May 22, 2007 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Highest and lowest paying occupational groups, 2006

Employees in management occupations—with mean hourly wages of $44.20—earned more than employees in any other occupational group in 2006.

[Chart data—TXT]

Employees in legal occupations earned $41.04 per hour, on average. Earnings per hour in computer and mathematical science occupations were $33.29; in architecture and engineering occupations, $31.82; and in healthcare practitioners and technical occupations, $29.82. 

Healthcare support was among the lowest paid occupational groups, with earnings of $11.83 per hour. Employees in personal care and service occupations had average hourly earnings of $11.02. Average hourly pay in building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations was $10.86, and in farming, fishing, and forestry occupations, $10.49. 

The food preparation and serving related occupations group was the lowest paid, with an average hourly wage of $8.86.

These data are from the Occupational Employment Statistics program.  Learn about occupational earnings and employment in "Occupational Employment and Wages, 2006" (PDF) (TXT), USDL news release 07-0712.  

 

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