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 |
36,180 |
$17.09 |
$35,550 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
6,190 |
$13.09 |
$27,240 |
| Sales and related occupations |
3,810 |
$12.99 |
$27,030 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
3,210 |
$9.19 |
$19,110 |
| Production occupations |
2,770 |
$14.74 |
$30,650 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
2,660 |
$23.37 |
$48,600 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
2,610 |
$13.34 |
$27,750 |
| Management occupations |
1,900 |
$30.95 |
$64,380 |
| Retail salespersons |
1,700 |
$9.59 |
$19,950 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
1,670 |
$31.43 |
$65,380 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
1,630 |
$17.06 |
$35,480 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
1,540 |
$11.97 |
$24,910 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
1,430 |
$18.64 |
$38,780 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,240 |
$27.66 |
$57,540 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,160 |
$11.21 |
$23,320 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
970 |
$11.05 |
$22,980 |
| Community and social services occupations |
960 |
$20.83 |
$43,330 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
940 |
$12.15 |
$25,270 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
900 |
$9.60 |
$19,970 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
810 |
$10.67 |
$22,200 |
| General and operations managers |
760 |
$31.37 |
$65,240 |
| Cashiers |
610 |
$8.94 |
$18,590 |
| Protective service occupations |
570 |
$20.03 |
$41,660 |
| Registered nurses |
550 |
$28.73 |
$59,760 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
510 |
Not available |
$46,590 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
500 |
$7.76 |
$16,140 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
480 |
Not available |
$46,830 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
460 |
$15.24 |
$31,690 |
| Food cooking machine operators and tenders |
440 |
$13.08 |
$27,210 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
430 |
$29.19 |
$60,710 |
| Driver/sales workers |
420 |
$14.95 |
$31,100 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
420 |
$16.91 |
$35,170 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
420 |
$19.07 |
$39,670 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
410 |
$10.18 |
$21,180 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
400 |
$21.29 |
$44,270 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
390 |
$12.73 |
$26,470 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
370 |
$9.51 |
$19,790 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
350 |
$18.81 |
$39,110 |
| Teacher assistants |
350 |
Not available |
$23,380 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
300 |
$15.46 |
$32,160 |
| Carpenters |
270 |
$16.20 |
$33,700 |
| Home health aides |
270 |
$10.15 |
$21,100 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
270 |
$13.08 |
$27,210 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
270 |
Not available |
$47,200 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
260 |
$28.56 |
$59,410 |
| Construction laborers |
260 |
$12.30 |
$25,580 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
260 |
$17.06 |
$35,490 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
260 |
$12.01 |
$24,970 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
240 |
$16.70 |
$34,740 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
240 |
$11.35 |
$23,600 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
230 |
$11.43 |
$23,770 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
230 |
$8.41 |
$17,490 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
220 |
$13.40 |
$27,860 |
| Legal occupations |
220 |
$36.28 |
$75,460 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
210 |
$10.78 |
$22,410 |
| Loan officers |
210 |
$25.21 |
$52,430 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
200 |
$17.83 |
$37,080 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
190 |
$21.96 |
$45,680 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
180 |
$17.04 |
$35,430 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
180 |
$10.63 |
$22,100 |
| Tellers |
180 |
$9.94 |
$20,670 |
| Electricians |
170 |
$20.90 |
$43,480 |
| Accountants and auditors |
160 |
$35.23 |
$73,290 |
| Bartenders |
160 |
$9.26 |
$19,250 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
160 |
$23.47 |
$48,810 |
| Dental assistants |
150 |
$14.28 |
$29,710 |
| Lawyers |
150 |
$38.89 |
$80,900 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
140 |
$9.69 |
$20,140 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
140 |
$22.57 |
$46,950 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
140 |
$11.44 |
$23,790 |
| Bus drivers, school |
130 |
$13.19 |
$27,440 |
| Helpers--production workers |
130 |
$10.86 |
$22,580 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
130 |
$7.82 |
$16,260 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
130 |
$22.41 |
$46,620 |
| Dishwashers |
120 |
$8.19 |
$17,030 |
| Financial managers |
120 |
$29.98 |
$62,360 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
120 |
$19.83 |
$41,240 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
110 |
$33.64 |
$69,980 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
110 |
$14.56 |
$30,280 |
| Social and human service assistants |
110 |
$14.18 |
$29,500 |
| Child care workers |
100 |
$8.18 |
$17,010 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
100 |
$16.39 |
$34,100 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
100 |
$22.37 |
$46,540 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
100 |
$14.82 |
$30,830 |
| Management analysts |
100 |
$37.34 |
$77,660 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
100 |
$20.28 |
$42,180 |
| Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists |
100 |
$17.84 |
$37,110 |
| Security guards |
100 |
$10.58 |
$22,010 |
| Administrative services managers |
90 |
$21.80 |
$45,330 |
| Correctional officers and jailers |
90 |
$16.44 |
$34,200 |
| Dental hygienists |
90 |
$29.54 |
$61,440 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
90 |
$25.57 |
$53,190 |
| File clerks |
90 |
$13.34 |
$27,740 |
| Food service managers |
90 |
$14.39 |
$29,940 |
| Parts salespersons |
90 |
$12.67 |
$26,350 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
90 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
90 |
Not available |
Not available |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
80 |
$19.06 |
$39,640 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
80 |
$8.08 |
$16,800 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
80 |
$12.98 |
$26,990 |
| Medical and health services managers |
80 |
$26.38 |
$54,860 |
| Bill and account collectors |
70 |
$15.92 |
$33,110 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
70 |
$12.63 |
$26,280 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
70 |
Not available |
$65,630 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
70 |
$26.53 |
$55,190 |
| Food preparation workers |
70 |
$9.40 |
$19,550 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
70 |
$10.02 |
$20,830 |
| Legislators |
70 |
Not available |
$27,450 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
70 |
$12.48 |
$25,960 |
| Appraisers and assessors of real estate |
60 |
$19.57 |
$40,700 |
| Chief executives |
60 |
$66.21 |
$137,720 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
60 |
$11.18 |
$23,250 |
| Cost estimators |
60 |
$22.83 |
$47,480 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
60 |
$15.15 |
$31,510 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
60 |
$11.33 |
$23,560 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
60 |
$15.85 |
$32,970 |
| Floral designers |
60 |
$8.95 |
$18,610 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
60 |
$10.77 |
$22,410 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
60 |
$22.84 |
$47,510 |
| Pharmacists |
60 |
$44.27 |
$92,070 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
60 |
$13.72 |
$28,550 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
60 |
$20.50 |
$42,640 |
| Sales managers |
60 |
$25.08 |
$52,170 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
50 |
$21.17 |
$44,030 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
50 |
$27.16 |
$56,480 |
| Eligibility interviewers, government programs |
50 |
$15.38 |
$32,000 |
| Engineers, all other |
50 |
$35.76 |
$74,370 |
| Graphic designers |
50 |
$13.73 |
$28,560 |
| Library technicians |
50 |
$13.79 |
$28,680 |
| Managers, all other |
50 |
$33.62 |
$69,940 |
| Medical assistants |
50 |
$12.23 |
$25,440 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
50 |
$18.85 |
$39,200 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
50 |
$18.04 |
$37,520 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
50 |
$19.50 |
$40,560 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
50 |
$11.82 |
$24,570 |
| All other information and record clerks |
40 |
$16.03 |
$33,330 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
40 |
$8.94 |
$18,590 |
| Computer support specialists |
40 |
$16.57 |
$34,470 |
| Computer systems analysts |
40 |
$38.86 |
$80,820 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
40 |
$27.47 |
$57,130 |
| Financial specialists, all other |
40 |
$23.42 |
$48,710 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
40 |
$27.28 |
$56,750 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
40 |
$12.67 |
$26,350 |
| Medical secretaries |
40 |
$11.43 |
$23,770 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
40 |
$12.65 |
$26,320 |
| Physical therapists |
40 |
$29.53 |
$61,420 |
| Physician assistants |
40 |
$36.78 |
$76,510 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
40 |
$17.77 |
$36,960 |
| Surveyors |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
40 |
$28.55 |
$59,390 |
| Training and development specialists |
40 |
$18.77 |
$39,040 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
40 |
$15.69 |
$32,620 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
30 |
$18.95 |
$39,430 |
| Detectives and criminal investigators |
30 |
$27.40 |
$56,990 |
| Editors |
30 |
$16.96 |
$35,280 |
| Education administrators, preschool and child care center/program |
30 |
$54.40 |
$113,140 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
30 |
$14.71 |
$30,600 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
30 |
$15.24 |
$31,700 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
30 |
$19.38 |
$40,300 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
30 |
$9.73 |
$20,240 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
30 |
$22.26 |
$46,300 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
Not available |
$15.25 |
$31,710 |
| Budget analysts |
Not available |
$54.63 |
$113,630 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
Not available |
$15.57 |
$32,380 |
| Civil engineers |
Not available |
$32.19 |
$66,950 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
Not available |
$21.20 |
$44,100 |
| Computer programmers |
Not available |
$18.09 |
$37,630 |
| Cooks, fast food |
Not available |
$7.52 |
$15,650 |
| Cooks, short order |
Not available |
$9.43 |
$19,620 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
Not available |
$7.63 |
$15,870 |
| Customer service representatives |
Not available |
$11.05 |
$22,990 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$13.70 |
$28,500 |
| Electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles |
Not available |
$9.92 |
$20,630 |
| Food preparation and serving related workers, all other |
Not available |
$8.89 |
$18,490 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
Not available |
$7.86 |
$16,360 |
| Glaziers |
Not available |
$13.88 |
$28,880 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
Not available |
$21.61 |
$44,950 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
Not available |
$20.39 |
$42,410 |
| Insurance sales agents |
Not available |
$19.37 |
$40,290 |
| Legal secretaries |
Not available |
$11.77 |
$24,490 |
| Machinists |
Not available |
$16.56 |
$34,450 |
| Mechanical engineers |
Not available |
$40.27 |
$83,760 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
Not available |
$22.88 |
$47,590 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
Not available |
$26.03 |
$54,130 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
Not available |
$18.50 |
$38,490 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
Not available |
$13.04 |
$27,120 |
| Order clerks |
Not available |
$12.46 |
$25,910 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
Not available |
$8.48 |
$17,640 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
Not available |
$8.30 |
$17,270 |
| Recreation workers |
Not available |
$9.80 |
$20,380 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
Not available |
$18.95 |
$39,420 |
| Service station attendants |
Not available |
$8.50 |
$17,670 |
| Team assemblers |
Not available |
$12.77 |
$26,550 |
