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 |
60,110 |
$15.87 |
$33,000 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
10,250 |
$12.22 |
$25,410 |
| Sales and related occupations |
7,380 |
$14.08 |
$29,290 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
6,290 |
$8.53 |
$17,750 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
4,520 |
$15.20 |
$31,610 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
4,090 |
$29.41 |
$61,180 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
4,060 |
$13.68 |
$28,440 |
| Retail salespersons |
3,190 |
$10.68 |
$22,210 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
3,140 |
$19.27 |
$40,090 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
2,810 |
$10.06 |
$20,910 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,760 |
$17.82 |
$37,060 |
| Production occupations |
2,750 |
$12.95 |
$26,930 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,980 |
$24.44 |
$50,830 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,870 |
$9.84 |
$20,460 |
| Cashiers |
1,700 |
$8.49 |
$17,650 |
| Registered nurses |
1,640 |
$27.81 |
$57,840 |
| Management occupations |
1,530 |
$40.58 |
$84,410 |
| Customer service representatives |
1,510 |
$11.47 |
$23,860 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
1,460 |
$10.28 |
$21,380 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,440 |
$7.60 |
$15,800 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,400 |
$12.10 |
$25,170 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
1,330 |
$7.83 |
$16,280 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
1,300 |
$12.59 |
$26,190 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
1,130 |
$17.04 |
$35,450 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,090 |
$15.77 |
$32,810 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,030 |
$11.40 |
$23,710 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
930 |
$10.26 |
$21,340 |
| Community and social services occupations |
920 |
$16.89 |
$35,130 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
850 |
$10.27 |
$21,370 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
840 |
$8.65 |
$17,980 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
810 |
$15.00 |
$31,200 |
| Carpenters |
810 |
$14.45 |
$30,060 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
730 |
$25.74 |
$53,540 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
720 |
$9.96 |
$20,720 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
670 |
$27.08 |
$56,320 |
| Teacher assistants |
660 |
Not available |
$23,100 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
650 |
$25.19 |
$52,390 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
630 |
$11.13 |
$23,150 |
| Construction laborers |
610 |
$11.72 |
$24,380 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
600 |
$23.65 |
$49,180 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
590 |
Not available |
$45,730 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
540 |
$19.66 |
$40,890 |
| Office clerks, general |
540 |
$10.20 |
$21,220 |
| Accountants and auditors |
530 |
$24.63 |
$51,240 |
| Food preparation workers |
500 |
$8.35 |
$17,370 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
490 |
$8.68 |
$18,060 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
470 |
$8.58 |
$17,850 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
460 |
$15.73 |
$32,720 |
| Child care workers |
430 |
$8.64 |
$17,960 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
430 |
$17.06 |
$35,490 |
| General and operations managers |
410 |
$50.87 |
$105,810 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
400 |
$19.09 |
$39,700 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
390 |
Not available |
$44,010 |
| Bill and account collectors |
370 |
$13.01 |
$27,050 |
| Cooks, fast food |
370 |
$7.99 |
$16,610 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
370 |
$11.96 |
$24,880 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
360 |
$9.61 |
$19,990 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
360 |
$9.89 |
$20,570 |
| Driver/sales workers |
330 |
$14.71 |
$30,600 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
330 |
$25.33 |
$52,680 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
330 |
$14.10 |
$29,330 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
330 |
Not available |
$47,800 |
| Electricians |
320 |
$19.68 |
$40,940 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
320 |
$14.06 |
$29,230 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
320 |
$17.44 |
$36,270 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
310 |
$8.33 |
$17,330 |
| Dishwashers |
310 |
$7.86 |
$16,340 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
300 |
$15.30 |
$31,820 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
300 |
$16.42 |
$34,150 |
| Bartenders |
290 |
$8.35 |
$17,370 |
| Tellers |
290 |
$10.77 |
$22,400 |
| Security guards |
280 |
$9.58 |
$19,930 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
260 |
$17.06 |
$35,470 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
250 |
$16.03 |
$33,330 |
| Legal occupations |
250 |
$29.52 |
$61,390 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
240 |
$7.93 |
$16,490 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
240 |
$9.17 |
$19,080 |
| Parts salespersons |
240 |
$13.66 |
$28,420 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
240 |
$19.67 |
$40,910 |
| Residential advisors |
240 |
$10.29 |
$21,400 |
| Insurance sales agents |
230 |
$23.45 |
$48,780 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
230 |
$12.41 |
$25,820 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
220 |
$12.47 |
$25,930 |
| Medical assistants |
220 |
$12.32 |
$25,620 |
| Dental assistants |
210 |
$13.43 |
$27,930 |
| Loan officers |
210 |
$25.48 |
$52,990 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
200 |
$27.19 |
$56,560 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
200 |
$9.08 |
$18,880 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
190 |
$11.58 |
$24,080 |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers |
190 |
$24.61 |
$51,180 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
190 |
$8.37 |
$17,410 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
190 |
$15.57 |
$32,380 |
| Pharmacists |
190 |
$48.48 |
$100,840 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
190 |
$14.26 |
$29,660 |
| Team assemblers |
190 |
$10.60 |
$22,040 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
180 |
$8.43 |
$17,540 |
| Computer support specialists |
170 |
$15.44 |
$32,110 |
| Cooks, short order |
170 |
$8.68 |
$18,060 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
170 |
$13.24 |
$27,530 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
170 |
$12.65 |
$26,310 |
| Management analysts |
170 |
$28.05 |
$58,340 |
| Service station attendants |
170 |
$9.02 |
$18,760 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
170 |
$15.00 |
$31,210 |
| Bus drivers, school |
160 |
$12.09 |
$25,140 |
| Civil engineers |
160 |
$32.95 |
$68,530 |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks |
160 |
$10.82 |
$22,520 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
160 |
$15.30 |
$31,820 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
160 |
$20.84 |
$43,350 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
150 |
$13.77 |
$28,640 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
150 |
$8.43 |
$17,520 |
| Public relations specialists |
150 |
$20.68 |
$43,010 |
| Social and human service assistants |
150 |
$10.81 |
$22,490 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
140 |
$16.14 |
$33,580 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
140 |
$23.76 |
$49,410 |
| Food service managers |
140 |
$21.96 |
$45,670 |
| Personal and home care aides |
140 |
$9.22 |
$19,170 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
140 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Advertising sales agents |
130 |
$19.71 |
$41,000 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
130 |
$16.28 |
$33,870 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
130 |
$10.68 |
$22,220 |
| Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
130 |
$10.14 |
$21,090 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
130 |
$14.73 |
$30,640 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
130 |
$12.43 |
$25,860 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
120 |
$12.82 |
$26,660 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
120 |
$12.50 |
$26,000 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
120 |
$25.26 |
$52,550 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
120 |
$19.54 |
$40,630 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
120 |
$9.04 |
$18,790 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
120 |
$11.00 |
$22,870 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
110 |
$20.10 |
$41,800 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
110 |
$20.34 |
$42,310 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
110 |
$37.04 |
$77,030 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
110 |
$24.44 |
$50,820 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
110 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
110 |
Not available |
$46,890 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
110 |
$26.11 |
$54,310 |
| Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing |
110 |
$12.76 |
$26,550 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
100 |
$13.13 |
$27,310 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
100 |
$16.65 |
$34,630 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
100 |
$36.06 |
$75,010 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
100 |
$12.27 |
$25,520 |
| Financial managers |
100 |
$49.61 |
$103,180 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
100 |
$15.50 |
$32,240 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
100 |
$10.64 |
$22,130 |
| Helpers--electricians |
100 |
$11.15 |
$23,180 |
| Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers |
100 |
$13.73 |
$28,560 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
100 |
$23.53 |
$48,930 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
100 |
$20.66 |
$42,970 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
100 |
$13.77 |
$28,640 |
| Recreation workers |
100 |
$12.01 |
$24,990 |
| Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners |
100 |
$9.32 |
$19,380 |
| Chief executives |
90 |
$78.40 |
$163,070 |
| Cost estimators |
90 |
$20.92 |
$43,510 |
| Graphic designers |
90 |
$15.80 |
$32,860 |
| Medical and health services managers |
90 |
$40.58 |
$84,400 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
90 |
$10.38 |
$21,590 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
90 |
$13.04 |
$27,110 |
| Physical therapists |
90 |
$29.94 |
$62,280 |
| Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood |
90 |
$12.67 |
$26,360 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
80 |
$26.17 |
$54,440 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
80 |
$12.88 |
$26,790 |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers |
80 |
$12.51 |
$26,020 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
80 |
Not available |
$74,190 |
| Eligibility interviewers, government programs |
80 |
$15.32 |
$31,880 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
80 |
$26.21 |
$54,510 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
80 |
$16.84 |
$35,030 |
| Library technicians |
80 |
$12.25 |
$25,470 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
80 |
$10.46 |
$21,760 |
| Photographers |
80 |
$11.43 |
$23,760 |
| Printing machine operators |
80 |
$14.22 |
$29,570 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
80 |
$10.88 |
$22,640 |
| Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors |
80 |
$15.56 |
$32,370 |
| Vocational education teachers, secondary school |
80 |
Not available |
$44,960 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
70 |
$14.93 |
$31,050 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
70 |
$19.78 |
$41,140 |
| Computer software engineers, systems software |
70 |
$49.16 |
$102,240 |
| Credit analysts |
70 |
$19.44 |
$40,440 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
70 |
$21.63 |
$44,980 |
| Etchers and engravers |
70 |
$9.51 |
$19,770 |
| Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators |
70 |
$16.54 |
$34,400 |
| Family and general practitioners |
70 |
$66.89 |
$139,140 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
70 |
$15.62 |
$32,480 |
| Home health aides |
70 |
$9.73 |
$20,240 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
70 |
$19.65 |
$40,870 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
70 |
$14.08 |
$29,290 |
| Librarians |
70 |
$19.78 |
$41,140 |
| Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers |
70 |
$8.59 |
$17,860 |
| Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators |
70 |
$14.73 |
$30,650 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
70 |
$14.44 |
$30,040 |
| Physician assistants |
70 |
$37.91 |
$78,860 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
70 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Procurement clerks |
70 |
$16.63 |
$34,590 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
70 |
$23.40 |
$48,680 |
| Radio and television announcers |
70 |
$12.18 |
$25,330 |
| Self-enrichment education teachers |
70 |
$12.98 |
$26,990 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
70 |
Not available |
$42,130 |
| Surgeons |
70 |
More than $70 |
More than $145,600 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
70 |
$11.09 |
$23,060 |
| Telecommunications line installers and repairers |
70 |
$23.58 |
$49,040 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
70 |
$17.13 |
$35,630 |
| Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors |
60 |
$14.97 |
$31,140 |
| Biological technicians |
60 |
$14.00 |
$29,120 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
60 |
$17.22 |
$35,820 |
| Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists |
60 |
$34.87 |
$72,530 |
| Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door |
60 |
$24.25 |
$50,430 |
| Detectives and criminal investigators |
60 |
$25.43 |
$52,880 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
60 |
$12.73 |
$26,470 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
60 |
Not available |
$44,400 |
| Machinists |
60 |
$16.85 |
$35,040 |
| Medical secretaries |
60 |
$13.16 |
$27,370 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
60 |
$90.18 |
$187,560 |
| Pipelayers |
60 |
$12.72 |
$26,450 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
60 |
$17.21 |
$35,790 |
| Real estate sales agents |
60 |
$19.35 |
$40,260 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
60 |
$15.80 |
$32,860 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
60 |
$25.08 |
$52,170 |
| Training and development specialists |
60 |
$17.92 |
$37,280 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
60 |
$11.62 |
$24,180 |
| Vocational education teachers, postsecondary |
60 |
$21.53 |
$44,790 |
| Bakers |
50 |
$10.32 |
$21,460 |
| Coaches and scouts |
50 |
Not available |
$28,360 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
50 |
$15.59 |
$32,430 |
| Conveyor operators and tenders |
50 |
$15.08 |
$31,360 |
| Demonstrators and product promoters |
50 |
$9.37 |
$19,500 |
| Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment |
50 |
$20.64 |
$42,920 |
| Financial analysts |
50 |
$26.54 |
$55,210 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
50 |
$20.34 |
$42,310 |
| Floral designers |
50 |
$9.88 |
$20,550 |
| Grinding and polishing workers, hand |
50 |
$10.39 |
$21,600 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
50 |
$15.10 |
$31,410 |
| Lodging managers |
50 |
$20.70 |
$43,060 |
| Marriage and family therapists |
50 |
$20.03 |
$41,670 |
| Medical equipment repairers |
50 |
$17.06 |
$35,490 |
| Occupational therapists |
50 |
$27.63 |
$57,470 |
| Order clerks |
50 |
$10.94 |
$22,760 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
50 |
$14.40 |
$29,950 |
| Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials |
50 |
$8.41 |
$17,490 |
| Reporters and correspondents |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Sales managers |
50 |
$52.69 |
$109,590 |
| Special education teachers, middle school |
50 |
Not available |
$42,700 |
| Brokerage clerks |
40 |
$15.75 |
$32,760 |
| Bus drivers, transit and intercity |
40 |
$13.18 |
$27,410 |
| Cardiovascular technologists and technicians |
40 |
$22.28 |
$46,340 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
40 |
$20.94 |
$43,560 |
| Construction managers |
40 |
$35.35 |
$73,530 |
| Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks |
40 |
$12.54 |
$26,090 |
| Dental laboratory technicians |
40 |
$13.84 |
$28,780 |
| Diagnostic medical sonographers |
40 |
$27.59 |
$57,390 |
| Editors |
40 |
$19.35 |
$40,250 |
| Environmental scientists and specialists, including health |
40 |
$24.20 |
$50,330 |
| Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
40 |
$11.41 |
$23,740 |
| Helpers--brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters |
40 |
$11.95 |
$24,850 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
40 |
$19.27 |
$40,090 |
| Instructional coordinators |
40 |
$25.08 |
$52,170 |
| Managers, all other |
40 |
$35.23 |
$73,270 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
40 |
$14.35 |
$29,850 |
| Mental health counselors |
40 |
$16.29 |
$33,880 |
| Meter readers, utilities |
40 |
$13.40 |
$27,870 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
40 |
$11.96 |
$24,870 |
| Photographic processing machine operators |
40 |
$9.59 |
$19,940 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Social and community service managers |
40 |
$27.21 |
$56,600 |
| Travel agents |
40 |
$14.05 |
$29,230 |
| Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers |
40 |
$7.66 |
$15,940 |
| Veterinarians |
40 |
$30.59 |
$63,630 |
| Appraisers and assessors of real estate |
30 |
$19.72 |
$41,010 |
| Baggage porters and bellhops |
30 |
$9.48 |
$19,710 |
| Chiropractors |
30 |
$29.80 |
$61,990 |
| Computer systems analysts |
30 |
$29.70 |
$61,770 |
| Electrical engineers |
30 |
$31.66 |
$65,850 |
| Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders |
30 |
$13.78 |
$28,670 |
| File clerks |
30 |
$10.86 |
$22,600 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
30 |
$18.98 |
$39,470 |
| Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders |
30 |
$16.64 |
$34,610 |
| Logging equipment operators |
30 |
$13.46 |
$28,000 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
30 |
$15.75 |
$32,760 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
30 |
$21.21 |
$44,120 |
| Meeting and convention planners |
30 |
$14.61 |
$30,380 |
| Prepress technicians and workers |
30 |
$10.89 |
$22,660 |
| Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers |
Not available |
$12.49 |
$25,970 |
| Dental hygienists |
Not available |
$24.71 |
$51,390 |
| Dentists, general |
Not available |
$85.94 |
$178,750 |
| Desktop publishers |
Not available |
$8.87 |
$18,440 |
| Lawyers |
Not available |
$36.95 |
$76,860 |
| Legal secretaries |
Not available |
$14.20 |
$29,530 |
| Merchandise displayers and window trimmers |
Not available |
$10.92 |
$22,720 |
| Opticians, dispensing |
Not available |
$11.73 |
$24,390 |
| Surveying and mapping technicians |
Not available |
$13.02 |
$27,090 |
| Tour guides and escorts |
Not available |
$8.54 |
$17,770 |
