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 |
59,700 |
$17.55 |
$36,510 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
9,400 |
$13.42 |
$27,900 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
8,260 |
$18.41 |
$38,280 |
| Sales and related occupations |
6,640 |
$15.30 |
$31,810 |
| Production occupations |
5,850 |
$16.05 |
$33,390 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
4,870 |
$8.66 |
$18,010 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
4,340 |
$13.76 |
$28,630 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
3,320 |
$17.25 |
$35,880 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
3,300 |
$22.21 |
$46,190 |
| Management occupations |
2,780 |
$43.01 |
$89,470 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
2,640 |
$27.50 |
$57,190 |
| Cashiers |
1,810 |
$7.83 |
$16,300 |
| Retail salespersons |
1,660 |
$11.81 |
$24,570 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
1,640 |
$7.83 |
$16,280 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,570 |
$8.68 |
$18,060 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,430 |
$26.86 |
$55,860 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,410 |
$11.70 |
$24,340 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,340 |
$10.95 |
$22,790 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
1,300 |
$9.60 |
$19,960 |
| General and operations managers |
1,250 |
$45.85 |
$95,370 |
| Service unit operators, oil, gas, and mining |
1,200 |
$20.11 |
$41,830 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
1,110 |
$18.08 |
$37,620 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
1,070 |
$26.28 |
$54,670 |
| Construction laborers |
1,060 |
$11.94 |
$24,830 |
| Registered nurses |
1,050 |
$27.91 |
$58,060 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,020 |
$7.84 |
$16,310 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,010 |
$11.05 |
$22,980 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
1,010 |
$18.80 |
$39,110 |
| Roustabouts, oil and gas |
960 |
$14.29 |
$29,730 |
| Machinists |
930 |
$16.23 |
$33,750 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
920 |
$14.73 |
$30,640 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
820 |
$10.56 |
$21,970 |
| Protective service occupations |
760 |
$18.85 |
$39,200 |
| Customer service representatives |
740 |
$13.51 |
$28,110 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
720 |
$32.26 |
$67,100 |
| Derrick operators, oil and gas |
710 |
$21.13 |
$43,950 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
700 |
$9.29 |
$19,320 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
680 |
$31.55 |
$65,620 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
670 |
$11.22 |
$23,340 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
670 |
$13.01 |
$27,050 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
660 |
$18.00 |
$37,440 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
640 |
$19.93 |
$41,460 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
620 |
$13.94 |
$29,000 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
560 |
$13.73 |
$28,550 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
530 |
$17.94 |
$37,310 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
530 |
$10.45 |
$21,730 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
510 |
$18.71 |
$38,910 |
| Electricians |
430 |
$19.45 |
$40,450 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
420 |
$11.83 |
$24,610 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
420 |
$16.17 |
$33,630 |
| Rotary drill operators, oil and gas |
420 |
$28.99 |
$60,310 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
410 |
$19.25 |
$40,040 |
| Community and social services occupations |
380 |
$20.28 |
$42,180 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
380 |
$26.86 |
$55,870 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
370 |
$27.47 |
$57,140 |
| Accountants and auditors |
360 |
$26.92 |
$55,990 |
| Driver/sales workers |
360 |
$9.92 |
$20,640 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
340 |
$19.73 |
$41,030 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
320 |
$17.18 |
$35,740 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
320 |
$28.48 |
$59,240 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
320 |
$9.58 |
$19,920 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
310 |
$9.87 |
$20,530 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
300 |
$21.44 |
$44,590 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
300 |
$18.54 |
$38,560 |
| Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
290 |
$10.48 |
$21,790 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
290 |
$8.14 |
$16,930 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
280 |
$14.71 |
$30,590 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
270 |
$22.54 |
$46,880 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
270 |
$12.07 |
$25,110 |
| Tellers |
270 |
$11.24 |
$23,370 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
250 |
$33.47 |
$69,630 |
| Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
220 |
$13.55 |
$28,180 |
| Petroleum engineers |
220 |
$39.83 |
$82,840 |
| Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door |
210 |
$17.03 |
$35,430 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
210 |
$25.10 |
$52,220 |
| Helpers--electricians |
210 |
$12.98 |
$26,990 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
210 |
$7.73 |
$16,070 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
200 |
$13.46 |
$27,990 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
200 |
$26.97 |
$56,090 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
200 |
$7.25 |
$15,080 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
190 |
$11.92 |
$24,790 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
190 |
$12.95 |
$26,940 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
190 |
$9.81 |
$20,410 |
| Service station attendants |
190 |
$8.94 |
$18,600 |
| Construction managers |
180 |
$27.87 |
$57,970 |
| Helpers--production workers |
180 |
$10.59 |
$22,030 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
180 |
$22.39 |
$46,570 |
| Administrative services managers |
170 |
$34.93 |
$72,660 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
170 |
$9.17 |
$19,080 |
| Food preparation workers |
170 |
$8.44 |
$17,560 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
170 |
$7.57 |
$15,740 |
| Legal occupations |
170 |
$37.08 |
$77,130 |
| Team assemblers |
170 |
$12.25 |
$25,480 |
| Bartenders |
160 |
$8.78 |
$18,250 |
| Carpenters |
160 |
$16.36 |
$34,020 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
160 |
$8.73 |
$18,160 |
| Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other |
160 |
$13.58 |
$28,250 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
160 |
$17.73 |
$36,880 |
| Security guards |
160 |
$12.02 |
$24,990 |
| Structural iron and steel workers |
160 |
$15.15 |
$31,510 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
160 |
$11.42 |
$23,740 |
| Dishwashers |
150 |
$7.48 |
$15,560 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
150 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Insurance sales agents |
150 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Pharmacy technicians |
150 |
$13.61 |
$28,310 |
| Medical assistants |
140 |
$11.62 |
$24,160 |
| Production workers, all other |
140 |
$10.11 |
$21,030 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
130 |
$9.97 |
$20,740 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
120 |
$33.87 |
$70,460 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
120 |
$7.58 |
$15,760 |
| Parts salespersons |
120 |
$16.34 |
$34,000 |
| Respiratory therapists |
120 |
$21.16 |
$44,010 |
| Sales managers |
120 |
$61.42 |
$127,760 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
110 |
$9.10 |
$18,920 |
| Entertainment attendants and related workers, all other |
110 |
$12.26 |
$25,490 |
| Financial managers |
110 |
$44.28 |
$92,110 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
110 |
$22.33 |
$46,440 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
110 |
$13.52 |
$28,120 |
| Management analysts |
110 |
$51.11 |
$106,300 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
110 |
$21.29 |
$44,290 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
110 |
$24.57 |
$51,110 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
100 |
$13.50 |
$28,070 |
| Data entry keyers |
100 |
$11.62 |
$24,180 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
100 |
$17.09 |
$35,550 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
100 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Speech-language pathologists |
100 |
$26.93 |
$56,010 |
| Surgical technologists |
100 |
$14.92 |
$31,030 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
100 |
$32.90 |
$68,430 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
90 |
$8.17 |
$17,000 |
| Cost estimators |
90 |
$26.31 |
$54,720 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
90 |
$7.48 |
$15,550 |
| Dental assistants |
90 |
$13.56 |
$28,210 |
| Food service managers |
90 |
$25.92 |
$53,900 |
| Gaming and sports book writers and runners |
90 |
$10.82 |
$22,500 |
| Industrial production managers |
90 |
$51.59 |
$107,300 |
| Medical and health services managers |
90 |
$39.24 |
$81,610 |
| Medical secretaries |
90 |
$13.27 |
$27,600 |
| Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers |
90 |
$26.67 |
$55,470 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
80 |
$16.31 |
$33,920 |
| Computer support specialists |
80 |
$18.41 |
$38,300 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
80 |
$17.87 |
$37,160 |
| Insulation workers, mechanical |
80 |
$17.50 |
$36,410 |
| Lawyers |
80 |
$53.00 |
$110,250 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
80 |
$12.55 |
$26,110 |
| Real estate sales agents |
80 |
$13.21 |
$27,470 |
| Computer systems analysts |
70 |
$31.52 |
$65,560 |
| Dental hygienists |
70 |
$27.42 |
$57,030 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
70 |
$19.44 |
$40,430 |
| Legal secretaries |
70 |
$17.39 |
$36,160 |
| Order clerks |
70 |
$13.08 |
$27,200 |
| Pharmacists |
70 |
$53.27 |
$110,810 |
| Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials |
70 |
$7.53 |
$15,660 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
70 |
$16.02 |
$33,310 |
| Public relations specialists |
70 |
$19.92 |
$41,430 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
70 |
$15.00 |
$31,190 |
| Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers |
60 |
$13.00 |
$27,030 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
60 |
$10.06 |
$20,930 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
60 |
$14.23 |
$29,590 |
| Industrial engineers |
60 |
$33.65 |
$69,990 |
| Loan officers |
60 |
$36.06 |
$75,000 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
60 |
$17.56 |
$36,530 |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
60 |
$13.33 |
$27,730 |
| Structural metal fabricators and fitters |
60 |
$15.72 |
$32,700 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
60 |
$10.49 |
$21,830 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
60 |
$24.29 |
$50,510 |
| Business teachers, postsecondary |
50 |
Not available |
$92,340 |
| Chief executives |
50 |
$84.73 |
$176,250 |
| Child care workers |
50 |
$9.26 |
$19,260 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
50 |
$46.35 |
$96,400 |
| English language and literature teachers, postsecondary |
50 |
Not available |
$58,050 |
| Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders |
50 |
$12.01 |
$24,990 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
50 |
$14.61 |
$30,390 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
50 |
$11.93 |
$24,820 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
50 |
$12.10 |
$25,160 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
50 |
$14.40 |
$29,950 |
| Librarians |
50 |
$23.29 |
$48,440 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
50 |
$16.90 |
$35,160 |
| Market research analysts |
50 |
$27.11 |
$56,380 |
| Mechanical drafters |
50 |
$22.54 |
$46,880 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
50 |
$23.70 |
$49,300 |
| Physical therapists |
50 |
$34.92 |
$72,630 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
50 |
$101.82 |
$211,800 |
| Printing machine operators |
50 |
$10.06 |
$20,910 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
40 |
$22.23 |
$46,240 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
40 |
$11.33 |
$23,560 |
| Coaches and scouts |
40 |
Not available |
$53,460 |
| Commercial pilots |
40 |
Not available |
$70,970 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
40 |
$22.09 |
$45,940 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
40 |
$16.89 |
$35,130 |
| File clerks |
40 |
$11.38 |
$23,670 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
40 |
$13.89 |
$28,880 |
| Marketing managers |
40 |
$56.38 |
$117,270 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
40 |
$15.43 |
$32,080 |
| Parking lot attendants |
40 |
$10.31 |
$21,450 |
| Pest control workers |
40 |
$12.87 |
$26,780 |
| Procurement clerks |
40 |
$13.60 |
$28,290 |
| Training and development specialists |
40 |
$22.53 |
$46,850 |
| Computer programmers |
30 |
$25.94 |
$53,950 |
| Occupational therapists |
30 |
$35.36 |
$73,550 |
| Physical therapist aides |
30 |
$9.84 |
$20,470 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
30 |
$11.33 |
$23,570 |
| Vocational education teachers, postsecondary |
30 |
$23.55 |
$48,990 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
Not available |
$10.84 |
$22,540 |
| Automotive glass installers and repairers |
Not available |
$10.65 |
$22,150 |
| Bill and account collectors |
Not available |
$15.33 |
$31,880 |
| Civil engineers |
Not available |
$36.80 |
$76,550 |
| Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders |
Not available |
$11.27 |
$23,440 |
| Computer software engineers, systems software |
Not available |
$41.12 |
$85,530 |
| Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$15.91 |
$33,090 |
| Cooks, fast food |
Not available |
$7.40 |
$15,400 |
| Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
Not available |
$15.37 |
$31,960 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$13.40 |
$27,880 |
| Education teachers, postsecondary |
Not available |
Not available |
$64,370 |
| Engineering managers |
Not available |
$60.51 |
$125,860 |
| Floral designers |
Not available |
$8.67 |
$18,040 |
| Food cooking machine operators and tenders |
Not available |
$7.95 |
$16,530 |
| Gas plant operators |
Not available |
$29.25 |
$60,830 |
| Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$12.27 |
$25,530 |
| Hazardous materials removal workers |
Not available |
$16.42 |
$34,150 |
| Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons |
Not available |
$13.67 |
$28,430 |
| Home health aides |
Not available |
$9.68 |
$20,130 |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks |
Not available |
$12.24 |
$25,450 |
| Loan counselors |
Not available |
$15.12 |
$31,450 |
| Logisticians |
Not available |
$16.51 |
$34,340 |
| Maintenance workers, machinery |
Not available |
$14.38 |
$29,910 |
| Manufactured building and mobile home installers |
Not available |
$12.94 |
$26,910 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
Not available |
$16.37 |
$34,050 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
Not available |
$13.51 |
$28,110 |
| Occupational therapist assistants |
Not available |
$23.04 |
$47,920 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
Not available |
$13.92 |
$28,950 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
Not available |
$22.13 |
$46,030 |
| Plating and coating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$12.05 |
$25,070 |
| Recreation workers |
Not available |
$9.49 |
$19,730 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
Not available |
$26.37 |
$54,840 |
| Telemarketers |
Not available |
$8.71 |
$18,130 |
