1
Technical information:
Media contact:
(202) 691-6569
http://www.bls.gov/oes/
USDL 04-752
For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Friday, April 30, 2004
691-5902
OCCUPATIONAL EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES, MAY 2003
Health care-related occupations, including specialist physicians and dentists, accounted for 8 of the 10
highest-paying occupations in May 2003, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department
of Labor. The average hourly wages for these health-related occupations ranged from $91.48 for surgeons
to $63.08 for dentists. The lowest-paying occupations included fast-food cooks who earned $7.23 per hour
and hair shampooers who earned $7.27 per hour. Five of the six lowest-paying occupations were related to
food preparation and serving.
Retail salespersons and cashiers were the largest occupations in the United States, with about 4 million
and 3.5 million employees, respectively. Occupations with more than 2 million workers included general
office clerks; hand laborers and material movers; registered nurses; waiters and waitresses; janitors and
cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners; and combined food preparation and serving workers,
including fast food. (See table 1.)
Chart 1. Mean hourly wage and percent of total employment by major occupational group, May 2003
Management ($39.80)
5.2%
Legal ($37.94)
.7%
Occupational group (with mean hourly wage shown in parentheses)
Computer and mathematical science ($30.40)
2.2%
1.9%
Architecture and engineering ($28.48)
3.9%
Business and financial operations ($26.71)
Healthcare practitioner and technical ($26.62)
4.8%
.9%
Life, physical, and social science ($25.58)
1.2%
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media ($20.49)
Education, training, and library ($19.55)
6.1%
Construction and extraction ($17.62)
4.8%
4.1%
Installation, maintenance, and repair ($17.41)
1.3%
Community and social services ($17.03)
Protective service ($16.39)
2.4%
Sales and related ($15.02)
10.6%
Production ($13.80)
8.2%
Office and administrative support ($13.59)
17.8%
Transportation and material moving ($13.27)
7.4%
Healthcare support ($10.94)
2.5%
Personal care and service ($10.28)
2.3%
3.3%
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance ($10.12)
Farming, fishing, and forestry ($9.71)
.4%
Food preparation and serving related ($8.31)
8.0%
0
5,000,000
10,000,000
15,000,000
Employment level
20,000,000
25,000,000
2
These statistics for wage and salary workers are from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES)
survey, a federal-state cooperative program between BLS and State Workforce Agencies. The OES survey
provides estimates of employment and hourly and annual wages for wage and salary workers in 22 major
occupational groups and in 770 detailed occupations.
Management and legal occupational groups were the highest paying of the 22 major occupational groups.
About 30 percent of the workers in these two occupational groups earned more than $43.74 per hour. (See
table A.) The occupational group with the highest employment level in May 2003 was office and
administrative support workers, followed by sales and related workers, production workers, and food
preparation and serving workers. (See chart 1.)
The occupational groups with the lowest average wages were food preparation and serving related;
farming, fishing, and forestry; building and grounds cleaning and maintenance; and personal care and service.
At least 40 percent of all workers in each of these groups earned less than $8.50 per hour.
Table A. Wage distribution by major occupational group, May 2003
(Percent distribution)
Wage range
$8.50 $10.75 $13.50 $17.00 $21.50 $27.25 $34.50 $43.75
to
to
to
to
to
to
to and
$10.74 $13.49 $16.99 $21.49 $27.24 $34.49 $43.74 over
Major occupational group
Under
$8.50
Management .....................................................
Business and financial operations .......................
Computer and mathematical science ..................
Architecture and engineering .............................
Life, physical, and social science .......................
Community and social services ..........................
Legal................................................................
Education, training, and library ...........................
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media ....
Healthcare practitioner and technical .................
Healthcare support ............................................
Protective service .............................................
Food preparation and serving related..................
Building and grounds cleaning and
maintenance .................................................
Personal care and service .................................
Sales and related...............................................
Office and administrative support .......................
Farming, fishing, and forestry.............................
Construction and extraction ...............................
Installation, maintenance, and repair ...................
Production ........................................................
Transportation and material moving ....................
1.3
1.7
.9
.6
2.2
7.2
1.5
11.9
13.3
2.8
25.5
17.1
67.4
1.3
2.1
1.5
1.9
4.3
11.3
2.5
8.7
10.1
5.1
31.2
14.5
17.4
3.0
5.7
3.4
4.4
8.5
18.5
5.9
10.0
12.2
8.3
23.2
15.0
8.6
5.9
12.5
7.3
8.7
13.7
21.5
10.7
15.0
14.9
13.2
13.4
14.5
4.0
9.6
19.1
12.9
14.8
17.4
18.5
14.0
18.7
15.2
20.0
5.1
13.8
1.8
13.7
21.4
18.8
20.9
18.4
13.3
13.3
16.8
13.5
20.7
1.2
13.2
.6
16.0
17.5
21.7
21.0
15.3
6.8
11.4
10.8
9.3
13.0
.3
7.8
.2
16.6
10.9
19.5
17.0
10.8
2.2
10.7
5.0
5.7
6.9
.1
3.2
.1
32.4
9.1
14.0
10.7
9.2
.8
30.1
3.1
5.8
10.0
.9
-
42.8
50.3
36.9
15.2
56.8
7.3
7.5
18.0
26.3
24.6
21.4
16.6
19.8
17.3
12.2
10.6
19.9
19.3
16.0
11.5
11.3
22.6
11.2
16.6
15.3
20.3
18.0
9.5
7.1
9.4
19.5
7.2
18.8
19.4
17.4
15.0
5.0
4.7
8.1
14.4
4.4
17.6
20.7
12.2
11.3
1.6
2.6
6.3
5.7
2.0
14.4
16.6
8.1
6.2
.4
1.2
4.4
1.9
.7
9.0
7.3
3.1
2.2
.1
.6
3.0
.6
.3
3.2
2.0
.8
.7
.6
4.0
.3
.1
.8
.5
.2
1.0
3
Major groups whose wages were concentrated in the middle included business and financial operations
occupations; life, physical, and social science occupations; community and social services occupations;
education, training, and library occupations; healthcare practitioner and technical occupations; construction
and extraction occupations; and installation, maintenance, and repair occupations.
Table 1 shows employment and wage estimates for detailed occupations within each group. The OES
program also provides national occupational employment and wage data by industry, and cross-industry
estimates for all states and 334 metropolitan areas. May 2003 OES data for states and metropolitan areas
and the national employment and wage data by industry will be available on the BLS Web site in early May.
The OES survey is designed to estimate employment and wages at detailed industry and area levels with
a desired level of reliability based on a sample of 1.2 million establishments, collected in six semiannual panels
over a 3-year period.
Technical Note
Scope of the survey
The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a
semiannual mail survey measuring occupational employment and
wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments,
by industry, in the United States. (Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin
Islands also are surveyed, but their data are not included in this
release.) In 2002, the OES survey switched from industry coding
based on the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system to that
based on the North American Industry Classification System
(NAICS). The nationwide response rate for the May 2003 survey
was 79 percent for establishments, covering 72 percent of weighted
employment.
In November 2002, the OES survey changed from an annual survey
of 400,000 establishments to a semiannual survey of 200,000
establishments. The OES survey samples and contacts
establishments in May and November of each year and, over 3 years,
contacts approximately 1.2 million establishments. The full 3-year
sample allows the production of estimates at fine levels of geographic,
industrial, and occupational detail.
In order to maintain adequate geographic, industrial, and
occupational coverage through the implementation of NAICS and
semiannual sampling, May 2003 data were combined with samples
from November 2002, 2001, 2000, and a subset of certainty units
collected in 1999. Note that May 2003 and November 2002 are
semiannual samples while 2001 and 2000 are annual samples. Data
from 1999 were added to provide complete coverage of the certainty
strata. The total sample size is 1.2 million establishments. Estimates
from the OES survey are based on data collected using the Standard
Occupational Classification (SOC) system. A brief description of
this classification system is provided below.
The Standard Occupational Classification system
In 1999, the OES survey began using the Office of Management
and Budget’s (OMB) occupational classification system, the
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. The SOC
system is the first OMB-required occupational classification system
for federal agencies. The OES survey categorizes workers in 1 of the
770 detailed occupations. Together, these detailed occupations
comprise 23 major occupational groups. The major groups are as
follows:
Management occupations
Business and financial operations occupations
Computer and mathematical science occupations
Architecture and engineering occupations
Life, physical, and social science occupations
Community and social services occupations
Legal occupations
Education, training, and library occupations
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations
Healthcare support occupations
Protective service occupations
Food preparation and serving related occupations
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations
Personal care and service occupations
Sales and related occupations
Office and administrative support occupations
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations
Construction and extraction occupations
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
Production occupations
Transportation and material moving occupations
Military specific occupations (not surveyed in OES).
For more information about the SOC system, please see the
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Web site at http://www.bls.gov/soc.
The industry coding system
As noted earlier, in 2002, the OES survey switched from using
the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system to using the
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). For
more information about NAICS, see the BLS Web site at
http://www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm.
The OES survey includes establishments in NAICS sectors 11
(logging and agricultural support activities only), 21, 22, 23, 31-33,
42, 44-45, 48-49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 61, 62, 71, 72, 81 (except
private households), state government, and local government. Data
for the U.S. Postal Service and the federal government are universe
counts obtained from the Postal Service and the Office of Personnel
Management, respectively. An establishment is defined as an
economic unit that processes goods or provides services, such as a
factory, mine, or store. The establishment is generally at a single
physical location and is engaged primarily in one type of economic
activity.
The OES survey covers all full- and part-time wage and salary
workers in nonfarm industries. The survey does not include the selfemployed owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household
workers, or unpaid family workers.
Survey coverage
BLS funds the survey and provides the procedures and technical
support, while the State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) collect the
data. BLS produces cross-industry NAICS estimates for the nation,
states, and metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). NAICS estimates
are produced for 3-digit, 4-digit, and selected 5-digit industry levels.
BLS releases all cross-industry and national estimates, and the SWAs
release industry estimates at the state and MSA levels.
State Unemployment Insurance (UI) files provide the universe
from which the OES survey draws its sample. The employment
benchmarks are obtained from reports submitted by employers to the
UI program. Supplemental sources are used for rail transportation
(NAICS 4821) and Guam because they do not report to the UI
program. The OES survey sample is stratified by area, industry, and
size class. Size classes are defined as follows:
Size class
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Number of employees
1 to 4
5 to 9
10 to 19
20 to 49
50 to 99
100 to 249
250 and above
UI reporting units with 250 or more employees are sampled with
virtual certainty across a 3-year period. Generally, one-sixth of the
certainty units are sampled in each panel in each state. Some states,
however, sampled more than one-sixth of their certainty units in the
May 2003 survey to make up for a shortfall in a previous sample.
Concepts
Occupational employment is the estimate of total wage and salary
employment in an occupation across the industries in which that
occupation was reported. The OES survey defines employment as
the number of workers who can be classified as full-time or part-time
employees, including workers on paid vacations or other types of
leave; workers on unpaid short-term absences; salaried officers,
executives, and staff members of incorporated firms; employees
temporarily assigned to other units; and employees for whom the
reporting unit is their permanent duty station regardless of whether
that unit prepares their paycheck.
The OES survey form sent to an establishment contains between
50 and 225 SOC occupations selected on the basis of the sampled
establishment’s industry classification and size class. To reduce
paperwork and respondent burden, no survey form contains every
SOC occupation. Thus, data for specific occupations are collected primarily from establishments in industries that are the
predominant employers of workers in those occupations. Each
survey form is structured, however, to allow a respondent to provide detailed occupational information for each worker at the
establishment; that is, unlisted occupations can be added to the
survey form.
Wages for the OES survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive
of premium pay. Base rate, cost-of-living allowances, guaranteed
pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay including commissions and
production bonuses, tips, and on-call pay are included. Excluded are
back pay, jury duty pay, overtime pay, severance pay, shift
differentials, non-production bonuses, employer cost for
supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
The OES survey collects wage data in 12 intervals. Employers
report the number of employees in an occupation for each wage range.
The wage intervals used for the May 2003 survey are as follows:
Interval
Range A
Range B
Range C
Range D
Range E
Range F
Range G
Range H
Range I
Range J
Range K
Range L
Wages
Hourly
Under $6.75
$6.75 to $8.49
$8.50 to $10.74
$10.75 to $13.49
$13.50 to $16.99
$17.00 to $21.49
$21.50 to $27.24
$27.25 to $34.49
$34.50 to $43.74
$43.75 to $55.49
$55.50 to $69.99
$70.00 and over
Annual
Under $14,040
$14,040 to $17,679
$17,680 to $22,359
$22,360 to $28,079
$28,080 to $35,359
$35,360 to $44,719
$44,720 to $56,679
$56,680 to $71,759
$71,760 to $90,999
$91,000 to $115,439
$115,440 to $145,599
$145,600 and over
Mean hourly wage. The mean hourly wage rate for an occupation
is the total wages that all workers in the occupation earn in an hour
divided by the total employment of the occupation. To calculate the
mean hourly wage of each occupation, total weighted hourly wages are
summed across all intervals and divided by the occupation’s weighted
survey employment. The mean wage for each interval is based on occupational wage data collected by the BLS Office of Compensation and
Working Conditions for the National Compensation Survey (NCS).
The mean hourly wage value for the highest wage interval, $70.00
and over, is calculated after excluding data for pilots. Pilots comprise
a large portion of the employment from the NCS that falls into the
highest interval, and about one percent of the workers reported for
the OES survey makes $70.00 and over. Since pilots work fewer
hours than workers in other occupations, their hourly wage rates are
much higher than other occupations. After excluding pilots from the
calculation, the mean wage rate for the highest interval was computed
separately for May 2003, November 2002, 2001, 2000, and 1999.
Then the average of these five mean wage rates was derived and used for
all of the $70.00 and over data in the May 2003 survey. The wage rates
for this interval do not go through any wage updating procedures.
Percentile wage. The p-th percentile wage range for an occupation
is the wage where p percent of all workers earn that amount or less
and where (100-p) percent of all workers earn that amount or more.
This statistic is calculated by uniformly distributing the workers
inside each wage interval, ranking the workers from lowest paid to
highest paid, and calculating the product of the total employment for
the occupation and the desired percentile to determine the worker
that earns the p-th percentile wage rate.
Annual wage. Many employees are paid at an hourly rate by their
employers and may work more than or less than 40 hours per week.
Annual wage estimates in this release are calculated by multiplying
the mean hourly wage by a “year-round, full-time” figure of 2,080
hours (52 weeks by 40 hours). Thus, annual wage estimates may not
represent the actual annual pay received by the employee if they
work more or less than 2,080 hours per year. Alternatively, some
workers are paid based on an annual amount, but they generally do
not work the usual 2,080 hours per year. Since the OES survey does
not collect the actual number of hours worked, hourly rates cannot
be calculated with a reasonable degree of confidence from annual rates.
For this reason, the annual salary is directly calculated from reported
survey data, and only annual wages are estimated for these
occupations. Occupations that typically have a work year of less
than 2,080 hours include musical and entertainment occupations,
pilots and flight attendants, and teachers.
Hourly versus annual wage reporting. For each occupation,
respondents are asked to report the number of employees paid within
specific wage intervals. The intervals are defined both as hourly rates
and the corresponding annual rates, where the annual rate for an
occupation is calculated by multiplying the hourly wage rate by a
typical work year of 2,080 hours. The responding establishment can
reference either the hourly or the annual rate, but they are instructed
to report the hourly rate for part-time workers.
Estimation methodology
Beginning in November 2002, the OES survey samples
approximately 200,000 establishments semiannually in November
and May of each year, for a combined sample of 1.2 million different
establishments over six semiannual panels. Until 2002, the survey
sampled approximately 400,000 establishments in the fourth quarter
of each year, for a 3-year combined sample size of 1.2 million. While
estimates can be made from a single year or 2 years of data, the OES
survey has been designed to produce estimates at a desired level of
precision using the full 3 years, or 6 panels, of data. The 3-year
sample allows the production of estimates at fine levels of geographic,
industrial, and occupational detail.
Producing estimates using the 3 years of sample data provides
significant sampling error reductions (particularly for small
geographic areas and occupations); however, it also has some quality
limitations in that it requires the adjustment of earlier year’s data to
the current reference period, a procedure referred to as “wage
updating.”
Wage updating. As noted above, combining multiple years of data
has both statistical advantages and limitations. Significant reductions
in sampling error can be achieved by taking advantage of 3 years of
data, which covers over 70 percent of the employment in the United
States. This feature is particularly important in improving the
reliability of estimates for small domains in the population (that is,
wage and employment estimates for detailed occupations in small
areas). Combining multiple years of data also has been necessary to
obtain full coverage of establishments with 250 or more workers that
are sampled with certainty.
Starting with the 1997 estimates, the OES program has used the
BLS Employment Cost Index (ECI) to adjust survey data from prior
years or panels before combining them with the current panel’s data.
The wage updating procedure assumes that each occupation’s wage
rate, as measured in the earlier year or panel, moves according to the
average movement of the broader occupational division that
encompasses it and that there are no major geographic, industrial, or
detailed occupational differences.
May 2003 OES survey estimates. The May 2003 OES survey
estimates are based on data collected from establishments in the
November 2002, 2001, and 2000 samples plus a subset of certainty
units collected in 1999. The May 2003 estimates used the wageupdating methodology introduced in 1997. In addition, a “nearest
neighbor” hot deck imputation procedure was used to impute
occupational employment totals for establishments that reported no
employment data. For establishments that reported (or imputed)
occupational employment totals but did not report an employment
distribution across the wage intervals, a variation of mean imputation
was used to impute the distribution. During estimates processing,
OES employment data were benchmarked to the average employment
for May 2003 and November 2002 from the BLS Quarterly Census
of Employment and Wages.
Reliability of the estimates. Estimates calculated from a sample
survey are subject to two types of error: sampling and nonsampling.
Sampling error occurs when estimates are calculated from a subset
(i.e., sample) of the population instead of the full population. When
a sample of the population is surveyed, there is a chance that the
sample estimate of the characteristic of interest may differ from the
population value of that characteristic. Differences between the
sample estimate and the population value will vary depending on the
sample selected. This variability can be estimated by calculating the
standard error (SE) of the sample estimate. If we were to repeat the
sampling and estimation process countless times using the same
survey design, approximately 90 percent of the intervals created by
adding and subtracting 1.645 SEs from the sample estimate would
include the population value. These intervals are called 90-percent
confidence intervals. The OES survey, however, usually uses the
relative standard error (RSE) of a sample estimate instead of its SE
to measure sampling error. RSE is defined as the SE of a sample
estimate divided by the sample estimate itself. This statistic provides
the user with a measure of the relative precision of the sample
estimate. RSEs are calculated for both occupational employment and
mean wage rate estimates. Occupational employment RSEs are
calculated using a subsample, random group replication technique
called the Jackknife. Mean wage rate RSEs are calculated using a
variance components model that accounts for both the observed and
unobserved components of the wage data. The variances of the
unobserved components are estimated using wage data from the BLS
National Compensation Survey. In general, estimates based on many
establishments have lower RSEs than estimates based on few
establishments. If the distributional assumptions of the models are
violated, the resulting confidence intervals may not reflect the
prescribed level of confidence.
Nonsampling error occurs for a variety of reasons, none of which
are directly connected to sampling. Examples of nonsampling error
include: nonresponse, data incorrectly reported by the respondent,
mistakes made in entering collected data into the database, and
mistakes made in editing and processing the collected data.
Additional information
The May 2003 OES national data by occupation, comparable to
data in table 1, will be available soon on the Internet (http://
www.bls.gov/oes). Users also may access each occupation’s
definition and percentile wages. The May 2003 cross-industry data
for states and metropolitan areas will be available on the BLS Web
site in early May. Industry staffing patterns at the 3-, 4-, and selected
5-digit NAICS levels also will be available from the Internet beginning
in early May. These data will include industry-specific occupational
employment and wage data.
For additional information, contact the Office of Employment and
Unemployment Statistics, Division of Occupational Employment
Statistics, Room 2135, 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Washington,
DC, 20212; telephone 202-691-6569 (e-mail: [email protected]).
Information in this release will be made available to sensory
impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200;
TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-877-8339.
Table 1. National employment and wage data from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey by occupation, May 2003
Mean wages
Occupation
Employment
Hourly
Annual¹
Median hourly
wages
Management occupations
Chief executives.................................................................................................................
General and operations managers.....................................................................................
Legislators..........................................................................................................................
Advertising and promotions managers...............................................................................
Marketing managers..........................................................................................................
Sales managers.................................................................................................................
Public relations managers..................................................................................................
389,880
1,892,060
65,280
71,100
182,600
314,180
58,490
$67.58
42.64
15.14
35.18
44.32
44.15
35.94
$140,580
88,700
31,490
73,170
92,190
91,840
74,750
$64.78
35.00
7.90
29.01
40.01
38.69
31.16
Administrative services managers.....................................................................................
Computer and information systems managers..................................................................
Financial managers............................................................................................................
Human resources managers..............................................................................................
Industrial production managers..........................................................................................
Purchasing managers........................................................................................................
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers...........................................................
278,300
266,020
521,750
171,530
166,350
91,060
97,450
30.67
45.78
41.92
36.15
36.88
34.17
33.50
63,780
95,230
87,190
75,190
76,710
71,080
69,670
27.37
43.15
37.16
33.08
33.90
31.22
30.57
Farm, ranch, and other agricultural managers...................................................................
Construction managers......................................................................................................
Education administrators, preschool and child care center/program.................................
Education administrators, elementary and secondary school............................................
Education administrators, postsecondary..........................................................................
Engineering managers.......................................................................................................
Food service managers......................................................................................................
Funeral directors................................................................................................................
Gaming managers..............................................................................................................
Lodging managers.............................................................................................................
Medical and health services managers..............................................................................
Natural sciences managers................................................................................................
Postmasters and mail superintendents..............................................................................
Property, real estate, and community association managers.............................................
Social and community service managers...........................................................................
5,420
196,110
56,030
206,310
98,160
194,940
229,960
23,080
3,560
30,760
226,160
41,810
26,060
156,120
116,020
25.04
35.96
19.37
(²)
35.60
47.94
20.20
25.82
30.91
19.70
34.92
45.19
24.51
22.86
23.77
52,080
74,790
40,290
76,210
74,040
99,710
42,010
53,710
64,300
40,980
72,630
93,990
50,980
47,550
49,440
22.83
31.96
16.59
(²)
32.04
45.42
17.91
21.48
27.46
17.16
31.04
41.28
24.10
18.46
21.85
12,380
15,550
138,630
237,210
234,190
11,450
31.81
22.86
23.72
24.07
22.58
21.14
66,160
47,550
49,350
50,060
46,960
43,960
26.27
20.60
20.28
22.43
21.18
20.99
154,600
184,620
9,760
164,020
86,450
199,460
423,880
32,980
24.23
25.03
23.41
22.95
23.86
22.83
35.19
20.47
50,390
52,050
48,680
47,730
49,620
47,490
73,190
42,570
22.49
23.22
21.68
19.60
22.53
21.23
30.09
18.78
Accountants and auditors...................................................................................................
Appraisers and assessors of real estate............................................................................
Budget analysts..................................................................................................................
Credit analysts....................................................................................................................
Financial analysts...............................................................................................................
Personal financial advisors................................................................................................
Insurance underwriters.......................................................................................................
Financial examiners...........................................................................................................
Loan counselors.................................................................................................................
Loan officers.......................................................................................................................
Tax examiners, collectors, and revenue agents.................................................................
Tax preparers.....................................................................................................................
924,640
61,070
55,560
68,910
165,420
85,670
96,890
22,720
30,810
237,150
71,060
50,410
26.65
23.99
27.56
25.25
33.67
38.12
25.56
30.66
18.12
26.73
22.62
15.69
55,430
49,900
57,330
52,530
70,040
79,290
53,170
63,770
37,700
55,590
47,060
32,630
23.59
20.97
26.21
21.65
28.87
28.22
22.75
28.36
16.09
22.43
20.57
12.76
Computer and mathematical science occupations
Computer and information scientists, research..................................................................
Computer programmers.....................................................................................................
Computer software engineers, applications.......................................................................
Computer software engineers, systems software..............................................................
Computer support specialists.............................................................................................
Computer systems analysts...............................................................................................
Database administrators....................................................................................................
Network and computer systems administrators.................................................................
Network systems and data communications analysts........................................................
23,210
431,640
392,140
285,760
482,990
474,780
100,890
237,980
148,030
40.64
31.01
36.42
37.69
20.50
31.82
29.54
28.43
29.84
84,530
64,510
75,750
78,400
42,640
66,180
61,440
59,140
62,060
39.23
29.49
34.87
36.65
18.96
30.85
27.98
26.95
28.42
Actuaries............................................................................................................................
Mathematicians..................................................................................................................
14,680
2,470
41.22
37.00
85,730
76,960
34.86
37.64
Business and financial operations occupations
Agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes.................................
Purchasing agents and buyers, farm products...................................................................
Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products...........................................................
Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products.......................................
Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators.................................................................
Insurance appraisers, auto damage...................................................................................
Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety,
and transportation.......................................................................................................
Cost estimators..................................................................................................................
Emergency management specialists.................................................................................
Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists........................................................
Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists........................................................
Training and development specialists................................................................................
Management analysts........................................................................................................
Meeting and convention planners......................................................................................
See footnotes at end of table.
Table 1. National employment and wage data from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey by occupation, May 2003
Continued
Mean wages
Occupation
Employment
Hourly
Annual¹
Median hourly
wages
Computer and mathematical science occupations  Continued
Operations research analysts.............................................................................................
Statisticians........................................................................................................................
Mathematical technicians...................................................................................................
58,080
18,370
2,180
$29.66
29.79
19.87
$61,700
61,970
41,320
$28.03
28.64
17.57
Architecture and engineering occupations
Architects, except landscape and naval.............................................................................
Landscape architects.........................................................................................................
Cartographers and photogrammetrists..............................................................................
Surveyors...........................................................................................................................
91,010
18,910
8,940
51,490
31.18
26.39
22.37
21.06
64,850
54,900
46,520
43,810
27.86
24.27
21.24
19.64
Aerospace engineers.........................................................................................................
Agricultural engineers.........................................................................................................
Biomedical engineers.........................................................................................................
Chemical engineers...........................................................................................................
Civil engineers....................................................................................................................
Computer hardware engineers...........................................................................................
Electrical engineers............................................................................................................
Electronics engineers, except computer............................................................................
Environmental engineers...................................................................................................
Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors...................
Industrial engineers............................................................................................................
Marine engineers and naval architects...............................................................................
Materials engineers............................................................................................................
Mechanical engineers........................................................................................................
Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers................................
Nuclear engineers..............................................................................................................
Petroleum engineers..........................................................................................................
70,740
2,270
6,980
32,490
206,350
72,550
146,150
137,320
45,480
29,920
156,780
4,960
23,120
207,810
4,730
16,010
11,630
36.54
27.11
32.20
36.66
31.07
38.15
34.66
35.16
31.16
30.01
30.91
34.52
31.19
31.75
31.78
41.12
41.86
76,000
56,380
66,980
76,250
64,620
79,350
72,090
73,140
64,820
62,420
64,290
71,800
64,870
66,040
66,090
85,520
87,070
35.83
24.51
30.61
35.46
29.73
36.53
33.48
34.31
30.19
28.68
30.23
33.89
30.25
30.72
30.06
40.18
40.34
Architectural and civil drafters............................................................................................
Electrical and electronics drafters......................................................................................
Mechanical drafters............................................................................................................
Aerospace engineering and operations technicians..........................................................
Civil engineering technicians..............................................................................................
Electrical and electronic engineering technicians..............................................................
Electro-mechanical technicians..........................................................................................
Environmental engineering technicians.............................................................................
Industrial engineering technicians......................................................................................
Mechanical engineering technicians..................................................................................
Surveying and mapping technicians...................................................................................
97,800
33,720
74,010
13,900
90,060
177,940
25,820
17,630
64,260
50,510
57,740
18.84
21.56
20.88
25.91
18.89
21.70
19.68
19.01
21.68
20.84
15.39
39,190
44,840
43,430
53,890
39,290
45,150
40,930
39,530
45,090
43,340
32,000
18.12
20.06
19.96
25.33
18.30
20.98
18.88
17.88
20.13
20.14
14.19
Life, physical, and social science occupations
Agricultural and food scientists..........................................................................................
Biochemists and biophysicists...........................................................................................
Microbiologists....................................................................................................................
Zoologists and wildlife biologists........................................................................................
Conservation scientists......................................................................................................
Foresters............................................................................................................................
Epidemiologists..................................................................................................................
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists.........................................................................
16,200
14,430
14,110
12,880
13,780
9,840
3,770
60,830
25.77
32.27
27.49
24.57
25.08
23.44
28.30
32.38
53,600
67,120
57,190
51,100
52,160
48,760
58,860
67,360
23.80
29.95
25.21
23.72
24.63
22.75
26.22
28.47
Astronomers.......................................................................................................................
Physicists...........................................................................................................................
Atmospheric and space scientists......................................................................................
Chemists............................................................................................................................
Materials scientists.............................................................................................................
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health.................................................
Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers.........................................................
Hydrologists........................................................................................................................
770
12,390
6,490
82,600
7,410
61,660
26,090
7,060
40.90
42.48
31.65
28.11
34.09
25.23
37.73
28.60
85,070
88,350
65,830
58,460
70,900
52,490
78,480
59,490
42.45
41.17
31.57
25.79
33.15
23.46
32.91
27.43
Economists.........................................................................................................................
Market research analysts...................................................................................................
Survey researchers............................................................................................................
Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists..................................................................
Industrial-organizational psychologists...............................................................................
Sociologists........................................................................................................................
Urban and regional planners..............................................................................................
Anthropologists and archeologists.....................................................................................
Geographers......................................................................................................................
Historians...........................................................................................................................
Political scientists...............................................................................................................
12,300
142,190
16,850
100,180
1,330
3,060
30,770
4,550
700
2,350
4,840
37.41
29.65
15.76
27.80
34.26
28.16
25.58
21.28
27.26
21.78
38.93
77,810
61,670
32,770
57,820
71,260
58,570
53,210
44,270
56,690
45,310
80,980
33.78
26.28
11.83
25.10
30.98
26.16
24.73
19.54
27.33
20.14
39.12
Agricultural and food science technicians..........................................................................
Biological technicians.........................................................................................................
15,990
49,550
14.87
16.62
30,920
34,570
13.81
15.69
See footnotes at end of table.
Table 1. National employment and wage data from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey by occupation, May 2003
Continued
Mean wages
Occupation
Employment
Hourly
Annual¹
Median hourly
wages
Life, physical, and social science occupations  Continued
Chemical technicians.........................................................................................................
Geological and petroleum technicians...............................................................................
Nuclear technicians............................................................................................................
Environmental science and protection technicians, including health.................................
Forensic science technicians.............................................................................................
Forest and conservation technicians..................................................................................
64,020
10,150
6,970
27,800
8,830
30,140
$18.51
20.21
28.64
17.97
21.43
14.29
$38,500
42,040
59,570
37,380
44,580
29,730
$17.82
19.58
28.47
16.97
20.18
12.93
Community and social services occupations
Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors......................................................
Educational, vocational, and school counselors................................................................
Marriage and family therapists...........................................................................................
Mental health counselors...................................................................................................
Rehabilitation counselors...................................................................................................
Child, family, and school social workers............................................................................
Medical and public health social workers...........................................................................
Mental health and substance abuse social workers...........................................................
Health educators................................................................................................................
Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists...................................................
Social and human service assistants.................................................................................
Clergy.................................................................................................................................
Directors, religious activities and education.......................................................................
65,170
214,360
22,150
83,450
115,690
256,160
103,270
96,990
42,780
86,810
300,310
38,170
11,840
15.95
22.59
19.33
16.48
14.06
17.64
19.10
16.88
19.47
20.00
12.24
17.76
15.60
33,170
46,990
40,210
34,280
29,240
36,700
39,730
35,120
40,490
41,600
25,450
36,950
32,460
14.99
21.46
17.71
15.05
12.79
16.25
18.48
15.88
18.00
18.64
11.47
16.25
13.45
Legal occupations
Lawyers..............................................................................................................................
Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers............................................
Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators..............................................................................
Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates......................................................................
Paralegals and legal assistants..........................................................................................
Court reporters...................................................................................................................
Law clerks..........................................................................................................................
Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers......................................................................
516,220
16,850
4,640
24,640
206,700
15,370
41,550
47,840
51.83
33.46
26.06
42.09
19.57
22.26
15.88
18.69
107,800
69,590
54,210
87,540
40,710
46,310
33,030
38,880
43.98
31.81
22.77
46.31
18.23
20.31
15.27
16.39
Education, training, and library occupations
Business teachers, postsecondary.....................................................................................
Computer science teachers, postsecondary......................................................................
Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary.................................................................
Architecture teachers, postsecondary................................................................................
Engineering teachers, postsecondary................................................................................
Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary..................................................................
Biological science teachers, postsecondary.......................................................................
Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary............................................
Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary......................
Chemistry teachers, postsecondary...................................................................................
Environmental science teachers, postsecondary...............................................................
Physics teachers, postsecondary.......................................................................................
68,260
34,470
41,880
5,270
28,990
11,260
51,780
2,660
8,420
17,100
3,620
11,870
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
62,450
56,210
55,510
64,300
74,630
66,780
68,880
66,740
68,370
61,820
62,960
67,430
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
Anthropology and archeology teachers, postsecondary.....................................................
Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary...............................................
Economics teachers, postsecondary..................................................................................
Geography teachers, postsecondary..................................................................................
Political science teachers, postsecondary..........................................................................
Psychology teachers, postsecondary.................................................................................
Sociology teachers, postsecondary....................................................................................
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary.......................................................................
Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary..............................................................
Education teachers, postsecondary...................................................................................
Library science teachers, postsecondary...........................................................................
4,690
7,490
11,420
3,910
12,320
27,250
13,990
88,130
36,330
44,880
4,110
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
64,320
60,520
70,590
59,200
62,880
59,180
56,830
73,660
53,480
51,830
53,660
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary........................................
Law teachers, postsecondary.............................................................................................
Social work teachers, postsecondary.................................................................................
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary................................................................
Communications teachers, postsecondary........................................................................
English language and literature teachers, postsecondary..................................................
Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary.................................................
History teachers, postsecondary........................................................................................
Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary..............................................................
Graduate teaching assistants.............................................................................................
Home economics teachers, postsecondary.......................................................................
Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary...................................................
Vocational education teachers, postsecondary..................................................................
9,610
11,470
6,470
60,120
20,420
56,540
19,710
18,110
15,890
121,760
4,500
14,780
121,090
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
20.80
49,180
91,420
55,830
52,770
52,400
51,780
50,920
56,550
53,600
26,440
52,600
47,050
43,270
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
19.10
Preschool teachers, except special education...................................................................
Kindergarten teachers, except special education...............................................................
Elementary school teachers, except special education......................................................
368,870
162,660
1,432,800
10.67
(²)
(²)
22,190
42,380
44,350
9.53
(²)
(²)
See footnotes at end of table.
Table 1. National employment and wage data from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey by occupation, May 2003
Continued
Mean wages
Occupation
Employment
Hourly
Annual¹
Median hourly
wages
Education, training, and library occupations  Continued
Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education.....................................
Vocational education teachers, middle school...................................................................
Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education..............................
Vocational education teachers, secondary school.............................................................
Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school..................
Special education teachers, middle school........................................................................
Special education teachers, secondary school..................................................................
Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors..............................
Self-enrichment education teachers...................................................................................
604,370
17,430
1,011,240
101,190
207,530
93,790
131,190
62,510
136,680
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
20.47
16.15
$44,830
44,930
46,790
46,100
45,920
44,920
47,530
42,570
33,590
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
18.10
14.34
Archivists, curators, and museum technicians...................................................................
Librarians............................................................................................................................
Library technicians.............................................................................................................
Audio-visual collections specialists....................................................................................
Farm and home management advisors.............................................................................
Instructional coordinators...................................................................................................
Teacher assistants.............................................................................................................
21,030
153,330
108,940
8,970
12,010
96,690
1,234,030
19.21
21.89
12.29
16.80
20.10
24.09
(²)
39,960
45,520
25,570
34,940
41,800
50,100
20,220
17.14
21.22
11.65
15.67
19.20
22.82
(²)
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
Art directors........................................................................................................................
Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators..................................................
Multi-media artists and animators......................................................................................
Commercial and industrial designers.................................................................................
Fashion designers..............................................................................................................
Floral designers..................................................................................................................
Graphic designers..............................................................................................................
Interior designers................................................................................................................
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers...................................................................
Set and exhibit designers...................................................................................................
24,000
9,690
32,910
33,390
11,270
69,730
151,950
46,240
59,150
8,060
33.70
20.97
25.42
26.41
30.12
10.00
19.85
21.39
11.99
18.78
70,100
43,610
52,880
54,920
62,650
20,810
41,300
44,480
24,940
39,070
29.93
17.03
22.08
25.16
25.42
9.45
17.61
19.29
10.59
16.90
Actors.................................................................................................................................
Producers and directors.....................................................................................................
Athletes and sports competitors.........................................................................................
Coaches and scouts...........................................................................................................
Umpires, referees, and other sports officials......................................................................
Dancers..............................................................................................................................
Choreographers.................................................................................................................
Music directors and composers.........................................................................................
Musicians and singers........................................................................................................
51,840
54,370
11,840
105,070
8,790
15,390
14,810
9,000
50,600
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
12.76
17.16
(²)
(²)
48,940
64,550
90,410
33,570
27,820
26,540
35,700
41,450
51,580
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
9.45
14.92
(²)
(²)
Announcers........................................................................................................................
News analysts, reporters and correspondents...................................................................
Public relations specialists.................................................................................................
Editors................................................................................................................................
Technical writers................................................................................................................
Writers and authors............................................................................................................
Interpreters and translators................................................................................................
49,370
60,230
147,970
108,990
44,690
43,740
21,910
14.25
19.27
23.19
22.83
26.15
24.26
17.22
29,640
40,090
48,230
47,490
54,390
50,460
35,820
10.07
15.02
20.48
19.93
24.80
20.35
16.10
Audio and video equipment technicians.............................................................................
Broadcast technicians........................................................................................................
Radio operators..................................................................................................................
Sound engineering technicians..........................................................................................
Photographers....................................................................................................................
Camera operators, television, video, and motion picture...................................................
Film and video editors........................................................................................................
37,370
32,750
2,060
11,840
57,740
21,430
15,100
16.88
16.62
15.80
22.49
14.23
18.34
22.32
35,110
34,560
32,870
46,780
29,590
38,140
46,420
14.81
13.51
14.57
18.41
12.04
16.51
19.52
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations
Chiropractors......................................................................................................................
Dentists..............................................................................................................................
Dietitians and nutritionists..................................................................................................
Optometrists.......................................................................................................................
Pharmacists.......................................................................................................................
20,210
97,090
46,190
22,740
215,030
39.72
63.08
20.68
45.70
37.80
82,630
131,210
43,020
95,060
78,620
31.72
57.85
20.21
41.07
38.72
Anesthesiologists...............................................................................................................
Family and general practitioners........................................................................................
Internists, general...............................................................................................................
Obstetricians and gynecologists.........................................................................................
Pediatricians, general.........................................................................................................
Psychiatrists.......................................................................................................................
Surgeons............................................................................................................................
23,790
111,990
50,140
19,180
26,910
19,530
49,730
88.89
67.13
76.99
86.86
68.90
66.97
91.48
184,880
139,640
160,130
180,660
143,300
139,300
190,280
(³)
64.11
(³)
(³)
64.50
64.41
(³)
Physician assistants...........................................................................................................
Podiatrists...........................................................................................................................
Registered nurses..............................................................................................................
Audiologists........................................................................................................................
Occupational therapists......................................................................................................
60,030
7,800
2,246,430
10,030
81,380
31.15
51.17
24.63
25.23
25.87
64,790
106,430
51,230
52,490
53,810
31.57
45.22
23.82
23.93
25.27
See footnotes at end of table.
Table 1. National employment and wage data from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey by occupation, May 2003
Continued
Mean wages
Occupation
Employment
Hourly
Annual¹
Median hourly
wages
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations  Continued
Physical therapists.............................................................................................................
Radiation therapists............................................................................................................
Recreational therapists.......................................................................................................
Respiratory therapists........................................................................................................
Speech-language pathologists...........................................................................................
Veterinarians......................................................................................................................
134,970
13,990
22,860
87,180
86,640
43,890
$29.02
30.83
15.82
20.07
25.10
36.00
$60,350
64,130
32,920
41,750
52,210
74,880
$27.75
26.06
15.32
19.79
24.06
31.13
Medical and clinical laboratory technologists.....................................................................
Medical and clinical laboratory technicians........................................................................
Dental hygienists................................................................................................................
Cardiovascular technologists and technicians...................................................................
Diagnostic medical sonographers......................................................................................
Nuclear medicine technologists.........................................................................................
Radiologic technologists and technicians..........................................................................
Emergency medical technicians and paramedics..............................................................
146,900
146,160
146,360
43,300
37,240
17,550
173,030
181,750
21.38
14.88
28.13
18.44
24.39
26.57
20.03
12.95
44,480
30,940
58,520
38,350
50,740
55,260
41,660
26,930
20.98
14.24
27.10
17.99
24.02
24.79
19.53
11.75
Dietetic technicians............................................................................................................
Pharmacy technicians........................................................................................................
Psychiatric technicians.......................................................................................................
Respiratory therapy technicians.........................................................................................
Surgical technologists........................................................................................................
Veterinary technologists and technicians...........................................................................
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses............................................................
Medical records and health information technicians..........................................................
Opticians, dispensing.........................................................................................................
Orthotists and prosthetists..................................................................................................
Occupational health and safety specialists and technicians..............................................
Athletic trainers...................................................................................................................
26,870
211,270
56,000
25,470
73,250
53,730
682,590
148,380
63,780
4,880
42,580
11,750
11.64
11.47
13.60
17.11
15.74
11.76
15.97
12.77
13.74
27.38
23.57
(²)
24,210
23,860
28,290
35,590
32,740
24,470
33,210
26,550
28,570
56,950
49,020
34,860
10.78
10.94
12.39
16.75
15.45
11.22
15.57
11.79
12.67
23.90
22.88
(²)
Healthcare support occupations
Home health aides.............................................................................................................
Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants............................................................................
Psychiatric aides................................................................................................................
Occupational therapist assistants......................................................................................
Occupational therapist aides..............................................................................................
Physical therapist assistants..............................................................................................
Physical therapist aides......................................................................................................
Massage therapists............................................................................................................
Dental assistants................................................................................................................
Medical assistants..............................................................................................................
Medical equipment preparers.............................................................................................
Medical transcriptionists.....................................................................................................
Pharmacy aides..................................................................................................................
Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers.....................................................
583,880
1,341,650
57,770
18,940
6,060
52,440
36,870
29,940
272,030
362,670
37,140
97,810
61,170
64,490
9.22
10.12
11.48
18.04
12.21
17.67
10.71
16.49
13.57
11.99
11.66
13.59
9.42
9.28
19,180
21,050
23,880
37,530
25,390
36,750
22,270
34,310
28,230
24,940
24,260
28,270
19,600
19,310
8.77
9.85
11.01
17.98
10.95
17.60
10.08
13.78
13.32
11.62
11.23
13.26
8.84
8.66
Protective service occupations
First-line supervisors/managers of correctional officers.....................................................
First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives..................................................
First-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and prevention workers............................
33,760
101,740
59,000
23.00
30.39
28.24
47,850
63,200
58,750
21.88
29.98
27.40
Fire fighters........................................................................................................................
Fire inspectors and investigators.......................................................................................
Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists...............................................................
273,120
12,320
1,460
18.41
22.76
19.72
38,280
47,340
41,010
17.82
21.99
18.31
Bailiffs.................................................................................................................................
Correctional officers and jailers..........................................................................................
Detectives and criminal investigators.................................................................................
Fish and game wardens.....................................................................................................
Parking enforcement workers............................................................................................
Police and sheriff's patrol officers.......................................................................................
Transit and railroad police..................................................................................................
16,760
417,420
87,480
6,850
9,870
609,960
5,470
16.81
16.87
26.17
21.41
14.22
21.62
22.09
34,970
35,090
54,440
44,540
29,570
44,960
45,940
16.57
15.94
25.19
19.90
13.55
21.16
21.23
Animal control workers.......................................................................................................
Private detectives and investigators...................................................................................
Gaming surveillance officers and gaming investigators.....................................................
Security guards..................................................................................................................
Crossing guards.................................................................................................................
12,290
30,460
7,560
964,260
70,820
12.93
16.87
12.51
10.34
9.86
26,900
35,080
26,030
21,520
20,510
12.38
14.62
11.86
9.45
9.07
Food preparation and serving related occupations
Chefs and head cooks.......................................................................................................
First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers.........................
Cooks, fast food.................................................................................................................
Cooks, institution and cafeteria..........................................................................................
Cooks, restaurant...............................................................................................................
Cooks, short order..............................................................................................................
Food preparation workers..................................................................................................
118,870
694,040
612,960
406,010
734,870
227,360
852,890
15.68
12.90
7.23
9.31
9.62
8.30
8.34
32,620
26,840
15,030
19,350
20,020
17,260
17,340
13.82
11.88
6.95
8.80
9.26
7.90
7.92
See footnotes at end of table.
Table 1. National employment and wage data from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey by occupation, May 2003
Continued
Mean wages
Occupation
Employment
Hourly
Food preparation and serving related occupations  Continued
Bartenders..........................................................................................................................
Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food...............................
Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop.....................................
Waiters and waitresses......................................................................................................
Food servers, nonrestaurant..............................................................................................
Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers............................................
Dishwashers.......................................................................................................................
Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop...............................................
Annual¹
Median hourly
wages
470,020
2,047,100
461,700
2,125,100
194,260
393,500
492,620
294,300
$8.14
7.34
7.76
7.58
8.28
7.38
7.45
7.77
$16,930
15,260
16,140
15,780
17,220
15,350
15,490
16,170
$7.23
7.00
7.38
6.78
7.65
7.01
7.21
7.40
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations
First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers..........................
First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and
groundskeeping workers.............................................................................................
Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners.....................................
Maids and housekeeping cleaners.....................................................................................
Pest control workers...........................................................................................................
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers........................................................................
Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation.................................................
Tree trimmers and pruners.................................................................................................
203,770
14.90
31,000
13.78
95,450
2,064,350
896,370
58,500
819,780
23,450
40,710
17.71
9.77
8.42
12.75
10.39
12.60
13.11
36,840
20,320
17,520
26,510
21,610
26,210
27,270
16.23
8.85
7.98
12.01
9.59
12.25
12.32
Personal care and service occupations
Gaming supervisors...........................................................................................................
Slot key persons.................................................................................................................
First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers............................................
Animal trainers...................................................................................................................
Nonfarm animal caretakers................................................................................................
26,280
15,000
110,630
6,990
85,440
19.64
11.98
15.67
12.65
9.08
40,860
24,930
32,590
26,310
18,890
19.31
11.13
14.18
10.75
8.26
Gaming dealers..................................................................................................................
Gaming and sports book writers and runners....................................................................
Motion picture projectionists...............................................................................................
Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers.......................................................................
Amusement and recreation attendants..............................................................................
Costume attendants...........................................................................................................
Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants....................................................
76,120
15,820
10,450
109,290
236,070
3,400
21,420
7.86
10.04
9.98
7.94
7.89
13.80
8.60
16,350
20,880
20,750
16,520
16,400
28,700
17,890
6.83
9.05
8.24
7.07
7.23
12.22
8.25
Embalmers.........................................................................................................................
Funeral attendants.............................................................................................................
Barbers...............................................................................................................................
Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists...................................................................
Makeup artists, theatrical and performance.......................................................................
Manicurists and pedicurists................................................................................................
Shampooers.......................................................................................................................
Skin care specialists...........................................................................................................
7,630
28,120
17,570
335,860
720
32,670
15,300
16,820
17.48
9.66
11.16
10.49
16.68
9.21
7.27
12.65
36,360
20,090
23,210
21,810
34,700
19,150
15,120
26,310
16.51
8.91
9.73
8.99
14.09
8.52
6.90
11.08
Baggage porters and bellhops...........................................................................................
Concierges.........................................................................................................................
Tour guides and escorts.....................................................................................................
Travel guides......................................................................................................................
Flight attendants.................................................................................................................
Transportation attendants, except flight attendants and baggage porters.........................
55,880
16,710
27,390
5,450
107,100
28,580
10.53
11.31
9.71
15.17
(²)
9.99
21,900
23,520
20,190
31,540
47,670
20,770
8.51
10.48
9.04
13.24
(²)
9.05
Child care workers..............................................................................................................
Personal and home care aides..........................................................................................
Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors...........................................................................
Recreation workers............................................................................................................
Residential advisors...........................................................................................................
469,150
487,200
177,790
265,640
49,650
8.37
8.18
14.71
10.12
10.89
17,400
17,020
30,590
21,040
22,650
7.90
7.91
11.78
8.94
10.06
Sales and related occupations
First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers.....................................................
First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers..............................................
Cashiers.............................................................................................................................
Gaming change persons and booth cashiers.....................................................................
1,175,310
327,180
3,462,010
30,760
17.10
32.46
8.14
9.84
35,560
67,520
16,940
20,470
14.75
26.78
7.58
9.63
Counter and rental clerks...................................................................................................
Parts salespersons.............................................................................................................
Retail salespersons............................................................................................................
442,310
236,090
3,992,930
9.95
13.04
10.70
20,690
27,120
22,260
8.48
11.78
8.70
Advertising sales agents....................................................................................................
Insurance sales agents......................................................................................................
Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents...........................................
Travel agents......................................................................................................................
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific
products.......................................................................................................................
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical
and scientific products.................................................................................................
141,340
277,120
245,280
103,840
23.26
25.85
40.94
14.00
48,390
53,770
85,150
29,110
18.58
19.25
29.10
13.05
390,080
31.42
65,360
27.46
1,421,660
25.23
52,480
21.09
See footnotes at end of table.
Table 1. National employment and wage data from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey by occupation, May 2003
Continued
Mean wages
Occupation
Employment
Hourly
Annual¹
Median hourly
wages
Sales and related occupations  Continued
Demonstrators and product promoters..............................................................................
Models................................................................................................................................
Real estate brokers............................................................................................................
Real estate sales agents....................................................................................................
Sales engineers..................................................................................................................
Telemarketers....................................................................................................................
Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers.....................
95,300
1,560
40,590
123,490
73,200
404,150
21,600
$12.07
14.89
33.62
21.61
34.85
10.86
13.97
$25,110
30,980
69,920
44,950
72,490
22,590
29,050
$9.74
11.67
23.91
15.68
32.59
9.55
11.67
Office and administrative support occupations
First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers..................
Switchboard operators, including answering service.........................................................
Telephone operators..........................................................................................................
1,412,470
217,700
45,310
20.46
10.69
14.31
42,550
22,230
29,770
18.99
10.27
13.48
Bill and account collectors..................................................................................................
Billing and posting clerks and machine operators..............................................................
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks...................................................................
Gaming cage workers........................................................................................................
Payroll and timekeeping clerks..........................................................................................
Procurement clerks............................................................................................................
Tellers.................................................................................................................................
417,100
487,420
1,750,680
18,370
194,330
72,820
538,890
13.74
13.13
13.93
10.94
14.75
14.79
10.07
28,580
27,310
28,980
22,760
30,670
30,770
20,940
12.98
12.64
13.35
10.61
14.22
14.49
9.94
Brokerage clerks................................................................................................................
Correspondence clerks......................................................................................................
Court, municipal, and license clerks...................................................................................
Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks............................................................................
Customer service representatives......................................................................................
Eligibility interviewers, government programs....................................................................
File clerks...........................................................................................................................
Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks...................................................................................
75,380
27,460
100,310
73,860
1,902,850
89,410
249,270
180,410
17.46
13.49
14.15
14.22
13.73
16.23
10.43
8.77
36,310
28,050
29,430
29,580
28,560
33,750
21,690
18,240
16.39
12.88
13.20
13.08
12.74
15.87
9.84
8.39
Interviewers, except eligibility and loan..............................................................................
Library assistants, clerical..................................................................................................
Loan interviewers and clerks..............................................................................................
New accounts clerks..........................................................................................................
Order clerks........................................................................................................................
Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping..........................................
Receptionists and information clerks.................................................................................
Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks..........................................
190,160
109,900
179,080
105,300
303,320
165,760
1,058,790
165,990
11.44
10.23
14.34
13.17
12.77
15.44
10.65
14.00
23,790
21,280
29,830
27,400
26,560
32,120
22,150
29,130
10.86
9.58
13.62
12.47
12.05
14.93
10.25
12.60
Cargo and freight agents....................................................................................................
Couriers and messengers..................................................................................................
Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers............................................................................
Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance................................................................
Meter readers, utilities........................................................................................................
Postal service clerks..........................................................................................................
Postal service mail carriers................................................................................................
Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators....................
Production, planning, and expediting clerks.......................................................................
Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks.................................................................................
Stock clerks and order fillers..............................................................................................
Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping........................................
61,770
118,210
89,620
161,790
51,790
78,520
344,580
224,250
277,030
767,470
1,576,620
77,770
16.29
10.00
14.27
15.80
14.67
18.83
18.87
17.79
17.32
12.11
10.33
13.07
33,880
20,790
29,690
32,870
30,510
39,170
39,240
37,010
36,030
25,200
21,490
27,180
15.38
9.39
13.60
14.61
13.80
19.13
19.05
18.78
16.74
11.38
9.38
11.80
Executive secretaries and administrative assistants..........................................................
Legal secretaries................................................................................................................
Medical secretaries............................................................................................................
Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive.............................................................
1,418,640
264,080
349,370
1,845,860
17.22
17.87
13.08
12.76
35,810
37,170
27,210
26,540
16.39
17.15
12.50
12.22
Computer operators...........................................................................................................
Data entry keyers...............................................................................................................
Word processors and typists..............................................................................................
Desktop publishers.............................................................................................................
Insurance claims and policy processing clerks..................................................................
Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service.........................................
Office clerks, general.........................................................................................................
Office machine operators, except computer......................................................................
Proofreaders and copy markers.........................................................................................
Statistical assistants...........................................................................................................
160,170
339,010
191,180
33,590
239,580
152,360
2,926,160
90,470
24,700
20,970
15.32
11.34
13.65
16.15
14.33
10.91
11.43
11.42
12.76
15.11
31,870
23,590
28,400
33,590
29,800
22,700
23,780
23,760
26,550
31,430
14.41
10.86
13.05
15.19
13.71
10.47
10.80
10.68
11.77
14.37
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations
First-line supervisors/managers of farming, fishing, and forestry workers.........................
Farm labor contractors.......................................................................................................
Agricultural inspectors........................................................................................................
Animal breeders.................................................................................................................
Graders and sorters, agricultural products.........................................................................
Agricultural equipment operators.......................................................................................
Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse..............................................
20,620
3,340
13,670
1,750
51,210
21,330
233,450
18.14
10.29
15.09
14.25
8.53
9.47
8.02
37,730
21,390
31,390
29,640
17,740
19,690
16,670
16.76
7.79
13.83
12.02
7.78
8.59
7.43
See footnotes at end of table.
Table 1. National employment and wage data from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey by occupation, May 2003
Continued
Mean wages
Occupation
Employment
Hourly
Annual¹
Median hourly
wages
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations  Continued
Farmworkers, farm and ranch animals...............................................................................
Forest and conservation workers.......................................................................................
Fallers.................................................................................................................................
Logging equipment operators............................................................................................
Log graders and scalers.....................................................................................................
42,890
9,170
9,620
28,190
4,900
$8.84
11.24
15.31
13.52
13.94
$18,390
23,380
31,850
28,130
28,990
$8.12
9.58
13.46
13.00
13.01
Construction and extraction occupations
First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers................
Boilermakers......................................................................................................................
Brickmasons and blockmasons.........................................................................................
Stonemasons.....................................................................................................................
Carpenters..........................................................................................................................
Carpet installers.................................................................................................................
Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles...............................................................
Floor sanders and finishers................................................................................................
Tile and marble setters.......................................................................................................
Cement masons and concrete finishers.............................................................................
Terrazzo workers and finishers..........................................................................................
Construction laborers.........................................................................................................
Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators........................................................
Pile-driver operators...........................................................................................................
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators....................................
Drywall and ceiling tile installers.........................................................................................
Tapers................................................................................................................................
516,540
20,270
107,900
13,710
852,080
37,720
15,070
6,700
36,900
180,540
6,140
837,650
57,980
4,390
343,640
111,970
33,540
25.06
20.92
20.36
17.36
17.75
17.00
17.19
14.14
17.95
16.23
14.64
13.64
15.86
22.72
18.39
17.56
19.33
52,130
43,510
42,350
36,110
36,920
35,360
35,760
29,420
37,340
33,760
30,460
28,380
32,980
47,260
38,260
36,530
40,200
23.43
20.79
19.98
16.35
16.47
15.82
16.75
13.08
17.12
14.80
13.32
11.86
14.06
23.16
16.84
16.19
18.81
Electricians.........................................................................................................................
Glaziers..............................................................................................................................
Insulation workers..............................................................................................................
Painters, construction and maintenance............................................................................
Paperhangers.....................................................................................................................
Pipelayers...........................................................................................................................
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters...............................................................................
Plasterers and stucco masons...........................................................................................
Reinforcing iron and rebar workers....................................................................................
Roofers...............................................................................................................................
Sheet metal workers..........................................................................................................
Structural iron and steel workers........................................................................................
584,010
46,230
52,170
247,880
8,910
51,940
433,600
53,530
30,250
118,390
189,590
70,420
21.20
17.16
15.83
15.36
16.45
15.38
20.89
17.17
18.91
15.78
18.16
20.49
44,090
35,690
32,940
31,960
34,220
32,000
43,450
35,720
39,330
32,820
37,780
42,610
20.04
15.53
14.04
14.12
15.40
13.73
19.69
15.90
16.80
14.43
16.83
19.58
Helpers--brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters.............
Helpers--carpenters............................................................................................................
Helpers--electricians...........................................................................................................
Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons.....................................
Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters..............................................
Helpers--roofers.................................................................................................................
59,890
98,180
93,520
29,130
77,580
21,490
12.99
10.93
12.01
10.97
11.50
10.64
27,010
22,740
24,980
22,820
23,920
22,140
11.64
10.37
11.27
9.81
10.77
9.96
Construction and building inspectors.................................................................................
Elevator installers and repairers.........................................................................................
Fence erectors...................................................................................................................
Hazardous materials removal workers...............................................................................
Highway maintenance workers..........................................................................................
Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators...................................................
Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners..................................................................
Segmental pavers..............................................................................................................
79,720
21,470
22,550
36,590
140,450
11,170
16,310
1,710
21.36
26.86
12.18
17.30
14.21
16.91
14.26
14.30
44,430
55,860
25,340
35,970
29,550
35,170
29,670
29,740
20.50
26.90
10.85
15.72
13.77
17.29
13.45
12.76
Derrick operators, oil and gas............................................................................................
Rotary drill operators, oil and gas.......................................................................................
Service unit operators, oil, gas, and mining.......................................................................
Earth drillers, except oil and gas........................................................................................
Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters...........................................
Continuous mining machine operators...............................................................................
Mine cutting and channeling machine operators................................................................
Rock splitters, quarry..........................................................................................................
Roof bolters, mining...........................................................................................................
Roustabouts, oil and gas....................................................................................................
Helpers--extraction workers...............................................................................................
15,080
14,830
12,640
19,970
5,140
7,610
4,460
3,240
3,980
32,720
28,860
15.58
17.99
15.93
16.46
17.52
17.18
17.49
13.76
18.49
11.84
13.21
32,400
37,420
33,140
34,230
36,450
35,730
36,370
28,620
38,460
24,640
27,480
14.69
16.78
14.41
15.65
16.97
17.17
17.56
12.88
18.54
10.70
12.63
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers...........................
Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers................................................
Radio mechanics................................................................................................................
Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers................
Avionics technicians...........................................................................................................
Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers................................................................
Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment....................
Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment.......................
445,520
144,370
6,890
195,500
21,420
26,070
17,370
83,820
24.53
16.98
18.80
22.31
20.98
16.19
18.91
19.96
51,020
35,310
39,100
46,400
43,630
33,660
39,330
41,520
23.37
16.24
17.82
23.19
20.73
15.53
18.89
20.29
See footnotes at end of table.
Table 1. National employment and wage data from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey by occupation, May 2003
Continued
Mean wages
Occupation
Employment
Hourly
Annual¹
Median hourly
wages
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations  Continued
Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay............................
Electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles...........................................
Electronic home entertainment equipment installers and repairers...................................
Security and fire alarm systems installers..........................................................................
20,700
14,590
33,340
46,850
$24.28
13.64
14.10
16.81
$50,500
28,360
29,330
34,960
$25.02
12.64
13.14
16.00
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians.......................................................................
Automotive body and related repairers..............................................................................
Automotive glass installers and repairers..........................................................................
Automotive service technicians and mechanics................................................................
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists....................................................
Farm equipment mechanics...............................................................................................
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines........................................................
Rail car repairers................................................................................................................
Motorboat mechanics.........................................................................................................
Motorcycle mechanics........................................................................................................
Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics..........................................
Bicycle repairers.................................................................................................................
Recreational vehicle service technicians...........................................................................
Tire repairers and changers...............................................................................................
117,180
173,590
18,550
690,780
248,450
33,310
115,090
15,810
18,890
13,690
24,740
6,870
12,520
82,340
21.37
17.19
13.61
16.02
17.27
13.58
18.07
18.52
14.63
14.06
12.46
9.99
13.83
10.72
44,460
35,760
28,320
33,320
35,930
28,240
37,590
38,530
30,420
29,250
25,920
20,780
28,770
22,300
20.94
15.93
13.06
14.97
16.81
13.21
17.69
19.04
14.02
13.29
11.93
9.63
13.11
10.02
Mechanical door repairers..................................................................................................
Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door..................................
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers................................
Home appliance repairers..................................................................................................
Industrial machinery mechanics.........................................................................................
Maintenance and repair workers, general..........................................................................
Maintenance workers, machinery.......................................................................................
Millwrights...........................................................................................................................
Refractory materials repairers, except brickmasons..........................................................
Electrical power-line installers and repairers......................................................................
Telecommunications line installers and repairers..............................................................
Camera and photographic equipment repairers.................................................................
Medical equipment repairers..............................................................................................
Musical instrument repairers and tuners............................................................................
Watch repairers..................................................................................................................
10,860
37,840
212,200
37,510
192,300
1,230,880
89,160
64,910
3,390
95,190
148,060
4,640
23,500
5,550
3,700
15.75
20.34
17.69
15.17
19.06
15.05
16.41
20.74
18.29
22.82
19.02
15.81
18.91
16.10
14.68
32,760
42,310
36,790
31,550
39,640
31,300
34,130
43,150
38,030
47,460
39,560
32,890
39,330
33,490
30,540
14.24
20.45
16.90
14.37
18.48
14.33
15.86
20.38
17.74
23.54
19.01
15.01
18.25
13.89
13.16
Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers.....................................
Commercial divers.............................................................................................................
Fabric menders, except garment.......................................................................................
Locksmiths and safe repairers...........................................................................................
Manufactured building and mobile home installers............................................................
Riggers...............................................................................................................................
Signal and track switch repairers.......................................................................................
Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers.....................................................
35,370
2,690
1,720
19,340
13,160
12,550
8,680
148,890
13.77
18.27
14.14
14.68
11.65
17.07
21.32
11.25
28,650
38,000
29,410
30,540
24,230
35,510
44,350
23,400
13.36
16.48
12.70
13.83
11.23
16.25
21.01
10.21
Production occupations
First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers...............................
Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers...........................................
Coil winders, tapers, and finishers.....................................................................................
Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers................................................................
Electromechanical equipment assemblers........................................................................
Engine and other machine assemblers..............................................................................
Structural metal fabricators and fitters...............................................................................
Fiberglass laminators and fabricators................................................................................
Team assemblers...............................................................................................................
Timing device assemblers, adjusters, and calibrators.......................................................
705,270
26,150
33,590
245,700
54,690
50,410
85,330
31,820
1,138,100
5,280
22.45
18.23
12.17
12.20
13.09
16.31
14.60
12.30
12.10
13.55
46,690
37,920
25,320
25,380
27,230
33,920
30,380
25,580
25,160
28,180
21.02
18.60
11.48
11.28
12.52
15.58
13.94
11.87
11.14
12.79
Bakers................................................................................................................................
Butchers and meat cutters.................................................................................................
Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers......................................................................
Slaughterers and meat packers.........................................................................................
Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders..............
Food batchmakers.............................................................................................................
Food cooking machine operators and tenders...................................................................
157,110
132,370
150,440
122,490
17,800
74,650
34,480
10.86
13.07
9.17
9.94
12.79
11.24
10.99
22,600
27,180
19,060
20,680
26,600
23,390
22,860
10.09
12.30
8.69
9.82
11.89
10.53
10.31
Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic........................................
Numerical tool and process control programmers.............................................................
Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic..........
Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic.................................
Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic...................................
Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders,
metal and plastic.........................................................................................................
Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic..........
Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders,
metal and plastic.........................................................................................................
Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic...........
126,150
17,820
93,600
41,230
42,090
14.74
19.24
13.08
14.28
14.44
30,650
40,020
27,210
29,700
30,040
14.14
18.43
12.72
13.10
13.88
260,560
48,730
12.70
14.22
26,410
29,570
12.12
13.29
97,660
70,300
13.83
15.04
28,770
31,290
12.80
14.57
See footnotes at end of table.
Table 1. National employment and wage data from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey by occupation, May 2003
Continued
Mean wages
Occupation
Employment
Hourly
Production occupations  Continued
Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic................
Machinists..........................................................................................................................
Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders....................................................................
Pourers and casters, metal................................................................................................
Model makers, metal and plastic........................................................................................
Patternmakers, metal and plastic.......................................................................................
Foundry mold and coremakers..........................................................................................
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders,
metal and plastic.........................................................................................................
Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic..........................
Annual¹
Median hourly
wages
28,580
368,740
17,810
12,770
7,900
6,090
20,770
$14.91
16.30
15.65
14.33
20.98
18.19
14.01
$31,020
33,900
32,550
29,810
43,630
37,830
29,130
$14.48
15.91
15.24
13.64
20.90
17.45
13.05
144,140
100,320
12.36
15.20
25,720
31,620
11.51
13.97
Tool and die makers...........................................................................................................
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers...........................................................................
Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders........................
Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic......................
Lay-out workers, metal and plastic.....................................................................................
Plating and coating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic...............
Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners..................................................................................
104,210
354,300
53,750
27,290
12,540
40,800
22,320
21.10
15.06
15.18
14.39
16.08
13.00
15.02
43,900
31,330
31,580
29,930
33,450
27,030
31,250
20.67
14.25
13.99
13.63
15.37
12.34
14.22
Bindery workers..................................................................................................................
Bookbinders.......................................................................................................................
Job printers.........................................................................................................................
Prepress technicians and workers.....................................................................................
Printing machine operators................................................................................................
81,840
6,550
54,790
82,970
189,900
11.81
14.74
15.65
15.95
14.93
24,570
30,660
32,560
33,170
31,050
10.82
13.87
14.83
15.22
14.11
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers.....................................................................................
Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials...............................................................
Sewing machine operators.................................................................................................
Shoe and leather workers and repairers............................................................................
Shoe machine operators and tenders................................................................................
Sewers, hand.....................................................................................................................
Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers.........................................................................
Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders...........................................
Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders....................................................
Textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders..............................
Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders.........
Extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic
and glass fibers...........................................................................................................
Fabric and apparel patternmakers.....................................................................................
Upholsterers.......................................................................................................................
217,820
87,500
265,200
8,090
6,020
18,790
32,150
24,280
32,170
47,720
60,550
8.64
8.61
9.12
9.98
10.24
9.57
11.62
10.56
10.47
11.42
11.08
17,960
17,900
18,960
20,750
21,300
19,900
24,170
21,960
21,770
23,740
23,040
8.14
8.27
8.51
9.40
9.89
8.65
10.51
10.30
9.87
11.37
10.62
26,700
10,310
39,660
13.68
16.30
12.97
28,460
33,910
26,980
13.55
13.72
12.18
Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters...............................................................................
Furniture finishers...............................................................................................................
Model makers, wood..........................................................................................................
Patternmakers, wood.........................................................................................................
Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood ...................................................
Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing............................
126,350
28,770
3,820
3,470
55,130
89,410
12.56
11.82
14.19
14.93
11.12
11.28
26,120
24,590
29,520
31,060
23,130
23,470
11.81
11.13
12.24
14.25
10.65
10.76
Nuclear power reactor operators........................................................................................
Power distributors and dispatchers....................................................................................
Power plant operators........................................................................................................
Stationary engineers and boiler operators.........................................................................
Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators..........................................
Chemical plant and system operators................................................................................
Gas plant operators............................................................................................................
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers................................
3,710
10,270
33,250
48,880
95,870
56,270
11,180
40,980
29.99
26.73
24.15
21.32
16.89
21.10
23.53
22.97
62,380
55,590
50,220
44,340
35,130
43,880
48,940
47,780
29.72
26.45
24.45
20.87
16.30
21.18
23.45
24.02
Chemical equipment operators and tenders......................................................................
Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators,
and tenders.................................................................................................................
Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders......................
Grinding and polishing workers, hand................................................................................
Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders...........................................
Cutters and trimmers, hand................................................................................................
Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders.............................................
Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders..
Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders..............................................
Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers.........................................................
Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers...............................................................
Dental laboratory technicians.............................................................................................
Medical appliance technicians...........................................................................................
Ophthalmic laboratory technicians.....................................................................................
59,720
18.75
39,000
18.62
37,360
43,320
43,910
106,610
30,110
70,960
73,990
30,320
497,300
30,360
45,480
11,270
30,300
15.99
13.57
12.03
13.94
12.01
13.06
13.84
14.63
14.65
14.48
15.40
14.82
11.42
33,260
28,230
25,030
28,990
24,980
27,170
28,780
30,430
30,470
30,120
32,030
30,820
23,760
15.25
12.96
11.10
13.43
10.79
12.53
13.05
13.95
13.34
13.06
14.10
13.41
10.67
Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders.......................................................
Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders.........................
Painters, transportation equipment....................................................................................
Painting, coating, and decorating workers.........................................................................
400,680
93,110
46,600
29,590
11.40
13.06
17.56
11.36
23,700
27,160
36,520
23,640
10.45
12.37
16.39
10.41
See footnotes at end of table.
Table 1. National employment and wage data from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey by occupation, May 2003
Continued
Mean wages
Occupation
Employment
Hourly
Production occupations  Continued
Photographic process workers...........................................................................................
Photographic processing machine operators.....................................................................
Semiconductor processors.................................................................................................
Cementing and gluing machine operators and tenders.....................................................
Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders.........................
Cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders....................................................
Etchers and engravers.......................................................................................................
Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic..................................................
Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders......................................................
Tire builders........................................................................................................................
Helpers--production workers..............................................................................................
Annual¹
Median hourly
wages
27,170
54,750
50,160
25,390
17,590
7,920
8,800
37,600
109,600
14,830
452,700
$11.19
10.14
14.14
11.98
11.99
11.46
11.94
12.70
14.29
17.59
10.09
$23,280
21,100
29,410
24,920
24,950
23,830
24,840
26,420
29,720
36,590
20,980
$9.79
9.11
13.29
11.24
11.07
10.31
10.69
11.91
13.91
19.01
9.42
9,440
154,750
19.63
19.19
40,830
39,920
17.64
18.16
214,030
79,770
19,980
23,040
5,660
22.58
(²)
(²)
44.83
20.85
46,960
129,880
57,950
93,240
43,380
21.08
(²)
(²)
46.28
18.79
Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians.....................
Bus drivers, transit and intercity.........................................................................................
Bus drivers, school.............................................................................................................
Driver/sales workers...........................................................................................................
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer...............................................................................
Truck drivers, light or delivery services..............................................................................
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs................................................................................................
17,650
194,400
467,840
380,120
1,528,630
943,840
131,570
9.73
14.98
11.05
11.38
16.51
12.76
10.22
20,230
31,160
22,990
23,660
34,330
26,530
21,260
9.14
14.29
10.86
9.79
16.01
11.58
9.14
Locomotive engineers........................................................................................................
Locomotive firers................................................................................................................
Rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers..........................................................
Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators.....................................................................
Railroad conductors and yardmasters................................................................................
Subway and streetcar operators.........................................................................................
30,450
680
5,680
13,850
34,720
9,880
24.60
21.67
19.30
23.10
24.36
22.13
51,160
45,080
40,140
48,040
50,670
46,020
22.11
22.75
18.01
21.59
21.31
22.97
Sailors and marine oilers....................................................................................................
Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels.....................................................................
Motorboat operators...........................................................................................................
Ship engineers...................................................................................................................
27,570
24,040
3,680
8,900
15.36
25.50
14.71
26.39
31,950
53,050
30,590
54,900
14.44
24.51
12.51
26.01
Bridge and lock tenders.....................................................................................................
Parking lot attendants........................................................................................................
Service station attendants..................................................................................................
Traffic technicians..............................................................................................................
Transportation inspectors...................................................................................................
3,270
113,490
96,250
6,460
27,890
16.93
8.50
8.71
16.85
23.67
35,220
17,670
18,110
35,040
49,240
17.97
8.00
8.11
16.15
23.84
Conveyor operators and tenders........................................................................................
Crane and tower operators.................................................................................................
Dredge operators...............................................................................................................
Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators..................................................
Loading machine operators, underground mining..............................................................
Hoist and winch operators..................................................................................................
Industrial truck and tractor operators..................................................................................
Cleaners of vehicles and equipment..................................................................................
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand....................................................
Machine feeders and offbearers.........................................................................................
Packers and packagers, hand............................................................................................
Gas compressor and gas pumping station operators........................................................
Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers.......................................................................
Wellhead pumpers.............................................................................................................
Refuse and recyclable material collectors..........................................................................
Shuttle car operators..........................................................................................................
Tank car, truck, and ship loaders.......................................................................................
58,780
47,420
3,030
68,740
3,560
8,560
604,350
320,840
2,255,780
159,160
901,890
6,190
12,260
8,560
138,480
3,040
16,210
12.56
18.73
14.17
16.59
15.64
17.78
13.46
9.15
10.41
11.27
8.85
21.20
18.60
15.73
12.51
18.17
17.13
26,120
38,950
29,470
34,520
32,530
36,990
27,990
19,030
21,650
23,430
18,410
44,100
38,680
32,720
26,030
37,800
35,630
11.87
17.86
13.37
15.46
15.46
15.40
12.68
8.27
9.58
10.57
8.14
20.97
18.00
14.89
11.56
18.79
15.90
Transportation and material moving occupations
Aircraft cargo handling supervisors....................................................................................
First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand............
First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine
and vehicle operators..................................................................................................
Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers........................................................................
Commercial pilots...............................................................................................................
Air traffic controllers............................................................................................................
Airfield operations specialists.............................................................................................
1
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those
occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey
data.
2
Hourly wage rates for occupations where workers typically work fewer than 2,080 hours per year are not available.
3
Represents a wage above $70.00 per hour.