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 |
56,230 |
$22.43 |
$46,660 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
10,060 |
$15.90 |
$33,070 |
| Sales and related occupations |
7,790 |
$20.13 |
$41,880 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
4,960 |
$10.76 |
$22,380 |
| Production occupations |
3,840 |
$16.52 |
$34,370 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
3,500 |
$33.50 |
$69,690 |
| Management occupations |
3,190 |
$53.11 |
$110,480 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,830 |
$21.82 |
$45,390 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
2,680 |
$14.59 |
$30,350 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,450 |
$20.34 |
$42,310 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
2,420 |
$35.64 |
$74,130 |
| Retail salespersons |
2,410 |
$12.42 |
$25,830 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
2,290 |
$20.42 |
$42,460 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
2,080 |
$35.46 |
$73,760 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
2,050 |
$37.04 |
$77,030 |
| Cashiers |
1,970 |
$9.94 |
$20,670 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
1,540 |
$13.15 |
$27,350 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,230 |
$14.43 |
$30,010 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,190 |
$10.06 |
$20,930 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,090 |
$11.84 |
$24,630 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
970 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
910 |
$9.76 |
$20,310 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
900 |
$33.23 |
$69,120 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
890 |
$12.15 |
$25,260 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
850 |
$17.75 |
$36,910 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
850 |
$15.09 |
$31,390 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
790 |
$15.48 |
$32,210 |
| Protective service occupations |
710 |
$19.16 |
$39,850 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
690 |
$23.45 |
$48,780 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
690 |
$19.39 |
$40,330 |
| General and operations managers |
690 |
$52.82 |
$109,870 |
| Customer service representatives |
680 |
$15.02 |
$31,240 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
630 |
$42.56 |
$88,530 |
| Registered nurses |
630 |
$29.65 |
$61,680 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
620 |
$23.40 |
$48,670 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
570 |
$12.59 |
$26,200 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
550 |
$28.71 |
$59,720 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
540 |
$13.01 |
$27,070 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
530 |
$12.37 |
$25,730 |
| Teacher assistants |
520 |
Not available |
$27,790 |
| Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other |
490 |
$37.02 |
$77,000 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
440 |
$22.08 |
$45,930 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
440 |
$13.57 |
$28,220 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
400 |
$14.01 |
$29,140 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
390 |
$15.01 |
$31,220 |
| Electricians |
390 |
$22.11 |
$46,000 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
390 |
$12.65 |
$26,320 |
| Bartenders |
380 |
$9.59 |
$19,950 |
| Community and social services occupations |
380 |
$19.79 |
$41,160 |
| Managers, all other |
380 |
$55.53 |
$115,500 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
380 |
$12.30 |
$25,580 |
| Carpenters |
370 |
$19.42 |
$40,400 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
370 |
$21.02 |
$43,730 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
370 |
$15.89 |
$33,050 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
370 |
$20.22 |
$42,050 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
370 |
$10.36 |
$21,550 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
360 |
$12.66 |
$26,340 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
350 |
Not available |
$51,340 |
| Accountants and auditors |
340 |
$30.69 |
$63,820 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
340 |
$20.23 |
$42,090 |
| Engineers, all other |
340 |
$42.00 |
$87,360 |
| Chief executives |
330 |
$92.60 |
$192,600 |
| Financial managers |
330 |
$57.72 |
$120,050 |
| Legal occupations |
330 |
$31.95 |
$66,460 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
330 |
$19.06 |
$39,640 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
330 |
$36.39 |
$75,690 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
320 |
$13.95 |
$29,010 |
| Computer support specialists |
310 |
$21.45 |
$44,620 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
310 |
$19.15 |
$39,830 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
300 |
$30.21 |
$62,830 |
| Dishwashers |
290 |
$9.11 |
$18,950 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
290 |
$28.21 |
$58,680 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
290 |
$19.49 |
$40,540 |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks |
280 |
$17.32 |
$36,020 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
280 |
Not available |
$50,820 |
| Bill and account collectors |
270 |
$13.20 |
$27,450 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
270 |
$22.08 |
$45,930 |
| Computer software engineers, systems software |
260 |
$41.95 |
$87,250 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
260 |
$15.99 |
$33,250 |
| Financial specialists, all other |
250 |
$33.26 |
$69,170 |
| Machinists |
250 |
$20.10 |
$41,820 |
| Management analysts |
250 |
$68.56 |
$142,600 |
| Food preparation workers |
240 |
$10.86 |
$22,580 |
| Medical secretaries |
240 |
$17.84 |
$37,110 |
| Nuclear engineers |
240 |
$40.87 |
$85,020 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
230 |
Not available |
$50,520 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
230 |
$28.75 |
$59,790 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
230 |
$39.39 |
$81,940 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
230 |
$28.70 |
$59,690 |
| Computer programmers |
210 |
$30.39 |
$63,210 |
| Construction laborers |
210 |
$13.57 |
$28,220 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
210 |
$9.32 |
$19,390 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
210 |
$30.47 |
$63,380 |
| Mechanical engineers |
210 |
$36.30 |
$75,500 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
210 |
$10.75 |
$22,360 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
200 |
$9.17 |
$19,070 |
| Child care workers |
200 |
$10.34 |
$21,500 |
| Graphic designers |
200 |
$22.45 |
$46,700 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
200 |
$10.16 |
$21,130 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
200 |
$21.83 |
$45,400 |
| Bus drivers, school |
190 |
$14.62 |
$30,400 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
190 |
$22.56 |
$46,920 |
| Cooks, fast food |
180 |
$9.25 |
$19,230 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
180 |
$28.70 |
$59,700 |
| Tellers |
180 |
$12.31 |
$25,600 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
170 |
$34.91 |
$72,610 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
170 |
$15.61 |
$32,460 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
170 |
$23.79 |
$49,480 |
| Marketing managers |
170 |
$52.13 |
$108,420 |
| Metal workers and plastic workers, all other |
170 |
$13.87 |
$28,840 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
160 |
$24.01 |
$49,940 |
| Lawyers |
160 |
$44.86 |
$93,300 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
160 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
160 |
$41.78 |
$86,890 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
150 |
$12.57 |
$26,140 |
| Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment |
150 |
$24.89 |
$51,760 |
| Loan officers |
150 |
$34.88 |
$72,560 |
| Personal and home care aides |
150 |
$8.57 |
$17,820 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
150 |
$11.98 |
$24,910 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
140 |
$11.43 |
$23,780 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
140 |
$15.54 |
$32,330 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
140 |
$32.95 |
$68,530 |
| Order clerks |
140 |
$14.68 |
$30,530 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
140 |
$21.81 |
$45,370 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
140 |
$28.23 |
$58,710 |
| Sales managers |
140 |
$46.47 |
$96,660 |
| All other information and record clerks |
130 |
$14.64 |
$30,450 |
| Data entry keyers |
130 |
$12.01 |
$24,990 |
| Dental assistants |
130 |
$20.26 |
$42,140 |
| Driver/sales workers |
130 |
$10.00 |
$20,800 |
| Fire fighters |
130 |
$21.50 |
$44,720 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
130 |
$13.04 |
$27,130 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
130 |
$10.13 |
$21,060 |
| Industrial engineers |
130 |
$34.64 |
$72,060 |
| Parts salespersons |
130 |
$13.60 |
$28,290 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
130 |
$21.19 |
$44,080 |
| Chefs and head cooks |
120 |
$18.11 |
$37,680 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
120 |
$29.50 |
$61,360 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
120 |
$14.58 |
$30,330 |
| Production workers, all other |
120 |
$14.54 |
$30,250 |
| Construction managers |
110 |
$33.12 |
$68,880 |
| Insurance sales agents |
110 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
110 |
$22.18 |
$46,140 |
| Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers |
110 |
$10.59 |
$22,020 |
| Logisticians |
110 |
$33.14 |
$68,920 |
| Medical assistants |
110 |
$14.72 |
$30,620 |
| Physical therapists |
110 |
$31.21 |
$64,920 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
110 |
$13.44 |
$27,950 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
110 |
$28.72 |
$59,740 |
| Advertising sales agents |
100 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Civil engineers |
100 |
$34.51 |
$71,780 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
100 |
$29.17 |
$60,680 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
100 |
$16.44 |
$34,190 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
100 |
$19.25 |
$40,030 |
| Cooks, short order |
100 |
$8.90 |
$18,520 |
| Dental hygienists |
100 |
$32.11 |
$66,790 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
100 |
$8.87 |
$18,450 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
100 |
$10.03 |
$20,870 |
| Market research analysts |
100 |
$28.12 |
$58,480 |
| Recreation workers |
100 |
$13.26 |
$27,590 |
| Service station attendants |
100 |
$9.85 |
$20,480 |
| Electrical engineers |
90 |
$38.25 |
$79,570 |
| Food service managers |
90 |
$24.17 |
$50,270 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
90 |
$16.18 |
$33,650 |
| Library technicians |
90 |
$14.25 |
$29,640 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
90 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
80 |
$28.65 |
$59,580 |
| Engineering managers |
80 |
$65.14 |
$135,480 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
80 |
$25.41 |
$52,860 |
| Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other |
80 |
$29.82 |
$62,020 |
| Pharmacists |
80 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
80 |
$89.70 |
$186,570 |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
80 |
$21.95 |
$45,660 |
| Environmental scientists and specialists, including health |
70 |
$31.60 |
$65,730 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
70 |
$15.89 |
$33,040 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
70 |
$8.39 |
$17,460 |
| Helpers--production workers |
70 |
$11.79 |
$24,530 |
| Legal secretaries |
70 |
$18.94 |
$39,390 |
| Librarians |
70 |
$24.33 |
$50,600 |
| Material moving workers, all other |
70 |
$11.17 |
$23,220 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
70 |
$23.17 |
$48,190 |
| Public relations specialists |
70 |
$28.72 |
$59,740 |
| Sales engineers |
70 |
$35.06 |
$72,930 |
| Telemarketers |
70 |
$16.82 |
$34,990 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
60 |
$19.79 |
$41,160 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
60 |
$13.91 |
$28,930 |
| Cost estimators |
60 |
$25.48 |
$53,000 |
| Couriers and messengers |
60 |
$11.89 |
$24,730 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
60 |
Not available |
$77,160 |
| Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers |
60 |
$12.91 |
$26,850 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
60 |
$27.14 |
$56,460 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
60 |
$10.34 |
$21,500 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
60 |
$15.84 |
$32,950 |
| New accounts clerks |
60 |
$14.75 |
$30,670 |
| Social and community service managers |
60 |
$23.28 |
$48,420 |
| Training and development specialists |
60 |
$20.00 |
$41,600 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
50 |
$24.94 |
$51,870 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
50 |
$9.67 |
$20,120 |
| Home health aides |
50 |
$13.00 |
$27,030 |
| Industrial production managers |
50 |
$40.07 |
$83,340 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
50 |
$15.46 |
$32,150 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
50 |
$24.13 |
$50,180 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
50 |
$24.87 |
$51,730 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
50 |
$15.21 |
$31,640 |
| Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other |
50 |
$24.35 |
$50,650 |
| Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials |
50 |
$10.07 |
$20,950 |
| Self-enrichment education teachers |
50 |
$21.35 |
$44,420 |
| Social and human service assistants |
50 |
$14.15 |
$29,430 |
| Special education teachers, middle school |
50 |
Not available |
$52,490 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
50 |
$12.71 |
$26,430 |
| Tour guides and escorts |
50 |
$8.92 |
$18,550 |
| Travel agents |
50 |
$16.78 |
$34,910 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
40 |
$22.15 |
$46,070 |
| Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
40 |
$15.15 |
$31,520 |
| Dentists, general |
40 |
$82.04 |
$170,630 |
| Editors |
40 |
$23.19 |
$48,220 |
| File clerks |
40 |
$11.22 |
$23,330 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
40 |
$17.49 |
$36,370 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
40 |
$16.22 |
$33,730 |
| Instructional coordinators |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Medical and health services managers |
40 |
$41.68 |
$86,700 |
| Occupational therapists |
40 |
$31.79 |
$66,120 |
| Ophthalmic laboratory technicians |
40 |
$12.44 |
$25,880 |
| Parking lot attendants |
40 |
$10.17 |
$21,150 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
40 |
$18.32 |
$38,110 |
| Postal service clerks |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Procurement clerks |
40 |
$20.22 |
$42,070 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
40 |
$23.32 |
$48,510 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
40 |
Not available |
$49,680 |
| Tax examiners, collectors, and revenue agents |
40 |
$32.98 |
$68,590 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
40 |
$42.72 |
$88,850 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
40 |
$20.31 |
$42,250 |
| Administrative services managers |
30 |
$32.79 |
$68,210 |
| Advertising and promotions managers |
30 |
$36.00 |
$74,890 |
| Bicycle repairers |
30 |
$13.94 |
$29,000 |
| Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels |
30 |
$20.32 |
$42,270 |
| Environmental engineers |
30 |
$44.57 |
$92,710 |
| Insurance underwriters |
30 |
$28.72 |
$59,730 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
30 |
$23.54 |
$48,970 |
| Motorcycle mechanics |
30 |
$16.85 |
$35,040 |
| Occupational health and safety specialists |
30 |
$33.87 |
$70,450 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
30 |
$19.21 |
$39,950 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
30 |
$21.30 |
$44,290 |
| Technical writers |
30 |
$33.01 |
$68,660 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
30 |
$24.19 |
$50,310 |
| Writers and authors |
30 |
$30.58 |
$63,600 |
| Bakers |
Not available |
$10.60 |
$22,060 |
| Computer operators |
Not available |
$12.71 |
$26,430 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
Not available |
$17.20 |
$35,770 |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers |
Not available |
$21.77 |
$45,290 |
| Environmental science and protection technicians, including health |
Not available |
$18.63 |
$38,760 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
Not available |
$16.76 |
$34,860 |
| Glaziers |
Not available |
$19.62 |
$40,820 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other |
Not available |
$21.66 |
$45,050 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
Not available |
$17.24 |
$35,860 |
| Massage therapists |
Not available |
$23.50 |
$48,870 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
Not available |
$15.35 |
$31,930 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
Not available |
$13.05 |
$27,140 |
| Photographers |
Not available |
$15.52 |
$32,280 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
Not available |
$12.94 |
$26,920 |
| Security guards |
Not available |
$14.00 |
$29,110 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
Not available |
Not available |
$51,250 |
| Surgeons |
Not available |
More than $70 |
More than $145,600 |
| Surveyors |
Not available |
$23.37 |
$48,620 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
Not available |
Not available |
$40,990 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
Not available |
$15.99 |
$33,260 |
