Employment and wages for the largest and smallest occupations, May 2011

The occupations in the table below accounted for 27 percent of employment in the United States in May, 2011

Employment and wages of the largest occupations, May 2011
Occupation Percent of total employment Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage

Retail Salespersons

 3.3% 4,270,550 $12.08 $25,130

Cashiers

 2.6 3,314,870 9.73 20,230

Office Clerks, General

 2.2 2,828,140 13.9 28,920

Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food

 2.2 2,799,430 9.03 18,790

Registered Nurses*

 2.1 2,724,570 33.23 69,110

Waiters and Waitresses

 1.8 2,289,010 10.05 20,890

Customer Service Representatives

 1.7 2,212,820 15.92 33,120

Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners

 1.6 2,068,460 11.94 24,840

Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand

 1.6 2,063,580 12.62 26,240

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

 1.5 1,955,570 15.87 33,020

General and Operations Managers

 1.4 1,805,030 55.04 114,490

Stock Clerks and Order Fillers

 1.4 1,782,800 11.66 24,250

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

 1.3 1,643,470 17.37 36,120

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

 1.2 1,508,620 19.15 39,830

Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants*

 1.1 1,466,700 12.22 25,420

The occupations in the table below together account for less than 0.5 % of US employment

Employment and wages of the smallest occupations, May 2011
Occupation Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage

Cooks, Private Household

 370 $14.94 $31,080

Prosthodontists

 560 62.89 130,820

Fishers and Related Fishing Workers

 640 14.53 30,220

Fabric Menders, Except Garment

 760 14.22 29,580

Patternmakers, Wood

 820 19.54 40,630

Farm Labor Contractors

 960 17.17 35,720

Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters

 1,000 15.20 31,620

Mathematical Technicians

 1,060 24.47 50,910

Radio Operators

 1,220 21.73 45,190

Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

 1,230 59.69 124,160

Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other

 1,260 30.37 63,170

Segmental Pavers

 1,330 16.27 33,850

Model Makers, Wood

 1,370 16.79 34,930

Geographers

 1,430 35.66 74,170

Animal Breeders

 1,460 18.11 37,670

The OES survey does not cover private households and farms

 

Last Modified Date: March 29, 2012