Table 7-9
Prestige of various occupations: Selected years, 1977–2004
(Percent)
 
Occupation 1977 1982 1992 1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Scientist 66 59 57 51 55 56 53 51 57 52
Doctor 61 55 50 52 61 61 61 50 52 52
Teacher 29 28 41 49 53 53 54 47 49 48
Military officer NA 22 32 29 34 42 40 47 46 47
Police officer NA NA 34 36 41 38 37 40 42 40
Priest/minister/clergyman 41 42 38 45 46 45 43 36 38 32
Member of Congress NA NA 24 23 25 33 24 27 30 31
Engineer 34 30 37 32 34 32 36 34 28 29
Athlete 26 20 18 21 20 21 22 21 17 21
Architect NA NA NA NA 26 26 28 27 24 20
Business executive 18 16 19 16 18 15 12 18 18 19
Lawyer 36 30 25 19 23 21 18 15 17 17
Entertainer 18 16 17 18 19 21 20 19 17 16
Union leader NA NA 12 14 16 16 17 14 15 16
Banker 17 17 17 15 18 15 16 15 14 15
Journalist 17 16 15 15 15 16 18 19 15 14
Accountant NA 13 14 18 17 14 15 13 15 10
 

NA = not available

NOTE: Data based on "very great prestige" responses to: I am going to read off a number of different occupations. For each, would you tell me if you feel it is an occupation of very great prestige, considerable prestige, some prestige, or hardly any prestige at all?

SOURCE: Doctors, scientists, firemen, teachers and military officers top list as "most prestigious occupations," The Harris Poll 65, Harris Interactive (15 September 2004).
 
Science and Engineering Indicators 2006
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