U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPrepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64,090 | 1.4 % | $25.07 | $52,150 | 0.7 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $15.51 | $18.95 | $23.65 | $29.53 | $37.07 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $32,260 | $39,420 | $49,200 | $61,420 | $77,110 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 16,380 | 1.27 | $25.77 | $53,610 |
| Architectural and Structural Metals Manufacturing | 4,100 | 1.26 | $22.28 | $46,350 |
| Ship and Boat Building | 3,780 | 3.06 | $24.32 | $50,580 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 3,610 | 0.76 | $32.37 | $67,330 |
| Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing | 3,040 | 1.30 | $23.29 | $48,440 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ship and Boat Building | 3,780 | 3.06 | $24.32 | $50,580 |
| Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 2,550 | 1.57 | $24.04 | $50,010 |
| Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing | 3,040 | 1.30 | $23.29 | $48,440 |
| Boiler, Tank, and Shipping Container Manufacturing | 1,120 | 1.30 | $23.53 | $48,930 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 16,380 | 1.27 | $25.77 | $53,610 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 350 | 0.09 | $35.10 | $73,000 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 3,610 | 0.76 | $32.37 | $67,330 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas | 90 | 0.34 | $32.17 | $66,910 |
| Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing | 50 | 0.06 | $29.35 | $61,060 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 440 | 0.07 | $28.58 | $59,440 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 4,920 | 0.48 | 0.95 | $26.59 | $55,300 |
| Pennsylvania | 4,780 | 0.86 | 1.73 | $23.50 | $48,890 |
| California | 4,690 | 0.33 | 0.67 | $27.65 | $57,520 |
| Michigan | 3,710 | 0.97 | 1.94 | $24.11 | $50,150 |
| Ohio | 2,830 | 0.57 | 1.14 | $23.11 | $48,070 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | 790 | 1.37 | 2.73 | $25.83 | $53,720 |
| Connecticut | 2,060 | 1.28 | 2.57 | $26.68 | $55,490 |
| Wisconsin | 2,800 | 1.06 | 2.12 | $23.71 | $49,310 |
| Minnesota | 2,540 | 0.98 | 1.96 | $25.60 | $53,250 |
| Michigan | 3,710 | 0.97 | 1.94 | $24.11 | $50,150 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 130 | 0.41 | 0.81 | $35.00 | $72,790 |
| Washington | 2,390 | 0.88 | 1.76 | $33.71 | $70,110 |
| Massachusetts | 1,190 | 0.38 | 0.76 | $29.45 | $61,250 |
| District of Columbia | 60 | 0.09 | 0.17 | $29.00 | $60,320 |
| New Jersey | 1,320 | 0.35 | 0.70 | $28.50 | $59,270 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 2,150 | 0.84 | 1.69 | $27.83 | $57,880 |
| Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division | 2,030 | 1.48 | 2.97 | $35.24 | $73,300 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,880 | 1.10 | 2.20 | $27.03 | $56,220 |
| Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division | 1,390 | 1.34 | 2.68 | $25.18 | $52,380 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,310 | 1.18 | 2.36 | $23.74 | $49,370 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 1,270 | 0.33 | 0.67 | $26.37 | $54,860 |
| Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division | 1,210 | 0.34 | 0.68 | $24.79 | $51,570 |
| Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division | 1,140 | 0.63 | 1.25 | $27.25 | $56,670 |
| New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 1,040 | 0.20 | 0.41 | $31.39 | $65,290 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI | 940 | 1.18 | 2.36 | $24.76 | $51,500 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niles-Benton Harbor, MI | 130 | 2.27 | 4.55 | $22.68 | $47,160 |
| Erie, PA | 290 | 2.25 | 4.49 | $19.41 | $40,370 |
| York-Hanover, PA | 370 | 2.12 | 4.25 | $22.53 | $46,860 |
| Wausau, WI | 110 | 1.66 | 3.31 | $19.38 | $40,310 |
| Tulsa, OK | 610 | 1.50 | 3.01 | $25.49 | $53,020 |
| Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division | 2,030 | 1.48 | 2.97 | $35.24 | $73,300 |
| Holland-Grand Haven, MI | 140 | 1.45 | 2.90 | $22.57 | $46,940 |
| Eau Claire, WI | 110 | 1.40 | 2.79 | $24.53 | $51,030 |
| Green Bay, WI | 220 | 1.37 | 2.75 | $26.28 | $54,660 |
| Jackson, MI | 70 | 1.36 | 2.72 | $19.90 | $41,390 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peabody, MA NECTA Division | 90 | 0.88 | 1.76 | $38.41 | $79,900 |
| Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division | 240 | 0.25 | 0.50 | $37.01 | $76,980 |
| Anchorage, AK | 120 | 0.69 | 1.37 | $35.97 | $74,830 |
| Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division | 2,030 | 1.48 | 2.97 | $35.24 | $73,300 |
| Lake Charles, LA | (8) | (8) | (8) | $33.18 | $69,010 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 50 | 0.40 | 0.80 | $32.99 | $68,610 |
| Trenton-Ewing, NJ | 40 | 0.18 | 0.37 | $32.55 | $67,710 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 40 | 0.22 | 0.44 | $32.42 | $67,440 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division | 490 | 0.29 | 0.58 | $31.85 | $66,250 |
| New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 1,040 | 0.20 | 0.41 | $31.39 | $65,290 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 280 | 1.28 | 2.57 | $22.49 | $46,770 |
| Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | 260 | 0.93 | 1.86 | $20.14 | $41,890 |
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area | 230 | 0.61 | 1.21 | $19.49 | $40,540 |
| Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | 230 | 1.20 | 2.41 | $21.25 | $44,200 |
| Far Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | 230 | 1.41 | 2.82 | $21.15 | $43,980 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Central Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 1.73 | 3.46 | $22.01 | $45,780 |
| Far Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | 230 | 1.41 | 2.82 | $21.15 | $43,980 |
| East Idaho nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 1.40 | 2.80 | $20.29 | $42,200 |
| Eastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | 210 | 1.36 | 2.73 | $23.94 | $49,800 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 280 | 1.28 | 2.57 | $22.49 | $46,770 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.57 | 1.13 | $32.82 | $68,270 |
| Eastern Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.44 | 0.87 | $28.43 | $59,140 |
| Upper Eastern Shore nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.45 | 0.90 | $26.88 | $55,900 |
| Southwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.53 | 1.06 | $26.60 | $55,330 |
| Western Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 120 | 0.51 | 1.01 | $24.83 | $51,650 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order
List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order
Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files
Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012
