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Changes in Occupational Ranking and Hourly Earnings, 1997-2005

by John E. Buckley

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Originally Posted: August 29, 2007

The National Compensation Survey (NCS) published estimates of average hourly earnings for 418 occupations that could be

compared in 1997 and 2005. Although the NCS is not designed to measure changes in earnings within individual

occupations, 227 occupations had increases in hourly earnings of at least 25 percent over the period. Among the 191

occupations that had increases of less than 25 percent, 21 reported declines in hourly earnings. The occupations with

declining earnings include high-ranked jobs (in terms of hourly earnings), middle-ranked jobs, and low-ranked jobs.

In June 2005, full-time workers in private industry and State and local governments averaged $19.70 per hour, according to

findings from the ninth annual BLS National Compensation Survey (NCS). When the NCS series began in 1997, the

comparable average was $15.77 per hour.1

The National Compensation Survey is an establishment-based survey of a sample of 152 metropolitan and nonmetropolitan

areas.2 The sample represents the Nation's 326 metropolitan statistical areas (as defined by the Office of Management and

Budget in 1994) and the remaining portions of the United States. Agricultural, private household, and Federal Government

workers are not included in the survey. The 2005 NCS results mark the last observation before a break in the series. The

upcoming 2006 national estimates will be based on the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification System, which replaced

the 1990 Occupation Classification System (OCS), and the 2002 North American Industry Classification System, which

replaced the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. This article, using 2005 data, ranks 418 occupations by

average hourly earnings and summarizes changes in wages for the same occupations over the 1997-2005 period.

Twenty Top Ranked Occupations

Twelve of the 20 occupations with the highest hourly pay in 1997 also were in the top 20 in 2005, although there were some

changes in ranking. (See table 1.) Four occupations retained the same rank: • 1st: Airline pilots and navigators, • 8th: Physics teachers, • 11th: Medical science teachers, and

• 14th: Dentists.

Among the 12 occupations that remained in the top 20 over the period, physicians had the largest upward change in ranking,

from 12th place in 1997 to 4th place in 2005. The median percent change in hourly pay for these 12 occupations was about

32 percent, ranging from a decrease of 6.1 for law teachers to an increase of 63.6 percent for physicians.

Average earnings of chief executives and general administrators, public administration, advanced only 1.9 percent from 1997

to 2005, resulting in the largest downward change--from 3rd to 10th place. Although managers and administrators, not

elsewhere classified--the private industry counterparts of the public executives--were ranked 26th in 2005, their average

hourly earnings increased about 24 percent. Chief executive pay has been a contentious topic in recent years and is currently

being debated in Congress.3 The pay packages being questioned are often associated with executives in large national or

multinational firms, where stocks or stock options are the main component of compensation. Data collected in the NCS

include salaries for executives in small, medium, and large establishments, but exclude compensation in the form of stocks or

stock options and nonproduction bonuses.

Table 2 presents a list of eight occupations that advanced to the top 20 from 1997 to 2005, as well as the eight occupations

that dropped out of the top 20 over the period. Pharmacists had the most notable upward change in top 20 ranking, moving

from 57th in 1997 to 18th in 2005. Engineering teachers also moved up sharply, from 22nd to 5th place, aided by a 78.7-
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

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percent increase in average hourly earnings. Social scientists, not elsewhere classified, had the highest percent increase in

average earnings (118 percent). This and four other occupations with at least an 80-percent increase in average earnings

were still below the earnings threshold of $44.49 per hour needed to advance to the top 20.

Two occupations with relative standard errors of less than 10 percent in both 1997 and 2005 dropped in rank over the period:

chemistry teachers went from 17th in 1997 to 40th in 2005, and theology teachers went from 10th in 1997 to 29th in 2005.

Other occupations had larger declines in rank, but their relative standard errors were considerably higher, making direct

comparisons less meaningful.4

Ranking By Hourly And Annual Earnings

In addition to publishing average hourly earnings estimates, the NCS also publishes annual salary estimates. Ranking

occupations by hourly and annual earnings produces different results. (See table 3.) For example, in 2005, airline pilots and

navigators, who placed first when ranked by hourly earnings, dropped to third place when ranked by annual earnings. The

number of annual work hours is considerably lower for airline pilots and navigators than it is for other occupations ranked in

the top 20.5 A difference in ranking would occur, for example, when two occupations have the same annual salaries (say

$50,000) but one has a 40-hour weekly work schedule (2,080 annual hours) and the other has a 35-hour schedule (1,820

annual hours). On an annual basis they would have an equal rank, but, on an hourly basis, workers with the 35-hour

schedule would rank higher.

Other positional changes among the top 20 occupations (when comparing hourly and annual wages) were substantially

affected by college and university teachers. In terms of hourly earnings, 12 of the top 20 positions in 2005 were held by these

kinds of teachers. But college and university teachers tend to work fewer annual hours than other workers, and, as a result,

they placed lower in the rankings based on annual salaries. Agriculture and forestry teachers averaged considerably fewer

annual work hours--about 1,346 in 2005--than others in the top 20 occupations (except for pilots and navigators). When

comparing rankings based on average hourly and annual earnings, the ranking of agriculture and forestry teachers was 6th

place on an hourly basis and 17th place on an annual basis.6

Twenty Lowest Ranked Occupations

In 1997, the average hourly earnings of the 20 lowest ranked occupations ranged from $4.29 per hour for waiters and

waitresses to $8.23 per hour for nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants. In 2005, the earnings of the 20 lowest ranked

occupations ranged from $4.71 per hour for wait staff to $10.05 per hour for agricultural products inspectors and vehicle

washers and equipment cleaners. The low earnings for waiters and waitresses may be misleading because the NCS is

designed to measure employers' costs for wages and salaries, which precludes collecting tips as part of wages. As a result,

total earnings for waiters and waitresses are understated. Rates for some other low ranked occupations--such as bartenders,

baggage porters and bellhops, parking lot attendants, and taxicab drivers and chauffeurs--were similarly affected by the

absence of information on tips.

Among the 20 lowest ranked occupations in 1997, 14 were in the bottom-20 category in 2005. Of the 6 occupations that

moved out of the lowest 20, 5 remained near the bottom. The one exception was hand engraving and printing occupations,

whose average hourly earnings more than doubled over the period (from $8.13 to $16.75), moving this job's ranking from

400th in 1997 to 240th in 2005.

Percent Changes In Hourly Earnings, 1997-2005

Among the 418 occupations for which comparisons could be made, 227 had increases in hourly earnings of at least 25

percent over the 1997-2005 period. (See table 4.) Social scientists, not elsewhere classified, an occupational category that

includes historians, anthropologists, and political scientists, had the highest percent increase in earnings--from $13.30 per

hour in 1997 to $28.99 per hour in 2005, an increase of 118 percent. Two other occupations, hand engraving and printing

and elevator installers and repairers, also had average hourly earnings that doubled during the period.
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The 191 occupations with changes in average hourly earnings of less than 25 percent included 21 occupations whose

reported average hourly earnings declined from 1997 to 2005. The occupations with declining average earnings from 1997 to

2005 included high-ranked jobs (law teachers' earnings dropped 6.1 percent), middle-ranked jobs (religious workers, not

elsewhere classified, dropped 10.3 percent), and low-ranked jobs (garage and service station workers' earnings dropped 2.8

percent). The median decline for these 21 occupations was 5.9 percent.

John E. Buckley

Economist, Division of Compensation Data Analysis and Planning, Office of Compensation and Working Conditions, Bureau of

Labor Statistics.

Telephone: (202) 691-6299; E-mail: Buckley.John@bls.gov

Notes

1 From 1997 to 2005, the wages and salary component of the Employment Cost Index (ECI) for civilian workers (that is, workers in private

industry and State and local governments) increased approximately 29 percent. This differs from the change in NCS wage estimates from

1997 to 2005 because the ECI holds occupation and industry mix constant over time, whereas the NCS wage surveys provide a crosssectional view of the economy at one point in time. For an estimate of real wage change over time, see Employment Cost Index Historical

Listing, Constant-dollar 1975-2005 (December 2005 = 100), on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/web/ecconst.pdf.

2 The 1997 survey was limited to 149 areas in the 48 contiguous States. Alaska and Hawaii were included in the 1998 and later surveys, and

the sample increased to 154 areas from 1998 through 2003.

3 See "Current Controversies in Executive Compensation: Issues of Justice and Fairness," Knowledge@Wharton, May 2, 2007, on the Internet

at http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1727.

4 The relative standard errors (RSEs) associated with each occupation's mean earnings provide an indicator of the reliability of the estimated

mean. Basically, a low RSE indicates that the "true" mean is likely to be in a narrow range around the estimate. A high RSE indicates that the

true mean is likely to be found in a broad range around the estimate, which indicates that the occupation's rank--the occupation's mean wage

with respect to the mean wage of other occupations--is less meaningful. This can be illustrated by comparing two occupations with very close

average earnings, but very different RSEs. The RSE for nuclear engineers, whose hourly wage was $39.93, was 5.7. Thus, at the 90-percent

level, the confidence interval for this occupation was $36.19 to $43.67, a spread of $7.48. This indicates that approximately 90 percent of the

time, the true population value would fall within that range. By contrast, the RSE for computer science teachers, whose hourly wage was

$39.89, was 19.8, which means that at the 90-percent level, the confidence interval for this occupation was $26.90 to $52.88, a spread of

$25.98.

5 Most airlines provide only flight pay and hours for pilots; hours worked in preparing for flights are not included, resulting in flight pay being

overstated. Pay for other duties, such as training, which may be paid at a lower rate than flight pay, may also be excluded.

6 Due to the relatively high standard errors for agriculture and forestry teachers and some other occupations, users should exercise caution

when making direct salary comparisons. This is especially applicable when the differences in average earnings are small.
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Table 1. Twelve high-paying full-time(1) occupations that were ranked in the top 20 in 1997 and 2005, percent change in

earnings, National Compensation Survey

Occupation (1997 data) 1997

ranking Occupation (2005 data) 2005ranking

2005 data

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings(2) Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3)

Airplane pilots and

navigators 1 Airplane pilots and

navigators

1 $97.51 13.0 23.5 51.3

Law teachers 2 Economics teachers 2 66.23 19.2 42.8 30.4

Chief executives and

general administrators,

public administration

3 Judges 3 61.38 11.1 39.8 44.0

Economics teachers 4 Physicians 4 61.34 11.0 41.9 63.6

Judges 6 Agriculture and

forestry teachers

6 55.12 23.5 34.6 31.4

Agriculture and forestry

teachers 7 Law teachers 7 55.10 15.3 38.9 -6.1

Physics teachers 8 Physics teachers 8 53.20 8.5 38.7 31.7

Medical science teachers 11

Chief executives and

general

administrators, public

administration

10 52.11 6.3 42.8 1.9

Physicians 12

Medical science

teachers

11 51.79 10.2 45.7 34.4

Dentists 14 Lawyers 12 50.89 4.9 41.5 46.8

Managers, marketing,

advertising, and public

relations

18 Dentists 14 46.30 11.0 41.3 26.1

Lawyers 19

Managers, marketing,

advertising, and

public relations

17 45.33 4.2 41.2 30.0

Footnotes:

(1) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(2) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by totaling

the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.
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Table 2. Sixteen high-paying full-time(1) occupations that entered or left the top 20 ranking, National Compensation

Survey, 1997 and 2005

Occupations in top 20 in

1997, but not in 2005

(average hourly earnings

of $34.36 or more)

1997

ranking

Occupations in top 20 in

2005, but not in 1997

(average hourly earnings of

$44.49 or more)

2005

ranking

2005 data

1997 Mean

hourly

earnings

Hourly earnings(2) Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3)

Musicians and

composers

5 Engineering teachers 5 $60.62 10.6 41.2 $33.92

Natural science teachers,

n.e.c.

9 Earth, environmental, and

marine science teachers

9 52.72 13.5 39.6 32.00

Theology teachers 10 Sociology teachers 13 49.58 15.6 39.1 32.68

Physicists and

astronomers 13 Business, commerce, and

marketing teachers

15 46.19 13.0 38.9 32.89

Petroleum engineers 15 English teachers 16 45.89 11.0 37.8 31.40

Securities and financial

services sales 16 Pharmacists 18 45.25 1.1 39.7 26.59

Chemistry teachers 17 Social science teachers,

n.e.c.

19 44.68 5.9 39.7 32.93

Real estate sales 20 Biological science

teachers

20 44.49 10.5 40.6 32.50

Footnotes:

(1) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(2) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by totaling

the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
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Table 3. Differences in rankng when hourly and annual earnings of the 20 highest paid full-time(1) occupations are

compared, 2005

Occupation

Hourly earnings ranking, 2005 Annual earnings ranking, 2005

Hourly

earnings

ranking

Hourly earnings(2) Mean

weekly

hours

Annual

earnings

ranking

Annual earnings(2) Mean

annual

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Airplane pilots and

navigators 1 $97.51 13.0 23.5 3 $119,204 5.5 1222

Economics teachers 2 66.23 19.2 42.8 7 102,552 12.7 1549

Judges 3 61.38 11.1 39.8 2 127,028 11.3 2069

Physicians 4 61.34 11.0 41.9 1 133,717 10.9 2180

Engineering teachers 5 60.62 10.6 41.2 9 97,222 7.1 1604

Agriculture and forestry

teachers 6 55.12 23.5 34.6 17 74,201 18.0 1346

Law teachers 7 55.10 15.3 38.9 12 86,541 14.9 1571

Physics teachers 8 53.20 8.5 38.7 14 79,233 7.1 1489

Earth, environmental,

and marine science

teachers

9 52.72 13.5 39.6 13 80,815 10.2 1533

Chief executives and

general administrators,

public administration

10 52.11 6.3 42.8 4 116,096 16.9 2228

Medical science

teachers 11 51.79 10.2 45.7 5 112,026 6.4 2163

Lawyers 12 50.89 4.9 41.5 6 109,747 6.1 2157

Sociology teachers 13 49.58 15.6 39.1 15 78,728 15.1 1588

Dentists 14 46.30 11.0 41.3 8 99,547 5.6 2150

Business, commerce,

and marketing teachers 15 46.19 13.0 38.9 19 70,841 12.6 1534

English teachers 16 45.89 11.0 37.8 20 69,752 10.3 1520

Managers, marketing,

advertising, and public

relations

17 45.33 4.2 41.2 10 97,050 4.2 2141

Pharmacists 18 45.25 1.1 39.7 11 93,515 1.2 2067

Social science teachers,

n.e.c.

19 44.68 5.9 39.7 18 72,280 6.0 1618

Biological science

teachers 20 44.49 10.5 40.6 16 78,372 11.6 1761

Footnotes:

(1) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(2) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by totaling

the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
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Table 4. Mean average hourly earnings(1) and weekly hours of full-time workers(2), percent change in average

earnings, National Compensation Survey, 1997 and 2005

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Airplane pilots and navigators $64.43 9.3 24.3 1 $97.51 13.0 23.5 51.3

Economics teachers 50.79 15.4 43.3 2 66.23 19.2 42.8 30.4

Judges 42.62 6.8 39.9 3 61.38 11.1 39.8 44.0

Physicians 37.49 4.7 43.1 4 61.34 11.0 41.9 63.6

Engineering teachers 33.92 10.2 44.6 5 60.62 10.6 41.2 78.7

Agriculture and forestry

teachers 41.94 24.8 35.2 6 55.12 23.5 34.6 31.4

Law teachers 58.67 11.0 38.3 7 55.10 15.3 38.9 -6.1

Physics teachers 40.38 13.6 37.8 8 53.20 8.5 38.7 31.7

Earth, environmental, and

marine science teachers 32.00 9.2 39.2 9 52.72 13.5 39.6 64.8

Chief executives and general

administrators, public

administration

51.16 20.5 40.4 10 52.11 6.3 42.8 1.9

Medical science teachers 38.52 5.7 41.9 11 51.79 10.2 45.7 34.4

Lawyers 34.66 3.3 41.8 12 50.89 4.9 41.5 46.8

Sociology teachers 32.68 10.6 39.0 13 49.58 15.6 39.1 51.7

Dentists 36.73 10.5 39.5 14 46.30 11.0 41.3 26.1

Business, commerce, and

marketing teachers 32.89 6.7 38.6 15 46.19 13.0 38.9 40.4

English teachers 31.40 4.8 37.3 16 45.89 11.0 37.8 46.1

Managers, marketing,

advertising, and public relations 34.87 2.0 41.0 17 45.33 4.2 41.2 30.0

Pharmacists 26.59 1.4 40.2 18 45.25 1.1 39.7 70.2

Social science teachers, n.e.c. 32.93 8.3 39.1 19 44.68 5.9 39.7 35.7

Biological science teachers 32.50 9.2 41.4 20 44.49 10.5 40.6 36.9

Health specialties teachers 31.46 4.0 39.6 21 44.47 10.2 38.3 41.4

Petroleum engineers 35.44 6.4 40.8 22 43.16 16.1 40.0 21.8

Aerospace engineers 30.44 3.8 40.0 23 42.27 8.1 40.0 38.9

History teachers 31.52 5.8 38.2 24 41.39 9.9 40.4 31.3

Securities and financial services

sales 35.35 11.7 40.4 25 41.38 7.0 39.7 17.1

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by totaling

the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

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Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Managers and administrators,

n.e.c.

33.00 1.3 41.3 26 40.99 4.6 40.8 24.2

Mathematical science teachers 33.17 5.5 38.7 27 40.88 12.4 38.7 23.2

Financial managers 32.46 2.3 40.5 28 40.82 4.0 40.5 25.8

Theology teachers 38.74 8.6 38.8 29 40.80 6.4 39.7 5.3

Announcers 21.56 22.9 41.8 30 40.13 29.5 40.0 86.1

Nuclear engineers 34.16 3.4 40.5 31 39.93 5.7 40.0 16.9

Computer science teachers 29.96 9.6 39.0 32 39.89 19.8 37.3 33.1

Natural science teachers, n.e.c. 40.23 4.7 38.9 33 39.57 9.8 39.8 -1.6

Education teachers 30.70 10.1 40.6 34 39.46 10.7 38.3 28.5

Engineers, n.e.c. 28.97 1.1 40.5 35 39.27 2.2 40.2 35.6

Electrical and electronic

engineers 29.25 1.1 40.3 36 39.13 2.5 40.9 33.8

Musicians and composers 44.45 20.7 29.0 37 38.84 20.4 37.3 -12.6

Psychology teachers 30.24 6.9 38.2 38 38.83 8.1 39.0 28.4

Elevator installers and repairers 19.21 22.1 40.0 39 38.67 14.5 40.0 101.3

Chemistry teachers 34.97 8.5 42.0 40 38.51 9.2 41.3 10.1

Sales engineers 27.60 5.5 41.5 41 38.11 9.5 41.6 38.1

Administrators, education and

related fields 30.17 1.9 39.5 42 37.30 3.4 39.4 23.6

Actuaries 27.00 7.2 39.2 43 37.23 9.4 41.5 37.9

Art, drama, and music teachers 29.30 3.8 38.7 44 36.79 9.6 38.5 25.6

Physicians' assistants 24.47 5.1 39.6 45 36.71 7.0 40.0 50.0

Political science teachers 33.37 8.8 38.8 46 36.21 7.2 39.3 8.5

Trade and industrial teachers 24.96 4.0 37.9 47 36.09 6.9 38.2 44.6

Technical writers 20.03 3.9 39.9 48 35.82 14.7 40.1 78.8

Chemical engineers 30.65 2.9 39.9 49 35.76 8.7 40.0 16.7

Surveyors and mapping

scientists 19.75 8.4 39.6 50 35.72 11.5 39.8 80.9

Operations and systems

researchers and analysts 27.73 6.6 39.9 51 35.71 5.5 39.9 28.8

Purchasing managers 29.43 4.1 41.0 52 35.35 8.2 40.2 20.1

Computer systems analysts and

scientists 26.82 1.3 40.1 53 35.33 2.5 40.1 31.7

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

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Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Foreign language teachers 25.43 14.1 41.7 54 35.14 17.9 39.9 38.2

Physicists and astronomers 37.31 10.4 40.8 55 35.12 9.2 39.9 -5.9

Managers, medicine and health 28.60 2.3 39.9 56 35.12 3.3 40.0 22.8

Teachers, special education 27.21 2.2 36.3 57 34.65 3.1 35.5 27.3

Physical education teachers 26.01 13.4 38.1 58 34.38 7.5 37.9 32.2

Geologists and geodesists 26.04 8.8 41.8 59 34.15 7.8 40.8 31.1

Economists 23.18 5.1 40.1 60 33.85 7.8 41.4 46.0

Elementary school teachers 26.43 1.1 36.8 61 33.56 1.4 36.6 27.0

Health diagnosing practitioners,

n.e.c.

24.27 14.6 40.0 62 33.45 8.8 40.0 37.8

Metallurgical and materials

engineers 26.51 4.8 40.2 63 33.20 5.9 40.2 25.2

Industrial engineers 24.52 3.4 40.6 64 33.19 2.6 41.6 35.4

Secondary school teachers 26.66 1.6 37.2 65 33.18 1.9 37.0 24.5

Actors and directors 24.83 12.5 40.5 66 33.13 17.8 40.5 33.4

Teachers, n.e.c. 27.36 2.7 36.1 67 32.68 3.0 36.4 19.4

Other financial officers 23.58 2.9 40.0 68 32.53 3.6 40.1 38.0

Civil engineers 26.19 2.0 40.2 69 32.49 3.0 40.8 24.1

Supervisors, electricians and

power transmission installers 22.25 5.0 40.0 70 32.48 3.8 40.1 46.0

Chemists, except biochemists 27.57 3.7 40.7 71 32.23 8.2 40.0 16.9

Personnel and labor relations

managers

31.43 3.3 41.0 72 32.16 7.5 40.1 2.3

Public transportation attendants 23.16 6.6 23.3 73 31.98 3.7 20.0 38.1

Mechanical engineers 25.34 2.2 40.4 74 31.93 1.9 40.8 26.0

Supervisors, police and

detectives 22.99 3.0 40.2 75 31.73 2.7 40.2 38.0

Dental hygienists 19.97 8.8 38.6 76 31.57 4.1 33.8 58.1

Adminstrators and officials,

public administration 24.89 2.6 39.7 77 31.52 2.9 39.6 26.6

Professional occupations, n.e.c. 23.39 3.7 39.7 78 31.43 7.4 40.0 34.4

Psychologists 23.14 4.9 38.2 79 31.02 5.7 38.0 34.1

Managers, service

organizations, n.e.c. 24.55 5.0 40.1 80 30.84 7.9 39.0 25.6

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Page 10

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Computer programmers 20.51 1.7 39.9 81 30.82 3.2 40.5 50.3

Management analysts 23.63 3.6 40.1 82 30.70 5.2 40.0 29.9

Architects 23.94 6.8 40.6 83 30.22 7.1 41.4 26.2

Physical scientists, n.e.c. 26.31 3.0 39.9 84 29.53 7.0 39.8 12.2

Athletes 32.15 34.4 40.9 85 29.51 15.4 39.1 -8.2

Speech therapists 22.35 3.0 38.0 86 29.47 5.9 38.0 31.9

Physical therapists 23.60 2.5 39.6 87 29.34 3.3 39.4 24.3

Social scientists, n.e.c. 13.30 15.9 39.3 88 28.99 13.1 38.9 118.0

Agricultural and food scientists 21.49 5.3 40.7 89 28.89 7.2 39.6 34.4

Biological and life scientists 21.00 6.3 40.4 90 28.87 16.3 39.3 37.5

Statisticians 24.22 5.5 37.6 91 28.43 8.6 39.2 17.4

Librarians 20.95 3.4 38.2 92 28.37 3.1 38.1 35.4

Vocational and educational

counselors 23.36 4.3 37.9 93 28.35 6.4 37.6 21.4

Power plant operators 21.32 2.9 40.0 94 28.18 3.8 40.0 32.2

Locomotive operating

occupations 22.51 8.9 40.8 95 28.07 18.6 42.4 24.7

Medical scientists 21.31 6.0 39.8 96 28.01 11.0 39.3 31.4

Registered nurses 20.01 0.7 39.0 97 27.90 1.1 38.8 39.4

Supervisors, plumbers,

pipefitters, and steamfitters 21.16 9.6 40.2 98 27.59 7.5 40.0 30.4

Supervisors, firefighters and

fire prevention occupations 19.53 3.3 49.0 99 27.52 4.7 49.4 40.9

Underwriters 23.28 10.7 39.5 100 27.41 5.7 39.0 17.7

Aircraft engine mechanics 21.07 4.0 40.0 101 27.34 8.7 40.2 29.8

Buyers, wholesale and retail

trade, except farm products 23.12 7.5 40.9 102 27.16 3.8 40.4 17.5

Sales representatives, mining,

manufacturing, and wholesale 23.58 3.3 41.1 103 27.09 3.5 40.4 14.9

Urban planners 20.59 4.5 39.6 104 26.93 4.6 39.3 30.8

Electrical power installers and

repairers 21.02 2.7 40.0 105 26.54 3.4 40.0 26.3

Brickmasons and stonemasons 15.52 6.3 40.0 106 26.43 9.0 39.9 70.3

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Page 11

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Management related

occupations, n.e.c. 21.43 1.1 39.8 107 26.11 2.5 40.0 21.8

Purchasing agents and buyers,

n.e.c.

20.07 4.0 40.0 108 26.05 5.9 40.4 29.8

Editors and reporters 22.21 5.0 39.4 109 25.97 7.5 39.2 16.9

Occupational therapists 21.33 5.1 39.2 110 25.96 3.7 39.4 21.7

Railroad conductors and

yardmasters 23.43 7.3 40.5 111 25.82 22.3 43.6 10.2

Electricians 18.31 2.0 40.0 112 25.79 3.1 39.8 40.9

Personnel, training, and labor

relations specialists 20.02 1.6 40.0 113 25.52 3.8 39.8 27.5

Accountants and auditors 19.73 2.5 39.8 114 25.50 2.0 40.0 29.2

Sales, other business services 20.69 8.5 40.0 115 25.32 6.2 40.3 22.4

Telephone line installers and

repairers 18.38 4.3 40.0 116 25.11 4.8 40.0 36.6

Police and detectives, public

service 18.79 1.5 40.0 117 25.05 1.0 40.0 33.3

Drillers, oil well 16.58 2.3 41.3 118 25.02 17.8 47.4 50.9

Public relations specialists 20.16 5.3 39.9 119 24.98 6.3 39.7 23.9

Supervisors, mechanics and

repairers 21.58 1.9 40.6 120 24.81 2.7 40.8 15.0

Aircraft mechanics, except

engine 17.93 5.0 40.1 121 24.77 4.0 40.0 38.1

Archivists and curators 18.11 9.2 39.0 122 24.74 12.3 37.3 36.6

Construction inspectors 19.61 3.9 40.1 123 24.60 5.0 39.6 25.4

Engineering technicians, n.e.c. 18.11 1.8 39.8 124 24.47 4.0 40.1 35.1

Plumbers, pipefitters, and

steamfitters 18.76 3.0 40.0 125 24.46 7.0 39.9 30.4

Carpet installers 21.21 7.8 38.8 126 24.45 12.9 40.0 15.3

Supervisors, extractive

occupations 22.14 6.0 42.3 127 24.40 19.4 41.3 10.2

Supervisors, carpenters and

related workers 20.79 5.5 40.5 128 24.28 6.1 40.4 16.8

Structural metal workers 15.97 7.8 40.0 129 24.22 12.4 40.0 51.7

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Page 12

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Industrial engineering

technicians 16.31 6.2 40.2 130 24.21 5.6 40.1 48.4

Radiological technicians 16.21 1.4 39.6 131 24.11 2.6 39.4 48.7

Sheet metal duct installers 16.67 10.2 39.0 132 24.07 12.8 40.0 44.4

Supervisors, agriculture-related

workers 16.53 5.7 40.2 133 24.03 6.4 40.8 45.4

Telephone installers and

repairers 17.54 4.1 40.0 134 23.95 3.4 40.0 36.5

Tool and die makers 18.53 2.3 40.2 135 23.94 2.0 40.0 29.2

Electrical and electronic

technicians 17.76 1.8 40.1 136 23.89 12.0 40.3 34.5

Miscellaneous plant and system

operators, n.e.c. 20.23 2.2 40.0 137 23.86 4.7 39.5 17.9

Stationary engineers 17.65 3.8 39.8 138 23.71 4.4 39.7 34.3

Supervisors, painters,

paperhangers, and plasterers 17.98 3.7 40.0 139 23.55 7.7 40.9 31.0

Tool programmers, numerical

control 17.16 6.6 40.2 140 23.35 7.4 40.0 36.1

Precision inspectors, testers,

and related workers, n.e.c. 18.61 8.7 40.0 141 23.35 10.4 40.0 25.5

Business and promotional

agents 18.58 7.8 39.6 142 23.25 5.5 39.4 25.1

Inspectors and compliance

officers, except construction 18.73 3.2 39.4 143 23.23 4.0 40.0 24.0

Insurance sales occupations 23.26 8.7 39.4 144 23.10 8.5 39.7 -0.7

Supervisors, financial records

processing 17.47 1.9 39.7 145 23.09 8.3 39.9 32.2

Purchasing agents and buyers,

farm products 19.68 4.8 39.9 146 23.08 15.3 39.7 17.3

Mechanical engineering

technicians 18.93 3.1 40.5 147 22.78 4.3 40.2 20.3

Respiratory therapists 16.97 1.5 39.3 148 22.76 2.3 39.1 34.1

Supervisors, material moving

equipment 18.78 5.9 41.3 149 22.69 3.4 40.1 20.8

Rail vehicle operators, n.e.c. 19.70 1.9 40.0 150 22.52 3.9 40.0 14.3

Legal assistants 16.29 2.7 39.6 151 22.50 3.7 38.8 38.1

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Page 13

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Millwrights 18.43 5.9 40.1 152 22.30 6.3 40.0 21.0

Supervisors, construction

trades, n.e.c. 17.89 3.7 40.5 153 22.25 5.0 40.4 24.4

Supervisors, production

occupations 18.41 2.0 40.7 154 22.24 2.0 40.5 20.8

Managers, properties and real

estate 25.88 8.6 40.6 155 22.14 4.1 39.8 -14.5

Real estate sales occupations 34.36 21.7 40.7 156 22.06 14.0 40.1 -35.8

Electronic repairers,

communications and industrial

equipment

16.59 3.2 39.9 157 21.99 2.7 40.1 32.5

Chemical technicians 17.20 2.5 39.9 158 21.98 6.1 39.7 27.8

Drafters 16.62 2.2 40.1 159 21.93 2.7 40.1 31.9

Sales workers, motor vehicles

and boats 16.92 3.6 44.2 160 21.91 6.3 44.0 29.5

Chief communications

operators 16.65 6.3 40.5 161 21.68 3.2 39.3 30.2

Designers 20.84 4.6 40.4 162 21.65 3.6 39.6 3.9

Supervisors, computer

equipment operators 20.73 4.7 39.6 163 21.61 2.3 39.6 4.2

Marine engineers 11.95 21.5 57.3 164 21.48 20.4 42.6 79.7

Patternmakers and

modelmakers, metal 18.78 6.7 40.0 165 21.41 8.9 40.0 14.0

Industrial machinery repairers 16.06 1.7 40.0 166 21.33 2.1 39.9 32.8

Science technicians, n.e.c. 17.15 4.8 39.7 167 21.28 10.1 39.8 24.1

Dietitians 16.04 2.2 39.6 168 21.28 4.3 39.7 32.7

Forestry and conservation

scientists 17.14 6.2 40.2 169 21.27 10.0 40.0 24.1

Mechanical controls and valve

repairers 17.65 4.2 39.9 170 21.24 5.7 40.0 20.3

Managers, food servicing and

lodging establishments 16.96 3.2 43.2 171 21.17 7.5 44.1 24.8

Supervisors, brickmasons,

stonemasons, and tilesetters 17.34 11.7 39.8 172 21.09 9.7 40.0 21.6

Operating engineers 14.94 6.9 40.1 173 20.97 8.1 39.2 40.4

Adjusters and calibrators 11.74 13.0 40.0 174 20.79 11.0 36.3 77.1

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Page 14

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Data processing equipment

repairers 14.99 3.7 39.8 175 20.78 12.4 39.5 38.6

Precision assemblers, metal 15.51 3.0 40.1 176 20.72 6.1 40.0 33.6

Technical and related

occupations, n.e.c. 17.51 2.8 39.8 177 20.62 4.9 39.8 17.8

Supervisors, distribution,

scheduling, and adjusting

clerks

16.91 3.1 40.5 178 20.61 4.3 40.5 21.9

Advertising and related sales

occupations 18.67 9.2 40.3 179 20.61 10.5 39.4 10.4

Supervisors, sales occupations 18.40 2.3 41.3 180 20.60 3.6 41.5 12.0

Supervisors, general office 15.94 1.5 39.7 181 20.59 2.3 39.5 29.2

Inspectors, testers, and graders 15.79 2.5 40.4 182 20.37 4.2 40.3 29.0

Supervisors, guards 15.39 7.0 39.4 183 20.20 8.7 39.5 31.3

Supervisors, handlers,

equipment cleaners, laborers,

n.e.c.

14.15 2.4 40.4 184 20.01 5.1 41.1 41.4

Sheriffs, bailiffs, and other law

enforcement officers 15.52 2.5 39.8 185 20.01 2.4 39.8 28.9

Machinists 15.59 3.7 40.2 186 19.93 2.0 40.0 27.8

Street and door-to-door sales

workers 21.01 25.8 38.3 187 19.92 18.3 38.5 -5.2

Prekindergarten and

kindergarten teachers 19.78 4.0 37.3 188 19.89 4.9 38.3 0.6

Carpenters 16.39 2.5 39.8 189 19.73 4.5 39.9 20.4

Surveying and mapping

technicians 15.66 5.6 39.7 190 19.71 9.2 39.7 25.9

Firefighting occupations 14.49 2.3 48.6 191 19.65 2.4 48.2 35.6

Insurance adjusters, examiners,

and investigators 14.54 2.9 39.2 192 19.62 3.5 39.0 34.9

Separating, filtering, and

clarifying machine operators 15.26 3.5 39.9 193 19.55 5.4 39.9 28.1

Fire inspection and fire

prevention occupations 17.63 5.4 41.2 194 19.51 11.4 40.9 10.7

Ship captains and mates,

except fishing boats 16.21 7.1 53.2 195 19.47 14.7 49.6 20.1

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Page 15

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Heavy equipment mechanics 16.25 3.3 40.1 196 19.47 2.8 40.0 19.8

Boilermakers 17.73 7.8 40.0 197 19.47 9.9 39.8 9.8

Bus, truck, and stationary

engine mechanics 15.04 2.6 40.2 198 19.43 2.6 40.2 29.2

Water and sewer treatment

plant operators 15.14 2.9 40.0 199 19.27 2.7 40.0 27.3

Social workers 15.40 1.5 39.1 200 19.11 1.9 39.0 24.1

Automobile mechanics 16.62 3.2 40.6 201 18.94 3.1 40.4 14.0

Insulation workers 12.91 5.8 37.0 202 18.91 8.8 40.0 46.5

Clinical laboratory

technologists and technicians 14.95 1.4 39.5 203 18.87 2.6 39.7 26.2

Production coordinators 14.27 1.7 40.0 204 18.79 3.7 40.1 31.7

Religious workers, n.e.c. 20.89 4.2 39.8 205 18.74 15.5 37.9 -10.3

Supervisors, motor vehicle

operators 15.13 6.5 41.2 206 18.71 5.8 40.8 23.7

Painters, sculptors, craft artists,

and artist printmakers 18.07 15.4 40.1 207 18.69 5.3 39.4 3.4

Patternmakers, layout workers,

and cutters 16.15 15.2 38.5 208 18.63 11.4 40.0 15.4

Mining machine operators 18.27 5.6 40.0 209 18.57 9.3 40.0 1.6

Heating, air conditioning, and

refrigeration mechanics 15.57 2.3 40.0 210 18.49 3.1 40.0 18.8

Concrete and terrazzo finishers 13.36 7.5 40.1 211 18.47 6.8 40.0 38.2

Layout workers 14.66 5.6 40.0 212 18.46 16.0 40.0 25.9

Stenographers 13.95 4.0 39.0 213 18.36 5.2 38.3 31.6

Biological technicians 15.19 4.5 39.9 214 18.11 4.0 39.8 19.2

Drywall installers 14.09 3.3 40.3 215 17.98 6.9 39.9 27.6

Tool and die maker apprentices 14.46 6.7 39.9 216 17.92 7.4 40.0 23.9

Proofreaders 12.28 13.7 39.8 217 17.88 15.7 40.0 45.6

Glaziers 16.72 6.5 38.5 218 17.85 9.1 40.0 6.8

Sheet metal workers 15.40 4.9 40.0 219 17.80 10.1 39.0 15.6

Therapists, n.e.c. 15.52 2.3 39.3 220 17.72 4.0 39.5 14.2

Correctional institution officers 13.78 4.0 39.9 221 17.64 6.3 39.8 28.0

Tailors 10.58 6.1 39.7 222 17.63 20.4 37.9 66.6

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Page 16

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Construction trades, n.e.c. 14.55 7.1 39.8 223 17.57 5.5 39.8 20.8

Office machine repairers 14.57 4.8 39.5 224 17.54 8.5 40.0 20.4

Licensed practical nurses 12.48 1.0 39.3 225 17.47 1.6 39.0 40.0

Lathe and turning-machine

operators 12.26 4.4 39.9 226 16.12 6.2 40.0 31.5

Supervisors, cleaning and

building service workers 10.87 10.1 40.0 227 17.33 4.5 39.7 59.4

Meter readers 14.20 3.8 40.0 228 17.31 5.2 40.0 21.9

Carpenter apprentices 12.05 4.7 40.0 229 17.18 13.6 40.0 42.6

Demonstrators, promoters, and

models, sales 11.73 6.4 39.1 230 17.17 15.1 39.9 46.4

Photographers 16.00 7.3 40.1 231 17.14 11.5 40.4 7.1

Excavating and loading

machine operators 13.68 5.2 40.1 232 17.02 4.7 39.9 24.4

Printing press operators 14.68 3.2 39.5 233 16.99 2.8 39.5 15.7

Mechanics and repairers, n.e.c. 15.28 1.6 39.9 234 16.90 2.5 39.9 10.6

Payroll and timekeeping clerks 12.44 2.0 39.7 235 16.87 2.0 39.7 35.6

Numerical control machine

operators 12.62 3.5 40.3 236 16.82 3.1 40.2 33.3

Miscellaneous material moving

equipment operators, n.e.c. 14.18 3.6 39.9 237 16.82 5.6 40.0 18.6

Washing, cleaning, and pickling

machine operators 10.69 7.7 40.8 238 16.81 22.6 40.0 57.2

Secretaries 12.92 0.9 39.2 239 16.81 1.0 39.0 30.1

Hand engraving and printing 8.13 7.6 40.1 240 16.75 26.4 38.2 106.0

Health technologists and

technicians, n.e.c. 13.13 1.6 39.8 241 16.69 1.8 39.7 27.1

Photoengravers and

lithographers 14.62 3.5 39.3 242 16.66 6.3 39.4 14.0

Crane and tower operators 15.68 3.5 40.3 243 16.66 6.2 40.0 6.2

Rolling machine operators 13.06 8.9 40.2 244 16.65 11.4 39.9 27.5

Personnel clerks, except payroll

and timekeeping clerks 12.25 2.2 39.5 245 16.57 2.3 39.7 35.3

Broadcast equipment operators 18.33 11.9 39.5 246 16.50 11.9 39.0 -10.0

Dispatchers 12.59 3.4 40.2 247 16.48 4.9 40.3 30.9

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Page 17

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Computer operators 13.28 2.4 39.5 248 16.44 3.6 39.8 23.8

Artists, performers, and related

workers, n.e.c. 15.43 16.2 37.6 249 16.43 18.2 40.7 6.5

Automobile body and related

repairers 15.25 4.6 40.5 250 16.34 4.5 40.3 7.1

Painters, construction and

maintenance 14.01 5.8 39.8 251 16.29 3.7 39.8 16.3

Paving, surfacing, and tamping

equipment operators 11.53 18.9 40.1 252 16.25 12.3 41.1 40.9

Household appliance and power

tool repairers 16.59 5.3 40.0 253 16.22 5.8 40.4 -2.2

Roofers 12.54 9.9 34.9 254 16.21 7.5 39.6 29.3

Precision grinders, filers, and

tool sharpeners 15.05 8.1 40.3 255 16.20 9.1 39.8 7.6

Machinery maintenance 12.73 3.4 40.0 256 16.14 4.7 39.8 26.8

Lathe and turning-machine setup operators 13.42 3.7 40.0 257 17.41 3.7 40.0 29.7

Grader, dozer, and scraper

operators 12.97 6.7 40.0 258 16.07 5.2 39.9 23.9

Expeditors 12.82 3.8 40.0 259 16.07 4.8 39.5 25.4

Heat treating equipment

operators 13.26 2.9 40.0 260 15.95 5.2 40.0 20.3

Investigators and adjusters,

except insurance 11.97 2.8 39.7 261 15.94 3.8 39.8 33.2

Welders and cutters 13.71 1.7 40.1 262 15.90 2.4 39.8 16.0

Plasterers 15.24 24.8 40.0 263 15.88 5.8 39.3 4.2

Driver-sales workers 13.69 4.4 41.7 264 15.76 6.1 40.6 15.1

Clergy 11.51 19.9 48.1 265 15.74 13.2 48.8 36.8

Sales support occupations,

n.e.c.

11.99 6.2 40.0 266 15.73 8.0 39.5 31.2

Typesetters and compositors 13.11 6.1 39.3 267 15.71 5.8 39.6 19.8

Health record technologists and

technicians 11.57 3.5 39.1 268 15.68 4.5 39.2 35.5

Bus drivers 12.99 2.3 36.7 269 15.67 4.3 37.2 20.6

Fabricating machine operators,

n.e.c.

12.62 2.4 40.0 270 15.65 4.0 39.9 24.0

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Page 18

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Mixing and blending machine

operators 12.57 2.6 40.1 271 15.57 4.1 39.8 23.9

Crushing and grinding machine

operators 11.39 5.9 40.0 272 15.57 11.9 39.9 36.7

Eligibility clerks, social welfare 12.66 1.9 39.0 273 15.53 2.9 39.0 22.7

Painting and paint spraying

machine operators 11.53 2.8 40.2 274 15.49 4.4 40.1 34.3

Bookbinders 13.39 3.9 39.4 275 15.45 10.5 39.6 15.4

Small engine repairers 12.63 7.4 39.9 276 15.44 5.6 40.0 22.2

Dental assistants 10.10 4.5 39.9 277 15.41 3.5 35.5 52.6

Truck drivers 14.07 1.6 41.9 278 15.37 2.4 42.1 9.2

Transportation ticket and

reservation agents 11.88 7.6 39.8 279 15.34 3.6 39.6 29.1

Furnace, kiln, and oven

operators, except food 12.98 5.5 40.0 280 15.33 6.1 39.8 18.1

Dental laboratory and medical

appliance technicians 13.39 6.4 39.4 281 15.25 2.7 39.9 13.9

Weighers, measurers, checkers,

and samplers 12.77 6.1 40.0 282 15.24 8.0 40.0 19.3

Typists 11.62 1.9 38.9 283 15.24 2.5 38.9 31.2

Sales workers, furniture and

home furnishings 12.53 7.1 39.4 284 15.24 6.1 41.3 21.6

Production testers 11.45 4.2 40.1 285 15.19 5.0 39.8 32.7

Bookkeepers, accounting and

auditing clerks 11.46 1.0 39.5 286 15.06 1.5 39.4 31.4

Assemblers 11.26 2.5 40.0 287 15.06 2.0 39.9 33.7

Upholsterers 13.46 5.3 39.5 288 15.05 11.5 40.0 11.8

Administrative support

occupations, n.e.c. 11.75 1.7 39.5 289 15.05 1.3 39.3 28.1

Recreation workers 12.74 4.3 39.4 290 15.01 6.1 39.8 17.8

Sales workers, parts 14.71 6.1 40.9 291 14.83 2.9 40.5 0.8

Order clerks 11.71 1.7 39.7 292 14.74 3.1 39.9 25.9

Miscellaneous machine

operators, n.e.c. 11.63 2.4 39.9 293 14.74 2.4 39.8 26.7

Locksmiths and safe repairers 16.97 5.3 40.0 294 14.73 9.9 41.2 -13.2

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Page 19

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Statistical clerks 11.55 4.5 39.3 295 14.72 5.3 39.5 27.4

Electrician apprentices 12.38 5.2 40.2 296 14.69 3.5 39.8 18.7

Plumber, pipefitter, and

steamfitter apprentices 13.33 4.6 40.2 297 14.64 4.4 40.0 9.8

Construction laborers 10.74 4.6 40.0 298 14.57 4.4 39.8 35.7

Bill and account collectors 10.51 5.7 39.9 299 14.51 7.5 39.3 38.1

Metal plating machine operators 11.66 3.7 40.6 300 14.49 7.8 39.8 24.3

Packaging and filling machine

operators 10.10 4.9 40.0 301 14.43 4.0 39.9 42.9

Miscellaneous precision

workers, n.e.c. 14.82 6.4 39.9 302 14.26 12.4 39.9 -3.8

Drilling and boring machine

operators 11.55 9.6 40.0 303 14.25 8.1 39.9 23.4

Industrial truck and tractor

equipment operators 11.72 1.8 40.0 304 14.23 1.8 39.9 21.4

Hand molders and shapers,

except jewelers 14.22 11.2 40.1 305 14.21 14.3 40.0 -0.1

Pest control occupations 10.99 8.5 43.9 306 14.13 9.3 39.9 28.6

Records clerks, n.e.c. 10.76 1.2 39.4 307 14.12 2.7 39.4 31.2

Production inspectors,

checkers and examiners 10.69 3.1 40.1 308 14.12 4.7 39.8 32.1

Slicing and cutting machine

operators 11.79 5.0 40.0 309 14.08 2.7 39.6 19.4

Roasting and baking machine

operators, food 11.08 9.3 40.0 310 14.04 7.8 40.0 26.7

Punching and stamping press

operators 11.82 3.3 40.1 311 14.04 6.7 39.9 18.8

Peripheral equipment operators 10.48 5.4 39.4 312 14.02 7.8 39.0 33.8

Supervisors, food preparation

and service 11.08 2.0 40.5 313 14.00 2.7 41.8 26.4

Electrical and electronic

equipment assemblers 9.38 2.2 40.0 314 13.99 3.7 39.9 49.1

Traffic, shipping and receiving

clerks 11.45 3.1 39.9 315 13.97 2.1 39.9 22.0

Automobile mechanic

apprentices 10.11 7.6 39.6 316 13.91 9.4 40.6 37.6

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Page 20

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Guides 10.08 14.0 39.6 317 13.90 6.0 38.7 37.9

Correspondence clerks 10.87 5.5 39.7 318 13.86 3.8 40.0 27.5

Information clerks, n.e.c. 11.13 3.5 39.2 319 13.84 2.7 39.6 24.3

Extruding and forming machine

operators 10.76 3.2 39.8 320 13.83 3.8 39.6 28.5

Billing, posting, and calculating

machine operators 9.07 5.8 39.5 321 13.82 5.9 38.9 52.4

Protective service occupations,

n.e.c.

12.4 5.4 39.5 322 13.79 6.8 39.1 11.2

Production samplers and

weighers 12.51 7.2 40.3 323 13.78 8.2 40.0 10.2

General office clerks 11.02 1.0 39.3 324 13.77 1.1 39.1 25.0

Sales workers, hardware and

building supplies 11.06 6.7 40.1 325 13.70 5.6 40.7 23.9

Shaping and joining machine

operators 9.09 6.8 39.9 326 13.69 2.8 40.0 50.6

Grinding, abrading, buffing, and

polishing machine operators 11.01 3.0 40.1 327 13.60 2.7 40.0 23.5

Molding and casting machine

operators 9.91 3.0 39.8 328 13.46 3.6 39.8 35.8

Library clerks 10.55 2.8 37.9 329 13.43 3.2 38.0 27.3

Sales workers, other

commodities 11.63 5.4 39.2 330 13.42 3.2 39.3 15.4

Cost and rate clerks 11.94 6.0 39.3 331 13.39 9.3 40.3 12.1

Billing clerks 10.77 1.6 39.7 332 13.39 2.0 39.5 24.3

Stock and inventory clerks 11.09 1.5 39.8 333 13.37 2.0 39.7 20.6

Food batchmakers 9.00 6.9 40.0 334 13.27 4.9 39.8 47.4

Cabinet makers and bench

carpenters 10.81 6.8 40.0 335 13.14 6.9 39.9 21.6

Sales workers, apparel 9.13 4.6 38.4 336 13.10 14.4 37.5 43.5

Classified ad clerks 9.48 15.4 38.5 337 13.10 5.8 38.8 38.2

Folding machine operators 10.95 4.6 39.6 338 13.02 16.8 38.8 18.9

Freight, stock, and material

handlers, n.e.c. 10.82 2.9 39.9 339 12.94 2.4 39.8 19.6

Forging machine operators 11.68 4.3 39.9 340 12.93 10.3 40.0 10.7

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Page 21

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Miscellaneous hand working

occupations, n.e.c. 9.62 3.3 39.9 341 12.80 5.8 39.6 33.1

Telephone operators 11.76 4.0 38.9 342 12.78 5.5 39.1 8.7

Communications equipment

operators, n.e.c. 10.19 4.5 39.3 343 12.75 21.7 39.7 25.1

Helpers, construction trades 9.61 2.7 40.1 344 12.62 3.6 39.9 31.3

Winding and twisting machine

operators 10.59 6.7 40.2 345 12.61 7.1 39.6 19.1

Motor transportation

occupations, n.e.c. 9.37 6.0 39.3 346 12.58 5.3 39.3 34.3

Interviewers 9.60 2.3 38.9 347 12.58 4.4 37.7 31.0

Mail preparing and paper

handling machine operators 9.07 5.9 39.5 348 12.35 6.6 39.7 36.2

Cementing and gluing machine

operators 9.86 8.8 40.0 349 12.35 8.1 40.0 25.3

Butchers and meat cutters 10.16 4.7 39.9 350 12.35 3.8 39.7 21.6

Hand inspectors, n.e.c. 9.59 8.1 40.0 351 12.33 8.1 39.9 28.6

Duplicating machine operators 9.51 4.7 39.1 352 12.33 8.8 39.9 29.7

Bakers 9.70 4.1 39.3 353 12.29 5.6 39.2 26.7

Sailors and deckhands 9.18 7.3 48.7 354 12.26 7.4 45.6 33.6

Data entry keyers 9.96 1.6 39.5 355 12.24 1.5 39.1 22.9

Knitting, looping, taping, and

weaving machine operators 9.15 3.1 40.3 356 12.23 5.8 40.0 33.7

Health aides, except nursing 9.66 1.3 39.0 357 12.22 2.6 39.2 26.5

Hand painting, coating, and

decorating 10.08 6.3 40.0 358 12.21 4.6 39.7 21.1

Wood lathe, routing, and

planing machine operators 9.77 8.3 40.0 359 12.20 7.1 40.0 24.9

Solderers and brazers 8.54 8.2 40.0 360 12.17 9.0 40.0 42.5

Garbage collectors 13.19 11.2 39.7 361 12.17 13.8 44.7 -7.7

Helpers, mechanics and

repairers 11.01 4.9 40.0 362 12.14 4.1 40.0 10.3

Furniture and wood finishers 11.00 2.1 40.0 363 12.13 7.0 40.0 10.3

Hoist and winch operators 11.65 7.9 40.8 364 12.12 19.6 39.9 4.0

Animal caretakers, except farm 9.91 8.0 39.6 365 12.11 10.6 39.5 22.2

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Page 22

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Groundskeepers and gardeners,

except farm 9.24 4.4 39.8 366 12.10 3.5 39.6 31.0

Mail clerks, except postal

service 9.12 3.7 39.2 367 12.07 6.9 39.2 32.3

Receptionists 9.16 1.1 39.6 368 12.06 1.7 39.4 31.7

Legislators 12.73 12.7 33.7 369 11.99 43.7 38.1 -5.8

Sales workers, radio, tv, hi-fi,

and appliances 11.46 6.4 40.2 370 11.93 8.3 39.3 4.1

Graders and sorters, except

agricultural 8.66 8.3 40.2 371 11.91 6.2 40.0 37.5

Service occupations, n.e.c. 7.30 10.5 39.1 372 11.85 5.0 39.2 62.3

Hand cutting and trimming 8.92 5.8 40.0 373 11.81 10.8 40.0 32.4

Janitors and cleaners 9.16 1.2 39.5 374 11.80 2.5 39.6 28.8

Substitute teachers 10.21 7.6 31.6 375 11.76 10.1 32.7 15.2

Hand molding, casting, and

forming occupations 12.06 7.1 40.0 376 11.73 8.3 40.0 -2.7

Compressing and compacting

machine operators 10.20 3.4 40.7 377 11.65 8.0 39.9 14.2

Welfare service aides 8.09 3.8 38.8 378 11.59 3.0 39.3 43.3

Teachers' aides 8.82 1.6 35.7 379 11.56 1.9 35.7 31.1

Photographic process machine

operators 10.82 5.0 40.0 380 11.47 7.8 39.5 6.0

Production helpers 9.69 3.6 39.9 381 11.45 2.9 39.7 18.2

Nursery workers 6.74 3.4 40.1 382 11.43 8.8 39.9 69.6

Laborers, except construction,

n.e.c.

9.19 1.4 39.8 383 11.43 2.4 39.9 24.4

Stock handlers and baggers 9.66 1.5 39.6 384 11.27 1.9 39.4 16.7

Office machine operators, n.e.c. 8.64 6.8 39.4 385 11.22 3.3 40.0 29.9

Bank tellers 8.79 2.2 39.5 386 11.20 1.5 39.6 27.4

Sewing machine operators 8.95 5.5 40.0 387 11.11 4.9 39.9 24.1

File clerks 8.74 2.2 39.3 388 11.08 2.7 39.5 26.8

Textile cutting machine

operators 9.37 8.2 40.3 389 10.92 4.7 38.7 16.5

Machine feeders and offbearers 9.19 2.9 39.8 390 10.89 2.5 39.8 18.5

Sales workers, shoes 11.45 11.1 39.2 391 10.88 12.3 37.3 -5.0

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Page 23

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Nursing aides, orderlies, and

attendants 8.23 0.9 38.7 392 10.77 1.2 38.7 30.9

Sales counter clerks 8.95 3.1 39.8 393 10.57 5.3 39.5 18.1

Textile sewing machine

operators 7.17 4.0 39.8 394 10.53 9.2 39.4 46.9

Guards and police, except

public service 8.36 2.3 39.4 395 10.51 2.4 39.4 25.7

Nailing and tacking machine

operators 9.13 2.4 40.0 396 10.46 10.9 39.0 14.6

Cooks 8.55 1.1 38.3 397 10.37 1.4 38.7 21.3

Messengers 11.19 9.7 39.1 398 10.09 10.5 39.0 -9.8

Vehicle washers and equipment

cleaners 8.62 4.5 40.1 399 10.05 3.8 40.0 16.6

Inspectors, agricultural

products 8.11 9.2 39.8 400 10.05 15.9 39.7 23.9

Laundering and dry cleaning

machine operators 7.21 1.6 39.5 401 9.98 5.6 39.3 38.4

Hand packers and packagers 8.33 1.9 39.8 402 9.79 5.5 39.6 17.5

Child care workers, n.e.c. 8.70 3.2 38.7 403 9.60 5.2 38.8 10.3

Cashiers 8.35 2.1 39.3 404 9.55 1.9 39.3 14.4

Pressing machine operators 7.10 3.7 39.7 405 9.46 5.4 38.8 33.2

Hotel clerks 8.01 3.4 39.2 406 9.24 1.9 39.2 15.4

Kitchen workers, food

preparation 7.91 1.6 38.6 407 9.09 2.3 38.7 14.9

Garage and service station

related occupations 9.34 10.6 38.9 408 9.08 3.6 40.1 -2.8

Early childhood teachers'

assistants 8.01 2.5 37.2 409 9.06 4.0 38.3 13.1

Taxicab drivers and chauffeurs 8.42 5.7 39.9 410 8.96 8.2 39.1 6.4

Food preparation occupations,

n.e.c.

6.87 3.4 38.4 411 8.82 1.8 37.9 28.4

Maids and housemen 7.13 2.0 38.6 412 8.80 3.2 38.9 23.4

Baggage porters and bellhops 6.38 6.2 39.5 413 7.86 5.5 38.5 23.2

Parking lot attendants 7.54 5.2 39.8 414 7.70 9.7 40.0 2.1

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Page 24

Occupation

1997 data (unranked) 2005 data (ranked)

Percent

change

1997-2005

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

hours

2005

rank

Hourly earnings Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error(3) Mean Relativeerror(3)

Attendants, amusement and

recreation facilities 6.43 4.3 39.6 415 7.28 3.9 39.9 13.2

Bartenders 6.53 3.8 37.7 416 7.03 4.6 37.0 7.7

Waiters'/Waitresses' assistants 5.83 3.6 38.0 417 6.53 5.4 38.3 12.0

Waiters and waitresses 4.29 4.6 38.0 418 4.71 4.3 36.6 9.8

Footnotes:

(1) Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and

hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by

totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.

(2) Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence

interval" around a sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the

United States, June 2005, Bulletin 2581 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2006), Appendix A, "Technical Note," pp. 154–55.

NOTE: n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified

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