Hourly PayJobs that pay $30 to $40 an hour: 166 occupations, May 2025
Occupations in the United States whose median hourly wage was $30 to $40 an hour in May 2025, with the range from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. Together they hold 24,271,870 jobs, about 16% of all jobs counted.
No occupation in this pay band matches.
| Occupation | Median an hour | Lowest 10% below | Top 10% above | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $33.41 | $21.93 | $50.34 | 1,436,680 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $33.65 | $18.26 | $71.56 | 1,256,010 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $34.65 | $18.79 | $66.13 | 1,238,190 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $39.93 | $23.02 | $72.12 | 1,087,090 |
| Human Resources Specialists | $36.51 | $22.69 | $61.89 | 912,430 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $37.87 | $20.86 | $74.75 | 899,580 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $38.42 | $25.62 | $61.66 | 812,210 |
| Electricians | $30.38 | $20.50 | $52.17 | 757,220 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $35.79 | $22.66 | $52.28 | 673,430 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $36.64 | $22.84 | $55.35 | 670,520 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $30.96 | $23.91 | $40.12 | 648,410 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | $30.23 | $20.85 | $46.23 | 623,640 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $38.39 | $23.85 | $60.96 | 617,500 |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents | $37.36 | $23.26 | $61.96 | 491,430 |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | $37.82 | $23.10 | $102.35 | 489,570 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $30.67 | $21.22 | $52.13 | 465,840 |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $36.82 | $24.31 | $52.81 | 459,910 |
| Training and Development Specialists | $33.31 | $18.64 | $59.26 | 458,300 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $31.02 | $22.17 | $45.76 | 439,640 |
| Compliance Officers | $38.81 | $23.18 | $64.29 | 417,070 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $30.24 | $21.51 | $48.80 | 392,880 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $30.93 | $21.65 | $50.37 | 353,310 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians | $30.26 | $18.71 | $48.55 | 332,940 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $37.50 | $23.48 | $56.27 | 324,230 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $33.65 | $19.72 | $67.16 | 311,180 |
| Public Relations Specialists | $35.94 | $21.21 | $64.98 | 283,380 |
| Loan Officers | $36.87 | $18.96 | $73.65 | 274,330 |
| Logisticians | $39.58 | $24.47 | $64.02 | 251,040 |
| Food Service Managers | $33.36 | $22.09 | $51.75 | 238,430 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $38.52 | $26.91 | $57.05 | 230,490 |
| Instructional Coordinators | $37.23 | $23.07 | $58.49 | 227,760 |
| Cost Estimators | $37.86 | $23.33 | $62.90 | 224,220 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $38.65 | $25.56 | $63.59 | 209,330 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $30.03 | $18.22 | $47.39 | 200,040 |
| Graphic Designers | $30.27 | $19.00 | $50.44 | 197,830 |
| Healthcare Social Workers | $32.63 | $22.22 | $48.25 | 187,630 |
| Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | $31.50 | $22.51 | $45.41 | 176,600 |
| Construction and Building Inspectors | $35.91 | $22.66 | $54.91 | 146,720 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $36.64 | $22.65 | $61.43 | 146,190 |
| Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers | $30.72 | $21.27 | $46.51 | 140,920 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $39.56 | $30.61 | $56.75 | 139,790 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $38.40 | $23.45 | $61.97 | 138,090 |
| Librarians and Media Collections Specialists | $32.82 | $20.99 | $50.00 | 133,790 |
| Financial Specialists, All Other | $38.99 | $23.30 | $72.83 | 132,130 |
| Surgical Technologists | $31.08 | $22.09 | $46.61 | 117,460 |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $30.68 | $20.17 | $52.22 | 114,110 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $32.88 | $22.96 | $43.04 | 112,430 |
| Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists | $37.60 | $23.79 | $61.98 | 112,380 |
| Fundraisers | $34.88 | $22.42 | $55.68 | 111,040 |
| Insurance Underwriters | $39.12 | $26.70 | $69.79 | 105,420 |
| Architectural and Civil Drafters | $31.80 | $22.24 | $47.94 | 103,700 |
| Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | $35.73 | $21.79 | $49.85 | 97,720 |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $37.59 | $23.80 | $55.62 | 95,130 |
| Advertising Sales Agents | $31.16 | $16.94 | $70.20 | 91,700 |
| Editors | $37.46 | $19.83 | $73.90 | 91,690 |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $31.86 | $22.52 | $51.82 | 89,390 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $39.53 | $25.25 | $67.31 | 89,250 |
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | $36.73 | $23.60 | $49.87 | 77,570 |
| Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $31.79 | $22.74 | $47.67 | 75,570 |
| Interior Designers | $32.31 | $19.91 | $54.87 | 71,500 |
| Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $31.23 | $21.26 | $47.59 | 68,520 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Workers | $30.18 | $21.43 | $52.05 | 68,380 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | $32.18 | $21.47 | $59.49 | 66,740 |
| Health Education Specialists | $30.80 | $20.67 | $56.83 | 65,690 |
| Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment | $35.62 | $22.52 | $50.77 | 65,010 |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $35.73 | $18.75 | $58.34 | 62,960 |
| Social Workers, All Other | $34.57 | $20.97 | $55.58 | 62,930 |
| Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other | $37.67 | $22.61 | $56.89 | 59,930 |
| Property Appraisers and Assessors | $32.67 | $19.25 | $58.97 | 57,070 |
| Tool and Die Makers | $30.79 | $21.48 | $44.56 | 56,930 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $37.49 | $25.16 | $61.43 | 53,380 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | $34.76 | $24.76 | $43.16 | 51,290 |
| Surveyors | $36.27 | $22.54 | $60.38 | 50,830 |
| Transportation Security Screeners | $32.10 | $21.49 | $37.67 | 50,290 |
| Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | $35.74 | $22.07 | $54.09 | 48,240 |
| Writers and Authors | $36.98 | $21.31 | $67.25 | 47,940 |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | $34.67 | $21.06 | $86.52 | 46,760 |
| Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters | $37.50 | $28.24 | $52.78 | 46,440 |
| Real Estate Brokers | $35.20 | $17.84 | $68.89 | 46,100 |
| Crane and Tower Operators | $32.73 | $20.50 | $49.79 | 42,890 |
| Lodging Managers | $33.29 | $19.27 | $61.96 | 42,620 |
| Millwrights | $31.59 | $22.25 | $45.00 | 40,330 |
| Mechanical Drafters | $34.40 | $23.25 | $51.24 | 39,960 |
| Chiropractors | $38.08 | $20.90 | $70.23 | 39,630 |
| Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars | $32.70 | $19.15 | $56.45 | 38,100 |
| Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling | $38.23 | $22.25 | $66.88 | 37,980 |
| Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $35.82 | $23.27 | $50.99 | 36,190 |
| Brokerage Clerks | $31.61 | $24.16 | $49.04 | 35,940 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other | $31.63 | $18.59 | $62.42 | 35,010 |
| Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | $31.43 | $22.74 | $51.68 | 34,020 |
| Locomotive Engineers | $39.14 | $29.17 | $52.51 | 33,470 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $32.75 | $22.85 | $48.23 | 28,500 |
| Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $37.80 | $24.32 | $60.28 | 28,250 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers | $30.68 | $19.90 | $40.75 | 26,010 |
| Conservation Scientists | $35.10 | $22.86 | $53.08 | 25,950 |
| Film and Video Editors | $36.26 | $19.37 | $71.42 | 25,610 |
| Therapists, All Other | $37.47 | $22.37 | $73.33 | 22,640 |
| Riggers | $30.12 | $19.56 | $47.04 | 22,530 |
| Surgical Assistants | $32.11 | $19.08 | $51.74 | 22,270 |
| Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film | $36.05 | $18.52 | $64.99 | 21,550 |
| Fashion Designers | $38.92 | $18.99 | $70.61 | 21,450 |
| Rail Car Repairers | $32.46 | $22.50 | $45.72 | 21,350 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other | $36.73 | $19.77 | $49.72 | 20,690 |
| Landscape Architects | $38.40 | $26.33 | $62.59 | 19,600 |
| Media and Communication Workers, All Other | $35.39 | $18.81 | $64.55 | 19,590 |
| Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators | $33.69 | $21.94 | $42.03 | 19,580 |
| Forensic Science Technicians | $34.65 | $23.20 | $56.37 | 19,120 |
| Avionics Technicians | $39.56 | $23.75 | $54.65 | 18,830 |
| Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $36.91 | $23.61 | $60.79 | 18,120 |
| Wellhead Pumpers | $33.63 | $21.20 | $47.20 | 17,990 |
| Electrical and Electronics Drafters | $36.96 | $24.06 | $57.83 | 17,920 |
| Chemical Plant and System Operators | $37.56 | $23.27 | $53.81 | 16,610 |
| Calibration Technologists and Technicians | $32.61 | $22.44 | $51.23 | 16,540 |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | $37.91 | $23.41 | $66.40 | 15,730 |
| Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians | $35.53 | $23.00 | $52.83 | 15,520 |
| Drafters, All Other | $30.54 | $20.88 | $47.78 | 14,470 |
| Cartographers and Photogrammetrists | $39.13 | $25.84 | $61.03 | 14,260 |
| Plant and System Operators, All Other | $30.03 | $19.57 | $45.46 | 14,080 |
| Funeral Home Managers | $37.88 | $23.90 | $75.19 | 13,910 |
| Fire Inspectors and Investigators | $36.50 | $22.37 | $57.09 | 13,800 |
| Judicial Law Clerks | $31.21 | $22.20 | $54.40 | 13,290 |
| Sound Engineering Technicians | $35.16 | $18.06 | $66.04 | 13,080 |
| Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners | $34.82 | $20.26 | $62.77 | 12,870 |
| Tapers | $32.82 | $21.00 | $51.50 | 12,840 |
| Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes | $39.85 | $23.08 | $136.81 | 12,620 |
| Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | $32.64 | $22.60 | $48.97 | 12,600 |
| Music Directors and Composers | $35.44 | $19.17 | $79.69 | 12,540 |
| Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other | $34.00 | $18.69 | $65.13 | 12,450 |
| Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers | $33.10 | $21.95 | $41.63 | 12,400 |
| Curators | $30.49 | $19.46 | $51.51 | 12,150 |
| Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage | $37.61 | $28.06 | $48.84 | 11,560 |
| Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians | $39.85 | $28.39 | $60.18 | 11,280 |
| Hearing Aid Specialists | $31.33 | $18.46 | $45.20 | 11,270 |
| Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers | $30.54 | $21.38 | $49.99 | 11,140 |
| Set and Exhibit Designers | $36.17 | $20.07 | $65.10 | 10,630 |
| Personal Service Managers, All Other | $33.54 | $21.59 | $57.07 | 10,450 |
| Foresters | $36.73 | $24.42 | $52.74 | 10,430 |
| Boilermakers | $36.74 | $24.28 | $53.06 | 10,190 |
| Wind Turbine Service Technicians | $30.83 | $23.67 | $44.45 | 9,980 |
| Designers, All Other | $31.23 | $20.69 | $62.07 | 9,480 |
| Precision Instrument and Equipment Repairers, All Other | $33.17 | $19.30 | $49.52 | 9,400 |
| Orthotists and Prosthetists | $38.99 | $22.28 | $57.60 | 9,390 |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | $36.31 | $22.70 | $74.73 | 9,210 |
| Anthropologists and Archeologists | $34.02 | $23.58 | $51.95 | 8,990 |
| Lighting Technicians | $32.72 | $20.34 | $62.87 | 8,900 |
| Survey Researchers | $33.40 | $18.87 | $62.91 | 8,290 |
| Archivists | $31.03 | $19.22 | $53.15 | 7,970 |
| Acupuncturists | $36.56 | $18.67 | $77.63 | 7,830 |
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other | $34.25 | $17.59 | $65.70 | 6,930 |
| Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic | $30.71 | $19.22 | $45.12 | 5,970 |
| Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | $35.82 | $25.02 | $42.18 | 5,930 |
| Fish and Game Wardens | $35.60 | $24.51 | $48.55 | 5,770 |
| Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | $39.18 | $23.07 | $74.32 | 3,720 |
| Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators | $37.17 | $22.20 | $47.84 | 3,510 |
| Historians | $36.90 | $20.55 | $63.37 | 3,450 |
| Commercial Divers | $35.09 | $20.83 | $75.86 | 3,450 |
| Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other | $33.72 | $23.57 | $40.87 | 3,180 |
| Animal Scientists | $33.14 | $21.32 | $79.81 | 3,100 |
| Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers | $30.17 | $16.25 | $59.39 | 2,950 |
| Hydrologic Technicians | $31.15 | $21.61 | $48.31 | 2,840 |
| Model Makers, Metal and Plastic | $30.45 | $19.12 | $47.60 | 2,610 |
| Pile Driver Operators | $35.24 | $23.46 | $59.91 | 2,310 |
| Roof Bolters, Mining | $37.76 | $30.65 | $44.63 | 2,160 |
| Watch and Clock Repairers | $32.32 | $16.46 | $52.88 | 1,310 |
| Terrazzo Workers and Finishers | $36.62 | $22.16 | $60.64 | 1,180 |
| Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters | $30.11 | $13.41 | $37.63 | 250 |
In short
- The occupations with the most jobs in this band are First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers (1,436,680 jobs, $33.41 an hour), Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel (1,256,010 jobs, $33.65 an hour), Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products (1,238,190 jobs, $34.65 an hour).
- The median for all occupations in the country was $24.51 an hour.
- A median is the middle: in every occupation here, half the workers earn more than the figure shown and half earn less, so the columns for the lowest and top tenth matter as much as the median.
- Sorted by number of jobs, largest first.
What is in this band
Inside the band, the medians run from $30.03 an hour (Chefs and Head Cooks) to $39.93 (Business Operations Specialists, All Other). For full-time work of 2,080 hours, the edges of the band, $30.00 and $40.00 an hour, come to $62,400 and $83,200 a year before tax. The three largest occupations hold 16% of the 24,271,870 jobs in the band.
The kinds of work
Counted by the Bureau's broad groups of occupations, the band holds most occupations from business and financial operations (17), arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media (17), installation, maintenance, and repair (17) and architecture and engineering (15). In all, 20 of the 22 broad groups have at least one occupation here, with a single one from food preparation and serving related and personal care and service.
How wide the pay is inside an occupation
A median hides how far pay stretches inside one occupation. The widest range here is Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes: the lowest-paid tenth earn under $23.08 an hour and the highest-paid tenth over $136.81, a gap of $113.73. The narrowest is Roof Bolters, Mining, from $30.65 to $44.63. In 17 of the 166 occupations, even the lowest-paid tenth earn more than the national median of $24.51.
Other bands: under $15 an hour, $15 to $20 an hour, $20 to $25 an hour, $25 to $30 an hour, $40 to $50 an hour, $50 to $75 an hour, over $75 an hour.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay. Official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; original tables at bls.gov/oes.