
60 |
$13.33 |
$27,730 |
| Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors |
60 |
$31.08 |
$64,650 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
60 |
$14.19 |
$29,520 |
| Industrial engineers |
60 |
$44.16 |
$91,860 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
60 |
$12.04 |
$25,030 |
| New accounts clerks |
60 |
$11.94 |
$24,840 |
| Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators |
60 |
$15.83 |
$32,920 |
| Public relations specialists |
60 |
$22.90 |
$47,630 |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
60 |
$16.00 |
$33,280 |
| Self-enrichment education teachers |
60 |
$21.93 |
$45,620 |
| Structural metal fabricators and fitters |
60 |
$15.62 |
$32,480 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
50 |
$31.59 |
$65,720 |
| Counselors, all other |
50 |
$15.16 |
$31,530 |
| Diagnostic medical sonographers |
50 |
$25.71 |
$53,490 |
| Environmental engineers |
50 |
$32.40 |
$67,390 |
| Environmental science and protection technicians, including health |
50 |
$18.07 |
$37,590 |
| Environmental scientists and specialists, including health |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| First-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and prevention workers |
50 |
$18.53 |
$38,550 |
| Floral designers |
50 |
$9.54 |
$19,840 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
50 |
$9.74 |
$20,260 |
| Meter readers, utilities |
50 |
$14.15 |
$29,430 |
| Occupational health and safety specialists |
50 |
$30.45 |
$63,330 |
| Pipelayers |
50 |
$11.11 |
$23,120 |
| Printing machine operators |
50 |
$10.82 |
$22,500 |
| Social and community service managers |
50 |
$25.58 |
$53,200 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
50 |
$9.30 |
$19,350 |
| Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers |
50 |
$8.88 |
$18,480 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
40 |
$26.45 |
$55,010 |
| Cardiovascular technologists and technicians |
40 |
$14.96 |
$31,110 |
| Family and general practitioners |
40 |
$85.48 |
$177,790 |
| Gaming managers |
40 |
$28.36 |
$58,990 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
40 |
$21.18 |
$44,060 |
| Legislators |
40 |
Not available |
$13,950 |
| Lodging managers |
40 |
$24.35 |
$50,650 |
| Logisticians |
40 |
$22.69 |
$47,190 |
| Management analysts |
40 |
$40.11 |
$83,430 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
40 |
$25.73 |
$53,520 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
40 |
$25.00 |
$51,990 |
| Physical therapist assistants |
40 |
$15.72 |
$32,700 |
| Postal service clerks |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Procurement clerks |
40 |
$16.21 |
$33,720 |
| Roofers |
40 |
$15.62 |
$32,490 |
| Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners |
40 |
$13.77 |
$28,650 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
40 |
$13.57 |
$28,240 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
30 |
$22.30 |
$46,370 |
| Dentists, general |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| First-line supervisors/managers, protective service workers, all other |
30 |
$21.86 |
$45,480 |
| Gaming surveillance officers and gaming investigators |
30 |
$16.95 |
$35,250 |
| Marketing managers |
30 |
$37.29 |
$77,570 |
| Occupational therapists |
30 |
$36.01 |
$74,910 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
30 |
$14.38 |
$29,900 |
| Surveying and mapping technicians |
30 |
$15.48 |
$32,190 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
30 |
$11.04 |
$22,960 |
| All other information and record clerks |
Not available |
$16.09 |
$33,470 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
Not available |
$18.62 |
$38,730 |
| Commercial pilots |
Not available |
Not available |
$66,020 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
Not available |
$42.25 |
$87,880 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
Not available |
$18.60 |
$38,680 |
| Cooks, short order |
Not available |
$8.05 |
$16,750 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$13.24 |
$27,530 |
| Dental laboratory technicians |
Not available |
$9.41 |
$19,580 |
| Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators |
Not available |
$15.60 |
$32,440 |
| Helpers--production workers |
Not available |
$12.68 |
$26,380 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
Not available |
$17.36 |
$36,100 |
| Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other |
Not available |
$29.81 |
$62,010 |
| Material moving workers, all other |
Not available |
$11.63 |
$24,200 |
| Mental health counselors |
Not available |
$16.71 |
$34,750 |
| Millwrights |
Not available |
$18.67 |
$38,830 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
Not available |
$8.27 |
$17,200 |
| Pharmacy aides |
Not available |
$8.67 |
$18,030 |
| Physical therapist aides |
Not available |
$9.38 |
$19,500 |
| Pile-driver operators |
Not available |
$19.35 |
$40,250 |
| Psychiatric aides |
Not available |
$10.47 |
$21,770 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
Not available |
$15.69 |
$32,630 |
| Roustabouts, oil and gas |
Not available |
$17.04 |
$35,450 |
| Tax preparers |
Not available |
$12.71 |
$26,430 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
Not available |
$9.54 |
$19,840 |
| Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers |
Not available |
$16.59 |
$34,510 |
