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 |
66,570 |
$19.03 |
$39,590 |
| Office and administrative support occupations |
11,960 |
$14.30 |
$29,750 |
| Education, training, and library occupations |
7,730 |
$31.20 |
$64,890 |
| Sales and related occupations |
7,310 |
$14.09 |
$29,300 |
| Food preparation and serving related occupations |
6,840 |
$9.84 |
$20,470 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations |
3,130 |
$27.77 |
$57,760 |
| Transportation and material moving occupations |
3,000 |
$14.16 |
$29,450 |
| Retail salespersons |
2,900 |
$11.22 |
$23,340 |
| Production occupations |
2,820 |
$14.37 |
$29,900 |
| Management occupations |
2,750 |
$39.90 |
$83,000 |
| Construction and extraction occupations |
2,640 |
$18.43 |
$38,340 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
2,630 |
$15.98 |
$33,230 |
| Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
2,590 |
$12.12 |
$25,210 |
| Business and financial operations occupations |
2,280 |
$26.95 |
$56,050 |
| Personal care and service occupations |
2,150 |
$11.51 |
$23,930 |
| Cashiers |
2,060 |
$8.48 |
$17,640 |
| Healthcare support occupations |
1,810 |
$11.08 |
$23,050 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations |
1,540 |
$29.92 |
$62,230 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
1,440 |
$13.62 |
$28,330 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
1,400 |
$11.83 |
$24,610 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
1,370 |
$8.58 |
$17,840 |
| Architecture and engineering occupations |
1,320 |
$32.06 |
$66,680 |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
1,290 |
$8.70 |
$18,100 |
| Teacher assistants |
1,250 |
Not available |
$35,680 |
| Registered nurses |
1,180 |
$24.34 |
$50,630 |
| Protective service occupations |
1,060 |
$21.62 |
$44,970 |
| Customer service representatives |
1,050 |
$13.36 |
$27,780 |
| Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
990 |
$18.88 |
$39,260 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general |
950 |
$13.30 |
$27,670 |
| Community and social services occupations |
930 |
$17.63 |
$36,680 |
| Home health aides |
780 |
$9.59 |
$19,950 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
730 |
$13.82 |
$28,740 |
| Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
700 |
$19.86 |
$41,320 |
| Construction laborers |
670 |
$12.75 |
$26,510 |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education |
650 |
Not available |
$52,070 |
| Life, physical, and social science occupations |
640 |
$30.16 |
$62,720 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
640 |
$19.63 |
$40,830 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers |
620 |
$11.28 |
$23,450 |
| Food preparation workers |
590 |
$11.95 |
$24,850 |
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
580 |
$11.05 |
$22,990 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers |
560 |
$14.89 |
$30,980 |
| Receptionists and information clerks |
540 |
$11.13 |
$23,160 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products |
520 |
$29.72 |
$61,810 |
| Cooks, restaurant |
500 |
$10.42 |
$21,680 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
500 |
$10.53 |
$21,900 |
| Bus drivers, school |
450 |
$12.30 |
$25,590 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
450 |
$21.44 |
$44,590 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
450 |
$19.28 |
$40,100 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers |
450 |
$12.57 |
$26,150 |
| Bartenders |
440 |
$8.35 |
$17,380 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
440 |
$9.19 |
$19,120 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics |
420 |
$16.00 |
$33,290 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators |
420 |
$22.54 |
$46,890 |
| Computer support specialists |
370 |
$19.68 |
$40,940 |
| General and operations managers |
360 |
$40.18 |
$83,570 |
| Carpenters |
350 |
$23.16 |
$48,180 |
| Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
350 |
$14.77 |
$30,720 |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
340 |
Not available |
$51,510 |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses |
330 |
$14.25 |
$29,640 |
| Counter and rental clerks |
320 |
$9.90 |
$20,600 |
| Accountants and auditors |
290 |
$28.20 |
$58,660 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers |
290 |
$22.81 |
$47,450 |
| Team assemblers |
290 |
$10.28 |
$21,390 |
| Cooks, short order |
280 |
$9.30 |
$19,340 |
| Tellers |
280 |
$11.10 |
$23,090 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers |
270 |
$7.97 |
$16,580 |
| Dishwashers |
250 |
$7.97 |
$16,580 |
| Legal occupations |
250 |
$36.73 |
$76,410 |
| Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
250 |
Not available |
$55,110 |
| Computer software engineers, applications |
240 |
$40.33 |
$83,890 |
| Computer software engineers, systems software |
240 |
$36.98 |
$76,920 |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers |
230 |
$13.85 |
$28,810 |
| Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
220 |
$15.78 |
$32,830 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
210 |
$23.15 |
$48,140 |
| Child care workers |
200 |
$9.76 |
$20,290 |
| Cooks, fast food |
200 |
$9.20 |
$19,140 |
| Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop |
200 |
$10.91 |
$22,690 |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks |
200 |
$9.47 |
$19,700 |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
200 |
$27.08 |
$56,320 |
| Preschool teachers, except special education |
200 |
$10.28 |
$21,380 |
| Financial managers |
190 |
$36.53 |
$75,980 |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers |
190 |
$18.79 |
$39,070 |
| Helpers--production workers |
190 |
$10.52 |
$21,880 |
| Insurance sales agents |
190 |
$21.06 |
$43,800 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters |
190 |
$19.29 |
$40,120 |
| Child, family, and school social workers |
180 |
$14.54 |
$30,240 |
| Instructional coordinators |
180 |
$23.37 |
$48,610 |
| Laundry and dry-cleaning workers |
180 |
$10.59 |
$22,020 |
| Management analysts |
180 |
$48.57 |
$101,030 |
| Civil engineers |
170 |
$36.54 |
$76,010 |
| Library assistants, clerical |
170 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Social and human service assistants |
170 |
$14.09 |
$29,300 |
| Cooks, institution and cafeteria |
160 |
$11.52 |
$23,960 |
| Driver/sales workers |
160 |
$13.30 |
$27,660 |
| Legislators |
160 |
Not available |
$20,480 |
| Personal and home care aides |
160 |
$9.21 |
$19,160 |
| Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
160 |
$12.93 |
$26,890 |
| Loan officers |
150 |
$22.29 |
$46,370 |
| Network and computer systems administrators |
150 |
$24.83 |
$51,640 |
| Postal service mail carriers |
150 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
150 |
$22.04 |
$45,850 |
| Teachers and instructors, all other |
150 |
Not available |
$25,790 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
140 |
$8.21 |
$17,070 |
| Coaches and scouts |
140 |
Not available |
$34,470 |
| Computer programmers |
140 |
$27.37 |
$56,930 |
| Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic |
140 |
$15.88 |
$33,030 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
140 |
$24.73 |
$51,450 |
| Food service managers |
140 |
$19.25 |
$40,030 |
| Machinists |
140 |
$16.63 |
$34,580 |
| Training and development specialists |
140 |
$17.31 |
$36,000 |
| Administrative services managers |
130 |
$28.66 |
$59,610 |
| Cost estimators |
130 |
$23.52 |
$48,930 |
| Dental assistants |
130 |
$14.33 |
$29,810 |
| Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers |
130 |
$14.11 |
$29,360 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists |
130 |
$12.14 |
$25,240 |
| Market research analysts |
130 |
$33.88 |
$70,470 |
| Medical records and health information technicians |
130 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Security guards |
130 |
$13.90 |
$28,900 |
| Chief executives |
120 |
$57.71 |
$120,030 |
| Computer specialists, all other |
120 |
$25.85 |
$53,760 |
| Electricians |
120 |
$19.06 |
$39,650 |
| Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists |
120 |
$18.06 |
$37,570 |
| Lawyers |
120 |
$52.01 |
$108,190 |
| Librarians |
120 |
$28.41 |
$59,090 |
| Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers |
120 |
$8.24 |
$17,130 |
| Public relations specialists |
120 |
$23.68 |
$49,250 |
| Real estate sales agents |
120 |
$25.09 |
$52,180 |
| Self-enrichment education teachers |
120 |
$17.92 |
$37,280 |
| Telecommunications line installers and repairers |
120 |
$19.79 |
$41,170 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers |
120 |
$15.13 |
$31,480 |
| Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors |
110 |
$10.15 |
$21,100 |
| Industrial engineers |
110 |
$33.30 |
$69,260 |
| Medical assistants |
110 |
$11.36 |
$23,620 |
| Packers and packagers, hand |
110 |
$8.65 |
$17,990 |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks |
110 |
$18.28 |
$38,020 |
| Billing and posting clerks and machine operators |
100 |
$14.86 |
$30,900 |
| Chefs and head cooks |
100 |
$15.82 |
$32,910 |
| Graphic designers |
100 |
$18.17 |
$37,790 |
| Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other |
100 |
$15.17 |
$31,560 |
| Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
100 |
$11.67 |
$24,270 |
| Pharmacists |
100 |
$42.49 |
$88,390 |
| Printing machine operators |
100 |
$15.04 |
$31,280 |
| Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents |
100 |
$34.27 |
$71,280 |
| Cleaners of vehicles and equipment |
90 |
$9.82 |
$20,430 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers |
90 |
$17.70 |
$36,820 |
| Loan interviewers and clerks |
90 |
$13.65 |
$28,400 |
| Medical secretaries |
90 |
$13.17 |
$27,400 |
| Network systems and data communications analysts |
90 |
$37.41 |
$77,820 |
| Order clerks |
90 |
$12.85 |
$26,740 |
| Painters, construction and maintenance |
90 |
$15.40 |
$32,020 |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technicians |
80 |
$21.45 |
$44,620 |
| Electronics engineers, except computer |
80 |
$41.79 |
$86,920 |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics |
80 |
$12.51 |
$26,010 |
| File clerks |
80 |
$11.37 |
$23,660 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers |
80 |
$19.82 |
$41,220 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
80 |
$24.40 |
$50,760 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics |
80 |
$19.11 |
$39,750 |
| Legal secretaries |
80 |
$16.54 |
$34,400 |
| Mental health counselors |
80 |
$17.15 |
$35,680 |
| Motor vehicle operators, all other |
80 |
$13.35 |
$27,760 |
| Pharmacy technicians |
80 |
$13.18 |
$27,420 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians |
80 |
$21.97 |
$45,690 |
| Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school |
80 |
Not available |
$52,270 |
| Architects, except landscape and naval |
70 |
$29.54 |
$61,440 |
| Bakers |
70 |
$11.06 |
$23,010 |
| Dental hygienists |
70 |
$24.21 |
$50,360 |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other |
70 |
$17.80 |
$37,030 |
| Kindergarten teachers, except special education |
70 |
Not available |
$54,430 |
| Medical and health services managers |
70 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Parts salespersons |
70 |
$14.76 |
$30,690 |
| Personal financial advisors |
70 |
$29.18 |
$60,700 |
| Sales managers |
70 |
$36.48 |
$75,870 |
| Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers |
70 |
$13.73 |
$28,560 |
| Vocational education teachers, postsecondary |
70 |
$23.32 |
$48,510 |
| Chemical technicians |
60 |
$18.90 |
$39,310 |
| Construction and building inspectors |
60 |
$19.50 |
$40,560 |
| Editors |
60 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Engineering managers |
60 |
$59.51 |
$123,790 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand |
60 |
$14.69 |
$30,550 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers |
60 |
$35.98 |
$74,830 |
| Highway maintenance workers |
60 |
$14.67 |
$30,520 |
| Industrial engineering technicians |
60 |
$19.84 |
$41,270 |
| Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service |
60 |
$14.04 |
$29,200 |
| Marketing managers |
60 |
$51.86 |
$107,860 |
| Meeting and convention planners |
60 |
$19.55 |
$40,660 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products |
60 |
$22.76 |
$47,340 |
| Special education teachers, middle school |
60 |
Not available |
$48,580 |
| Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers |
60 |
$24.88 |
$51,760 |
| Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators |
60 |
$19.58 |
$40,730 |
| Architectural and civil drafters |
50 |
$15.96 |
$33,190 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
50 |
$14.92 |
$31,030 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers |
50 |
$20.91 |
$43,490 |
| Clergy |
50 |
$15.28 |
$31,780 |
| Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation |
50 |
$20.54 |
$42,720 |
| Computer and information systems managers |
50 |
$65.40 |
$136,030 |
| Computer operators |
50 |
$15.38 |
$31,990 |
| Education administrators, elementary and secondary school |
50 |
Not available |
$86,200 |
| Financial specialists, all other |
50 |
$21.88 |
$45,510 |
| Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers |
50 |
$10.51 |
$21,860 |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping |
50 |
$17.11 |
$35,590 |
| Industrial production managers |
50 |
$35.90 |
$74,680 |
| Office machine operators, except computer |
50 |
$18.32 |
$38,110 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants |
50 |
$20.60 |
$42,850 |
| Payroll and timekeeping clerks |
50 |
$17.65 |
$36,720 |
| Physical therapists |
50 |
$33.13 |
$68,900 |
| Producers and directors |
50 |
$22.02 |
$45,800 |
| Rehabilitation counselors |
50 |
$14.16 |
$29,460 |
| Social and community service managers |
50 |
$21.84 |
$45,420 |
| Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors |
50 |
$23.43 |
$48,730 |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers |
50 |
$19.29 |
$40,120 |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians |
50 |
$16.81 |
$34,970 |
| Advertising sales agents |
40 |
$20.98 |
$43,640 |
| Automotive body and related repairers |
40 |
$16.38 |
$34,070 |
| Bill and account collectors |
40 |
$14.10 |
$29,320 |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons |
40 |
$20.19 |
$42,000 |
| Compensation and benefits managers |
40 |
$41.44 |
$86,190 |
| Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders |
40 |
$17.43 |
$36,260 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
40 |
$16.06 |
$33,410 |
| Eligibility interviewers, government programs |
40 |
$21.73 |
$45,200 |
| Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse |
40 |
$11.04 |
$22,970 |
| Financial analysts |
40 |
$31.23 |
$64,960 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers |
40 |
$15.08 |
$31,360 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives |
40 |
$30.55 |
$63,550 |
| Library technicians |
40 |
$15.28 |
$31,780 |
| Lodging managers |
40 |
$22.53 |
$46,860 |
| Materials scientists |
40 |
$37.18 |
$77,330 |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders |
40 |
$11.36 |
$23,620 |
| Refuse and recyclable material collectors |
40 |
$13.48 |
$28,040 |
| Special education teachers, secondary school |
40 |
Not available |
$54,570 |
| Surveyors |
40 |
$22.72 |
$47,260 |
| Switchboard operators, including answering service |
40 |
$12.35 |
$25,680 |
| Taxi drivers and chauffeurs |
40 |
$9.95 |
$20,690 |
| Audio and video equipment technicians |
30 |
$16.42 |
$34,150 |
| Crossing guards |
30 |
$12.57 |
$26,130 |
| Mechanical engineers |
30 |
$32.86 |
$68,340 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
30 |
$22.30 |
$46,380 |
| Photographers |
30 |
$17.86 |
$37,140 |
| Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators |
30 |
Not available |
Not available |
| Prepress technicians and workers |
30 |
$15.75 |
$32,760 |
| Radio and television announcers |
30 |
$14.10 |
$29,320 |
| Tool and die makers |
30 |
$20.29 |
$42,190 |
| Appraisers and assessors of real estate |
Not available |
$24.30 |
$50,550 |
| Computer systems analysts |
Not available |
$35.11 |
$73,030 |
| Construction managers |
Not available |
$29.37 |
$61,090 |
| Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop |
Not available |
$8.75 |
$18,190 |
| Data entry keyers |
Not available |
$10.93 |
$22,730 |
| Database administrators |
Not available |
$23.63 |
$49,140 |
| Dentists, general |
Not available |
$58.54 |
$121,760 |
| Educational, vocational, and school counselors |
Not available |
$23.39 |
$48,650 |
| Environmental engineers |
Not available |
$26.57 |
$55,260 |
| Family and general practitioners |
Not available |
$86.68 |
$180,290 |
| Food servers, nonrestaurant |
Not available |
$10.57 |
$21,980 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
Not available |
$14.28 |
$29,710 |
| Interviewers, except eligibility and loan |
Not available |
$11.83 |
$24,600 |
| Job printers |
Not available |
$15.10 |
$31,410 |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technologists |
Not available |
$19.23 |
$39,990 |
| Medical transcriptionists |
Not available |
$13.35 |
$27,760 |
| Occupational health and safety specialists |
Not available |
$23.69 |
$49,270 |
| Office clerks, general |
Not available |
$13.85 |
$28,810 |
| Physician assistants |
Not available |
$22.34 |
$46,460 |
| Purchasing managers |
Not available |
$38.62 |
$80,340 |
| Recreation workers |
Not available |
$15.02 |
$31,250 |
| Sales representatives, services, all other |
Not available |
$29.15 |
$60,630 |
| Telemarketers |
Not available |
$10.63 |
$22,110 |
| Tour guides and escorts |
Not available |
$9.33 |
$19,410 |
| Tree trimmers and pruners |
Not available |
$15.72 |
$32,700 |
| Writers and authors |
Not available |
$20.60 |
$42,840 |
