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 |
53,390 |
$18.17 |
$37,800 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
8,670 |
$14.18 |
$29,500 |
| Sales and related occupations |
6,680 |
$15.19 |
$31,590 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
4,870 |
$8.90 |
$18,520 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
4,010 |
$23.04 |
$47,930 |
| Production occupations |
3,910 |
$13.17 |
$27,400 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
3,600 |
$35.17 |
$73,150 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
3,070 |
$15.90 |
$33,080 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,660 |
$17.00 |
$35,370 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,510 |
$19.03 |
$39,580 |
| Management occupations |
2,250 |
$40.29 |
$83,810 |
| Retail salespersons |
2,230 |
$11.47 |
$23,860 |
| Cashiers |
1,930 |
$8.38 |
$17,440 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
1,740 |
$11.12 |
$23,130 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,680 |
$13.35 |
$27,770 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,530 |
$12.88 |
$26,780 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,520 |
$10.63 |
$22,110 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,510 |
$19.49 |
$40,550 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,500 |
$26.15 |
$54,390 |
| Registered nurses |
1,330 |
$31.99 |
$66,540 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
1,170 |
$7.54 |
$15,670 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
860 |
$8.62 |
$17,930 |
| Community and social services occupations |
850 |
$20.06 |
$41,730 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
850 |
$13.50 |
$28,070 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
820 |
$10.66 |
$22,180 |
| General and operations managers |
810 |
$46.78 |
$97,300 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
740 |
$12.47 |
$25,930 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
730 |
$9.95 |
$20,700 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
700 |
$14.71 |
$30,600 |
| Customer service representatives |
670 |
$13.72 |
$28,540 |
| Teacher assistants |
660 |
Not available |
$18,970 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
650 |
$31.05 |
$64,590 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
650 |
$21.04 |
$43,750 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
630 |
$18.02 |
$37,480 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
630 |
$15.43 |
$32,080 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
590 |
Not available |
$53,880 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
590 |
$11.71 |
$24,360 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
580 |
$12.41 |
$25,820 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
560 |
$24.70 |
$51,380 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
530 |
Not available |
$42,660 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
510 |
Not available |
$55,240 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
500 |
$22.15 |
$46,060 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
490 |
$25.96 |
$53,990 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
470 |
$8.78 |
$18,260 |
| Team assemblers |
440 |
$10.80 |
$22,470 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
430 |
$18.11 |
$37,670 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
430 |
$25.99 |
$54,060 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
420 |
$16.27 |
$33,830 |
| Carpenters |
420 |
$17.59 |
$36,580 |
| Accountants and auditors |
410 |
$27.71 |
$57,630 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
410 |
$15.14 |
$31,490 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
390 |
$14.22 |
$29,570 |
| Home health aides |
380 |
$13.22 |
$27,490 |
| Electricians |
370 |
$17.19 |
$35,760 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
360 |
$11.28 |
$23,460 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
360 |
$9.14 |
$19,020 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
350 |
$22.05 |
$45,860 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
340 |
$17.79 |
$37,000 |
| Food preparation workers |
320 |
$9.31 |
$19,370 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
290 |
$10.23 |
$21,270 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
290 |
$20.43 |
$42,500 |
| Construction laborers |
280 |
$12.32 |
$25,620 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
280 |
$25.19 |
$52,400 |
| Medical secretaries |
280 |
$13.52 |
$28,110 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
280 |
$22.79 |
$47,410 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
260 |
$11.39 |
$23,690 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
240 |
$12.05 |
$25,060 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
240 |
$26.72 |
$55,580 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
230 |
$13.97 |
$29,050 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
230 |
$7.90 |
$16,430 |
| Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers |
230 |
$10.36 |
$21,550 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
230 |
$12.83 |
$26,690 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
220 |
$7.86 |
$16,340 |
| Tellers |
220 |
$11.56 |
$24,040 |
| Dishwashers |
210 |
$8.15 |
$16,940 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
210 |
$20.88 |
$43,430 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
200 |
$25.95 |
$53,980 |
| Legal occupations |
200 |
$43.94 |
$91,390 |
| Cooks, fast food |
190 |
$7.96 |
$16,560 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
190 |
$10.58 |
$22,000 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
180 |
$14.97 |
$31,140 |
| Insurance sales agents |
180 |
$19.27 |
$40,080 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
180 |
$16.60 |
$34,520 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
180 |
$12.71 |
$26,440 |
| Bus drivers, school |
170 |
$11.18 |
$23,250 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
170 |
$17.47 |
$36,340 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
170 |
$13.15 |
$27,350 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
170 |
$9.80 |
$20,380 |
| Personal and home care aides |
170 |
$9.39 |
$19,520 |
| Security guards |
170 |
$14.09 |
$29,320 |
| Bartenders |
160 |
$8.74 |
$18,190 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
160 |
$18.03 |
$37,500 |
| Computer support specialists |
150 |
$20.50 |
$42,640 |
| Social and human service assistants |
150 |
$14.32 |
$29,780 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
140 |
$27.84 |
$57,900 |
| Dental assistants |
140 |
$15.79 |
$32,830 |
| Driver/sales workers |
140 |
$19.18 |
$39,890 |
| Lawyers |
140 |
$51.13 |
$106,360 |
| Medical assistants |
140 |
$12.98 |
$27,000 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
140 |
$12.72 |
$26,460 |
| Bill and account collectors |
130 |
$13.84 |
$28,790 |
| Child care workers |
130 |
$8.32 |
$17,300 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
130 |
$28.71 |
$59,720 |
| Financial managers |
130 |
$41.61 |
$86,540 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
130 |
$17.24 |
$35,860 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
130 |
$13.34 |
$27,740 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
130 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Printing machine operators |
130 |
$18.22 |
$37,900 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
120 |
$18.72 |
$38,930 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
120 |
$10.79 |
$22,440 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
120 |
Not available |
$81,090 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
120 |
$28.28 |
$58,830 |
| Physical therapists |
120 |
$32.63 |
$67,860 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
120 |
$11.36 |
$23,630 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
120 |
$10.58 |
$22,010 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
110 |
$21.12 |
$43,920 |
| Chief executives |
110 |
$57.49 |
$119,580 |
| Dental hygienists |
110 |
$36.11 |
$75,120 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
110 |
$17.61 |
$36,620 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
110 |
$15.85 |
$32,970 |
| Librarians |
110 |
$24.31 |
$50,570 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
110 |
$22.35 |
$46,480 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
110 |
$9.93 |
$20,650 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
110 |
$83.58 |
$173,850 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
110 |
$28.81 |
$59,930 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
100 |
$9.05 |
$18,810 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
100 |
$16.22 |
$33,730 |
| Food service managers |
100 |
$23.34 |
$48,550 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
100 |
$9.62 |
$20,000 |
| Medical and health services managers |
100 |
$39.15 |
$81,430 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
100 |
$15.49 |
$32,220 |
| Parts salespersons |
100 |
$14.41 |
$29,970 |
| Pharmacists |
100 |
$52.40 |
$108,990 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
100 |
Not available |
$60,200 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
100 |
Not available |
$47,150 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
90 |
$16.40 |
$34,110 |
| Chemists |
90 |
$17.49 |
$36,380 |
| Construction managers |
90 |
$29.45 |
$61,250 |
| Cost estimators |
90 |
$24.68 |
$51,340 |
| File clerks |
90 |
$11.86 |
$24,670 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
90 |
$42.95 |
$89,330 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
90 |
$8.88 |
$18,470 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
90 |
$10.89 |
$22,650 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
90 |
Not available |
$49,380 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
90 |
$15.65 |
$32,560 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
90 |
$21.29 |
$44,290 |
| Recreation workers |
90 |
$9.89 |
$20,580 |
| Sewing machine operators |
90 |
$8.44 |
$17,550 |
| Business teachers, postsecondary |
80 |
Not available |
$86,570 |
| Construction and building inspectors |
80 |
$17.29 |
$35,970 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
80 |
$18.59 |
$38,670 |
| Education administrators, postsecondary |
80 |
$42.00 |
$87,360 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
80 |
$25.79 |
$53,650 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
80 |
$14.77 |
$30,720 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
80 |
$14.85 |
$30,880 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
80 |
$19.93 |
$41,450 |
| Sales managers |
80 |
$49.29 |
$102,530 |
| Special education teachers, middle school |
80 |
Not available |
$53,930 |
| Training and development specialists |
80 |
$21.28 |
$44,260 |
| Cardiovascular technologists and technicians |
70 |
$17.19 |
$35,760 |
| Data entry keyers |
70 |
$13.05 |
$27,150 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
70 |
$17.36 |
$36,110 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
70 |
$16.45 |
$34,210 |
| Library technicians |
70 |
$14.11 |
$29,340 |
| Occupational therapists |
70 |
$34.45 |
$71,650 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
70 |
$13.90 |
$28,920 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
70 |
$26.79 |
$55,720 |
| Administrative services managers |
60 |
$23.38 |
$48,630 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
60 |
$19.31 |
$40,160 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
60 |
$20.15 |
$41,910 |
| Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists |
60 |
$28.26 |
$58,770 |
| Computer systems analysts |
60 |
$31.05 |
$64,580 |
| Education teachers, postsecondary |
60 |
Not available |
$68,010 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
60 |
$22.33 |
$46,450 |
| Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
60 |
$10.29 |
$21,410 |
| Industrial production managers |
60 |
$38.44 |
$79,950 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
60 |
$15.50 |
$32,250 |
| Machinists |
60 |
$14.09 |
$29,300 |
| Mechanical drafters |
60 |
$19.87 |
$41,340 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
60 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Medical transcriptionists |
60 |
$16.79 |
$34,930 |
| Physician assistants |
60 |
$40.65 |
$84,550 |
| Real estate sales agents |
60 |
$40.67 |
$84,590 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
60 |
Not available |
$54,900 |
| Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary |
50 |
Not available |
$62,070 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
50 |
$15.04 |
$31,280 |
| Civil engineers |
50 |
$33.53 |
$69,730 |
| Coaches and scouts |
50 |
Not available |
$42,170 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
50 |
$44.54 |
$92,650 |
| Computer programmers |
50 |
$29.19 |
$60,710 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
50 |
$20.63 |
$42,920 |
| English language and literature teachers, postsecondary |
50 |
Not available |
$65,620 |
| Health educators |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
50 |
$30.76 |
$63,970 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
50 |
$20.49 |
$42,620 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
50 |
$9.45 |
$19,660 |
| Legislators |
50 |
Not available |
$22,280 |
| Loan officers |
50 |
$30.56 |
$63,570 |
| Market research analysts |
50 |
$37.76 |
$78,530 |
| Marketing managers |
50 |
$51.51 |
$107,150 |
| Opticians, dispensing |
50 |
$15.10 |
$31,400 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
50 |
$14.91 |
$31,020 |
| Procurement clerks |
50 |
$17.07 |
$35,510 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
50 |
$25.61 |
$53,270 |
| Respiratory therapists |
50 |
$34.11 |
$70,960 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Security and fire alarm systems installers |
50 |
$18.82 |
$39,150 |
| Social and community service managers |
50 |
$28.94 |
$60,200 |
| Social workers, all other |
50 |
$17.25 |
$35,870 |
| Surgical technologists |
50 |
$18.51 |
$38,500 |
| Biological science teachers, postsecondary |
40 |
Not available |
$67,580 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
40 |
$21.03 |
$43,730 |
| Computer operators |
40 |
$17.55 |
$36,500 |
| Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Crane and tower operators |
40 |
$22.51 |
$46,830 |
| Demonstrators and product promoters |
40 |
$14.76 |
$30,710 |
| Dentists, general |
40 |
$77.10 |
$160,380 |
| Diagnostic medical sonographers |
40 |
$35.20 |
$73,220 |
| Electronics engineers, except computer |
40 |
$36.43 |
$75,770 |
| Engineering managers |
40 |
$43.65 |
$90,800 |
| Funeral attendants |
40 |
$9.58 |
$19,920 |
| Graphic designers |
40 |
$16.23 |
$33,760 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
40 |
$11.12 |
$23,130 |
| Instructional coordinators |
40 |
$24.90 |
$51,790 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
40 |
$10.34 |
$21,510 |
| Management analysts |
40 |
$30.06 |
$62,530 |
| Managers, all other |
40 |
$28.94 |
$60,190 |
| Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary |
40 |
Not available |
$71,360 |
| Mental health counselors |
40 |
$19.25 |
$40,030 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
40 |
$27.66 |
$57,530 |
| Order clerks |
40 |
$15.30 |
$31,830 |
| Photographers |
40 |
$10.11 |
$21,030 |
| Physical therapist aides |
40 |
$10.57 |
$21,980 |
| Physical therapist assistants |
40 |
$17.95 |
$37,330 |
| Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks |
40 |
$10.84 |
$22,550 |
| Residential advisors |
40 |
$9.85 |
$20,500 |
| Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors |
40 |
$19.90 |
$41,400 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
40 |
$43.12 |
$89,680 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
40 |
$17.05 |
$35,470 |
| Advertising sales agents |
30 |
$26.65 |
$55,420 |
| Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians |
30 |
$12.47 |
$25,930 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
30 |
$22.37 |
$46,530 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
30 |
$12.36 |
$25,710 |
| Fiberglass laminators and fabricators |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Nuclear medicine technologists |
30 |
$31.33 |
$65,170 |
| Pest control workers |
30 |
$12.79 |
$26,590 |
| Postal service clerks |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
30 |
$16.77 |
$34,890 |
| Recreational therapists |
30 |
$18.42 |
$38,310 |
| Telemarketers |
30 |
$9.53 |
$19,820 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
30 |
$9.28 |
$19,300 |
| Veterinarians |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors |
Not available |
$23.37 |
$48,610 |
| Construction and related workers, all other |
Not available |
$21.10 |
$43,880 |
| Cooks, short order |
Not available |
$7.48 |
$15,570 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
Not available |
$12.93 |
$26,890 |
| Family and general practitioners |
Not available |
$92.48 |
$192,350 |
| Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse |
Not available |
$9.09 |
$18,910 |
| Floral designers |
Not available |
$10.83 |
$22,520 |
| Funeral directors |
Not available |
$19.45 |
$40,450 |
| Helpers--electricians |
Not available |
$13.83 |
$28,760 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
Not available |
$17.59 |
$36,580 |
| Internists, general |
Not available |
More than $70 |
More than $145,600 |
| Legal secretaries |
Not available |
$15.91 |
$33,090 |
| Machine feeders and offbearers |
Not available |
$15.02 |
$31,230 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
Not available |
$11.12 |
$23,130 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
Not available |
$19.55 |
$40,660 |
| Public relations specialists |
Not available |
$21.94 |
$45,620 |
| Real estate brokers |
Not available |
$24.75 |
$51,490 |
| Sheet metal workers |
Not available |
$20.40 |
$42,440 |
