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 |
61,720 |
$19.13 |
$39,790 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
10,140 |
$15.00 |
$31,190 |
| Production occupations |
7,950 |
$15.90 |
$33,070 |
| Sales and related occupations |
5,770 |
$14.92 |
$31,030 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
5,660 |
$9.38 |
$19,520 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
3,890 |
$30.29 |
$63,010 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
3,440 |
$22.24 |
$46,260 |
| Management occupations |
3,270 |
$42.68 |
$88,770 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
2,870 |
$13.14 |
$27,320 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
2,300 |
$29.61 |
$61,590 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,260 |
$20.51 |
$42,660 |
| Retail salespersons |
2,160 |
$11.74 |
$24,420 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
2,070 |
$12.24 |
$25,460 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,030 |
$20.21 |
$42,040 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
1,880 |
$31.78 |
$66,100 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,810 |
$13.27 |
$27,590 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,770 |
$16.78 |
$34,900 |
| Cashiers |
1,430 |
$8.84 |
$18,390 |
| Customer service representatives |
1,360 |
$16.25 |
$33,800 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,360 |
$8.62 |
$17,930 |
| Registered nurses |
1,310 |
$28.00 |
$58,230 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
1,210 |
$8.50 |
$17,680 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,190 |
$10.68 |
$22,210 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,140 |
$13.45 |
$27,970 |
| Team assemblers |
1,080 |
$14.31 |
$29,760 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
1,060 |
$12.35 |
$25,700 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
1,000 |
$12.49 |
$25,980 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
980 |
$21.48 |
$44,680 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
960 |
$13.15 |
$27,360 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
920 |
$15.18 |
$31,570 |
| Security guards |
840 |
$12.46 |
$25,910 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
760 |
$17.58 |
$36,570 |
| Community and social services occupations |
750 |
$20.52 |
$42,690 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
750 |
$11.46 |
$23,830 |
| Mechanical engineers |
740 |
$35.14 |
$73,100 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
710 |
$30.77 |
$63,990 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
710 |
Not available |
$53,370 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
710 |
$10.60 |
$22,040 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
690 |
$14.84 |
$30,870 |
| General and operations managers |
600 |
$38.04 |
$79,110 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
600 |
$27.99 |
$58,220 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
580 |
$15.71 |
$32,690 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
520 |
$27.23 |
$56,630 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
520 |
$12.06 |
$25,090 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
520 |
$17.65 |
$36,710 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
510 |
$20.40 |
$42,440 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
490 |
$32.10 |
$66,760 |
| Food preparation workers |
480 |
$9.37 |
$19,480 |
| Bartenders |
470 |
$8.52 |
$17,730 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
460 |
$11.79 |
$24,520 |
| Teacher assistants |
460 |
Not available |
$24,850 |
| Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic |
440 |
$15.82 |
$32,900 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
430 |
$13.84 |
$28,790 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
420 |
$14.39 |
$29,930 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
420 |
$21.27 |
$44,240 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
410 |
$35.55 |
$73,940 |
| Helpers--production workers |
410 |
$10.73 |
$22,310 |
| Construction laborers |
400 |
$17.72 |
$36,860 |
| Cooks, fast food |
390 |
$8.11 |
$16,870 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
390 |
$9.12 |
$18,970 |
| Accountants and auditors |
370 |
$28.14 |
$58,540 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
370 |
$22.90 |
$47,630 |
| Machinists |
360 |
$18.39 |
$38,240 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
340 |
Not available |
$49,670 |
| Production workers, all other |
330 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
330 |
Not available |
$47,480 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
320 |
$11.95 |
$24,850 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
320 |
$12.39 |
$25,780 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
310 |
$18.48 |
$38,450 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
290 |
$19.21 |
$39,950 |
| Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
290 |
$12.08 |
$25,120 |
| Tellers |
290 |
$14.65 |
$30,470 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
280 |
$9.55 |
$19,870 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
280 |
$12.13 |
$25,240 |
| Dishwashers |
270 |
$8.53 |
$17,740 |
| Legal occupations |
270 |
$34.92 |
$72,630 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
270 |
Not available |
$48,950 |
| Mechanical engineering technicians |
260 |
$24.32 |
$50,580 |
| Bus drivers, school |
250 |
$14.16 |
$29,450 |
| Library technicians |
250 |
$10.29 |
$21,400 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
250 |
$38.04 |
$79,130 |
| Medical assistants |
240 |
$14.21 |
$29,550 |
| Recreation workers |
240 |
$8.95 |
$18,610 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
230 |
$10.77 |
$22,400 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
230 |
$10.01 |
$20,810 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
230 |
$25.83 |
$53,720 |
| Financial managers |
220 |
$41.21 |
$85,720 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
220 |
$28.47 |
$59,210 |
| Sales managers |
220 |
$48.53 |
$100,940 |
| Carpenters |
210 |
$18.66 |
$38,810 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
210 |
$10.06 |
$20,930 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
210 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Training and development specialists |
210 |
$28.59 |
$59,460 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
210 |
$17.99 |
$37,420 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
190 |
$14.67 |
$30,500 |
| Engineering managers |
190 |
$50.81 |
$105,690 |
| Industrial engineers |
190 |
$30.76 |
$63,980 |
| Insurance sales agents |
190 |
$30.23 |
$62,870 |
| Industrial production managers |
180 |
$38.83 |
$80,760 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
180 |
$12.33 |
$25,650 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
180 |
$16.25 |
$33,800 |
| Marketing managers |
180 |
$53.51 |
$111,300 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
180 |
$10.20 |
$21,220 |
| Public relations specialists |
180 |
$21.58 |
$44,880 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
170 |
$9.12 |
$18,970 |
| Coaches and scouts |
170 |
Not available |
$27,650 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
170 |
$12.05 |
$25,070 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
170 |
$16.12 |
$33,530 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
170 |
$27.40 |
$57,000 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
170 |
$13.21 |
$27,470 |
| Lawyers |
170 |
$39.25 |
$81,640 |
| Chief executives |
160 |
$65.97 |
$137,210 |
| Child care workers |
160 |
$8.94 |
$18,590 |
| Computer support specialists |
160 |
$23.07 |
$47,980 |
| Electricians |
160 |
$26.40 |
$54,910 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
160 |
$28.04 |
$58,330 |
| Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
160 |
$14.13 |
$29,400 |
| Managers, all other |
160 |
$51.86 |
$107,880 |
| Market research analysts |
160 |
$35.32 |
$73,460 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
160 |
$21.51 |
$44,740 |
| Personal and home care aides |
160 |
$10.67 |
$22,200 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
160 |
Not available |
$52,250 |
| Tool and die makers |
160 |
$19.80 |
$41,180 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
150 |
$21.50 |
$44,720 |
| Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse |
150 |
$8.56 |
$17,810 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
150 |
$25.50 |
$53,050 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
150 |
$19.51 |
$40,580 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
140 |
$46.35 |
$96,410 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
140 |
$10.07 |
$20,950 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
140 |
$9.73 |
$20,230 |
| Logisticians |
140 |
$26.69 |
$55,520 |
| Medical and health services managers |
140 |
$35.51 |
$73,860 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
140 |
$23.48 |
$48,840 |
| Financial analysts |
130 |
$38.41 |
$79,900 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
130 |
$9.46 |
$19,670 |
| Medical secretaries |
130 |
$16.61 |
$34,540 |
| Personal care and service workers, all other |
130 |
$11.03 |
$22,940 |
| Purchasing managers |
130 |
$47.86 |
$99,560 |
| Art directors |
120 |
$33.08 |
$68,810 |
| Commercial and industrial designers |
120 |
$30.46 |
$63,360 |
| Cooks, short order |
120 |
$10.39 |
$21,600 |
| Fire fighters |
120 |
$16.56 |
$34,450 |
| Mechanical drafters |
120 |
$22.22 |
$46,210 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
120 |
$83.46 |
$173,600 |
| Plating and coating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
120 |
$11.38 |
$23,670 |
| Printing machine operators |
120 |
$15.29 |
$31,800 |
| Social and human service assistants |
120 |
$15.02 |
$31,250 |
| Dental assistants |
110 |
$16.45 |
$34,210 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
110 |
$8.38 |
$17,420 |
| Pharmacists |
110 |
$50.56 |
$105,170 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
110 |
$13.13 |
$27,310 |
| Physician assistants |
110 |
$41.51 |
$86,330 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
100 |
$22.66 |
$47,130 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
100 |
Not available |
$76,650 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
100 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
100 |
$23.86 |
$49,630 |
| Librarians |
100 |
$20.15 |
$41,900 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
100 |
$13.04 |
$27,130 |
| Physical therapists |
100 |
$34.20 |
$71,130 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
100 |
$14.86 |
$30,900 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
100 |
$47.35 |
$98,500 |
| Bill and account collectors |
90 |
$13.19 |
$27,440 |
| Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders |
90 |
$13.25 |
$27,560 |
| Data entry keyers |
90 |
$12.62 |
$26,240 |
| Dental hygienists |
90 |
$31.64 |
$65,810 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
90 |
$24.57 |
$51,100 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
90 |
$16.31 |
$33,930 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
90 |
$27.60 |
$57,420 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
90 |
$15.78 |
$32,820 |
| Order clerks |
90 |
$15.19 |
$31,590 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
90 |
$16.49 |
$34,290 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
90 |
$17.32 |
$36,030 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
90 |
$15.91 |
$33,080 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
90 |
$19.89 |
$41,360 |
| Administrative services managers |
80 |
$31.43 |
$65,370 |
| Food service managers |
80 |
$21.25 |
$44,200 |
| Legislators |
80 |
Not available |
$55,220 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
80 |
$17.21 |
$35,800 |
| Advertising sales agents |
70 |
$22.32 |
$46,420 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
70 |
$19.84 |
$41,260 |
| Computer systems analysts |
70 |
$32.46 |
$67,510 |
| Construction managers |
70 |
$52.50 |
$109,200 |
| Cost estimators |
70 |
$24.47 |
$50,900 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
70 |
$25.00 |
$52,000 |
| Engineers, all other |
70 |
$57.16 |
$118,900 |
| Financial specialists, all other |
70 |
$21.44 |
$44,590 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
70 |
$22.18 |
$46,130 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
70 |
$28.19 |
$58,640 |
| Funeral attendants |
70 |
$10.98 |
$22,850 |
| Graphic designers |
70 |
$16.54 |
$34,390 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
70 |
$13.25 |
$27,550 |
| Home health aides |
70 |
$10.58 |
$22,010 |
| Loan officers |
70 |
$25.44 |
$52,910 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
70 |
$14.68 |
$30,540 |
| Self-enrichment education teachers |
70 |
$22.38 |
$46,550 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
70 |
$18.08 |
$37,600 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
60 |
$17.91 |
$37,250 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
60 |
$16.66 |
$34,640 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
60 |
$9.33 |
$19,400 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
60 |
$23.60 |
$49,090 |
| Family and general practitioners |
60 |
$90.40 |
$188,030 |
| File clerks |
60 |
$11.06 |
$23,010 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
60 |
$14.90 |
$31,000 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
60 |
$9.42 |
$19,580 |
| Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
60 |
$12.57 |
$26,150 |
| Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers |
60 |
$7.72 |
$16,060 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
60 |
$18.08 |
$37,610 |
| Opticians, dispensing |
60 |
$13.83 |
$28,770 |
| Procurement clerks |
60 |
$14.74 |
$30,660 |
| Real estate sales agents |
60 |
$13.21 |
$27,480 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
60 |
$32.58 |
$67,760 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
50 |
$20.94 |
$43,540 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
50 |
$12.61 |
$26,230 |
| Chemists |
50 |
$27.89 |
$58,000 |
| Computer programmers |
50 |
$25.50 |
$53,050 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
50 |
$24.06 |
$50,050 |
| Driver/sales workers |
50 |
$11.38 |
$23,670 |
| Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers |
50 |
$12.73 |
$26,480 |
| Electrical engineers |
50 |
$31.99 |
$66,540 |
| First-line supervisors/managers, protective service workers, all other |
50 |
$29.48 |
$61,330 |
| Legal secretaries |
50 |
$15.83 |
$32,930 |
| Management analysts |
50 |
$55.51 |
$115,450 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
50 |
$20.34 |
$42,320 |
| Model makers, metal and plastic |
50 |
$24.12 |
$50,180 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
50 |
$23.52 |
$48,930 |
| Parts salespersons |
50 |
$13.14 |
$27,330 |
| Postal service clerks |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Pourers and casters, metal |
50 |
$13.16 |
$27,370 |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
50 |
$18.79 |
$39,090 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
50 |
$30.93 |
$64,330 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
50 |
$11.36 |
$23,620 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
50 |
$9.42 |
$19,600 |
| Technical writers |
50 |
$28.32 |
$58,910 |
| Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers |
50 |
$10.93 |
$22,740 |
| Chemical technicians |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
40 |
$27.06 |
$56,290 |
| Construction and building inspectors |
40 |
$19.15 |
$39,830 |
| Detectives and criminal investigators |
40 |
$25.10 |
$52,210 |
| Education, training, and library workers, all other |
40 |
$13.89 |
$28,890 |
| Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment |
40 |
$20.45 |
$42,530 |
| Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other |
40 |
$26.21 |
$54,510 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
40 |
$26.20 |
$54,490 |
| Human resources managers, all other |
40 |
$52.06 |
$108,280 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
40 |
Not available |
$42,550 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
40 |
$15.94 |
$33,150 |
| Occupational therapists |
40 |
$28.63 |
$59,540 |
| Physical therapist assistants |
40 |
$20.60 |
$42,850 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Sales engineers |
40 |
$37.79 |
$78,600 |
| Sewing machine operators |
40 |
$13.69 |
$28,470 |
| Special education teachers, middle school |
40 |
Not available |
$49,670 |
| Appraisers and assessors of real estate |
30 |
$20.81 |
$43,280 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists |
30 |
$21.55 |
$44,820 |
| Merchandise displayers and window trimmers |
30 |
$16.89 |
$35,130 |
| Personal financial advisors |
30 |
$50.71 |
$105,470 |
| Social and community service managers |
30 |
$34.68 |
$72,140 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
30 |
Not available |
$50,690 |
| All other information and record clerks |
Not available |
$11.99 |
$24,950 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
Not available |
$21.30 |
$44,310 |
| Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists |
Not available |
$45.34 |
$94,300 |
| Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$14.25 |
$29,640 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
Not available |
$9.91 |
$20,620 |
| Grinding and polishing workers, hand |
Not available |
$12.66 |
$26,330 |
| Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$17.54 |
$36,480 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
Not available |
$20.32 |
$42,260 |
| Home appliance repairers |
Not available |
$15.25 |
$31,720 |
| Job printers |
Not available |
$16.02 |
$33,330 |
| Massage therapists |
Not available |
$17.06 |
$35,480 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
Not available |
$16.45 |
$34,210 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
Not available |
$14.41 |
$29,960 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
Not available |
$23.52 |
$48,930 |
| Respiratory therapists |
Not available |
$29.02 |
$60,360 |
| Surgical technologists |
Not available |
$19.55 |
$40,670 |
| Telemarketers |
Not available |
$12.80 |
$26,630 |
| Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners |
Not available |
$18.06 |
$37,560 |
