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 |
47,000 |
$17.62 |
$36,650 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
8,140 |
$14.25 |
$29,640 |
| Sales and related occupations |
6,480 |
$16.05 |
$33,390 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
5,190 |
$10.45 |
$21,730 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
3,420 |
$30.61 |
$63,670 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,860 |
$18.10 |
$37,640 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
2,290 |
$23.59 |
$49,070 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
2,130 |
$11.91 |
$24,780 |
| Retail salespersons |
2,120 |
$14.15 |
$29,430 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
2,100 |
$13.40 |
$27,860 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,070 |
$16.79 |
$34,910 |
| Production occupations |
2,000 |
$15.21 |
$31,640 |
| Cashiers |
1,900 |
$8.90 |
$18,510 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,710 |
$12.22 |
$25,420 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,510 |
$9.91 |
$20,610 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
1,490 |
$30.27 |
$62,960 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,400 |
$12.20 |
$25,390 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
1,310 |
$10.67 |
$22,190 |
| Management occupations |
1,230 |
$43.88 |
$91,260 |
| Registered nurses |
1,220 |
$26.83 |
$55,810 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,060 |
$19.25 |
$40,030 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
990 |
$13.10 |
$27,240 |
| Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse |
980 |
$10.18 |
$21,170 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
970 |
$10.65 |
$22,140 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
900 |
$11.44 |
$23,790 |
| Office clerks, general |
870 |
$10.85 |
$22,560 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
770 |
$15.25 |
$31,720 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
690 |
$11.25 |
$23,390 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
610 |
$11.19 |
$23,280 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
610 |
Not available |
$54,450 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
610 |
$13.23 |
$27,510 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
580 |
$11.74 |
$24,420 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
570 |
$17.51 |
$36,410 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
560 |
$27.29 |
$56,760 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
560 |
$21.22 |
$44,130 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
540 |
$21.54 |
$44,800 |
| Carpenters |
510 |
$15.87 |
$33,010 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
510 |
$8.12 |
$16,880 |
| Customer service representatives |
490 |
$12.27 |
$25,520 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
480 |
$12.93 |
$26,900 |
| Food preparation workers |
470 |
$9.49 |
$19,730 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
440 |
$9.38 |
$19,510 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
420 |
$18.68 |
$38,850 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
410 |
$32.66 |
$67,940 |
| Dishwashers |
390 |
$8.38 |
$17,440 |
| Accountants and auditors |
370 |
$31.20 |
$64,890 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
370 |
$27.29 |
$56,760 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
350 |
$30.37 |
$63,170 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
350 |
$18.61 |
$38,700 |
| Community and social services occupations |
340 |
$19.79 |
$41,160 |
| Home health aides |
330 |
$10.21 |
$21,230 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
330 |
$9.47 |
$19,690 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
330 |
$8.15 |
$16,960 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
320 |
$18.73 |
$38,960 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
320 |
Not available |
$55,550 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
310 |
$28.26 |
$58,770 |
| General and operations managers |
310 |
$47.04 |
$97,840 |
| Legal occupations |
300 |
$37.43 |
$77,860 |
| Electricians |
270 |
$20.24 |
$42,100 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
260 |
Not available |
$55,550 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
260 |
$24.11 |
$50,160 |
| Teacher assistants |
260 |
Not available |
$26,970 |
| Tellers |
260 |
$12.38 |
$25,750 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
260 |
$17.21 |
$35,800 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
240 |
$18.83 |
$39,160 |
| Real estate sales agents |
240 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Security guards |
240 |
$10.20 |
$21,220 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
240 |
$12.71 |
$26,430 |
| Child care workers |
230 |
$12.59 |
$26,190 |
| Construction laborers |
230 |
$11.88 |
$24,710 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
230 |
$12.04 |
$25,040 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
220 |
$26.51 |
$55,140 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
220 |
$8.82 |
$18,340 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
220 |
$8.94 |
$18,600 |
| Medical assistants |
220 |
$12.61 |
$26,220 |
| Medical secretaries |
220 |
$15.94 |
$33,150 |
| Bus drivers, school |
210 |
$13.85 |
$28,800 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
210 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
200 |
$9.22 |
$19,170 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
190 |
$12.81 |
$26,640 |
| Insurance sales agents |
190 |
$17.58 |
$36,560 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
180 |
$13.94 |
$28,990 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
170 |
$10.60 |
$22,050 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
170 |
$17.87 |
$37,160 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
170 |
$25.70 |
$53,450 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
170 |
$18.15 |
$37,750 |
| Bartenders |
160 |
$9.61 |
$19,980 |
| Lawyers |
160 |
$53.60 |
$111,480 |
| Roofers |
160 |
$14.23 |
$29,590 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
150 |
$12.51 |
$26,020 |
| Management analysts |
150 |
$39.47 |
$82,100 |
| Personal financial advisors |
150 |
$46.98 |
$97,730 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
150 |
$12.32 |
$25,630 |
| Construction and related workers, all other |
140 |
$19.84 |
$41,280 |
| Construction managers |
140 |
$43.28 |
$90,020 |
| Dental assistants |
140 |
$15.92 |
$33,110 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
140 |
$97.12 |
$202,010 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
140 |
$22.14 |
$46,040 |
| Recreation workers |
140 |
$11.12 |
$23,130 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
130 |
$14.92 |
$31,030 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
130 |
$14.10 |
$29,320 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
130 |
$27.33 |
$56,840 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
130 |
$24.38 |
$50,720 |
| Helpers--production workers |
130 |
$12.01 |
$24,980 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
130 |
$11.52 |
$23,970 |
| Coaches and scouts |
120 |
Not available |
$42,170 |
| Dental hygienists |
120 |
$28.63 |
$59,560 |
| Graders and sorters, agricultural products |
120 |
$8.03 |
$16,690 |
| Loan officers |
120 |
$31.52 |
$65,550 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
120 |
$25.31 |
$52,650 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
120 |
Not available |
$36,450 |
| Agricultural equipment operators |
110 |
$8.79 |
$18,270 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
110 |
$21.43 |
$44,570 |
| File clerks |
110 |
$11.84 |
$24,630 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
110 |
$10.92 |
$22,710 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
110 |
$9.44 |
$19,630 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
110 |
$8.81 |
$18,320 |
| Personal care and service workers, all other |
110 |
$9.11 |
$18,940 |
| Pharmacists |
110 |
$50.54 |
$105,120 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
110 |
$18.57 |
$38,630 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
110 |
$23.23 |
$48,310 |
| Chief executives |
100 |
$70.35 |
$146,330 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
100 |
$9.68 |
$20,130 |
| Computer support specialists |
100 |
$17.04 |
$35,440 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
100 |
Not available |
$54,360 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
100 |
$15.26 |
$31,740 |
| Cost estimators |
90 |
$24.24 |
$50,410 |
| Demonstrators and product promoters |
90 |
$10.82 |
$22,510 |
| Financial managers |
90 |
$49.76 |
$103,500 |
| Order clerks |
90 |
$12.07 |
$25,100 |
| Physical therapists |
90 |
$39.75 |
$82,680 |
| Butchers and meat cutters |
80 |
$13.37 |
$27,800 |
| Commercial pilots |
80 |
Not available |
$78,310 |
| Opticians, dispensing |
80 |
$18.32 |
$38,100 |
| Pest control workers |
80 |
$19.40 |
$40,360 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
80 |
$22.65 |
$47,100 |
| Surveying and mapping technicians |
80 |
$16.23 |
$33,760 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
80 |
$9.80 |
$20,380 |
| Data entry keyers |
70 |
$13.69 |
$28,480 |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers |
70 |
$14.21 |
$29,560 |
| Education, training, and library workers, all other |
70 |
$32.55 |
$67,700 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of farming, fishing, and forestry workers |
70 |
$21.63 |
$44,990 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
70 |
$22.65 |
$47,110 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
70 |
$21.37 |
$44,440 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
70 |
$15.75 |
$32,760 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
70 |
$8.99 |
$18,690 |
| Interior designers |
70 |
$18.43 |
$38,330 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
70 |
$13.05 |
$27,150 |
| Parts salespersons |
70 |
$13.24 |
$27,540 |
| Sales managers |
70 |
$51.18 |
$106,450 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
70 |
$52.62 |
$109,450 |
| Team assemblers |
70 |
$12.84 |
$26,710 |
| All other information and record clerks |
60 |
$13.01 |
$27,060 |
| Architects, except landscape and naval |
60 |
$33.43 |
$69,520 |
| Bill and account collectors |
60 |
$14.53 |
$30,230 |
| Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
60 |
$12.68 |
$26,370 |
| Food service managers |
60 |
$25.17 |
$52,350 |
| Glaziers |
60 |
$16.58 |
$34,490 |
| Graphic designers |
60 |
$16.67 |
$34,670 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
60 |
$14.33 |
$29,800 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
60 |
$13.16 |
$27,380 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
60 |
$16.89 |
$35,140 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
60 |
$16.43 |
$34,170 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
60 |
$24.50 |
$50,960 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
60 |
$20.98 |
$43,630 |
| New accounts clerks |
60 |
$16.57 |
$34,470 |
| Speech-language pathologists |
60 |
$35.56 |
$73,970 |
| Surgical technologists |
60 |
$17.91 |
$37,250 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
60 |
$13.64 |
$28,370 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
60 |
$21.19 |
$44,070 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
60 |
$16.98 |
$35,310 |
| Bakers |
50 |
$10.41 |
$21,650 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
50 |
$16.36 |
$34,030 |
| Cardiovascular technologists and technicians |
50 |
$18.72 |
$38,930 |
| Chefs and head cooks |
50 |
$31.45 |
$65,410 |
| Civil engineers |
50 |
$45.95 |
$95,570 |
| Construction and building inspectors |
50 |
$24.06 |
$50,040 |
| Dentists, general |
50 |
$97.96 |
$203,760 |
| Detectives and criminal investigators |
50 |
$24.44 |
$50,830 |
| Diagnostic medical sonographers |
50 |
$28.37 |
$59,020 |
| Driver/sales workers |
50 |
$11.43 |
$23,780 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
50 |
$29.43 |
$61,210 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
50 |
$25.64 |
$53,330 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
50 |
$15.10 |
$31,400 |
| Librarians |
50 |
$28.41 |
$59,090 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
50 |
$11.52 |
$23,970 |
| Occupational therapists |
50 |
$37.45 |
$77,900 |
| Pharmacy aides |
50 |
$10.40 |
$21,620 |
| Physical therapist assistants |
50 |
$24.66 |
$51,300 |
| Pipelayers |
50 |
$17.08 |
$35,520 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
50 |
$17.60 |
$36,610 |
| Respiratory therapists |
50 |
$25.97 |
$54,020 |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
50 |
$14.00 |
$29,120 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
50 |
$11.72 |
$24,380 |
| Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers |
50 |
$9.07 |
$18,860 |
| Administrative services managers |
40 |
$36.14 |
$75,180 |
| Biological scientists, all other |
40 |
$30.14 |
$62,680 |
| Civil engineering technicians |
40 |
$26.82 |
$55,780 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
40 |
$19.95 |
$41,490 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
40 |
$15.21 |
$31,640 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
40 |
Not available |
$87,700 |
| Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment |
40 |
$17.88 |
$37,180 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
40 |
$20.30 |
$42,210 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
40 |
$18.70 |
$38,900 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
40 |
$41.49 |
$86,300 |
| Health technologists and technicians, all other |
40 |
$17.75 |
$36,910 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
40 |
$28.05 |
$58,350 |
| Managers, all other |
40 |
$32.38 |
$67,340 |
| Medical and health services managers |
40 |
$52.43 |
$109,050 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
40 |
$14.55 |
$30,260 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
40 |
$26.09 |
$54,270 |
| Ophthalmic laboratory technicians |
40 |
$12.92 |
$26,870 |
| Postal service clerks |
40 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Public relations specialists |
40 |
$22.23 |
$46,240 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
40 |
$13.14 |
$27,320 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
40 |
$9.39 |
$19,530 |
| Veterinarians |
40 |
$43.73 |
$90,950 |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
30 |
$22.86 |
$47,560 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
30 |
$31.25 |
$65,000 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
30 |
$20.85 |
$43,360 |
| Financial specialists, all other |
30 |
$23.96 |
$49,840 |
| Floral designers |
30 |
$13.01 |
$27,050 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
30 |
$17.68 |
$36,780 |
| Office and administrative support workers, all other |
30 |
$14.41 |
$29,980 |
| Physical therapist aides |
30 |
$11.63 |
$24,190 |
| Travel agents |
30 |
$13.59 |
$28,270 |
| Aircraft mechanics and service technicians |
Not available |
$20.79 |
$43,240 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters |
Not available |
$16.03 |
$33,340 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
Not available |
$14.00 |
$29,130 |
| Cooks, fast food |
Not available |
$9.90 |
$20,590 |
| Electronic home entertainment equipment installers and repairers |
Not available |
$14.47 |
$30,090 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
Not available |
$15.78 |
$32,820 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
Not available |
$24.86 |
$51,710 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
Not available |
$9.14 |
$19,020 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
Not available |
$12.71 |
$26,430 |
| Motor vehicle operators, all other |
Not available |
$11.61 |
$24,150 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
Not available |
$16.04 |
$33,370 |
| Photographic processing machine operators |
Not available |
$10.14 |
$21,090 |
| Sheet metal workers |
Not available |
$16.67 |
$34,670 |
| Structural iron and steel workers |
Not available |
$16.00 |
$33,280 |
| Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers |
Not available |
$25.29 |
$52,610 |
