Biggest occupations by employment
The biggest occupation among the 124 tracked here is Home Health and Personal Care Aides with about 3,988,140 workers, ahead of Retail Salespersons (3,800,250) and Fast Food and Counter Workers (3,780,930) (BLS OEWS, May 2024). The largest occupations tend to pay at or below the $49,500 US median — high employment and high pay rarely go together. Full ranking below.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
124 occupations ranked by US employment
| # | Occupation | Employment | Median wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 3,988,140 | $34,900 | -29.5% |
| 2 | Retail Salespersons | 3,800,250 | $34,580 | -30.1% |
| 3 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | 3,780,930 | $30,480 | -38.4% |
| 4 | Registered Nurses | 3,282,010 | $93,600 | +89.1% |
| 5 | Cashiers | 3,148,030 | $31,190 | -37.0% |
| 6 | Customer Service Representatives | 2,725,930 | $42,830 | -13.5% |
| 7 | Office Clerks, General | 2,510,550 | $43,630 | -11.9% |
| 8 | Waiters and Waitresses | 2,302,690 | $33,760 | -31.8% |
| 9 | Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,199,900 | $35,930 | -27.4% |
| 10 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 2,070,480 | $57,440 | +16.0% |
| 11 | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,737,820 | $46,290 | -6.5% |
| 12 | Software Developers | 1,654,440 | $133,080 | +168.8% |
| 13 | Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,531,700 | $48,620 | -1.8% |
| 14 | First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 1,495,580 | $66,140 | +33.6% |
| 15 | Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 1,455,770 | $49,210 | -0.6% |
| 16 | Cooks, Restaurant | 1,452,130 | $36,830 | -25.6% |
| 17 | Accountants and Auditors | 1,448,290 | $81,680 | +65.0% |
| 18 | Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,393,310 | $62,340 | +25.9% |
| 19 | Nursing Assistants | 1,388,430 | $39,530 | -20.1% |
| 20 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 1,266,860 | $66,780 | +34.9% |
| 21 | Security Guards | 1,241,770 | $38,370 | -22.5% |
| 22 | Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 1,189,330 | $66,260 | +33.9% |
| 23 | Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 1,072,540 | $64,580 | +30.5% |
| 24 | Construction Laborers | 1,057,660 | $46,730 | -5.6% |
| 25 | Project Management Specialists | 1,006,160 | $100,750 | +103.5% |
| 26 | Light Truck Drivers | 994,410 | $44,140 | -10.8% |
| 27 | Receptionists and Information Clerks | 964,530 | $37,230 | -24.8% |
| 28 | Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 943,430 | $38,090 | -23.1% |
| 29 | Human Resources Specialists | 917,460 | $72,910 | +47.3% |
| 30 | Management Analysts | 893,900 | $101,190 | +104.4% |
| 31 | Financial Managers | 818,620 | $161,700 | +226.7% |
| 32 | Medical Assistants | 793,460 | $44,200 | -10.7% |
| 33 | Lawyers | 747,750 | $151,160 | +205.4% |
| 34 | Electricians | 742,580 | $62,350 | +26.0% |
| 35 | Carpenters | 697,740 | $59,310 | +19.8% |
| 36 | Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | 688,840 | $49,670 | +0.3% |
| 37 | Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | 666,990 | $76,290 | +54.1% |
| 38 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | 645,970 | $171,200 | +245.9% |
| 39 | Computer Systems Analysts | 497,800 | $103,790 | +109.7% |
| 40 | Pharmacy Technicians | 487,920 | $43,460 | -12.2% |
| 41 | Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | 472,770 | $74,260 | +50.0% |
| 42 | Insurance Sales Agents | 469,480 | $60,370 | +22.0% |
| 43 | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 455,940 | $62,970 | +27.2% |
| 44 | Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | 440,380 | $59,190 | +19.6% |
| 45 | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | 424,040 | $51,000 | +3.0% |
| 46 | Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | 396,870 | $59,810 | +20.8% |
| 47 | Marketing Managers | 384,980 | $161,030 | +225.3% |
| 48 | Child, Family, and School Social Workers | 382,960 | $58,570 | +18.3% |
| 49 | Dental Assistants | 375,430 | $47,300 | -4.4% |
| 50 | Paralegals and Legal Assistants | 367,220 | $61,010 | +23.3% |
| 51 | Civil Engineers | 355,410 | $99,590 | +101.2% |
| 52 | Industrial Engineers | 350,230 | $101,140 | +104.3% |
| 53 | Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | 342,350 | $65,140 | +31.6% |
| 54 | Firefighters | 332,240 | $59,530 | +20.3% |
| 55 | Pharmacists | 328,870 | $137,480 | +177.7% |
| 56 | Network and Computer Systems Administrators | 318,570 | $96,800 | +95.6% |
| 57 | Nurse Practitioners | 307,390 | $129,210 | +161.0% |
| 58 | Machinists | 298,790 | $56,150 | +13.4% |
| 59 | Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | 296,640 | $66,700 | +34.7% |
| 60 | Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists | 295,460 | $35,250 | -28.8% |
| 61 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | 293,930 | $100,070 | +102.2% |
| 62 | Loan Officers | 290,530 | $74,180 | +49.9% |
| 63 | Mechanical Engineers | 286,760 | $102,320 | +106.7% |
| 64 | Public Relations Specialists | 280,590 | $69,780 | +41.0% |
| 65 | Personal Financial Advisors | 270,480 | $102,140 | +106.3% |
| 66 | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 261,690 | $35,690 | -27.9% |
| 67 | Administrative Services Managers | 254,140 | $108,390 | +119.0% |
| 68 | Physical Therapists | 248,630 | $101,020 | +104.1% |
| 69 | Logisticians | 235,640 | $80,880 | +63.4% |
| 70 | Data Scientists | 233,440 | $112,590 | +127.5% |
| 71 | Painters, Construction and Maintenance | 224,180 | $48,660 | -1.7% |
| 72 | Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | 223,460 | $77,660 | +56.9% |
| 73 | Dental Hygienists | 219,070 | $94,260 | +90.4% |
| 74 | Human Resources Managers | 215,520 | $140,030 | +182.9% |
| 75 | Graphic Designers | 214,260 | $61,300 | +23.8% |
| 76 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | 210,340 | $167,740 | +238.9% |
| 77 | Real Estate Sales Agents | 190,600 | $56,320 | +13.8% |
| 78 | Electrical Engineers | 188,790 | $111,910 | +126.1% |
| 79 | Healthcare Social Workers | 185,940 | $68,090 | +37.6% |
| 80 | Chefs and Head Cooks | 182,320 | $60,990 | +23.2% |
| 81 | Information Security Analysts | 179,430 | $124,910 | +152.3% |
| 82 | Computer Network Architects | 177,010 | $130,390 | +163.4% |
| 83 | Physician Assistants | 155,540 | $133,260 | +169.2% |
| 84 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | 153,130 | $105,980 | +114.1% |
| 85 | Occupational Therapists | 152,280 | $98,340 | +98.7% |
| 86 | Roofers | 136,740 | $50,970 | +3.0% |
| 87 | Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | 131,320 | $45,980 | -7.1% |
| 88 | Flight Attendants | 130,110 | $67,130 | +35.6% |
| 89 | Sheet Metal Workers | 117,470 | $60,850 | +22.9% |
| 90 | Dentists, General | 113,490 | $172,790 | +249.1% |
| 91 | Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | 111,140 | $96,690 | +95.3% |
| 92 | Computer Programmers | 109,870 | $98,670 | +99.3% |
| 93 | Architectural and Civil Drafters | 109,550 | $64,280 | +29.9% |
| 94 | Family Medicine Physicians | 107,950 | $238,380 | +381.6% |
| 95 | Insurance Underwriters | 107,820 | $79,880 | +61.4% |
| 96 | Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 99,300 | $226,600 | +357.8% |
| 97 | Massage Therapists | 96,040 | $57,950 | +17.1% |
| 98 | Editors | 95,480 | $75,260 | +52.0% |
| 99 | First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | 93,680 | $92,430 | +86.7% |
| 100 | Veterinarians | 80,630 | $125,510 | +153.6% |
| 101 | Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | 79,540 | $46,020 | -7.0% |
| 102 | Web Developers | 78,860 | $90,930 | +83.7% |
| 103 | Public Relations Managers | 76,060 | $138,520 | +179.8% |
| 104 | Database Administrators | 73,180 | $104,620 | +111.4% |
| 105 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | 72,190 | $95,830 | +93.6% |
| 106 | Aerospace Engineers | 68,440 | $134,830 | +172.4% |
| 107 | General Internal Medicine Physicians | 66,640 | $236,350 | +377.5% |
| 108 | Database Architects | 64,770 | $135,980 | +174.7% |
| 109 | School Psychologists | 63,830 | $86,930 | +75.6% |
| 110 | Technical Writers | 55,530 | $91,670 | +85.2% |
| 111 | Photographers | 51,230 | $42,520 | -14.1% |
| 112 | Real Estate Brokers | 49,590 | $72,280 | +46.0% |
| 113 | Writers and Authors | 47,800 | $72,270 | +46.0% |
| 114 | Mechanical Drafters | 39,900 | $68,510 | +38.4% |
| 115 | Computer and Information Research Scientists | 38,480 | $140,910 | +184.7% |
| 116 | Statisticians | 29,800 | $103,300 | +108.7% |
| 117 | Film and Video Editors | 28,860 | $70,980 | +43.4% |
| 118 | Actuaries | 28,340 | $125,770 | +154.1% |
| 119 | Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | 25,580 | $156,210 | +215.6% |
| 120 | Landscape Architects | 19,580 | $79,660 | +60.9% |
| 121 | Barbers | 18,100 | $38,960 | -21.3% |
| 122 | Economists | 15,880 | $115,440 | +133.2% |
| 123 | Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary | 9,120 | $101,480 | +105.0% |
| 124 | Genetic Counselors | 3,510 | $98,910 | +99.8% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common job in America?
Among the 124 tracked occupations, Home Health and Personal Care Aides employs the most workers at about 3,988,140, followed by Retail Salespersons (3,800,250) and Fast Food and Counter Workers (3,780,930). High-employment jobs are concentrated in retail, food service, healthcare support and office work. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2024.
Do the biggest occupations pay well?
Not usually. The largest occupations — cashiers, retail salespeople, fast-food workers, customer service reps — tend to pay near or below the US median wage of $49,500. The highest-paying jobs (physicians, dentists, tech and engineering roles) employ far fewer people.
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Last updated: 2026-06-20