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 |
53,170 |
$10.49 |
$21,820 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
8,210 |
$8.92 |
$18,550 |
| Sales and related occupations |
6,580 |
$8.36 |
$17,390 |
| Production occupations |
6,420 |
$9.16 |
$19,060 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
5,080 |
$15.93 |
$33,120 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
3,860 |
$12.05 |
$25,060 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
3,570 |
$7.25 |
$15,080 |
| Team assemblers |
3,290 |
$8.74 |
$18,180 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
3,270 |
$7.28 |
$15,140 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
3,190 |
$8.90 |
$18,520 |
| Retail salespersons |
2,910 |
$7.67 |
$15,960 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
2,860 |
$9.60 |
$19,970 |
| Cashiers |
1,910 |
$7.03 |
$14,630 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
1,770 |
$10.99 |
$22,870 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,760 |
$8.07 |
$16,780 |
| Registered nurses |
1,730 |
$11.13 |
$23,150 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,550 |
$7.85 |
$16,330 |
| Management occupations |
1,530 |
$26.66 |
$55,460 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
1,420 |
$6.81 |
$14,160 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,330 |
$13.61 |
$28,300 |
| Security guards |
1,060 |
$7.35 |
$15,300 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
1,020 |
$8.06 |
$16,760 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
920 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Office clerks, general |
920 |
$7.65 |
$15,920 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
910 |
$7.26 |
$15,110 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
830 |
$11.38 |
$23,670 |
| Production workers, all other |
830 |
$8.80 |
$18,310 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
810 |
$7.88 |
$16,390 |
| Construction laborers |
760 |
$6.90 |
$14,360 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
760 |
$7.54 |
$15,670 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
740 |
$8.12 |
$16,880 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
720 |
Not available |
$27,080 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
710 |
$6.76 |
$14,060 |
| Cooks, fast food |
690 |
$6.83 |
$14,200 |
| Community and social services occupations |
670 |
$12.67 |
$26,340 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
670 |
$8.56 |
$17,800 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
660 |
$13.79 |
$28,690 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
610 |
$10.89 |
$22,640 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
580 |
$21.06 |
$43,810 |
| Postsecondary teachers, all other |
570 |
Not available |
$45,600 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
530 |
$8.88 |
$18,470 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
530 |
$8.75 |
$18,190 |
| Food preparation workers |
520 |
$7.23 |
$15,040 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
510 |
$14.46 |
$30,070 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
480 |
$6.71 |
$13,950 |
| Customer service representatives |
440 |
$9.92 |
$20,630 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
430 |
$11.99 |
$24,940 |
| Medical secretaries |
430 |
$7.14 |
$14,860 |
| Carpenters |
410 |
$8.07 |
$16,790 |
| Accountants and auditors |
380 |
$13.39 |
$27,860 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
380 |
$7.78 |
$16,190 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
370 |
$13.64 |
$28,360 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
350 |
$7.10 |
$14,760 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
340 |
$9.12 |
$18,960 |
| Managers, all other |
300 |
$22.10 |
$45,970 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
290 |
$12.55 |
$26,110 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
280 |
$13.28 |
$27,610 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
270 |
$12.36 |
$25,700 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
260 |
$9.92 |
$20,630 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
260 |
$9.50 |
$19,750 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
250 |
$8.58 |
$17,840 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
250 |
$8.76 |
$18,210 |
| Tellers |
250 |
$7.95 |
$16,540 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
230 |
$7.43 |
$15,460 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
230 |
$7.55 |
$15,710 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
220 |
$7.57 |
$15,750 |
| General and operations managers |
210 |
$31.49 |
$65,490 |
| Pharmacy aides |
210 |
$7.80 |
$16,230 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
210 |
$12.15 |
$25,280 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
200 |
$13.00 |
$27,030 |
| Electricians |
180 |
$10.02 |
$20,840 |
| Financial managers |
180 |
$27.30 |
$56,780 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
170 |
$10.07 |
$20,950 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
170 |
$6.95 |
$14,460 |
| Librarians |
170 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
160 |
$8.25 |
$17,150 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
160 |
$8.32 |
$17,300 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
160 |
$11.03 |
$22,940 |
| Teacher assistants |
160 |
Not available |
$17,690 |
| Bill and account collectors |
150 |
$8.77 |
$18,240 |
| Dental assistants |
150 |
$7.61 |
$15,820 |
| Driver/sales workers |
150 |
$9.06 |
$18,840 |
| Industrial engineers |
150 |
$26.96 |
$56,080 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
140 |
$7.42 |
$15,440 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
140 |
$15.09 |
$31,380 |
| Legal occupations |
140 |
$19.79 |
$41,170 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
140 |
$8.64 |
$17,980 |
| Personal and home care aides |
140 |
$6.81 |
$14,160 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
140 |
$8.33 |
$17,320 |
| Statistical assistants |
140 |
$10.22 |
$21,250 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
140 |
$8.31 |
$17,280 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
130 |
$7.90 |
$16,420 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
130 |
$7.75 |
$16,110 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
130 |
$11.59 |
$24,110 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
130 |
$9.28 |
$19,310 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
120 |
$10.22 |
$21,270 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
120 |
$8.08 |
$16,810 |
| Couriers and messengers |
120 |
$7.45 |
$15,490 |
| Education administrators, postsecondary |
120 |
$21.32 |
$44,350 |
| Bakers |
110 |
$7.28 |
$15,150 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
110 |
$8.61 |
$17,900 |
| Data entry keyers |
110 |
$7.81 |
$16,250 |
| Helpers--production workers |
110 |
$7.12 |
$14,820 |
| Legal secretaries |
110 |
$10.11 |
$21,030 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
110 |
$8.64 |
$17,970 |
| Social and human service assistants |
110 |
$9.29 |
$19,320 |
| Surgical technologists |
110 |
$8.26 |
$17,190 |
| Bus drivers, school |
100 |
$7.90 |
$16,420 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
100 |
$10.64 |
$22,120 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
100 |
$7.91 |
$16,450 |
| Pharmacists |
100 |
$32.43 |
$67,450 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
100 |
$10.12 |
$21,060 |
| Word processors and typists |
100 |
$8.37 |
$17,400 |
| Child care workers |
90 |
$7.01 |
$14,580 |
| Civil engineers |
90 |
$26.19 |
$54,480 |
| Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders |
90 |
$7.69 |
$15,990 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
90 |
$10.99 |
$22,850 |
| Helpers--electricians |
90 |
$7.59 |
$15,790 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
90 |
$17.17 |
$35,700 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
90 |
$8.41 |
$17,490 |
| Parts salespersons |
90 |
$6.88 |
$14,320 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
90 |
$15.61 |
$32,480 |
| Social workers, all other |
90 |
$9.92 |
$20,630 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
80 |
$8.61 |
$17,920 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
80 |
$6.84 |
$14,230 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
80 |
$13.35 |
$27,780 |
| Engineers, all other |
80 |
$25.56 |
$53,170 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
80 |
$8.24 |
$17,150 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
80 |
$9.66 |
$20,080 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
80 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Recreation workers |
80 |
$8.22 |
$17,100 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
70 |
$6.94 |
$14,430 |
| Chief executives |
70 |
$46.18 |
$96,050 |
| Helpers, construction trades, all other |
70 |
$8.26 |
$17,180 |
| Industrial production managers |
70 |
$41.75 |
$86,840 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
70 |
$9.07 |
$18,860 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
70 |
$12.04 |
$25,030 |
| Lawyers |
70 |
$25.92 |
$53,910 |
| Ophthalmic laboratory technicians |
70 |
$8.15 |
$16,960 |
| Sales managers |
70 |
$22.50 |
$46,790 |
| Bartenders |
60 |
$6.70 |
$13,930 |
| Counselors, all other |
60 |
$14.67 |
$30,510 |
| Demonstrators and product promoters |
60 |
$9.97 |
$20,730 |
| Dishwashers |
60 |
$6.80 |
$14,150 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
60 |
$12.72 |
$26,460 |
| Food service managers |
60 |
$14.78 |
$30,740 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
60 |
$9.12 |
$18,970 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
60 |
$9.10 |
$18,920 |
| Respiratory therapy technicians |
60 |
$8.42 |
$17,510 |
| Administrative services managers |
50 |
$25.71 |
$53,470 |
| All other information and record clerks |
50 |
$9.98 |
$20,760 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
50 |
$10.92 |
$22,710 |
| Cardiovascular technologists and technicians |
50 |
$16.25 |
$33,800 |
| Computer programmers |
50 |
$13.49 |
$28,060 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
50 |
$14.56 |
$30,290 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
50 |
$9.98 |
$20,750 |
| Insurance sales agents |
50 |
$15.27 |
$31,760 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
50 |
$7.66 |
$15,920 |
| Loan officers |
50 |
$12.12 |
$25,210 |
| Medical and health services managers |
50 |
$26.54 |
$55,200 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
50 |
$9.22 |
$19,170 |
| Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials |
50 |
$6.75 |
$14,040 |
| Respiratory therapists |
50 |
$8.29 |
$17,230 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
50 |
$8.35 |
$17,370 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
50 |
$8.29 |
$17,240 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
40 |
$7.21 |
$15,000 |
| Computer support specialists |
40 |
$10.67 |
$22,200 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
40 |
$15.68 |
$32,620 |
| Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators |
40 |
$9.46 |
$19,680 |
| Health technologists and technicians, all other |
40 |
$9.27 |
$19,280 |
| Human resources managers, all other |
40 |
$25.03 |
$52,060 |
| Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other |
40 |
$9.73 |
$20,250 |
| Machinists |
40 |
$12.25 |
$25,480 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
40 |
$8.67 |
$18,040 |
| Pest control workers |
40 |
$7.66 |
$15,920 |
| Procurement clerks |
40 |
$10.50 |
$21,830 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
40 |
$11.87 |
$24,680 |
| Protective service workers, all other |
40 |
$8.76 |
$18,220 |
| Sewing machine operators |
40 |
$6.77 |
$14,080 |
| Structural iron and steel workers |
40 |
$8.01 |
$16,670 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
40 |
$8.84 |
$18,390 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
30 |
$8.12 |
$16,880 |
| Chemists |
30 |
$14.37 |
$29,880 |
| Computer systems analysts |
30 |
$20.76 |
$43,180 |
| Family and general practitioners |
30 |
$31.93 |
$66,420 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
30 |
$19.39 |
$40,330 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
30 |
$13.51 |
$28,100 |
| Food batchmakers |
30 |
$7.19 |
$14,960 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
30 |
$8.68 |
$18,060 |
| Manicurists and pedicurists |
30 |
$7.39 |
$15,370 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
30 |
$9.75 |
$20,290 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
30 |
$7.64 |
$15,890 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
30 |
$8.43 |
$17,530 |
| Parking lot attendants |
30 |
$6.87 |
$14,290 |
| Physical therapists |
30 |
$9.95 |
$20,700 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
30 |
$9.40 |
$19,560 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
30 |
$14.05 |
$29,230 |
| Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers |
30 |
$6.70 |
$13,940 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
30 |
$13.22 |
$27,490 |
| Travel agents |
30 |
$7.31 |
$15,200 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
Not available |
$7.40 |
$15,400 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
Not available |
$7.14 |
$14,860 |
| Chemical technicians |
Not available |
$13.02 |
$27,070 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
Not available |
$6.88 |
$14,320 |
| Home health aides |
Not available |
$7.33 |
$15,250 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
Not available |
$13.56 |
$28,210 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
Not available |
$8.01 |
$16,650 |
| Reinforcing iron and rebar workers |
Not available |
$8.95 |
$18,610 |
| Service station attendants |
Not available |
$6.83 |
$14,210 |
