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 |
64,270 |
$18.63 |
$38,740 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
10,110 |
$15.03 |
$31,250 |
| Sales and related occupations |
7,700 |
$15.30 |
$31,830 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
6,700 |
$10.35 |
$21,520 |
| Management occupations |
5,580 |
$35.66 |
$74,170 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
3,810 |
$16.41 |
$34,130 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
3,670 |
$19.89 |
$41,370 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
3,660 |
$27.77 |
$57,760 |
| Retail salespersons |
3,270 |
$12.91 |
$26,850 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
3,230 |
$29.95 |
$62,290 |
| Community and social services occupations |
3,150 |
$15.94 |
$33,160 |
| General and operations managers |
2,570 |
$38.35 |
$79,770 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
2,400 |
$12.15 |
$25,280 |
| Cashiers |
1,910 |
$10.25 |
$21,310 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
1,830 |
$13.23 |
$27,520 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,670 |
$12.73 |
$26,470 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
1,650 |
$16.85 |
$35,060 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,590 |
$9.17 |
$19,060 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,460 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Production occupations |
1,410 |
$13.91 |
$28,930 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,410 |
$14.19 |
$29,520 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
1,110 |
$17.15 |
$35,680 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
1,100 |
$29.64 |
$61,660 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,050 |
$11.77 |
$24,490 |
| Accountants and auditors |
1,040 |
$26.68 |
$55,500 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
1,040 |
$9.76 |
$20,290 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,010 |
$14.94 |
$31,080 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
1,000 |
$19.54 |
$40,650 |
| Registered nurses |
940 |
$28.47 |
$59,210 |
| Teacher assistants |
910 |
Not available |
$19,600 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
890 |
$24.76 |
$51,500 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
830 |
$28.41 |
$59,090 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
780 |
$11.36 |
$23,620 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
770 |
$10.22 |
$21,250 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
750 |
$22.85 |
$47,530 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
750 |
$11.08 |
$23,040 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
710 |
$11.58 |
$24,080 |
| Construction laborers |
700 |
$12.11 |
$25,190 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
690 |
$20.72 |
$43,100 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
670 |
$13.43 |
$27,930 |
| Carpenters |
650 |
$17.37 |
$36,130 |
| Management analysts |
650 |
$29.36 |
$61,060 |
| Home health aides |
640 |
$11.15 |
$23,190 |
| Social and human service assistants |
640 |
$12.32 |
$25,630 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
620 |
$13.57 |
$28,230 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
590 |
$12.37 |
$25,730 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
540 |
$14.79 |
$30,760 |
| Legal occupations |
510 |
$36.35 |
$75,610 |
| Administrative services managers |
500 |
$30.22 |
$62,860 |
| Customer service representatives |
500 |
$13.27 |
$27,600 |
| Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists |
490 |
$21.53 |
$44,790 |
| Dishwashers |
490 |
$9.44 |
$19,640 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
490 |
$11.17 |
$23,240 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
480 |
$14.83 |
$30,850 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
470 |
$19.63 |
$40,830 |
| Security guards |
470 |
$11.98 |
$24,930 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
430 |
$25.21 |
$52,440 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
430 |
$10.54 |
$21,920 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
420 |
$18.80 |
$39,100 |
| Financial managers |
420 |
$46.52 |
$96,760 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
410 |
$12.39 |
$25,760 |
| Food preparation workers |
400 |
$10.78 |
$22,420 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
400 |
$22.90 |
$47,640 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
390 |
$9.10 |
$18,930 |
| Tellers |
360 |
$11.38 |
$23,680 |
| Social and community service managers |
350 |
$20.22 |
$42,060 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
340 |
$25.36 |
$52,740 |
| Bartenders |
320 |
$8.76 |
$18,220 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
320 |
$15.31 |
$31,850 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
310 |
$19.15 |
$39,820 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
290 |
$14.78 |
$30,740 |
| Lawyers |
270 |
$49.84 |
$103,660 |
| Cooks, fast food |
250 |
$9.43 |
$19,620 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
250 |
$12.21 |
$25,400 |
| Medical and health services managers |
240 |
$41.31 |
$85,930 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
240 |
$19.85 |
$41,280 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
230 |
$10.26 |
$21,340 |
| Personal and home care aides |
230 |
$8.61 |
$17,910 |
| Sales managers |
230 |
$33.88 |
$70,460 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
230 |
Not available |
$66,910 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
210 |
$8.72 |
$18,140 |
| Dental assistants |
200 |
$18.54 |
$38,570 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
200 |
$16.40 |
$34,120 |
| Computer systems analysts |
190 |
$24.46 |
$50,870 |
| Construction managers |
190 |
$32.88 |
$68,400 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
190 |
$23.48 |
$48,830 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
190 |
$18.73 |
$38,960 |
| Medical secretaries |
190 |
$14.41 |
$29,960 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
190 |
$25.73 |
$53,520 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
190 |
$15.83 |
$32,930 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
180 |
$11.48 |
$23,870 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
180 |
$21.33 |
$44,360 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
180 |
$20.25 |
$42,120 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
180 |
$26.30 |
$54,710 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
180 |
$15.74 |
$32,740 |
| Advertising sales agents |
170 |
$23.15 |
$48,140 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other |
170 |
$11.88 |
$24,710 |
| Personal financial advisors |
170 |
$49.42 |
$102,800 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
160 |
$12.78 |
$26,580 |
| Bill and account collectors |
150 |
$13.80 |
$28,700 |
| Civil engineers |
150 |
$38.48 |
$80,050 |
| Computer software engineers, systems software |
150 |
$38.59 |
$80,270 |
| Gaming dealers |
150 |
$8.13 |
$16,920 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
150 |
$14.22 |
$29,570 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
150 |
$12.90 |
$26,840 |
| Insurance sales agents |
150 |
$17.95 |
$37,330 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
150 |
$16.02 |
$33,320 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
150 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
150 |
$13.20 |
$27,460 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
150 |
$11.21 |
$23,320 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
140 |
$50.88 |
$105,830 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
140 |
$27.19 |
$56,550 |
| Driver/sales workers |
140 |
$12.05 |
$25,060 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
140 |
$10.62 |
$22,100 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
140 |
$15.22 |
$31,670 |
| Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
130 |
$12.43 |
$25,860 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
120 |
$14.95 |
$31,100 |
| Financial analysts |
120 |
Not available |
Not available |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
120 |
$16.04 |
$33,370 |
| Managers, all other |
120 |
$32.27 |
$67,120 |
| Medical assistants |
120 |
$14.87 |
$30,930 |
| Pharmacists |
120 |
$51.05 |
$106,180 |
| Public relations specialists |
120 |
$28.46 |
$59,200 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
120 |
$20.28 |
$42,170 |
| All other information and record clerks |
110 |
$12.81 |
$26,640 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
110 |
$24.00 |
$49,920 |
| Chefs and head cooks |
110 |
$19.93 |
$41,450 |
| Child care workers |
110 |
$15.69 |
$32,630 |
| Cooks, short order |
110 |
$10.62 |
$22,090 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
110 |
$21.60 |
$44,920 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
110 |
$14.55 |
$30,270 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
110 |
$13.55 |
$28,190 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
100 |
$14.89 |
$30,970 |
| Bakers |
100 |
$11.42 |
$23,750 |
| Bus drivers, transit and intercity |
100 |
$13.25 |
$27,570 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
100 |
$17.12 |
$35,610 |
| Family and general practitioners |
100 |
$73.23 |
$152,320 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
100 |
$13.29 |
$27,630 |
| Financial specialists, all other |
100 |
$21.04 |
$43,770 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
100 |
$11.69 |
$24,320 |
| Graphic designers |
100 |
$21.97 |
$45,700 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
100 |
$10.05 |
$20,900 |
| Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers |
100 |
$14.42 |
$29,990 |
| Library technicians |
100 |
$12.95 |
$26,940 |
| Loan officers |
100 |
$31.42 |
$65,360 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
100 |
$12.11 |
$25,180 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
100 |
$23.98 |
$49,890 |
| Training and development specialists |
100 |
$21.52 |
$44,770 |
| Architects, except landscape and naval |
90 |
$33.16 |
$68,970 |
| Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary |
90 |
Not available |
$51,270 |
| Budget analysts |
90 |
$26.85 |
$55,840 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
90 |
$24.09 |
$50,110 |
| Computer support specialists |
90 |
$19.18 |
$39,900 |
| Health educators |
90 |
$19.99 |
$41,580 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
90 |
$15.17 |
$31,550 |
| Helpers--production workers |
90 |
$13.08 |
$27,210 |
| Legal secretaries |
90 |
$17.31 |
$35,990 |
| Parking lot attendants |
90 |
$10.20 |
$21,220 |
| Roofers |
90 |
$11.96 |
$24,870 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
90 |
$47.41 |
$98,610 |
| Surveying and mapping technicians |
90 |
$16.81 |
$34,970 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
90 |
$12.46 |
$25,910 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
80 |
$16.30 |
$33,890 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
80 |
$19.83 |
$41,240 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
80 |
$11.52 |
$23,960 |
| Data entry keyers |
80 |
$10.33 |
$21,480 |
| Database administrators |
80 |
$26.35 |
$54,800 |
| Education administrators, postsecondary |
80 |
$34.76 |
$72,300 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
80 |
$19.27 |
$40,090 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
80 |
$21.51 |
$44,730 |
| Food service managers |
80 |
$23.86 |
$49,620 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
80 |
$16.34 |
$34,000 |
| Librarians |
80 |
$18.75 |
$39,010 |
| Order clerks |
80 |
$14.32 |
$29,780 |
| Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors |
70 |
$22.65 |
$47,120 |
| Coaches and scouts |
70 |
Not available |
$49,260 |
| Dental hygienists |
70 |
$38.73 |
$80,570 |
| Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse |
70 |
$12.62 |
$26,240 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
70 |
$17.97 |
$37,380 |
| Helpers, construction trades, all other |
70 |
$14.26 |
$29,660 |
| Physical therapists |
70 |
$32.09 |
$66,760 |
| Procurement clerks |
70 |
$12.41 |
$25,820 |
| Service station attendants |
70 |
$10.83 |
$22,520 |
| Tour guides and escorts |
70 |
$11.15 |
$23,200 |
| Appraisers and assessors of real estate |
60 |
$21.08 |
$43,850 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
60 |
$29.65 |
$61,670 |
| Dentists, general |
60 |
$77.64 |
$161,480 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
60 |
$17.37 |
$36,130 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
60 |
$16.00 |
$33,290 |
| Forest and conservation technicians |
60 |
$16.58 |
$34,490 |
| Gaming supervisors |
60 |
$16.90 |
$35,150 |
| Instructional coordinators |
60 |
$21.28 |
$44,260 |
| Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers |
60 |
$11.24 |
$23,380 |
| Marketing managers |
60 |
$32.12 |
$66,810 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
60 |
$17.25 |
$35,870 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
60 |
$22.69 |
$47,180 |
| New accounts clerks |
60 |
$15.87 |
$33,010 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
60 |
$11.66 |
$24,250 |
| Parts salespersons |
60 |
$13.25 |
$27,560 |
| Public relations managers |
60 |
$29.65 |
$61,670 |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
60 |
$15.93 |
$33,140 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
60 |
$31.50 |
$65,520 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
60 |
$16.02 |
$33,320 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
60 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
50 |
$10.72 |
$22,300 |
| Cost estimators |
50 |
$27.37 |
$56,940 |
| Eligibility interviewers, government programs |
50 |
$14.29 |
$29,730 |
| File clerks |
50 |
$12.55 |
$26,110 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
50 |
$21.51 |
$44,740 |
| Human resources managers, all other |
50 |
$25.23 |
$52,480 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
50 |
$17.64 |
$36,690 |
| Massage therapists |
50 |
$10.76 |
$22,390 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
50 |
$103.33 |
$214,940 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
50 |
$26.47 |
$55,060 |
| Real estate sales agents |
50 |
$19.35 |
$40,250 |
| Recreation workers |
50 |
$16.61 |
$34,560 |
| Veterinarians |
50 |
$31.61 |
$65,740 |
| Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers |
50 |
$13.10 |
$27,250 |
| Vocational education teachers, postsecondary |
50 |
$15.36 |
$31,940 |
| Baggage porters and bellhops |
40 |
$7.81 |
$16,240 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
40 |
$14.23 |
$29,600 |
| Computer operators |
40 |
$18.96 |
$39,430 |
| Construction and building inspectors |
40 |
$28.59 |
$59,460 |
| Environmental engineers |
40 |
$36.47 |
$75,850 |
| First-line supervisors/managers, protective service workers, all other |
40 |
$14.99 |
$31,180 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
40 |
$14.64 |
$30,450 |
| Market research analysts |
40 |
$20.65 |
$42,960 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
40 |
$25.63 |
$53,320 |
| Mental health counselors |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Natural sciences managers |
40 |
$37.04 |
$77,040 |
| Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors |
40 |
$21.24 |
$44,180 |
| Surveyors |
40 |
$28.63 |
$59,560 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
30 |
$15.34 |
$31,900 |
| Education administrators, preschool and child care center/program |
30 |
$26.00 |
$54,080 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
30 |
$21.99 |
$45,740 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
30 |
$12.80 |
$26,620 |
| Office machine operators, except computer |
30 |
$14.65 |
$30,470 |
| Postal service clerks |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Prepress technicians and workers |
30 |
$16.66 |
$34,660 |
| Production workers, all other |
30 |
$13.91 |
$28,940 |
| Reporters and correspondents |
30 |
$13.47 |
$28,030 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
30 |
$16.38 |
$34,080 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
30 |
$21.49 |
$44,700 |
| Actors |
Not available |
$8.90 |
Not available |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
Not available |
$20.78 |
$43,230 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
Not available |
$43.02 |
$89,490 |
| Couriers and messengers |
Not available |
$11.13 |
$23,150 |
| Desktop publishers |
Not available |
$10.22 |
$21,270 |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers |
Not available |
$15.45 |
$32,140 |
| Electricians |
Not available |
$19.52 |
$40,610 |
| Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other |
Not available |
$13.94 |
$28,990 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
Not available |
$38.99 |
$81,090 |
| Food batchmakers |
Not available |
$7.61 |
$15,830 |
| Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers |
Not available |
$32.35 |
$67,290 |
| Landscape architects |
Not available |
$23.13 |
$48,110 |
| Museum technicians and conservators |
Not available |
$14.83 |
$30,850 |
| Plasterers and stucco masons |
Not available |
$15.29 |
$31,790 |
| Real estate brokers |
Not available |
$47.29 |
$98,370 |
| Self-enrichment education teachers |
Not available |
$24.51 |
$50,980 |
| Sheet metal workers |
Not available |
$20.87 |
$43,400 |
| Stonemasons |
Not available |
$16.28 |
$33,870 |
| Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers |
Not available |
$13.95 |
$29,030 |
| Tile and marble setters |
Not available |
$15.35 |
$31,930 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
Not available |
$13.05 |
$27,150 |
| Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers |
Not available |
$24.38 |
$50,700 |
