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 |
43,860 |
$15.50 |
$32,240 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
8,460 |
$13.39 |
$27,850 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
4,510 |
$8.18 |
$17,020 |
| Sales and related occupations |
4,430 |
$13.30 |
$27,660 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
3,020 |
$19.41 |
$40,380 |
| Production occupations |
2,900 |
$12.97 |
$26,980 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
2,690 |
$29.82 |
$62,020 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
2,400 |
$10.84 |
$22,550 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,340 |
$14.34 |
$29,820 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,230 |
$16.06 |
$33,400 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
2,160 |
$8.69 |
$18,080 |
| Retail salespersons |
1,740 |
$10.61 |
$22,060 |
| Management occupations |
1,430 |
$37.65 |
$78,300 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
1,370 |
$9.42 |
$19,600 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,330 |
$23.43 |
$48,730 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
1,290 |
$7.53 |
$15,660 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,250 |
$10.32 |
$21,460 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,090 |
$7.49 |
$15,570 |
| Cashiers |
1,080 |
$7.75 |
$16,130 |
| Registered nurses |
1,020 |
$26.84 |
$55,820 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
980 |
$11.27 |
$23,440 |
| Office clerks, general |
810 |
$11.36 |
$23,620 |
| Protective service occupations |
800 |
$23.00 |
$47,840 |
| Community and social services occupations |
780 |
$13.63 |
$28,360 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
630 |
Not available |
$40,970 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
620 |
$8.85 |
$18,410 |
| Construction laborers |
610 |
$10.77 |
$22,400 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
600 |
$18.31 |
$38,080 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
590 |
$8.20 |
$17,060 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
570 |
$10.21 |
$21,230 |
| General and operations managers |
560 |
$40.97 |
$85,220 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
560 |
$9.71 |
$20,200 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
530 |
$14.05 |
$29,220 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
530 |
$17.67 |
$36,750 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
510 |
Not available |
$44,850 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
480 |
$16.37 |
$34,050 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
470 |
$26.99 |
$56,130 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
470 |
$27.47 |
$57,130 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
470 |
$19.59 |
$40,750 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
450 |
$12.72 |
$26,450 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
430 |
$11.91 |
$24,770 |
| Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers |
410 |
$10.24 |
$21,300 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
380 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
370 |
Not available |
$41,540 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
360 |
$9.05 |
$18,820 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
360 |
$14.18 |
$29,490 |
| Bill and account collectors |
350 |
$14.91 |
$31,010 |
| Accountants and auditors |
340 |
$24.84 |
$51,660 |
| Teacher assistants |
340 |
Not available |
$17,550 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
330 |
$9.12 |
$18,960 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
320 |
$9.96 |
$20,710 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
310 |
$15.46 |
$32,160 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
310 |
$13.39 |
$27,850 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
280 |
$20.26 |
$42,150 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
270 |
$23.45 |
$48,780 |
| Dishwashers |
260 |
$7.13 |
$14,830 |
| Child care workers |
250 |
$7.03 |
$14,630 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
250 |
$26.25 |
$54,610 |
| Tellers |
250 |
$10.12 |
$21,060 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
240 |
$16.64 |
$34,610 |
| Carpenters |
240 |
$12.74 |
$26,500 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
230 |
$7.46 |
$15,520 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
210 |
$22.50 |
$46,810 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
200 |
$9.76 |
$20,300 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
190 |
$21.09 |
$43,880 |
| Recreation workers |
190 |
$13.70 |
$28,510 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
180 |
$25.01 |
$52,010 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
180 |
$21.83 |
$45,410 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
180 |
$7.62 |
$15,850 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
180 |
$13.15 |
$27,350 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
160 |
$7.26 |
$15,090 |
| Home health aides |
160 |
$8.56 |
$17,800 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
160 |
$11.72 |
$24,380 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
160 |
$14.45 |
$30,050 |
| Bartenders |
150 |
$7.46 |
$15,520 |
| Electricians |
150 |
$17.52 |
$36,430 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
150 |
$12.13 |
$25,230 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
150 |
$21.06 |
$43,810 |
| Legal occupations |
150 |
$23.11 |
$48,070 |
| Medical assistants |
150 |
$10.55 |
$21,940 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
150 |
$7.84 |
$16,300 |
| Roustabouts, oil and gas |
150 |
$13.95 |
$29,020 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
140 |
$7.61 |
$15,820 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
140 |
$9.87 |
$20,540 |
| Driver/sales workers |
140 |
$11.38 |
$23,670 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
140 |
$24.28 |
$50,510 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
140 |
$18.85 |
$39,210 |
| Bus drivers, school |
130 |
$8.25 |
$17,160 |
| Data entry keyers |
130 |
$9.15 |
$19,040 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
130 |
$26.29 |
$54,690 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
130 |
$12.45 |
$25,910 |
| Loan officers |
130 |
$24.76 |
$51,500 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
130 |
$13.72 |
$28,540 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
130 |
$12.37 |
$25,730 |
| Team assemblers |
130 |
$10.98 |
$22,830 |
| Computer support specialists |
120 |
$25.59 |
$53,230 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
120 |
$10.60 |
$22,050 |
| Management analysts |
120 |
$23.38 |
$48,640 |
| Slaughterers and meat packers |
120 |
$7.80 |
$16,220 |
| Cooks, fast food |
110 |
$7.33 |
$15,250 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
110 |
$8.35 |
$17,370 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
110 |
$100.68 |
$209,410 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
110 |
$9.75 |
$20,270 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
110 |
$17.09 |
$35,550 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
100 |
$11.95 |
$24,850 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
100 |
$9.27 |
$19,280 |
| Food preparation workers |
100 |
$8.20 |
$17,060 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
100 |
$23.85 |
$49,600 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
90 |
$16.86 |
$35,070 |
| Dental assistants |
90 |
$13.25 |
$27,560 |
| Detectives and criminal investigators |
90 |
$32.78 |
$68,170 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
90 |
Not available |
$61,140 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
90 |
$16.60 |
$34,530 |
| Lawyers |
90 |
$26.01 |
$54,100 |
| Medical and health services managers |
90 |
$43.04 |
$89,530 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
90 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Printing machine operators |
90 |
$14.13 |
$29,380 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
90 |
$11.91 |
$24,780 |
| Computer systems analysts |
80 |
$28.45 |
$59,170 |
| File clerks |
80 |
$8.68 |
$18,050 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
80 |
$27.93 |
$58,100 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
80 |
$13.35 |
$27,760 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
80 |
$7.25 |
$15,090 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
80 |
$23.98 |
$49,870 |
| Sewing machine operators |
80 |
$7.54 |
$15,690 |
| Administrative services managers |
70 |
$34.27 |
$71,270 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
70 |
$7.22 |
$15,010 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
70 |
$14.83 |
$30,840 |
| Construction managers |
70 |
$30.79 |
$64,040 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
70 |
$15.28 |
$31,790 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
70 |
$23.38 |
$48,640 |
| Financial managers |
70 |
$36.41 |
$75,730 |
| Food preparation and serving related workers, all other |
70 |
$11.34 |
$23,590 |
| Machinists |
70 |
$17.18 |
$35,730 |
| Medical secretaries |
70 |
$11.39 |
$23,690 |
| Occupational therapists |
70 |
$15.19 |
$31,580 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
70 |
$12.89 |
$26,800 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
70 |
$12.27 |
$25,530 |
| Parts salespersons |
70 |
$14.85 |
$30,890 |
| Pharmacists |
70 |
$53.36 |
$110,990 |
| Security guards |
70 |
$12.36 |
$25,700 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
60 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Couriers and messengers |
60 |
$7.27 |
$15,120 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
60 |
$13.99 |
$29,100 |
| Helpers--production workers |
60 |
$9.68 |
$20,120 |
| Librarians |
60 |
$24.14 |
$50,200 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
60 |
$21.66 |
$45,060 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
60 |
$15.01 |
$31,220 |
| Service station attendants |
60 |
$7.77 |
$16,160 |
| Structural metal fabricators and fitters |
60 |
$12.60 |
$26,200 |
| Surgical technologists |
60 |
$20.44 |
$42,510 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
60 |
$8.98 |
$18,680 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
50 |
$14.17 |
$29,470 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
50 |
$10.40 |
$21,630 |
| Construction and building inspectors |
50 |
$20.09 |
$41,780 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
50 |
$12.75 |
$26,510 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
50 |
$16.46 |
$34,240 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
50 |
$17.38 |
$36,150 |
| Food service managers |
50 |
$25.61 |
$53,280 |
| Helpers--electricians |
50 |
$10.14 |
$21,090 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
50 |
$14.97 |
$31,130 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
50 |
$16.66 |
$34,650 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
50 |
$22.40 |
$46,580 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
50 |
$12.99 |
$27,020 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
50 |
$9.23 |
$19,190 |
| Physical therapists |
50 |
$38.94 |
$81,000 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
50 |
$17.63 |
$36,670 |
| Public relations specialists |
50 |
$22.18 |
$46,120 |
| Respiratory therapists |
50 |
$22.65 |
$47,110 |
| Sales managers |
50 |
$44.23 |
$92,000 |
| Training and development specialists |
50 |
$18.39 |
$38,240 |
| Vocational education teachers, secondary school |
50 |
Not available |
$43,950 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
40 |
$8.39 |
$17,450 |
| Chief executives |
40 |
$71.14 |
$147,960 |
| Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders |
40 |
$10.50 |
$21,840 |
| Cost estimators |
40 |
$19.89 |
$41,380 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
40 |
$23.21 |
$48,290 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
40 |
$14.35 |
$29,850 |
| Floral designers |
40 |
$9.21 |
$19,150 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
40 |
Not available |
$40,840 |
| Managers, all other |
40 |
$29.60 |
$61,570 |
| Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials |
40 |
$7.26 |
$15,100 |
| Procurement clerks |
40 |
$16.03 |
$33,340 |
| Social and community service managers |
40 |
$29.17 |
$60,680 |
| Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products |
40 |
$21.30 |
$44,290 |
| Advertising sales agents |
30 |
$14.97 |
$31,130 |
| Civil engineers |
30 |
$27.23 |
$56,630 |
| Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists |
30 |
$20.07 |
$41,750 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
30 |
$24.19 |
$50,310 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
30 |
$27.55 |
$57,300 |
| Graphic designers |
30 |
$16.21 |
$33,710 |
| Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
30 |
$11.81 |
$24,560 |
| Library technicians |
30 |
$12.14 |
$25,250 |
| Market research analysts |
30 |
$20.16 |
$41,930 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
30 |
$26.99 |
$56,150 |
| Aircraft mechanics and service technicians |
Not available |
$16.69 |
$34,720 |
| Coaches and scouts |
Not available |
Not available |
$26,770 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
Not available |
$16.91 |
$35,170 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
Not available |
$16.29 |
$33,890 |
| Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door |
Not available |
$18.36 |
$38,190 |
| Cooks, short order |
Not available |
$7.81 |
$16,250 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
Not available |
$8.01 |
$16,670 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
Not available |
$13.70 |
$28,490 |
| Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks |
Not available |
$10.45 |
$21,730 |
| Crossing guards |
Not available |
$9.52 |
$19,790 |
| Dental laboratory technicians |
Not available |
$16.72 |
$34,780 |
| Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment |
Not available |
$24.48 |
$50,930 |
| Electrical engineers |
Not available |
$42.68 |
$88,770 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
Not available |
$15.02 |
$31,230 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
Not available |
$35.10 |
$73,000 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
Not available |
$13.87 |
$28,850 |
| Insurance sales agents |
Not available |
$18.26 |
$37,970 |
| Loan counselors |
Not available |
$19.40 |
$40,350 |
| Mechanical drafters |
Not available |
$23.39 |
$48,660 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
Not available |
$18.76 |
$39,020 |
| Motor vehicle operators, all other |
Not available |
$9.84 |
$20,460 |
| New accounts clerks |
Not available |
$13.56 |
$28,210 |
| Personal and home care aides |
Not available |
$7.00 |
$14,560 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
Not available |
$14.46 |
$30,070 |
| Telecommunications line installers and repairers |
Not available |
$19.28 |
$40,100 |
| Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping |
Not available |
$8.85 |
$18,420 |
