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 |
73,580 |
$15.96 |
$33,190 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
11,520 |
$13.45 |
$27,980 |
| Production occupations |
10,820 |
$13.40 |
$27,870 |
| Sales and related occupations |
9,050 |
$14.39 |
$29,920 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
6,610 |
$8.77 |
$18,250 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
5,690 |
$14.03 |
$29,180 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
3,890 |
$17.71 |
$36,840 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
3,530 |
$27.36 |
$56,900 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
3,480 |
$17.86 |
$37,150 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
3,190 |
$17.38 |
$36,150 |
| Retail salespersons |
2,980 |
$11.68 |
$24,290 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
2,400 |
$27.01 |
$56,180 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
2,320 |
$10.49 |
$21,810 |
| Cashiers |
2,190 |
$8.41 |
$17,490 |
| Management occupations |
2,110 |
$37.17 |
$77,320 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
2,080 |
$7.99 |
$16,620 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,840 |
$11.45 |
$23,820 |
| Customer service representatives |
1,760 |
$12.69 |
$26,390 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
1,740 |
$10.28 |
$21,380 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
1,500 |
$18.14 |
$37,730 |
| Registered nurses |
1,460 |
$23.01 |
$47,870 |
| Office clerks, general |
1,330 |
$12.19 |
$25,350 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
1,280 |
$10.37 |
$21,570 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,180 |
$7.84 |
$16,310 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
1,130 |
$10.84 |
$22,540 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,100 |
$18.65 |
$38,790 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
1,070 |
$13.82 |
$28,740 |
| Community and social services occupations |
1,060 |
$16.83 |
$35,000 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
900 |
$28.96 |
$60,240 |
| Production workers, all other |
900 |
$10.42 |
$21,670 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
890 |
$22.59 |
$46,990 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
850 |
Not available |
$39,180 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
840 |
$10.59 |
$22,020 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
810 |
$14.43 |
$30,010 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
780 |
$12.31 |
$25,600 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
710 |
$18.26 |
$37,990 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
680 |
$10.77 |
$22,400 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
660 |
$14.28 |
$29,700 |
| Teacher assistants |
610 |
Not available |
$20,200 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
600 |
$12.28 |
$25,540 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
600 |
$13.82 |
$28,750 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
590 |
$24.94 |
$51,880 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
590 |
Not available |
$44,560 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
580 |
Not available |
$39,050 |
| Telemarketers |
580 |
$10.44 |
$21,720 |
| Carpenters |
540 |
$16.22 |
$33,730 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
540 |
$22.34 |
$46,470 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
530 |
$11.30 |
$23,510 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
500 |
$29.47 |
$61,300 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
500 |
$22.38 |
$46,550 |
| Food preparation workers |
500 |
$8.65 |
$18,000 |
| Bill and account collectors |
480 |
$12.80 |
$26,620 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
480 |
$8.68 |
$18,060 |
| Accountants and auditors |
470 |
$26.54 |
$55,190 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
460 |
$13.16 |
$27,380 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
440 |
$15.80 |
$32,870 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
440 |
$16.04 |
$33,360 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
430 |
$13.68 |
$28,460 |
| Helpers--production workers |
430 |
$10.99 |
$22,860 |
| Tellers |
430 |
$10.54 |
$21,920 |
| General and operations managers |
420 |
$44.26 |
$92,070 |
| Team assemblers |
410 |
$14.16 |
$29,450 |
| Child care workers |
400 |
$8.58 |
$17,840 |
| Bartenders |
390 |
$8.72 |
$18,140 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
390 |
$9.95 |
$20,700 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
370 |
$10.89 |
$22,650 |
| Home health aides |
360 |
$9.65 |
$20,060 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
360 |
$14.48 |
$30,110 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
360 |
$24.99 |
$51,970 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
350 |
$10.20 |
$21,220 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
350 |
$10.67 |
$22,190 |
| Security guards |
350 |
$12.74 |
$26,500 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
340 |
$9.09 |
$18,900 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
340 |
$13.16 |
$27,370 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
340 |
$17.23 |
$35,840 |
| Insurance sales agents |
340 |
$24.47 |
$50,910 |
| Construction laborers |
330 |
$13.04 |
$27,110 |
| Legal occupations |
330 |
$37.82 |
$78,670 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
310 |
$31.80 |
$66,150 |
| Electricians |
300 |
$22.80 |
$47,420 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
290 |
$12.85 |
$26,720 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
280 |
$21.11 |
$43,920 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
260 |
$17.13 |
$35,620 |
| Computer support specialists |
260 |
$17.49 |
$36,370 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
260 |
$14.95 |
$31,090 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
250 |
$13.24 |
$27,550 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
250 |
$11.43 |
$23,780 |
| Dishwashers |
240 |
$7.96 |
$16,550 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
240 |
$8.27 |
$17,200 |
| Medical secretaries |
240 |
$13.97 |
$29,060 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
240 |
$13.69 |
$28,480 |
| Business operations specialists, all other |
230 |
$26.18 |
$54,460 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
220 |
$8.62 |
$17,940 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
210 |
$16.78 |
$34,900 |
| Coaches and scouts |
210 |
Not available |
$23,840 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
210 |
$9.41 |
$19,570 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
210 |
$27.94 |
$58,120 |
| Food batchmakers |
210 |
$13.08 |
$27,210 |
| Management analysts |
210 |
$39.47 |
$82,100 |
| Medical assistants |
210 |
$12.16 |
$25,290 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
210 |
$14.58 |
$30,320 |
| Sheet metal workers |
210 |
$18.27 |
$37,990 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
200 |
$18.85 |
$39,200 |
| Order clerks |
200 |
$12.73 |
$26,490 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
200 |
$17.02 |
$35,400 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
200 |
$20.02 |
$41,640 |
| Dental assistants |
190 |
$14.22 |
$29,570 |
| Financial managers |
180 |
$43.90 |
$91,300 |
| Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders |
180 |
$15.82 |
$32,900 |
| Parts salespersons |
180 |
$13.63 |
$28,360 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
180 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Bus drivers, school |
170 |
$12.92 |
$26,880 |
| Lawyers |
170 |
$55.81 |
$116,080 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
170 |
$10.29 |
$21,410 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
160 |
$28.49 |
$59,260 |
| Managers, all other |
160 |
$33.23 |
$69,120 |
| Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders |
160 |
$14.90 |
$30,990 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
150 |
$16.55 |
$34,430 |
| Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers |
150 |
$15.60 |
$32,450 |
| Cooks, fast food |
150 |
$8.41 |
$17,480 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
150 |
$8.49 |
$17,650 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
150 |
$32.80 |
$68,220 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
150 |
$9.22 |
$19,180 |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks |
150 |
$14.42 |
$29,990 |
| Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders |
150 |
$14.38 |
$29,910 |
| Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
140 |
$10.92 |
$22,720 |
| Loan officers |
140 |
$27.13 |
$56,420 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
140 |
$27.42 |
$57,030 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
140 |
$12.76 |
$26,540 |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
140 |
$24.46 |
$50,890 |
| Bakers |
130 |
$15.17 |
$31,550 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
130 |
$23.36 |
$48,580 |
| Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks |
130 |
$11.64 |
$24,210 |
| Food cooking machine operators and tenders |
130 |
$12.76 |
$26,550 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
130 |
$16.91 |
$35,180 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
130 |
$8.30 |
$17,260 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
130 |
$20.27 |
$42,160 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
130 |
$22.29 |
$46,360 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
120 |
$8.21 |
$17,080 |
| Data entry keyers |
120 |
$11.77 |
$24,480 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
120 |
$15.68 |
$32,600 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
120 |
$22.05 |
$45,860 |
| Graders and sorters, agricultural products |
120 |
$11.19 |
$23,270 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
120 |
$14.58 |
$30,320 |
| Pharmacists |
120 |
$46.64 |
$97,000 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
120 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
110 |
$16.13 |
$33,550 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
110 |
$41.21 |
$85,730 |
| Computer systems analysts |
110 |
$35.58 |
$74,010 |
| Cost estimators |
110 |
$26.27 |
$54,650 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
110 |
Not available |
$69,320 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
110 |
$14.88 |
$30,960 |
| Machine feeders and offbearers |
110 |
$14.38 |
$29,910 |
| Maintenance workers, machinery |
110 |
$15.40 |
$32,040 |
| Recreation workers |
110 |
$12.28 |
$25,550 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
110 |
$32.02 |
$66,600 |
| Social and community service managers |
110 |
$21.84 |
$45,430 |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators |
100 |
$28.35 |
$58,970 |
| Dental hygienists |
100 |
$29.18 |
$60,690 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
100 |
$22.81 |
$47,440 |
| Food service managers |
100 |
$18.09 |
$37,630 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
100 |
$13.83 |
$28,760 |
| Industrial production managers |
100 |
$38.79 |
$80,680 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
100 |
Not available |
$38,410 |
| Machinists |
100 |
$17.35 |
$36,090 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
100 |
$20.32 |
$42,260 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
100 |
$12.77 |
$26,570 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
100 |
$16.34 |
$33,980 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
100 |
Not available |
$39,860 |
| Surgical technologists |
100 |
$16.93 |
$35,220 |
| Tire repairers and changers |
100 |
$13.54 |
$28,160 |
| Administrative services managers |
90 |
$30.70 |
$63,850 |
| Chief executives |
90 |
$67.22 |
$139,810 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists |
90 |
$23.18 |
$48,210 |
| Computer software engineers, systems software |
90 |
$38.79 |
$80,690 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
90 |
$22.67 |
$47,160 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
90 |
$19.05 |
$39,620 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
90 |
$10.17 |
$21,160 |
| Legislators |
90 |
Not available |
$21,110 |
| Medical and health services managers |
90 |
$39.39 |
$81,940 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
90 |
$11.82 |
$24,580 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
90 |
Not available |
$37,580 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
90 |
$16.48 |
$34,270 |
| Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
90 |
$15.89 |
$33,050 |
| Driver/sales workers |
80 |
$13.20 |
$27,460 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
80 |
$20.18 |
$41,980 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
80 |
$27.39 |
$56,970 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
80 |
$14.37 |
$29,890 |
| Opticians, dispensing |
80 |
$13.11 |
$27,270 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
80 |
$14.95 |
$31,090 |
| Sales managers |
80 |
$54.81 |
$114,010 |
| Social and human service assistants |
80 |
$10.73 |
$22,310 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
80 |
Not available |
$38,360 |
| Agricultural and food science technicians |
70 |
$13.82 |
$28,740 |
| Appraisers and assessors of real estate |
70 |
$28.00 |
$58,250 |
| Assemblers and fabricators, all other |
70 |
$11.91 |
$24,770 |
| Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders |
70 |
$12.63 |
$26,260 |
| Computer programmers |
70 |
$31.60 |
$65,720 |
| Court, municipal, and license clerks |
70 |
$14.36 |
$29,870 |
| Eligibility interviewers, government programs |
70 |
Not available |
Not available |
| File clerks |
70 |
$11.44 |
$23,790 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
70 |
$15.95 |
$33,170 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
70 |
$30.50 |
$63,430 |
| Librarians |
70 |
$20.61 |
$42,870 |
| Library technicians |
70 |
$11.74 |
$24,410 |
| Market research analysts |
70 |
$28.66 |
$59,620 |
| Mechanical engineers |
70 |
$34.63 |
$72,020 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
70 |
$29.55 |
$61,470 |
| Public relations specialists |
70 |
$21.40 |
$44,510 |
| Purchasing agents and buyers, farm products |
70 |
$25.25 |
$52,520 |
| Radio and television announcers |
70 |
$14.67 |
$30,510 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
70 |
$11.47 |
$23,850 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
70 |
$23.51 |
$48,910 |
| Training and development specialists |
70 |
$21.34 |
$44,380 |
| Advertising sales agents |
60 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Agricultural inspectors |
60 |
$22.41 |
$46,610 |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
60 |
$14.82 |
$30,830 |
| Family and general practitioners |
60 |
$97.98 |
$203,800 |
| Healthcare support workers, all other |
60 |
$10.98 |
$22,840 |
| Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
60 |
$12.72 |
$26,450 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
60 |
$22.68 |
$47,170 |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines |
60 |
$21.96 |
$45,690 |
| Nonfarm animal caretakers |
60 |
$9.37 |
$19,480 |
| Parking lot attendants |
60 |
$7.60 |
$15,810 |
| Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators |
60 |
$16.65 |
$34,620 |
| Physical therapists |
60 |
$35.25 |
$73,310 |
| Physicians and surgeons, all other |
60 |
$95.94 |
$199,560 |
| Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers |
60 |
$12.59 |
$26,190 |
| Printing machine operators |
60 |
$14.06 |
$29,250 |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers |
60 |
$22.35 |
$46,480 |
| Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners |
60 |
$17.53 |
$36,470 |
| Special education teachers, middle school |
60 |
Not available |
$40,710 |
| Structural iron and steel workers |
60 |
$21.35 |
$44,410 |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers |
60 |
$36.00 |
$74,890 |
| Agricultural equipment operators |
50 |
$13.54 |
$28,170 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
50 |
$18.99 |
$39,490 |
| Chiropractors |
50 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Community and social service specialists, all other |
50 |
$17.80 |
$37,030 |
| Construction managers |
50 |
$39.16 |
$81,450 |
| Conveyor operators and tenders |
50 |
$13.14 |
$27,320 |
| Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators |
50 |
$14.15 |
$29,430 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
50 |
$9.84 |
$20,460 |
| Graphic designers |
50 |
$15.57 |
$32,390 |
| Insulation workers, mechanical |
50 |
$17.03 |
$35,420 |
| Insurance underwriters |
50 |
$27.43 |
$57,050 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
50 |
$8.97 |
$18,660 |
| Personal financial advisors |
50 |
$35.52 |
$73,880 |
| Pest control workers |
50 |
$11.25 |
$23,400 |
| Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors |
40 |
$11.50 |
$23,930 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
40 |
$18.11 |
$37,670 |
| Business teachers, postsecondary |
40 |
Not available |
$52,160 |
| Correspondence clerks |
40 |
$14.75 |
$30,690 |
| Credit analysts |
40 |
$23.77 |
$49,440 |
| Dentists, general |
40 |
$63.01 |
$131,050 |
| Education administrators, postsecondary |
40 |
$34.83 |
$72,450 |
| Financial analysts |
40 |
$31.83 |
$66,210 |
| Health educators |
40 |
$22.26 |
$46,310 |
| Helpers--electricians |
40 |
$11.12 |
$23,130 |
| Human resources managers, all other |
40 |
$42.75 |
$88,920 |
| Industrial engineers |
40 |
$38.18 |
$79,420 |
| Interpreters and translators |
40 |
$13.95 |
$29,010 |
| Loan counselors |
40 |
$15.37 |
$31,970 |
| Mechanical drafters |
40 |
$22.04 |
$45,840 |
| Photographers |
40 |
$11.30 |
$23,500 |
| Roofers |
40 |
$15.95 |
$33,180 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
40 |
$10.49 |
$21,810 |
| Vocational education teachers, secondary school |
40 |
Not available |
$37,320 |
| Word processors and typists |
40 |
$14.53 |
$30,230 |
| All other information and record clerks |
30 |
$15.20 |
$31,620 |
| Computer operators |
30 |
$14.78 |
$30,750 |
| Construction and building inspectors |
30 |
$21.94 |
$45,640 |
| Couriers and messengers |
30 |
$10.54 |
$21,930 |
| Education administrators, all other |
30 |
$27.81 |
$57,850 |
| Education teachers, postsecondary |
30 |
Not available |
$46,450 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
30 |
$25.81 |
$53,690 |
| Financial examiners |
30 |
$31.81 |
$66,170 |
| Helpers--carpenters |
30 |
$10.28 |
$21,370 |
| Marketing managers |
30 |
$35.53 |
$73,910 |
| Massage therapists |
30 |
$13.58 |
$28,250 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technicians |
30 |
$15.28 |
$31,790 |
| Mental health counselors |
30 |
$19.06 |
$39,640 |
| Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary |
30 |
Not available |
$44,770 |
| Physical therapist assistants |
30 |
$17.09 |
$35,540 |
| Physician assistants |
30 |
$39.25 |
$81,630 |
| Postal service clerks |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Postmasters and mail superintendents |
30 |
$27.51 |
$57,230 |
| Procurement clerks |
30 |
$15.86 |
$32,990 |
| Sales and related workers, all other |
30 |
$14.38 |
$29,900 |
| Veterinarians |
30 |
$41.73 |
$86,790 |
| Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping |
30 |
$13.71 |
$28,520 |
| Cooks, short order |
Not available |
$9.77 |
$20,330 |
| Cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders |
Not available |
$13.56 |
$28,200 |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers |
Not available |
$25.94 |
$53,950 |
| Electronic home entertainment equipment installers and repairers |
Not available |
$15.59 |
$32,440 |
| Farm equipment mechanics |
Not available |
$13.07 |
$27,180 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
Not available |
$13.51 |
$28,100 |
| Legal secretaries |
Not available |
$14.32 |
$29,780 |
| Meter readers, utilities |
Not available |
$16.87 |
$35,080 |
| Millwrights |
Not available |
$16.04 |
$33,360 |
| Personal and home care aides |
Not available |
$9.81 |
$20,400 |
| Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other |
Not available |
$16.28 |
$33,850 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
Not available |
$11.01 |
$22,910 |
| Structural metal fabricators and fitters |
Not available |
$14.20 |
$29,530 |
| Telecommunications line installers and repairers |
Not available |
$19.23 |
$40,010 |
