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 |
47,900 |
$14.96 |
$31,110 |
| Production occupations |
10,860 |
$12.90 |
$26,830 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
6,730 |
$13.07 |
$27,190 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
5,660 |
$14.33 |
$29,800 |
| Sales and related occupations |
4,310 |
$15.02 |
$31,250 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
3,200 |
$7.90 |
$16,430 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
3,100 |
$16.87 |
$35,090 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
2,210 |
$25.08 |
$52,160 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,090 |
$13.62 |
$28,330 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,080 |
$16.12 |
$33,520 |
| Management occupations |
1,930 |
$30.01 |
$62,420 |
| Team assemblers |
1,790 |
$12.92 |
$26,870 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
1,660 |
$10.60 |
$22,040 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
1,620 |
$21.92 |
$45,580 |
| Cashiers |
1,440 |
$7.57 |
$15,750 |
| Retail salespersons |
1,200 |
$11.10 |
$23,080 |
| Helpers--production workers |
1,150 |
$10.16 |
$21,140 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,130 |
$10.67 |
$22,190 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
1,000 |
$9.74 |
$20,260 |
| Office clerks, general |
970 |
$12.07 |
$25,100 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
850 |
$9.72 |
$20,230 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
780 |
$7.87 |
$16,360 |
| Teacher assistants |
740 |
Not available |
$16,470 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
730 |
$25.79 |
$53,650 |
| Protective service occupations |
710 |
$15.10 |
$31,410 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
670 |
$16.36 |
$34,020 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
610 |
$18.90 |
$39,300 |
| Registered nurses |
600 |
$25.87 |
$53,810 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
590 |
$11.82 |
$24,580 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
590 |
$7.17 |
$14,900 |
| Community and social services occupations |
570 |
$14.95 |
$31,100 |
| Customer service representatives |
550 |
$13.64 |
$28,360 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
540 |
$9.44 |
$19,630 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
530 |
$10.02 |
$20,830 |
| General and operations managers |
510 |
$31.89 |
$66,330 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
510 |
$14.31 |
$29,770 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
500 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
490 |
$13.69 |
$28,470 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
480 |
$16.14 |
$33,570 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
480 |
$13.87 |
$28,850 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
470 |
$12.64 |
$26,290 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
470 |
$9.33 |
$19,400 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
460 |
$29.00 |
$60,320 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
450 |
$11.18 |
$23,260 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
420 |
$9.95 |
$20,700 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
420 |
Not available |
$42,420 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
380 |
$15.13 |
$31,470 |
| Construction laborers |
370 |
$11.76 |
$24,460 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
370 |
Not available |
$40,870 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
360 |
$7.95 |
$16,530 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
360 |
$14.07 |
$29,260 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
350 |
$18.75 |
$39,010 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
340 |
$16.69 |
$34,710 |
| Cooks, fast food |
320 |
$7.15 |
$14,870 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
310 |
$7.73 |
$16,080 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
310 |
Not available |
$39,590 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
290 |
$14.56 |
$30,280 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
270 |
$26.53 |
$55,170 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
270 |
$15.50 |
$32,240 |
| Machinists |
260 |
$14.59 |
$30,340 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
250 |
$10.91 |
$22,680 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
250 |
$9.23 |
$19,210 |
| Roofers |
250 |
$11.46 |
$23,840 |
| Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic |
240 |
$9.68 |
$20,130 |
| Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders |
240 |
$15.46 |
$32,160 |
| Upholsterers |
240 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
230 |
$15.31 |
$31,830 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
230 |
$7.86 |
$16,350 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
230 |
$15.10 |
$31,400 |
| Bus drivers, school |
220 |
$9.90 |
$20,590 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
220 |
$17.27 |
$35,920 |
| Carpenters |
210 |
$12.74 |
$26,500 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
210 |
$10.32 |
$21,460 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
200 |
$11.29 |
$23,480 |
| Food preparation workers |
190 |
$8.71 |
$18,110 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
190 |
$11.70 |
$24,330 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
180 |
$15.12 |
$31,460 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
180 |
$24.86 |
$51,710 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
180 |
$12.64 |
$26,290 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
170 |
$22.65 |
$47,120 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
170 |
$9.51 |
$19,770 |
| Dishwashers |
160 |
$7.77 |
$16,160 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
160 |
$12.65 |
$26,320 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
160 |
$14.92 |
$31,040 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
160 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
160 |
Not available |
$30,640 |
| Financial managers |
150 |
$31.52 |
$65,570 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
150 |
$26.39 |
$54,900 |
| Medical assistants |
150 |
$11.78 |
$24,510 |
| Production workers, all other |
150 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
150 |
$39.00 |
$81,120 |
| Accountants and auditors |
140 |
$28.84 |
$59,990 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
140 |
$20.89 |
$43,460 |
| Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood |
140 |
$9.77 |
$20,330 |
| Tellers |
140 |
$10.12 |
$21,060 |
| Vocational education teachers, secondary school |
140 |
Not available |
$42,130 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
130 |
$12.25 |
$25,490 |
| Chief executives |
130 |
$61.49 |
$127,900 |
| Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
130 |
$14.91 |
$31,010 |
| Electricians |
130 |
$18.19 |
$37,830 |
| Eligibility interviewers, government programs |
130 |
$14.51 |
$30,190 |
| Legal occupations |
130 |
$28.55 |
$59,380 |
| Medical secretaries |
130 |
$11.15 |
$23,200 |
| Parts salespersons |
130 |
$13.80 |
$28,700 |
| Driver/sales workers |
120 |
$8.09 |
$16,820 |
| Administrative services managers |
110 |
$21.47 |
$44,660 |
| Bill and account collectors |
110 |
$12.98 |
$26,990 |
| Child care workers |
110 |
$7.62 |
$15,840 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
110 |
$8.51 |
$17,710 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
110 |
$15.69 |
$32,640 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
110 |
$50.31 |
$104,650 |
| Dental assistants |
100 |
$15.03 |
$31,260 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
100 |
$19.58 |
$40,720 |
| Food service managers |
100 |
$22.18 |
$46,140 |
| Legislators |
100 |
Not available |
$14,400 |
| Loan officers |
100 |
$28.74 |
$59,780 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
100 |
$15.89 |
$33,040 |
| Pharmacists |
100 |
$57.03 |
$118,620 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
100 |
$17.11 |
$35,590 |
| Sales managers |
100 |
$36.47 |
$75,850 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
100 |
$10.34 |
$21,500 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
90 |
$19.57 |
$40,710 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
90 |
$20.76 |
$43,190 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
90 |
$7.66 |
$15,930 |
| Pharmacy aides |
90 |
$8.28 |
$17,220 |
| Security guards |
90 |
$11.07 |
$23,020 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
80 |
$21.94 |
$45,640 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
80 |
$11.01 |
$22,890 |
| Industrial engineers |
80 |
$27.12 |
$56,410 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
80 |
$11.47 |
$23,860 |
| Medical and health services managers |
80 |
$27.63 |
$57,480 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
70 |
$11.55 |
$24,020 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
70 |
Not available |
$65,900 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
70 |
$15.07 |
$31,350 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
70 |
Not available |
$38,790 |
| Librarians |
70 |
$18.70 |
$38,900 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
70 |
$15.52 |
$32,270 |
| Prepress technicians and workers |
70 |
$16.83 |
$35,010 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
70 |
$10.39 |
$21,600 |
| Social and human service assistants |
70 |
$11.16 |
$23,220 |
| Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders |
70 |
$9.28 |
$19,300 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
60 |
$12.89 |
$26,820 |
| Construction managers |
60 |
$26.99 |
$56,130 |
| Correctional officers and jailers |
60 |
$12.11 |
$25,200 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
60 |
$9.96 |
$20,720 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
60 |
$8.39 |
$17,450 |
| Industrial production managers |
60 |
$32.77 |
$68,170 |
| Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
60 |
$12.91 |
$26,850 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
60 |
$8.84 |
$18,400 |
| Machine feeders and offbearers |
60 |
$11.92 |
$24,800 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
60 |
$20.65 |
$42,960 |
| Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders |
50 |
$13.61 |
$28,310 |
| Computer support specialists |
50 |
$18.32 |
$38,100 |
| Insurance sales agents |
50 |
$22.81 |
$47,450 |
| Lawyers |
50 |
$43.95 |
$91,410 |
| Order clerks |
50 |
$10.71 |
$22,270 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
50 |
$16.48 |
$34,280 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
50 |
$13.09 |
$27,220 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
50 |
$18.92 |
$39,350 |
| Recreation workers |
50 |
$10.67 |
$22,190 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
50 |
Not available |
$43,180 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
50 |
$22.34 |
$46,470 |
| Tool and die makers |
50 |
$18.36 |
$38,180 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
50 |
$23.99 |
$49,900 |
| Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers |
50 |
$8.69 |
$18,070 |
| Bakers |
40 |
$9.36 |
$19,480 |
| Chefs and head cooks |
40 |
$11.28 |
$23,470 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
40 |
$27.60 |
$57,400 |
| Coaches and scouts |
40 |
Not available |
$30,610 |
| Computer programmers |
40 |
$25.48 |
$52,990 |
| Engineering managers |
40 |
$38.85 |
$80,800 |
| Floral designers |
40 |
$8.22 |
$17,090 |
| Furniture finishers |
40 |
$12.12 |
$25,200 |
| Graphic designers |
40 |
$14.88 |
$30,960 |
| Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
40 |
$13.75 |
$28,600 |
| Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers |
40 |
$7.98 |
$16,600 |
| Maintenance workers, machinery |
40 |
$19.80 |
$41,190 |
| Managers, all other |
40 |
$17.06 |
$35,480 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
40 |
$26.00 |
$54,070 |
| Merchandise displayers and window trimmers |
40 |
$13.16 |
$27,380 |
| Procurement clerks |
40 |
$16.48 |
$34,280 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Purchasing managers |
40 |
$30.51 |
$63,450 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
40 |
$27.36 |
$56,900 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
40 |
$9.62 |
$20,010 |
| Cementing and gluing machine operators and tenders |
30 |
$10.13 |
$21,070 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
30 |
$22.05 |
$45,850 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
30 |
$25.38 |
$52,790 |
| Cost estimators |
30 |
$21.36 |
$44,430 |
| Couriers and messengers |
30 |
$12.20 |
$25,380 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
30 |
$12.98 |
$27,000 |
| Detectives and criminal investigators |
30 |
$20.13 |
$41,870 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
30 |
$14.70 |
$30,570 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
30 |
$15.75 |
$32,760 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
30 |
$21.40 |
$44,520 |
| Marketing managers |
30 |
$30.16 |
$62,740 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
30 |
$13.17 |
$27,390 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
30 |
$29.12 |
$60,570 |
| Training and development specialists |
30 |
$20.92 |
$43,510 |
| Bartenders |
Not available |
$6.94 |
$14,430 |
| Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door |
Not available |
$13.32 |
$27,700 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
Not available |
$6.82 |
$14,180 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
Not available |
$13.05 |
$27,140 |
| Home health aides |
Not available |
$8.82 |
$18,350 |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks |
Not available |
$19.37 |
$40,300 |
| Internists, general |
Not available |
More than $70 |
More than $145,600 |
| Millwrights |
Not available |
$19.73 |
$41,030 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
Not available |
$17.46 |
$36,310 |
| Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$17.95 |
$37,330 |
| New accounts clerks |
Not available |
$15.00 |
$31,200 |
| Painting, coating, and decorating workers |
Not available |
$13.38 |
$27,840 |
| Physical therapists |
Not available |
$39.13 |
$81,390 |
| Physician assistants |
Not available |
$48.20 |
$100,270 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
Not available |
$12.74 |
$26,490 |
| Printing machine operators |
Not available |
$13.56 |
$28,210 |
| Woodworkers, all other |
Not available |
$10.24 |
$21,300 |
| Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing |
Not available |
$9.60 |
$19,970 |
