Occupational Employment 

and Wages, 2006

May 2008 Bulletin 2702

O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

Occupational Employment

and Wages, 2006

U.S. Department of Labor

Elaine L. Chao, Secretary

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Keith Hall, Commissioner

May 2008 

Bulletin 2702

O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6
The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a cooperative effort 

between the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the State workforce agencies. 
For every occupation, the OES program has data 

on the total U.S. employment and the distribution 

of wages, including the mean wage and the 10th, 

25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentiles. 

Occupational data for geographic areas include 

employment and wages for each of the 50 States, the 

District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. 

Virgin Islands. Local area data for each occupation is 

available for 375 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), 

34 metropolitan divisions within 11 of the largest MSAs, 

and 170 nonmetropolitan areas. National industryspecific estimates are available by industry sector and 

for 290 detailed industries. 

The OES survey is a cooperative effort between BLS 

and the State workforce agencies. Employment and 

wage data for more than 800 occupations were collected from a sample of 1.2 million business establishments, employing more than 80 million workers, in 6 

semiannual panels between November 2003 and May 

2006. Wage data for all establishments were updated 

to the May 2006 reference period, and employment 

data were updated to the average of the November 

2005 and the May 2006 reference periods. Information 

on OES sampling and estimation methodology is provided in the technical note that is included in appendix 

B and on the OES Web site, www.bls.gov/oes. 

The OES Web site www.bls.gov/oes includes electronic copies of all charts in this book, files with data for 

all occupations in all industries, and files for all States 

and metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Tables 

that were published in printed form in previous years 

are available in electronic form on the Web site cited 

at the end of this publication. These tables include 

national cross-industry employment and wage data for 

all occupations; the largest occupations in over 300 

industries; and profiles for all occupations. 

Material in this publication is in the public domain and, 

with appropriate citation, may be reproduced without 

permission. Questions about OES data can be directed 

to the information phone line at (202) 691-6569 or sent 

to OESInfo@bls.gov.

Preface

This chart book, Occupational Employment and Wages, 2006, is a product 

of the Occupational Employment 

Statistics (OES) program of the U.S. 

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The 

OES program produces employment 

and wage estimates for more than 800 

occupations by geographic area and 

industry. 

O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

iii
The information provided in this chart book is possible 

due to the cooperation of more than a million business 

establishments that provide information on their 

workers to their State workforce agency and the U.S. 

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). 

State workforce agencies within each State collect 

and verify almost all data provided. BLS selects the 

sample, produces the estimates, and provides techni-

cal procedures and financial support to the States. 

BLS also collects a small portion of the data from 

employers.

BLS produced this chart book under the general 

guidance and direction of Dixie Sommers, Assistant 

Commissioner for Occupational Statistics and Employ-

ment Projections, and George D. Stamas, Chief, 

Division of Occupational Employment Statistics. 

Laurie Salmon, manager of Publications and 

Analysis in Occupational Employment 

Statistics, provided planning and day-to-day 

direction. Dina Itkin coordinated the produc-

tion of the chart book. The tables, charts, 

and maps were prepared by Benjamin 

Cover, Jeffrey Holt, Dina Itkin, John Jones, 

Rebecca Keller, Michael Soloy, Zachary 

Warren, and Audrey Watson. Cover 

art, typesetting, and layout were 

furnished by Keith Tapscott, and 

editorial services were provided 

by Monica Gabor of the Office of 

Publications and Special Studies, 

Division of Publishing, 

William Parks II, Chief. 

Acknowledgements

iv
Page Occupation Focus

2 Figure 1 Largest occupations in the United States, May 2006

4 Figure 2 Smallest occupations in the United States, May 2006

6 Figure 3 Largest occupations earning wages near the U.S. median, May 2006 

8 Figure 4 Wages for occupations with high fatality rates, May 2006

10 Figure 5 Occupations with different wage variation, May 2006

11 Figure 6 Occupations with a similar mean wage, but a different wage potential, May 2006

Occupations within Industries

14 Figure 7 Industries with the highest employment of environmental occupations and their annual wages, May 2006

16 Figure 8 Profile for registered nurses (RNs), May 2006

18 Figure 9 Career choices of drivers in the United States, May 2006

Industry Focus

22 Figure 10 Largest occupations in nonstore retailers and their mean wages, May 2006

23 Figure 11 Largest occupations in general merchandise stores and their mean wages, May 2006

24 Figure 12 Wages for selected occupational groups in the health care and social assistance and manufacturing sectors, May 2006

26 Figure 13 Employment changes in the oil and gas extraction industry, 2003-2006

State Focus

30 Figure 14 A look at Pennsylvania’s occupational workforce, in percent, May 2006

31 Figure 15 Selected occupations in Pennsylvania, May 2006 

32 Figure 16 Share of State employment in computer and mathematical occupations, May 2006

33 Figure 17 Annual mean wage for computer and mathematical occupations, by State, May 2006

34 Figure 18 States that employed the most and fewest selected service occupations per capita, May 2006

36 Figure 19 Wages and percent of employment by selected State and occupational group, May 2006

Area Focus

40 Figure 20 Share of employment of elementary school teachers in California, May 2006

41 Figure 21 Average mean wages for elementary school teachers in California, May 2006

42 Figure 22 Pecentage of employment of architecture and engineering occupations by area, May 2006

43 Figure 23 Employment of architecture and engineering occupations by area, May 2006

44 Figure 24 Metropolitan areas with the highest concentrations of fast food cooks and fitness trainers and aerobics instructors, May 2006

46 Figure 25 Metropolitan areas and divisions with the highest concentration of selected arts, entertainment, and sports occupations, May 2006

48 Figure 26 Occupational employment and wages in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas in Texas, May 2006 

50 Figure 27 Occupations most likely found in nonmetropolitan areas, May 2006

Contents

O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

v
O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

Organization of charts 

and applications of OES 

data

This chart book’s presentation of 

charts, tables, and maps is intended to 

demonstrate a variety of applications 

of OES data. The charts are organized 

into five categories: The first with a 

focus on detailed occupations, the 

second highlighting labor patterns of 

specific industries, the third and fourth 

focusing on labor markets of States 

and local areas, and the fifth illustrating 

unique applications of OES data. Here 

are some examples of useful applications of OES data:

Detailed occupational data can be used by job 

seekers or employers, for instance, to show wages 

for workers in certain occupations and to assess 

wage variation within and across occupations. 

Variation in wages within an occupation can result 

from a variety of factors, including industry, geographic location, or a worker’s particular experience or qualifications. Useful data for job seekers 

include information on the industries or geographic 

areas that have the most jobs in an occupation 

or the highest average wages for the occupation. 

Total employment might serve as an indication of 

the ease of finding a job in the occupation. 

Industry-specific occupational data can be used 

by human resource professionals in salary 

negotiations or to remain competitive by ensuring 

that their wages are in line with other businesses 

in their area and industry. Information on the 

types of jobs within an industry could be used to 

compare average staffing patterns with that of 

one’s own company. Occupational employment 

by industry may be useful in assessing the impact 

of shifts in technology and other macroeconomic 

trends. For example, for several years, healthcare 

industries have accounted for a significant portion 

of job growth, while manufacturing industries have 

declined. OES data can be used to see the types 

of jobs being created or disappearing from the 

economy due to changes in these industries. 

Geographic area information can be used to 

assess the job demand in a particular area. OES 

State level data can be used to make assessments 

about the diversity of a State’s economy, or to 







make comparisons among States. The composition of the workforce can provide clues to how a 

State or regional economy can hold up in adverse 

conditions that affect a certain sector of the 

economy. The composition of the workforce is also 

an indicator of the average wages within a State. 

Like State data, local area data can be used 

to study the diversity of a local area economy. 

Businesses can use data to see whether it might 

be beneficial to relocate to a particular area. OES 

provides information on the workforce, including 

whether there are workers available in the occupations that the business will need. For instance, 

some areas have higher levels of high-tech or 

skilled production workers. Businesses may also 

use the data to compare wages between alternative areas. 



vi
OES survey coverage, 

scope, and concept 

definitions

The OES survey covers all full- and 

part-time wage and salary workers in 

nonfarm industries. The survey does 

not include the self-employed, owners 

and partners in unincorporated firms, 

workers in private households, or 

unpaid family workers.

An occupation is a set of activities or tasks that 

employees are paid to perform. Employees that 

perform essentially the same tasks are in the same 

occupation, whether or not they are in the same 

industry. Workers that may be classified in more 

than one occupation should be classified in the 

occupation that requires the highest level of skill. If 

there is no measurable difference in skill requirements, workers are included in the occupation they 

spend the most time. All occupations are classified 

by the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification 

(SOC) system.

An industry is a group of establishments that 

produce similar products or provide similar 

services. For example, all establishments that 

manufacture automobiles are in the same industry. 

A given industry, or even a particular establishment 

in that industry, might have employees in many 

different occupations. The North American Industry 

Classification System (NAICS) groups similar 

establishments into industries.

The employment shown is the average employment for the most recent May and November. 

Employment is defined as the number of 

workers who can be classified as full- or part-time 

employees, including workers on paid vacations 

or other types of paid leave; workers on unpaid 

short-term absences; salaried officers, executives, 

and staff members of incorporated firms; employes 

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.







Wages for the OES survey are straight-time, 

gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Included are 

base rate, cost-of-living allowances, guaranteed 

pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay including 

commissions and production bonuses, tips, and 

on-call pay. Excluded are back pay, jury duty pay, 

overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, 

non-production bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.

Respondents are asked to report the number of 

employees paid within specific wage intervals, 

regardless of part- or full-time status. The responding establishment can reference either the hourly 

or the annual rate for full-time workers but are 

instructed to report the hourly rate for part-time 

workers. 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.

Geographic areas are defined by the Office of 

Management and Budget. Guam, Puerto Rico, and 

the U.S. Virgin Islands are also surveyed, but their 

data are not included in this publication. (The OES 

Web site includes data for these U.S. territories.)

The nationwide response rate for the May 2006 

survey was 78.1 percent, based on establishments 

and 73.4 percent, based on employment.

More information on sampling and estimation methodology can be found in the technical note (appendix 

B) on the Web site http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/

oes_tec.htm. 









O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

vii

Occupation Focus

O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

1 1
Occupation Employment Percent of U.S. 

employment Mean wage

Hourly Annual

Retail salespersons 4,374,230 3.30 $ 11.51 $ 23,940

Cashiers 3,479,390 2.62 8.62 17,930

Office clerks, general 3,026,710 2.28 12.12 25,200

Combined food preparation and serving 

workers, including fast food

2,461,890 1.86 7.66 15,930

Registered nurses 2,417,150 1.82 28.71 59,730

Laborers and freight, stock, and material 

movers, hand

2,372,130 1.79 11.08 23,050

Waiters and waitresses 2,312,930 1.74 8.27 17,190

Customer service representatives 2,147,770 1.62 14.61 30,400

Janitors and cleaners, except maids and 

housekeeping cleaners

2,124,860 1.60 10.45 21,730

Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks 1,856,890 1.40 15.28 31,780

Secretaries, except legal, medical, and 

executive

1,750,600 1.32 13.68 28,460

Stock clerks and order fillers 1,705,450 1.29 10.79 22,440

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer 1,673,950 1.26 17.46 36,320

General and operations managers 1,663,280 1.25 47.73 99,280

One quarter of the employment in the United States 

was found in the 14 occupations in the adjacent table. 

Two of these occupations, 

registered nurses and 

general and operations 

managers, paid above the 

U.S. mean annual wage of 

$39,190.





Figure 1 Largest occupations in the United States, May 2006

Six percent of U.S. employment was found in two salesrelated occupations, retail salespersons and cashiers.

2
O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6
Occupation Employment Mean Wage

Hourly Annual

Prosthodontists 480 $76.42 $158,940

Locomotive firers 560 21.96 45,680

Segmental pavers 880 13.75 28,600

Cooks, private household 900 13.64 28,370

Geographers 960 30.64 63,720

Industrial-organizational psychologists 1,140 43.23 89,920

Mathematical technicians 1,210 22.12 46,010

Radio operators 1,220 18.69 38,870

Makeup artists, theatrical and performance 1,250 17.66 36,730

Fabric menders, except garment 1,280 14.55 30,260

Astronomers 1,430 45.67 95,000

Models 1,470 13.45 27,980

Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists 1,710 17.21 35,810

Dredge operators 1,780 17.81 37,050

Figure 2 Smallest occupations in the United States, May 2006

Six of these 14 occupations 

paid above the U.S. mean 

annual wage of $39,190.



The 14 smallest occupations combined made up less

than one-tenth of one percent of total U.S. employment.

4
O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6
Occupation Median Hourly

Wage Employment

U.S. median wage $14.61

Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks 14.69 1,856,890

Maintenance and repair workers, general 15.34 1,310,580

Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers 14.14 483,020

Bill and account collectors 13.97 423,090

Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers 15.10 376,630

Dental assistants 14.53 277,040

Painters, construction and maintenance 15.00 263,390

Loan interviewers and clerks 14.89 248,050

Insurance claims and policy processing clerks 14.96 238,210

All other information and record clerks 14.98 230,990

Many of the average-paying 

occupations were skilled 

manufacturing, skilled 

trades, and office and 

administrative support jobs.

For most of the workers 

in these occupations, the 

highest level of educational 

attainment was high school 

or some college/associate’s 

degree, and the most 

significant source of training 

was moderate-term on-thejob training. For the remaining occupations in this list, 

the most significant sources 

of training was short-term 

on-the-job training or a 

postsecondary vocational 

award, according to BLS’s 

Occupational Outlook 

Handbook.





Figure 3 Largest occupations earning wages near the 

U.S. median, May 2006

What kind of jobs did the average earners hold?

6
O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6
Source for fatality rates: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Injuries, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2006

Occupation

Fatality rate, 2006

(per 100,000

employed)

Employment Mean annual 

wage

All occupations 4.0 132,604,980 $39,190

Fishers and related fishing workers 147.2 880 28,510

Aircraft pilots and flight engineers 90.4 75,810 140,380

Logging workers 84.6

 Logging equipment operators 28,300 30,880

 Log graders and scalers 4,810 30,980

 Logging workers, all other 5,880 31,720

Structural iron and steel workers 61.0 67,560 43,950

Refuse and recyclable material collectors 40.7 125,770 31,110

Farmers and ranchers 37.2 300 43,520

Electrical power-line installers and repairers 34.9 110,520 49,900

Roofers 33.5 125,030 35,340

Driver/sales workers and truck drivers 27.5

 Driver/sales workers 396,680 24,380

 Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers 1,673,950 36,320

 Light or delivery service truck drivers 941,590 27,520

Workers in several of the occupations with the highest fatality

rates earned below the average wage for all occupations. 

Figure 4 Wages for occupations with high fatality rates, May 2006

Of these occupations, 

aircraft pilots and flight 

engineers have the highest 

mean annual wage.



8
O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6
Although these occupations 

had the same wage at the 

10th percentile, they had 

very different wages at the 

higher percentiles

The lowest, or 10th 

percentile, wages for real 

estate sales agents and 

word processors were both 

about $10.00. However, 

there was a large difference 

in the high wage earners 

in these occupations. The 

90th percentile wages were 

$53.61 for real estate sales 

agents and $20.83 for word 

processors and typists.





0

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

$60.00

10th 25th 50th

(Median)

75th 90th

Chefs and head cooks Real estate sales agents Word processors and typists

Pipelayers Statistical assistants

Hourly wage (dollars)

Percentile

Figure 5 Occupations with different wage variation, May 2006 

Occupations with similar average wages could still

have had different ranges of wages.

10
0

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

$60.00

(Median)

Hourly wage (dollars)

Percentile

Fashion designers Computer programmers Civil engineers

Sociologists Statisticians Nuclear power reactor operators 

10th 25th 50th 75th 90th

Mean hourly wages for 

fashion designers, nuclear 

power reactor operators, 

and other occupations on 

this chart are all within $2.00 

of one another; but the 

variability of wages within 

the occupations is different.



Figure 6 Occupations with a similar mean wage, but a

different wage potential, May 2006 

O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

11

Occupations within Industries

O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

13
0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

Architectural,

engineering, and

related services

Management,

scientific, and

technical consulting

services

State government

(OES designation)

Local government

(OES designation)

Federal executive

branch (OES

designation)

Scientific research

and development

services

Colleges,

universities, and

professional schools

$71,840

$40,540

$60,410

$36,730

$76,540

$39,450

$65,310

$39,190

$61,330

$51,830

$43,810

$47,320

$63,720

$44,950

$54,700

$43,050

$83,480

$83,440

$41,220 $85,000

$50,640

$71,050

$38,250

$38,190

$43,390

$48,190

$61,080

Annual mean wage

Employment

Industry

Environmental engineers

Environmental engineering

technicians

Environmental science and

protection technicians,

including health

Environmental scientists and

specialists, including health

Figure 7 Industries with the highest employment of environmental

occupations and their annual wages, May 2006 

Of the industries shown, 

environmental engineers 

and environmental scientists 

and specialists, including 

health, earned the highest 

average salary in the federal 

executive branch.

Environmental engineering 

technicians earned the 

highest average salary 

in scientific research and 

development services. 

Environmental science 

and protection technicians, 

including health, earned the 

highest average salary in 

colleges, universities, and 

professional schools.





Environmental occupations were most likely found in research

and technical services industries and in government.

14

Twenty-five percent of 

registered nurses earned 

more than $69,850 per year, 

and 10 percent earned more 

than $83,440.

More than half of registered 

nurses were employed in 

general medical and surgical 

hospitals.

Offices of physicians, home 

health care services, and 

nursing care facilities were 

also large employers of 

registered nurses.







States with the highest employment concentration of RNs

State Percent of area

employment

Hourly mean 

wage

South Dakota 2.47 $23.83 

Massachusetts 2.41 34.09

Maine 2.29 26.47

Mississippi 2.26 24.10

Pennsylvania 2.24 27.42

Metropolitan areas with highest mean wages for RNs

Metropolitan area Mean annual wage Employment

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $92,400 14,930

Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 89,820 17,430

Salinas, CA 84,920 2,130

San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood, CA Metropolitan Division 82,840 15,430

Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA 80,790 3,240

Wage distribution for RNs (percentile)

10th 25th 50th (median) 75th 90th

Hourly $19.35 $22.94 $27.54 $33.58 $40.11

Annual $40,250 $47,710 $57,280 $69,850 $83,440

Industries with the largest concentration of RNs

Industry Percent of industry 

employment Employment

General medical and surgical hospitals 28.11 1,373,610

Specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals 21.14 40,500

Home health care services 14.58 124,470

Outpatient care centers 14.40 69,870

Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals 13.49 32,000

Figure 8 Profile for registered nurses (RNs), May 2006 

Registered nurses was one of the largest occupations in the United States,

with over 2.4 million workers earning an average salary of $59,730 per year.

16
O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6
Driving occupation Industry in which they

were most employed

Employment 

in industry

Hourly mean wage 

in industry

Truck drivers, heavy and tractortrailer General freight trucking 583,710 $18.60 

Bus drivers, school Elementary and secondary 

schools 247,620 11.80 

Truck drivers, light or delivery 

services Couriers 150,360 18.06 

Driver/sales workers Limited-service eating places 131,070 7.84 

Industrial truck and tractor operators Warehousing and storage 77,880 13.53 

Refuse and recyclable

material collectors Waste collection 44,320 14.84 

Taxi drivers and chauffeurs Taxi and limousine service 42,630 11.66 

Bus drivers, transit and intercity Urban transit systems 20,600 14.74 

Subway and streetcar

operators Local government 6,170 22.36 

First-line supervisors/managers of 

transportation and material-moving 

machine and vehicle operators

General freight trucking 23,210 25.58

Ten percent of all industrial 

truck and tractor operators 

working in warehousing and 

storage businesses earned 

less than $19,710 per year, 

and 10 pecent earned more 

than $38,630 per year. 

Wage variability could have 

been due to geographic wage 

variation, work experience, or 

other economic factors.





What businesses employ the most of each kind of driver, and how much do they 

pay? How do drivers’ wages compare to those of their supervisors?

Figure 9 Career choices of drivers in the United States, May 2006

Which careers involve driving?

18
In the warehousing and storage 

industry, what was the salary range for 

industrial truck and tractor operators?

for example

How much did different driving 

occupations earn nationwide, on 

average, per hour?

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer, $17.46 

Driver/sales workers, $11.72

Taxi drivers and chauffeurs, $10.62 

Bus drivers, school, $12.08

Industrial truck and tractor operators, $13.99

Bus drivers, transit and intercity, $15.89 

Truck drivers, light or delivery services, $13.23

Refuse and recyclable material collectors, $14.96

Subway and streetcar operators, $22.20 



















Wage 

percentile Hourly wage Annual wage

10th $ 9.47 $19,710

25th 11.03 22,930

Median 13.04 27,120

75th 15.69 32,630

90th 18.57 38,630

O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

19

Industry Focus

O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

21
$10.60

$11.71

$11.72

$10.82

$13.39

$11.94

$16.42

$12.16

$11.29 

$13.61

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Customer service

representatives

Order clerks

Driver/sales workers

Truck drivers, heavy

and tractor-trailer

Telemarketers

Retail salespersons

Stock clerks and

order fillers

Office clerks, general

Shipping, receiving,

and traffic clerks

Laborers and freight,

stock, and material

movers, hand

Retailers employed different 

types of workers depending 

on their venue. Nonstore 

retailers, which include 

Internet retailers and vending machine operators, 

hired fewer cashiers and 

retail salespersons and more 

customer service representatives and order clerks.

The adjacent charts show the 

largest occupations in nonstore retailers and in general 

merchandise stores and their 

mean wages in each.





Nonstore retailers and general merchandise

stores employed different types of occupations. 

Figure 10 Largest occupations in nonstore retailers 

and their mean wages, May 2006

Percent of industry employment

22

Occupation
$45.33

$12.23

$11.99

$10.96

$11.08

$9.52

$15.12

$9.41

$8.53

$9.53

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Retail salespersons

Cashiers

Stock clerks and

order fillers

First-line supervisors/ managers of retail sales workers

Laborers and freight,

stock, and material

movers, hand

Customer service

representatives

Shipping, receiving,

and traffic clerks

Pharmacy technicians

Security guards

Pharmacists

The average wages of the 

largest occupations were 

higher in nonstore retailers 

than in general merchandise 

stores.



Figure 11 Largest occupations in general merchandise 

stores and their mean wages, May 2006

Percent of industry employment

O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

23

Occupation
Health care and social 

assistance was one of the 

fastest growing sectors in 

the United States in May 

2006. Manufacturing was 

one of the few sectors that 

saw employment declines. 

Healthcare practitioners 

and technical occupations 

earned higher average 

wages in the health care 

and social assistance sector 

than in manufacturing. 

Healthcare support occupations, however, earned 

higher average wages in 

manufacturing than in health 

care and social assistance.





0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

$120,000

Occupational group

Health care and social assistance

Manufacturing

Legal

Education, training, and library

Management

Sales and related

Computer and mathematical

Community and social services

Healthcare practitioners and technical 

Transportation and material moving

Construction and extraction 

Healthcare support

Life, physical, and social services

Protective service

Annual mean wage (dollars)

Figure 12 Wages for selected occupational groups in the health care and

social assistance and manufacturing sectors, May 2006

Although average wages in health care and social assistance and manufacturing

were similar, manufacturing had higher wages in most occupational groups. 

24
O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6
-4,000 -3,000 -2,000 -1,000 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000

Management

occupations

Business and financial

operations occupations

Computer and

mathematical occupations

Architecture and

engineering occupations

Life, physical, and social

science occupations

Building and grounds cleaning

and maintenance occupations

Sales and related

occupations

Office and administrative

support occupations

Construction and

extraction occupations

Installation, maintenance,

 and repair occupations

Production occupations

Transportation and material

moving occupations

Occupational

major group

Employment in oil and gas 

extraction grew 9 percent 

overall between 2003 and 

2006. This chart shows the 

shifting concentration of 

employment within the oil and 

gas extraction industry at a 

time of increasing prices and 

declining output. Employment 

increased by a larger percent 

in higher-skilled occupations 

and in occupations related to 

oil exploration than in occupations directly related to output.



Figure 13 Employment changes in the oil and gas

extraction industry, 2003-2006

In the oil and gas extraction industry, employment in exploration occupations

grew faster than employment in output-related occupations.

26
O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

State Focus

O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

29
The employment distribution 

of major occupational 

groups in Pennsylvania was 

similar to that of the United 

States. About 17.4 percent 

of both the United States’ 

and Pennsylvania’s total 

employment came from 

office and administrative 

support occupations, 

followed by about 11 percent 

from sales and related 

occupations.



Figure 14 A look at Pennsylvania’s occupational

workforce, in percent, May 2006

Local economy and workforce distribution varies by State. 

What does the workforce of Pennsylvania look like? 

30

Education, training, 

and library, 6.1

Management, 3.4 

Installation,

maintenance, and 

repair, 4.1

Construction and 

extraction, 4.2

Business and financial

operations, 4.5 

Healthcare practitioner and 

technical, 6.1

Transportation and 

material moving, 7.8

Office and administrative 

support, 17.4

Sales and related 

occupations, 10.8

Production, 8.3

Food preparation and 

serving related, 8.2 

All other, 19.1
Production 8.3 percent

2006 Employment 2006 Average Wage 25th Percentile Wage 75th Percentile Wage

Team assemblers 48,930 $13.19 $9.74 $16.13

First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers 29,450 25.40 18.72 29.91

Helpers--production workers 26,810 11.69 8.91 14.41

Food preparation and serving related 8.2 percent

2006 Employment 2006 Average Wage 25th Percentile Wage 75th Percentile Wage

Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food 109,310 7.70 6.22 8.64

Waiters and waitresses 96,030 7.34 5.99 7.95

Food preparation workers 39,800 8.71 7.22 10.11

Transportation and material moving 7.8 percent

2006 Employment 2006 Average Wage 25th Percentile Wage 75th Percentile Wage

Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand 105,290 11.71 8.59 14.29

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer 73,720 17.66 13.63 21.24

Truck drivers, light or delivery services 42,960 13.25 8.97 16.71

Business and financial operations 4.5 percent

2006 Employment 2006 Average Wage 25th Percentile Wage 75th Percentile Wage

Accountants and auditors 49,070 29.21 19.41 35.05

Business operations specialists, all other 24,550 30.53 20.44 37.45

Management analysts 18,830 40.36 25.25 48.34

Construction and extraction 4.2 percent

2006 Employment 2006 Average Wage 25th Percentile Wage 75th Percentile Wage

Carpenters 45,210 18.68 13.48 22.71

Construction laborers 35,180 15.38 11.04 19.55

Electricians 23,440 25.20 17.36 31.26

Installation, maintenance, and repair 4.1 percent

2006 Employment 2006 Average Wage 25th Percentile Wage 75th Percentile Wage

Maintenance and repair workers, general 59,820 16.02 11.96 19.65

Automotive service technicians and mechanics 34,260 16.39 11.92 20.13

First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers 15,610 28.29 21.23 33.66

Figure 15 Selected occupations in Pennsylvania, May 2006

Local economy and workforce distribution varies by State. 

What was the distribution of occupations in Pennsylvania? O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

31
In the United States, for 

every 1,000 workers, 

there were 23 workers in 

computer and mathematical 

occupations.

The proportion of employment in computer and 

mathematical occupations 

in the District of Columbia 

and Virginia was more than 

two times higher than the 

proportion nationwide. 





State employment

per 1,000 workers

8 - 13

14 - 17

18- 21

22- 26

27 - 55

Figure 16 Share of State employment in computer

and mathematical occupations, May 2006

The District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Colorado had the highest 

concentrations of their workforce in computer and mathematical occupations.

32
Combined, workers in 

computer and mathematical 

occupations were the 

third-highest paid among 

all occupation groups 

nationwide.

Wages for computer and 

mathematical occupations 

were highest in Massachusetts, Virginia, New Jersey, 

California, and Maryland. 





State annual mean wage

$47,140 - 52,640

$52,641 - 59,380

$59,381 - 64,170

$64,171 - 69,620

$69,621 - 79,700

Figure 17 Annual mean wage for computer and mathematical 

occupations, by State, May 2006

The highest wages were paid to computer and mathematical workers on the East and West Coasts and in Colorado. O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

33
Marriage and family therapists

Top 3 States Employment per 

1,000 residents

New Jersey 0.406

Maryland 0.223

Iowa 0.107

Bottom 3 States

Georgia 0.018

Nevada 0.016

Texas 0.015

Loan counselors

Top 3 States Employment per 

1,000 residents

Utah 0.333

Maryland 0.196

Nevada 0.188

Bottom 3 States

Arkansas 0.043

Louisiana 0.042

Wisconsin 0.032

Automotive service technicians and mechanics

Top 3 States Employment per 

1,000 residents

New Hampshire 3.141

Vermont 2.965

Maine 2.951

Bottom 3 States

California 1.808

Arkansas 1.804

Washington 1.736

Iowa had one of the highest 

per capita employment 

levels of marriage and family 

therapists. 

North Dakota and Wisconsin 

employed roughly 4 times as 

many hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists per 

capita as did Arkansas and 

Oklahoma.

Three New England States, 

New Hampshire, Vermont, 

and Maine, employed almost 

twice as many automotive 

and service technicians and 

mechanics per capita as did 

Washington.







Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

Top 3 States Employment per

1,000 residents Bottom 3 States Employment per1,000 residents

North Dakota 2.092 Alabama 0.644

Wisconsin 2.035 Oklahoma 0.617

New Jersey 1.871 Arkansas 0.569

Bartenders

Top 3 States Employment per 

1,000 residents

Nevada 4.829

Montana 4.680

Wisconsin 4.170

Bottom 3 States

Alabama 0.674

Mississippi 0.670

Arkansas 0.509

Figure18 States that employed the most and fewest selected service

occupations per capita, May 2006

Per capita employment of different service

occupations varies widely by State. 

34
O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6
State Occupational group

Mean 

hourly 

wage

Business 

and 

financial 

operations

Computer 

and mathematical 

science

Life, 

physical, 

and social 

science

Education, 

training, 

and 

library

Arts, 

design, 

entertainment, 

sports, and 

media

Healthcare 

support

Protective 

service

Food 

preparation and 

serving

Construction and 

extraction

ProductionTransportation and 

material 

moving

United States $18.84 4.4 2.3 0.9 6.2 1.3 2.6 2.3 8.3 5.0 7.7 7.3

Alabama 16.08 3.2 1.8 0.5 5.6 0.9 2.5 2.2 8.0 5.3 11.9 8.4

Arkansas 14.84 3.0 1.2 0.6 6.0 0.7 2.7 1.9 7.9 4.3 13.0 10.9

Colorado 19.93 5.2 3.5 1.3 5.5 1.4 1.9 2.1 8.9 6.4 4.7 6.2

Florida 17.22 4.6 1.9 0.6 5.0 1.2 2.5 2.6 9.4 6.5 4.5 6.6

Hawaii 18.57 3.9 1.4 1.0 6.5 1.6 2.2 3.2 11.9 5.1 3.0 7.0

Idaho 16.73 3.3 1.7 1.6 5.6 1.2 2.7 1.8 8.1 6.6 6.5 7.5

Indiana 16.92 3.1 1.3 0.6 5.6 1.0 2.3 1.8 8.8 4.9 13.7 9.0

Kentucky 16.10 2.9 1.3 0.6 6.0 0.9 2.7 2.0 8.7 4.8 11.8 8.9

Massachusetts 22.76 5.3 3.6 1.5 6.7 1.5 3.0 2.2 8.2 3.7 5.6 5.2

Michigan 19.82 4.6 2.2 0.8 6.1 1.2 2.9 1.9 8.4 3.8 10.8 6.9

Nebraska 16.49 4.2 2.4 0.9 6.0 1.2 2.8 1.5 8.3 4.8 9.0 8.8

Nevada 17.31 3.1 1.1 0.6 3.8 1.3 1.5 2.9 12.8 9.7 3.6 8.0

New Hampshire 18.87 4.4 2.6 0.7 7.3 0.9 2.4 1.7 8.4 4.1 7.9 5.7

New Mexico 16.34 3.0 1.5 1.2 6.9 1.0 2.6 2.8 9.6 7.9 4.3 5.8

North Carolina 17.08 3.5 2.1 1.0 6.4 0.9 3.2 2.1 8.4 4.9 10.5 7.9

Oklahoma 15.66 3.7 1.8 0.9 6.6 1.0 3.0 2.3 8.3 5.5 8.1 7.0

Pennsylvania 18.07 4.5 2.0 1.0 6.1 1.1 3.1 2.0 8.2 4.2 8.3 7.8

South Dakota 14.65 3.7 1.4 0.9 5.8 1.3 2.8 1.5 10.2 5.6 7.9 7.5

Utah 17.09 4.2 2.7 1.2 5.7 1.4 2.2 1.7 7.3 7.4 8.0 6.9

Washington 20.63 4.6 3.4 1.6 5.8 1.4 2.5 1.8 8.6 5.5 6.2 7.5

Wisconsin 17.66 4.2 1.8 0.9 5.6 1.2 2.9 1.8 8.6 4.2 12.6 8.2

Occupational composition 

varies by State.

Virginia had one of the highest 

concentrations of business 

and financial operations 

occupations and one of the 

lowest concentrations of 

healthcare support occupations, and West Virginia had 

one of the lowest concentrations of business and financial 

operations occupations and 

one of the highest concentrations of health care support 

occupations. 

California had one of 

the highest employment 

concentrations of arts, design, 

entertainment, sports, and 

media occupations, and one 

of the lowest employment 

concentrations of installation, 

maintenance, and repair 

occupations. West Virginia and 

Louisiana, on the other hand, 

had the opposite distribution. 





See Web site for full table containing all States and occupations.

Figure 19 Wages and percent of employment by selected State

and occupational group, May 2006

Differences in employment composition help

explain differences in State average wages. 

36
Some of the highest-paying States (The District of 

Columbia, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and 

Alaska) have high employment concentrations of community and social services; legal; education, training, 

and library; arts, design, entertainment, sports, and 

media; and protective service occupations.

Some of the lowest-paying States (Mississippi, South 

Dakota, Montana, West Virginia, North Dakota, and 

Louisiana) have relatively high employment concentrations of food preparation and serving; and installation, 

maintenance, and repair occupations.

O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

37

Area Focus

O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

39
In the United States, there 

were 11 elementary school 

teachers (except special 

education) for every 1,000 

workers.

In the entire State of California, the number was slightly 

higher with 12 elementary 

school teachers for every 

1,000 workers. 

Within California, the proportion of elementary school 

teachers varied by area. 







Employment of 

elementary school 

teachers per 1000 

workers

6-10

11-12

13-19

20-22

23-34

Figure 20 Share of employment of elementary

school teachers in California, May 2006

Some metropolitan areas within California employed high concentrations of teachers

and paid them relatively low mean wages, while in other areas the reverse was true.

40
$47,350 - 51,950 

$51,951 - 53,210

$53,211 - 54,560

$54,561 - 56,630

$56,631 - 65,090

Annual mean wage

Elementary school teachers 

(except special education) 

were paid an average of 

$55,700 in the State of 

California. Their wages 

varied by area within the 

State.

The Northern Mountains 

Region of California had 

among the highest concentrations of elementary 

school teachers in California 

and one of the lowest 

wage rates. In contrast, 

San Diego-Carlsbad-San 

Marcos, CA had one of the 

lowest concentrations of 

elementary school teachers 

and one of the highest wage 

rates.





Figure 21 Average mean wages for elementary school 

teachers in California, May 2006

O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

41
Architecture and engineering 

occupations made up 1.8 percent 

of total employment in the United 

States. 

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Huntsville, AL

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

Kennewick-Richland-Pasco, WA 

Warner Robins, GA

Framingham, MA Metropolitan Division

Boulder, CO

Bremerton-Silverdale, WA

Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division

Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH

Metropolitan Division 

Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin, FL 

Ann Arbor, MI

Holland-Grand Haven, MI

Wichita, KS

Portsmouth, NH-ME

Percent of area employment

Figure 22 Percentage of employment of architecture and engineering

occupations by area, May 2006

With almost 8 percent of its employment in architecture and engineering occupations,

Huntsville, Alabama, has the greatest share of its employment in these occupations.

42

Area
With 73,920 employees, Los 

Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, 

CA Metropolitan Division was the 

area with the most employment 

in architecture and engineering 

occupations.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Employment (in thousands)

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale,

CA Metropolitan Division 

Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 

Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria,

DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 

Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division

New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 

Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division

Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 

Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA Metropolitan Division

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 

Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division

Figure 23 Employment of architecture and engineering

occupations by area, May 2006

O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

43

Area
There were 4.6 fast food 

cooks and 1.6 fitness trainers 

and aerobic instructors per 

1,000 workers in the United 

States. In Jackson, Michigan,

there were 19 fast food 

cooks per 1,000 workers. 

Other areas with high concentrations of fast food cooks 

tended to be in the South.

Areas with high concentrations of fitness instructors 

and aerobics instructors were 

spread across the United 

States, with the highest in 

Kankakee-Bradley, Illinois, 

where there were 5.7 aerobics 

instructors for every thousand 

workers. Kankankee-Bradley, 

St. George, Utah, Danbury, 

Connecticut, and Grand 

Junction, Colorado, have 

more fitness trainers than 

they had fast food cooks. 





0.70

0.46

0.22

0.47

0.46

1.24

1.26

1.26

1.35

1.43

1.44

1.53

1.59

1.69

1.90

0.37

0.41

0.57

0.18

0.83

0.27

0.48

0.55

0.90

0.20

0.53

0.56

0.16

0.24

0.08

0.39

0.43

0.15

0.10

0.30

0.12

0.16

0.12

0.04

0.39

0.42

0.47

Kankakee-Bradley, IL

Chico, CA

St. George, UT

Danbury, CT

Grand Forks, ND-MN

Fort Collins-Loveland, CO

Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

Pittsfield, MA

Lawrence, KS

Grand Junction, CO

Jackson, MI

Lawton, OK

Johnson City, TN

Flagstaff, AZ

Hattiesburg, MS

Hot Springs, AR

Myrtle Beach-ConwayNorth Myrtle Beach, SC

Shreveport-Bossier City, LA

Clarksville, TN-KY

Anderson, SC

NATIONAL

Percent of metropolitan area employment

Fast food cooks

Fitness trainers

and aerobics instructors

Metropolitan areas with

the highest employment 

concentrations of fitness

trainers and aerobics

instructors

Metropolitan areas with

the highest employment

concentration of fast

food cooks

Figure 24 Metropolitan areas with the highest concentrations of fast

food cooks and fitness trainers and aerobics instructors, May 2006

There were 4.6 fast food cooks per 1,000 workers in the United States

and 19 fast food cooks per 1,000 workers in Jackson, Michigan. 

44

Area
O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6
Santa Fe, New Mexico, 

employed the highest 

concentration of actors 

and fine artists, including 

painters, sculptors, and 

illustrators.

Nashville-DavidsonMurfreesboro, Tennesse, 

employed three times as 

many musicians and singers 

as did Honolulu, Hawaii. 

(These two areas have the 

highest concentrations of 

this occupation.) 

Nassau-Suffolk, New York 

Metropolitan Division was 

the highest paying area for 

athletes and sports competitors, and it was among the 

areas with the highest 

employment concentrations 

of this occupation.

 

 







Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators

Metropolitan area or division

Percent 

of area 

employment 

Hourly 

mean wage

Santa Fe, NM 0.08 $22.74

Orlando-Kissimmee, FL 0.05 24.61

Palm Bay-MelbourneTitusville, FL 0.03 13.07

Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA 

Metropolitan Division 0.03 22.43

Huntsville, AL 0.03 23.35

Athletes and sports competitors

Metropolitan area or division

Percent 

of area 

employment 

Annual 

mean wage 

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 0.08 $33,640

Lake County-Kenosha County, 

IL-WI Metropolitan Division 0.04 39,670

Milwaukee-WaukeshaWest Allis, WI 0.04 *

Nassau-Suffolk, NY

Metropolitan Division 0.03 180,750

Boise City-Nampa, ID 0.03 47,020

Fashion designers

Metropolitan area or division

Percent 

of area 

employment 

Hourly 

mean wage

New York-White Plains-Wayne, 

NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 0.14 $37.70

Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA 

NECTA** Division 0.07 27.33

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 0.06 34.34

Nassau-Suffolk, NY Metropolitan 

Division 0.03 37.28

Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA 

NECTA** Division 0.03 29.61

Figure 25 Metropolitan areas and divisions with the highest concentration of selected 

arts, entertainment, and sports occupations, May 2006

Employment concentration and mean wages of arts, design, entertainment, and 

sports occupations vary by metropolitan area.

Musicians and singers

Metropolitan area or division

Percent 

of area 

employment 

Hourly 

mean 

wage 

Nashville-DavidsonMurfreesboro, TN 0.21 $17.43

Honolulu, HI 0.12 30.73

New York-White Plains-Wayne, 

NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 0.11 34.68

Eugene-Springfield, OR 0.11 32.40

Rochester, NY 0.09 11.61

46 * Data not released ** New England City and Town Area
O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6
 Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing except technical and scientific products

$11.47

$9.23

$8.47

$7.31

$14.79

$9.66

$10.65

$8.56

$13.10

$10.11

$7.24

$6.54

$8.73

$7.64

$18.91

$6.98

$29.13

$23.71

$10.93

$9.96

$11.93

$8.87 Hourly mean wage

$15.44

$6.30

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

Retail salespersons

Cashiers

Customer service representatives

Office clerks, general

Laborers and freight, stock, and 

material movers, hand

Secretaries, except legal,

 medical, and executive

Waiters and waitresses

Janitors and cleaners, except maids

 and housekeeping cleaners

Executive secretaries and

administrative assistants

Personal and home care aides

Stock clerks and order fillers

Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas Gulf Coast Texas nonmetropolitan area

Percent of area employment

Occupation

The Dallas-Plano-Irving 

metropolitan area paid 

higher wages, on average, 

than both Texas State-wide 

and the Gulf Coast Texas 

nonmetropolitan area for 

the largest occupations in 

Texas. 

On average, the Gulf Coast 

Texas nonmetropolitan area 

paid the least of these three 

geographic divisions for 

the largest occupations in 

Texas. 





Figure 26 Occupational employment and wages in metropolitan

and nonmetropolitan areas in Texas, May 2006

For the 12 largest occupations in Texas, the Dallas-Plano-Irving metropolitan area pays

higher wages, on average, than Texas State-wide and the Gulf Coast Texas nonmetropolitan area.

48
In terms of employment distribution, the Gulf Coast 

Texas nonmetropolitan area has higher concentrations of personal and home care aides and general 

office clerks.

The Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas Metropolitan Division 

has higher concentrations of customer service 

representatives and retail salespersons.





O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6

49
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Logging equipment operators

Roof bolters, mining

Continuous mining

machine operators

Logging workers, all other

Shuttle car operators

Fallers

Log graders and scalers

Fishers and related

fishing workers

Farmers and ranchers

Forest and conservation

technicians

Slaughterers and meat packers

Mine cutting and channeling

machine operators

Loading machine operators,

underground mining

Percent of employment

Nonmetropolitan areas Metropolitan areas

Occupations concentrated in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, May 2006 Eighty–six percent of U.S. 

employment is found in 

metropolitan areas, but some 

occupations were concentrated 

in nonmetropolitan areas. (Over 

half as many logging, mining, and 

extraction workers are found in 

nonmetropolitan areas.) 

Figure 27 Occupations most likely found in nonmetropolitan

areas, May 2006

Although eighty-six percent of U.S. employment was found in metropolitan areas,

some occupations were concentrated in nonmetropolitan areas.

50

Occupation
O c c u p a t i o n a l E m p l o y m e n t a n d W a g e s 2 0 0 6
Find all OES data on our Web site: 

www.bls.gov/oes 

Create customized data tables using our query tool:

http://data.bls.gov/oes/search.jsp?data_tool=OES

Download data from previous years as Excel files: 

http://www.bls.gov/oes/oes_dl.htm 

Find economic news releases: 

http://www.bls.gov/oes/home.htm#news

Read analytical articles: 

http://www.bls.gov/oes/home.htm#publications 

View this chart book online: 

http://www.bls.gov/oes/2006/may/chartbook.pdf 











52

U.S. Department of Labor U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics