Earnings at the National Level

• The BLS states that these workers earned a mean yearly compensation of $54,320 and $26.11 per hour in 2010. Those in the 90th percentile earned at or above $81,050 and $38.97 per hour while workers in the 50th percentile earned at or below $52,360 and $25.18 per hour. Those in the 10th percentile earned at or below $31,970 and $15.37 per hour in 2010.
  
  

Earnings by Industry

• Electric power transmission, generation and distribution paid the top mean annual rate of $69,580 and an hourly rate of $33.45 in 2010. The federal executive branch paid the second highest mean annual pay of $65,780 and $31.62 per hour. Elementary and secondary schools paid the third highest mean annual rate of $64,150 and $30.84 per hour. Nonresidential building construction paid the fourth highest mean annual wage of $63,340 and $30.45 per hour in 2010.
  
  

Earnings by State

• The BLS lists the District of Columbia as offering the highest mean annual rate of $81,610 and $39.23 per hour in 2010. California offered the second highest mean yearly rate of $70,260 and $33.78 per hour while Nevada offered the third highest at $70,120 annually and $33.71 per hour. Alaska offered the fourth highest mean annual rate of $64,040 and $30.79 per hour in 2010.
  
  

Earnings by Larger Urban Areas

• San Jose, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara, California paid the top mean yearly rate of $84,050 and $40.41 per hour in 2010. Napa, California paid the second highest mean yearly compensation of $75,800 and $36.44 per hour. Santa Rosa and Petaluma, California paid the third highest mean annual wage of $75,600 and $36.35 per hour. The area including Oakland, Fremont and Hayward in California paid the fourth highest mean yearly pay of $74,190 and $35.67 per hour in 2010.