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 |
85,250 |
$19.15 |
$39,820 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
12,900 |
$14.80 |
$30,780 |
| Sales and related occupations |
10,580 |
$13.31 |
$27,670 |
| Production occupations |
8,170 |
$16.73 |
$34,790 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
7,550 |
$9.31 |
$19,360 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
4,980 |
$23.23 |
$48,320 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
4,710 |
$15.37 |
$31,970 |
| Retail salespersons |
4,130 |
$10.46 |
$21,750 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
4,120 |
$21.45 |
$44,610 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
3,580 |
$11.67 |
$24,280 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
3,390 |
$12.02 |
$25,000 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
3,210 |
$21.25 |
$44,200 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
3,150 |
$28.18 |
$58,610 |
| Cashiers |
3,040 |
$9.13 |
$18,990 |
| Management occupations |
2,690 |
$42.40 |
$88,200 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
2,120 |
$11.10 |
$23,090 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
2,030 |
$8.13 |
$16,920 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,790 |
$10.88 |
$22,630 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
1,760 |
$33.09 |
$68,820 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
1,710 |
$10.81 |
$22,480 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
1,510 |
$11.43 |
$23,780 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
1,260 |
$10.90 |
$22,670 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
1,240 |
$9.47 |
$19,710 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
1,190 |
$16.12 |
$33,530 |
| Community and social services occupations |
1,150 |
$20.94 |
$43,550 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,100 |
$15.19 |
$31,590 |
| Customer service representatives |
1,090 |
$13.97 |
$29,060 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
1,060 |
$28.66 |
$59,610 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,020 |
$19.35 |
$40,250 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
990 |
$10.97 |
$22,810 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
960 |
$17.12 |
$35,600 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
920 |
$19.39 |
$40,330 |
| Teacher assistants |
890 |
Not available |
$19,740 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
850 |
$18.39 |
$38,240 |
| Accountants and auditors |
780 |
$30.97 |
$64,430 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
770 |
$9.04 |
$18,800 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
760 |
$22.40 |
$46,590 |
| Industrial engineers |
730 |
$39.51 |
$82,180 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
710 |
Not available |
$53,290 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
710 |
$14.64 |
$30,440 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
690 |
$20.02 |
$41,630 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
690 |
$18.05 |
$37,540 |
| Food preparation workers |
690 |
$9.03 |
$18,780 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
680 |
$21.52 |
$44,760 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
640 |
$13.02 |
$27,070 |
| General and operations managers |
620 |
$43.57 |
$90,610 |
| Medical assistants |
620 |
$11.93 |
$24,820 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
610 |
$9.43 |
$19,620 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
610 |
$28.31 |
$58,880 |
| Construction laborers |
590 |
$13.48 |
$28,040 |
| Team assemblers |
590 |
$11.83 |
$24,600 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
550 |
Not available |
$58,570 |
| Electricians |
510 |
$29.53 |
$61,420 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
510 |
$11.64 |
$24,200 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
500 |
$14.26 |
$29,660 |
| Production workers, all other |
490 |
$17.56 |
$36,530 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
480 |
$16.95 |
$35,250 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
480 |
$15.55 |
$32,350 |
| Home health aides |
470 |
$9.31 |
$19,370 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
470 |
Not available |
$54,010 |
| Medical secretaries |
460 |
$14.70 |
$30,570 |
| Tellers |
450 |
$11.11 |
$23,110 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
440 |
$14.79 |
$30,770 |
| Cooks, fast food |
410 |
$7.97 |
$16,570 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
390 |
$32.71 |
$68,040 |
| Bus drivers, school |
380 |
$14.30 |
$29,750 |
| Legal occupations |
370 |
$38.36 |
$79,780 |
| Child care workers |
360 |
$9.66 |
$20,080 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
360 |
$21.29 |
$44,290 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
360 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Bartenders |
350 |
$8.49 |
$17,660 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
350 |
$31.10 |
$64,690 |
| Dishwashers |
330 |
$7.86 |
$16,340 |
| Carpenters |
310 |
$25.14 |
$52,290 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
310 |
$21.30 |
$44,310 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
300 |
$20.93 |
$43,540 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
280 |
$19.90 |
$41,390 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
270 |
$9.05 |
$18,830 |
| Lawyers |
270 |
$42.55 |
$88,500 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
260 |
$10.10 |
$21,010 |
| Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic |
260 |
$17.82 |
$37,070 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
260 |
$12.68 |
$26,380 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
260 |
$11.02 |
$22,920 |
| Dental assistants |
260 |
$16.19 |
$33,680 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
260 |
$30.51 |
$63,470 |
| Medical and health services managers |
260 |
$38.26 |
$79,580 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
260 |
$22.95 |
$47,740 |
| Tool and die makers |
260 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
250 |
$8.91 |
$18,530 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
250 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Pharmacy technicians |
240 |
$13.70 |
$28,500 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
240 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
230 |
$20.22 |
$42,050 |
| Insurance sales agents |
230 |
$27.36 |
$56,900 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
230 |
$24.27 |
$50,480 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
220 |
$12.80 |
$26,630 |
| Pharmacists |
210 |
$45.15 |
$93,920 |
| Social and human service assistants |
210 |
$13.81 |
$28,730 |
| Computer systems analysts |
200 |
$31.81 |
$66,170 |
| Dental hygienists |
200 |
$26.13 |
$54,350 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
200 |
$27.40 |
$56,990 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
200 |
$15.56 |
$32,360 |
| Millwrights |
200 |
$35.31 |
$73,450 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
200 |
$16.19 |
$33,680 |
| Personal and home care aides |
200 |
$8.76 |
$18,230 |
| Computer support specialists |
190 |
$20.19 |
$42,000 |
| Financial specialists, all other |
190 |
$26.97 |
$56,100 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
190 |
$25.69 |
$53,440 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
190 |
$28.64 |
$59,570 |
| Telemarketers |
190 |
$9.18 |
$19,090 |
| Coaches and scouts |
180 |
Not available |
$26,750 |
| Cost estimators |
180 |
$23.17 |
$48,190 |
| Respiratory therapists |
180 |
$24.31 |
$50,560 |
| Security guards |
180 |
$12.24 |
$25,460 |
| Chief executives |
170 |
$73.31 |
$152,480 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
170 |
$22.62 |
$47,040 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
170 |
$30.54 |
$63,510 |
| Bill and account collectors |
160 |
$15.43 |
$32,090 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
160 |
$20.47 |
$42,570 |
| Computer programmers |
160 |
$27.12 |
$56,400 |
| Engineers, all other |
160 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
160 |
$19.15 |
$39,830 |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks |
160 |
$13.36 |
$27,800 |
| Physical therapists |
160 |
$37.13 |
$77,230 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
150 |
$12.60 |
$26,220 |
| Financial managers |
150 |
$44.89 |
$93,380 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
150 |
$10.27 |
$21,360 |
| Roofers |
150 |
$16.90 |
$35,160 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
150 |
$15.10 |
$31,410 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
140 |
$28.23 |
$58,710 |
| Food service managers |
140 |
$19.40 |
$40,360 |
| Industrial production managers |
140 |
$47.69 |
$99,200 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
140 |
$15.59 |
$32,420 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
140 |
$27.85 |
$57,930 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
140 |
$21.06 |
$43,810 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
140 |
$8.04 |
$16,730 |
| Sales managers |
140 |
$56.56 |
$117,630 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
140 |
$33.80 |
$70,310 |
| Sheet metal workers |
140 |
$22.80 |
$47,420 |
| All other information and record clerks |
130 |
$17.90 |
$37,230 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
130 |
Not available |
$85,740 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
130 |
$25.45 |
$52,950 |
| Engineering managers |
130 |
$54.26 |
$112,870 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
130 |
$33.29 |
$69,250 |
| Mechanical engineers |
130 |
$29.32 |
$60,980 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
130 |
$24.34 |
$50,620 |
| Public relations specialists |
130 |
$28.73 |
$59,770 |
| Administrative services managers |
120 |
$34.33 |
$71,420 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
120 |
$13.28 |
$27,620 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
120 |
$9.67 |
$20,100 |
| Management analysts |
120 |
$33.10 |
$68,840 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
120 |
$12.51 |
$26,030 |
| Occupational therapists |
120 |
$30.06 |
$62,530 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
110 |
$16.92 |
$35,190 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
110 |
$9.66 |
$20,100 |
| Library technicians |
110 |
$13.59 |
$28,260 |
| Managers, all other |
110 |
$42.14 |
$87,660 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
110 |
$16.47 |
$34,260 |
| Personal financial advisors |
110 |
$29.27 |
$60,880 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
110 |
$12.06 |
$25,080 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
100 |
$17.51 |
$36,430 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
100 |
$12.70 |
$26,420 |
| Family and general practitioners |
100 |
$102.20 |
$212,570 |
| File clerks |
100 |
$10.57 |
$21,990 |
| Legal secretaries |
100 |
$17.42 |
$36,220 |
| Order clerks |
100 |
$15.93 |
$33,140 |
| Procurement clerks |
100 |
$15.78 |
$32,820 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
90 |
$9.24 |
$19,220 |
| Bakers |
90 |
$10.30 |
$21,420 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
90 |
$14.17 |
$29,470 |
| Construction managers |
90 |
$34.36 |
$71,460 |
| Dentists, general |
90 |
$75.40 |
$156,840 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
90 |
$16.78 |
$34,910 |
| Funeral attendants |
90 |
$8.91 |
$18,540 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
90 |
$16.33 |
$33,970 |
| Loan officers |
90 |
$22.00 |
$45,750 |
| Logisticians |
90 |
$33.41 |
$69,480 |
| Recreation workers |
90 |
$15.23 |
$31,680 |
| Special education teachers, middle school |
90 |
Not available |
$62,610 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
90 |
Not available |
$54,690 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
90 |
$11.72 |
$24,370 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
80 |
$18.34 |
$38,140 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
80 |
$30.24 |
$62,900 |
| Data entry keyers |
80 |
$12.21 |
$25,390 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
80 |
$28.01 |
$58,260 |
| Electrical engineers |
80 |
$31.33 |
$65,170 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
80 |
$10.35 |
$21,520 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
80 |
$9.70 |
$20,180 |
| Insurance underwriters |
80 |
$25.13 |
$52,270 |
| Librarians |
80 |
$25.04 |
$52,080 |
| Mechanical drafters |
80 |
$21.86 |
$45,480 |
| Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
80 |
$12.40 |
$25,790 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
80 |
$16.73 |
$34,800 |
| Physician assistants |
80 |
$32.43 |
$67,450 |
| Printing machine operators |
80 |
$15.26 |
$31,730 |
| Training and development specialists |
80 |
$23.97 |
$49,850 |
| Word processors and typists |
80 |
$16.04 |
$33,360 |
| Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers |
70 |
$12.70 |
$26,410 |
| Demonstrators and product promoters |
70 |
$10.46 |
$21,760 |
| Environmental engineers |
70 |
$25.85 |
$53,760 |
| Fire fighters |
70 |
$18.68 |
$38,850 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
70 |
$18.18 |
$37,810 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
70 |
$23.28 |
$48,410 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
70 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Opticians, dispensing |
70 |
$18.01 |
$37,450 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
70 |
$22.53 |
$46,850 |
| Physical therapist assistants |
70 |
$19.44 |
$40,440 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
70 |
$34.44 |
$71,640 |
| Structural metal fabricators and fitters |
70 |
$21.41 |
$44,530 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
70 |
$17.61 |
$36,630 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
60 |
$11.79 |
$24,530 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
60 |
$45.54 |
$94,720 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
60 |
$36.20 |
$75,300 |
| Couriers and messengers |
60 |
$12.71 |
$26,430 |
| Driver/sales workers |
60 |
$9.37 |
$19,490 |
| Financial analysts |
60 |
$34.43 |
$71,610 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other |
60 |
$14.49 |
$30,130 |
| Home appliance repairers |
60 |
$12.84 |
$26,700 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
60 |
$16.72 |
$34,790 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
60 |
$13.56 |
$28,210 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
60 |
$16.63 |
$34,580 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
60 |
$20.74 |
$43,140 |
| Real estate sales agents |
60 |
$16.52 |
$34,360 |
| Social and community service managers |
60 |
$29.90 |
$62,180 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
60 |
$34.41 |
$71,570 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
60 |
$22.63 |
$47,070 |
| Audiologists |
50 |
$37.48 |
$77,950 |
| Civil engineers |
50 |
$31.14 |
$64,760 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
50 |
$26.50 |
$55,130 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
50 |
$21.91 |
$45,560 |
| Health diagnosing and treating practitioners, all other |
50 |
$25.33 |
$52,680 |
| Instructional coordinators |
50 |
$29.16 |
$60,650 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
50 |
$12.13 |
$25,220 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
50 |
$24.29 |
$50,530 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
50 |
$9.39 |
$19,520 |
| Parts salespersons |
50 |
$14.45 |
$30,060 |
| Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists |
50 |
$28.09 |
$58,420 |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
50 |
$17.92 |
$37,280 |
| Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers |
50 |
$12.10 |
$25,170 |
| Appraisers and assessors of real estate |
40 |
$22.00 |
$45,760 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
40 |
$22.72 |
$47,250 |
| Computer operators |
40 |
$19.69 |
$40,950 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
40 |
$16.00 |
$33,280 |
| Construction and building inspectors |
40 |
$26.93 |
$56,010 |
| Diagnostic medical sonographers |
40 |
$26.95 |
$56,060 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
40 |
$34.18 |
$71,090 |
| Graphic designers |
40 |
$15.31 |
$31,840 |
| Market research analysts |
40 |
$29.70 |
$61,770 |
| Meeting and convention planners |
40 |
$17.05 |
$35,460 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
40 |
$12.00 |
$24,960 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
40 |
$11.70 |
$24,340 |
| Postal service clerks |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
40 |
$22.78 |
$47,380 |
| Protective service workers, all other |
40 |
$13.62 |
$28,340 |
| Security and fire alarm systems installers |
40 |
$13.57 |
$28,220 |
| Self-enrichment education teachers |
40 |
$17.36 |
$36,110 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
40 |
$46.22 |
$96,130 |
| Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers |
40 |
$7.91 |
$16,450 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
30 |
$25.29 |
$52,600 |
| Computer software engineers, systems software |
30 |
$42.12 |
$87,620 |
| Directors, religious activities and education |
30 |
$20.41 |
$42,440 |
| Funeral directors |
30 |
$23.92 |
$49,740 |
| Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders |
30 |
$11.66 |
$24,250 |
| Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
30 |
$11.88 |
$24,710 |
| Marketing managers |
30 |
$33.37 |
$69,410 |
| Operations research analysts |
30 |
$35.53 |
$73,900 |
| Purchasing managers |
30 |
$47.23 |
$98,240 |
| Veterinarians |
30 |
$50.95 |
$105,980 |
| Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
30 |
$14.83 |
$30,840 |
| Advertising sales agents |
Not available |
$21.29 |
$44,280 |
| Anesthesiologists |
Not available |
$96.68 |
$201,100 |
| Brokerage clerks |
Not available |
$17.77 |
$36,960 |
| Cardiovascular technologists and technicians |
Not available |
$21.29 |
$44,270 |
| Construction and related workers, all other |
Not available |
$13.07 |
$27,190 |
| Cooks, short order |
Not available |
$9.57 |
$19,900 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
Not available |
$9.07 |
$18,860 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
Not available |
$18.77 |
$39,050 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists |
Not available |
$28.55 |
$59,380 |
| Electronic home entertainment equipment installers and repairers |
Not available |
$12.01 |
$24,970 |
| Electronics engineers, except computer |
Not available |
$35.87 |
$74,600 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
Not available |
$12.20 |
$25,390 |
| Health educators |
Not available |
$22.06 |
$45,880 |
| Health technologists and technicians, all other |
Not available |
$21.11 |
$43,910 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
Not available |
$35.24 |
$73,300 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
Not available |
$15.13 |
$31,470 |
| Helpers--production workers |
Not available |
$10.55 |
$21,950 |
| Industrial engineering technicians |
Not available |
$24.26 |
$50,460 |
| Interior designers |
Not available |
$20.22 |
$42,060 |
| Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other |
Not available |
$16.32 |
$33,950 |
| Loan counselors |
Not available |
$17.02 |
$35,410 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
Not available |
$11.54 |
$23,990 |
| Maintenance workers, machinery |
Not available |
$19.31 |
$40,170 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
Not available |
$29.66 |
$61,700 |
| New accounts clerks |
Not available |
$16.78 |
$34,890 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
Not available |
$82.40 |
$171,390 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
Not available |
$29.37 |
$61,090 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
Not available |
$18.23 |
$37,930 |
| Registered nurses |
Not available |
$32.80 |
$68,230 |
| Surgical technologists |
Not available |
$18.88 |
$39,270 |
| Tax preparers |
Not available |
$9.68 |
$20,130 |
| Travel agents |
Not available |
$14.97 |
$31,130 |
| Vocational education teachers, postsecondary |
Not available |
$17.50 |
$36,410 |
