Most common jobs in Milwaukee

Written by:
July 11, 2021
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Most common jobs in Milwaukee

The 10 largest occupations in America employ 30.5 million workers, representing 21% of all workers. Keeping America's economy moving would be impossible without office workers, package handlers, food prep workers, and truck drivers. And what would the sick do without the millions of hospital workers, nurses, and home health aides?

Stacker compiled a list of the most common jobs in Milwaukee using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by total employment as of May 2020. While much has changed during the coronavirus pandemic, the jobs featured here give a holistic view at the most popular industries in your area and how many jobs are supported.

Keep reading to see which jobs in Milwaukee are the most common.

#50. Electricians

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 3,300 (4.117 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $70,670 (#42 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 656,510 (4.72 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $61,550
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,680)
--- Trenton, NJ ($90,210)
--- Kankakee, IL ($88,530)
- Job description: Install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes. May install or service street lights, intercom systems, or electrical control systems.

#49. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 3,310 (4.118 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $35,440 (#134 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 370,910 (2.667 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $35,220
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Beckley, WV ($52,340)
--- Cedar Rapids, IA ($52,240)
--- Battle Creek, MI ($49,120)
- Job description: Operate or tend machines to prepare industrial or consumer products for storage or shipment. Includes cannery workers who pack food products.

#47 (tie). Industrial engineers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 3,500 (4.366 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $83,250 (#226 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 290,190 (2.086 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $93,610
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Billings, MT ($125,760)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($123,710)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($123,510)
- Job description: Design, develop, test, and evaluate integrated systems for managing industrial production processes, including human work factors, quality control, inventory control, logistics and material flow, cost analysis, and production coordination.

#47 (tie). Mechanical engineers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 3,500 (4.355 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $83,200 (#226 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 293,960 (2.113 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $95,560
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($125,760)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($124,190)
--- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($123,700)
- Job description: Perform engineering duties in planning and designing tools, engines, machines, and other mechanically functioning equipment. Oversee installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment such as centralized heat, gas, water, and steam systems.

#46. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 3,520 (4.389 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $75,180 (#71 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 654,900 (4.708 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $70,000
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($131,090)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($122,570)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($115,690)
- Job description: Maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, state, or federal laws and ordinances. Perform a combination of the following duties: patrol a specific area; direct traffic; issue traffic summonses; investigate accidents; apprehend and arrest suspects, or serve legal processes of courts. Includes police officers working at educational institutions.

#45. Machinists

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 3,530 (4.398 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $42,750 (#275 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 360,340 (2.59 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $47,800
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($68,950)
--- Anchorage, AK ($64,610)
--- Farmington, NM ($64,190)
- Job description: Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. Includes precision instrument makers who fabricate, modify, or repair mechanical instruments. May also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures.

#44. Preschool teachers, except special education

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 3,600 (4.485 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $27,910 (#303 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 370,940 (2.667 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $36,550
- Entry level education requirements: Associate’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Midland, TX ($58,080)
--- Odessa, TX ($54,120)
--- Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV ($52,350)
- Job description: Instruct preschool-aged students, following curricula or lesson plans, in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth.

#43. Construction laborers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 3,650 (4.548 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $48,360 (#53 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 971,330 (6.983 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $43,000
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($66,670)
--- Kankakee, IL ($65,730)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($63,860)
- Job description: Perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites. May operate hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments. May clean and prepare sites, dig trenches, set braces to support the sides of excavations, erect scaffolding, and clean up rubble, debris, and other waste materials. May assist other craft workers.

#41 (tie). Food preparation workers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 3,670 (4.576 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $23,060 (#303 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 793,590 (5.705 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $26,820
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($37,330)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($36,120)
--- Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA ($35,860)
- Job description: Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.

#41 (tie). Industrial machinery mechanics

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 3,670 (4.574 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $58,630 (#117 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 385,980 (2.775 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $57,350
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($84,180)
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($84,150)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($77,580)
- Job description: Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems. May also install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to plans.

#40. Market research analysts and marketing specialists

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 3,760 (4.686 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $65,930 (#102 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 690,160 (4.962 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $73,970
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($117,900)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($97,720)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($96,150)
- Job description: Research conditions in local, regional, national, or online markets. Gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or plan a marketing or advertising campaign. May gather information on competitors, prices, sales, and methods of marketing and distribution. May employ search marketing tactics, analyze web metrics, and develop recommendations to increase search engine ranking and visibility to target markets.

#39. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 3,790 (4.722 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $39,960 (#62 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 727,640 (5.231 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $37,210
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($52,310)
--- California-Lexington Park, MD ($50,180)
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($49,530)
- Job description: Verify and maintain records on incoming and outgoing shipments involving inventory. Duties include verifying and recording incoming merchandise or material and arranging for the transportation of products. May prepare items for shipment.

#38. Lawyers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 3,920 (4.886 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $139,710 (#54 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 658,120 (4.731 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $148,910
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($231,610)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($201,920)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($186,070)
- Job description: Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.

#37. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 3,990 (4.965 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $62,170 (#140 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 991,000 (7.124 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $67,340
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Napa, CA ($99,170)
--- Fresno, CA ($96,200)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($95,500)
- Job description: Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.

#36. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 4,030 (5.018 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $54,960 (#19 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 1,063,110 (7.643 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $47,300
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($62,180)
--- Yakima, WA ($61,710)
--- Sheboygan, WI ($61,610)
- Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of retail sales workers in an establishment or department. Duties may include management functions, such as purchasing, budgeting, accounting, and personnel work, in addition to supervisory duties.

#35. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 4,130 (5.151 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $37,960 (#104 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 283,800 (2.04 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $38,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($52,330)
--- Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA ($51,130)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($49,290)
- Job description: Assemble or modify electromechanical equipment or devices, such as servomechanisms, gyros, dynamometers, magnetic drums, tape drives, brakes, control linkage, actuators, and appliances.

#34. Medical assistants

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 4,240 (5.288 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $39,090 (#63 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 710,200 (5.106 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $36,930
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($53,960)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($53,660)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($52,520)
- Job description: Perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of a physician. Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes. Clinical duties may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, drawing blood, and administering medications as directed by physician.

#33. Cooks, restaurant

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 4,320 (5.380 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $27,330 (#203 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 1,109,650 (7.977 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $29,530
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($45,200)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($39,950)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($39,450)
- Job description: Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.

#32. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 4,410 (5.493 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $27,140 (#123 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 795,590 (5.72 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $28,010
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($44,640)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($41,370)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($40,490)
- Job description: Perform any combination of light cleaning duties to maintain private households or commercial establishments, such as hotels and hospitals, in a clean and orderly manner. Duties may include making beds, replenishing linens, cleaning rooms and halls, and vacuuming.

#30 (tie). Carpenters

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 4,430 (5.522 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $57,630 (#63 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 699,300 (5.027 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $54,200
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($82,950)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($82,300)
--- Hanford-Corcoran, CA ($79,870)
- Job description: Construct, erect, install, or repair structures and fixtures made of wood and comparable materials, such as concrete forms; building frameworks, including partitions, joists, studding, and rafters; and wood stairways, window and door frames, and hardwood floors. May also install cabinets, siding, drywall, and batt or roll insulation. Includes brattice builders who build doors or brattices (ventilation walls or partitions) in underground passageways.

#30 (tie). Security guards

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 4,430 (5.524 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $31,790 (#211 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 1,054,400 (7.58 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $34,360
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($66,030)
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($61,090)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($51,850)
- Job description: Guard, patrol, or monitor premises to prevent theft, violence, or infractions of rules. May operate x-ray and metal detector equipment.

#29. Packers and packagers, hand

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 4,440 (5.536 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $28,900 (#150 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 599,270 (4.308 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $29,270
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Rome, GA ($39,770)
--- Longview, WA ($39,680)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($36,820)
- Job description: Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.

#28. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 4,450 (5.544 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $35,470 (#223 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 891,540 (6.409 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $37,880
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($59,490)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($53,350)
--- Napa, CA ($53,230)
- Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in preparing and serving food.

#27. Computer systems analysts

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 4,520 (5.632 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $84,170 (#178 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 574,450 (4.13 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $99,020
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($133,970)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($125,350)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($124,070)
- Job description: Analyze science, engineering, business, and other data processing problems to develop and implement solutions to complex applications problems, system administration issues, or network concerns. Perform systems management and integration functions, improve existing computer systems, and review computer system capabilities, workflow, and schedule limitations. May analyze or recommend commercially available software.

#26. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 4,530 (5.638 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $43,430 (#184 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 549,200 (3.948 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $44,580
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Odessa, TX ($85,040)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($80,520)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($67,990)
- Job description: Inspect, test, sort, sample, or weigh nonagricultural raw materials or processed, machined, fabricated, or assembled parts or products for defects, wear, and deviations from specifications. May use precision measuring instruments and complex test equipment.

#25. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 4,540 (5.650 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $51,540 (#63 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 397,550 (2.858 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $46,690
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($75,080)
--- Wheeling, WV-OH ($74,970)
--- Anchorage, AK ($73,790)
- Job description: Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.

#24. Management analysts

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 4,720 (5.880 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $101,380 (#54 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 734,000 (5.277 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $97,580
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dothan, AL ($163,720)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($157,490)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($135,250)
- Job description: Conduct organizational studies and evaluations, design systems and procedures, conduct work simplification and measurement studies, and prepare operations and procedures manuals to assist management in operating more efficiently and effectively. Includes program analysts and management consultants.

#23. Human resources specialists

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 4,900 (6.108 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $64,440 (#146 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 647,810 (4.657 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $69,430
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($96,090)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,680)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($90,130)
- Job description: Recruit, screen, interview, or place individuals within an organization. May perform other activities in multiple human resources areas.

#22. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 5,040 (6.279 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $35,700 (#76 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 872,370 (6.272 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $33,800
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($46,990)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($45,160)
--- New Haven, CT ($43,820)
- Job description: Landscape or maintain grounds of property using hand or power tools or equipment. Workers typically perform a variety of tasks, which may include any combination of the following: sod laying, mowing, trimming, planting, watering, fertilizing, digging, raking, sprinkler installation, and installation of mortarless segmental concrete masonry wall units.

#21. Light truck drivers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 5,760 (7.181 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $36,100 (#269 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 929,470 (6.682 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $41,050
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,420)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,890)
--- Anchorage, AK ($51,590)
- Job description: Drive a light vehicle, such as a truck or van, with a capacity of less than 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), primarily to pick up merchandise or packages from a distribution center and deliver. May load and unload vehicle.

#20. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 6,070 (7.567 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $33,590 (#65 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 1,272,840 (9.151 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $30,630
- Entry level education requirements: Some college, no degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($42,110)
--- New Bedford, MA ($41,780)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($41,160)
- Job description: Assist a preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher with instructional duties. Serve in a position for which a teacher has primary responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.

#19. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 6,350 (7.917 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $65,730 (#186 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 599,900 (4.313 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $66,800
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($101,930)
--- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($100,590)
--- Longview, WA ($99,590)
- Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of production and operating workers, such as inspectors, precision workers, machine setters and operators, assemblers, fabricators, and plant and system operators. Excludes team or work leaders.

#18. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 7,020 (8.741 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $70,840 (#60 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 977,070 (7.024 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $70,490
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($115,620)
--- Lawrence, KS ($97,910)
--- Boulder, CO ($94,870)
- Job description: Sell services to individuals or businesses. May describe options or resolve client problems.

#17. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 7,240 (9.025 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $67,810 (#16 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 1,427,260 (10.261 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $62,010
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($78,770)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($77,030)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($75,820)
- Job description: Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of clerical and administrative support workers.

#16. Waiters and waitresses

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 7,330 (9.137 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $23,570 (#224 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 1,944,240 (13.977 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $27,470
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($62,630)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($57,210)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($43,160)
- Job description: Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.

#15. Software developers and software quality assurance analysts and testers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 7,640 (9.520 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $99,540 (#124 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 1,476,800 (10.617 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $114,270
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($157,480)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($144,740)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($140,930)
- Job description: Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.

#13 (tie). Elementary school teachers, except special education

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 7,760 (9.667 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $61,230 (#150 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 1,364,870 (9.812 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $65,420
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Merced, CA ($99,360)
--- Kingston, NY ($93,780)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($92,910)
- Job description: Teach academic and social skills to students at the elementary school level.

#13 (tie). Accountants and auditors

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 7,760 (9.673 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $76,890 (#96 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 1,274,620 (9.163 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $81,660
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($111,680)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($105,720)
--- Midland, TX ($103,120)
- Job description: Examine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. Install or advise on systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data.

#12. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 7,770 (9.682 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $40,960 (#94 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 1,850,360 (13.302 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $40,420
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($56,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,480)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,930)
- Job description: Perform routine administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers.

#11. General and operations managers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 9,010 (11.229 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $153,420 (#11 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 2,347,420 (16.876 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $125,740
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($183,170)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($175,990)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($172,370)
- Job description: Plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of public or private sector organizations, overseeing multiple departments or locations. Duties and responsibilities include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources, but are too diverse and general in nature to be classified in any one functional area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing, or administrative services. Usually manage through subordinate supervisors. Excludes First-Line Supervisors.

#10. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 9,060 (11.291 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $44,580 (#76 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 1,443,940 (10.381 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $44,100
- Entry level education requirements: Some college, no degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,700)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($55,720)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($55,720)
- Job description: Compute, classify, and record numerical data to keep financial records complete. Perform any combination of routine calculating, posting, and verifying duties to obtain primary financial data for use in maintaining accounting records. May also check the accuracy of figures, calculations, and postings pertaining to business transactions recorded by other workers.

#9. Nursing assistants

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 9,190 (11.446 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $32,560 (#116 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 1,371,050 (9.857 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $32,050
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($48,420)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($43,960)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($42,200)
- Job description: Provide or assist with basic care or support under the direction of onsite licensed nursing staff. Perform duties such as monitoring of health status, feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, or ambulation of patients in a health or nursing facility. May include medication administration and other health-related tasks. Includes nursing care attendants, nursing aides, and nursing attendants.

#8. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 10,430 (12.996 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $30,270 (#166 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 1,990,510 (14.31 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $31,410
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($44,110)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($43,860)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($42,250)
- Job description: Keep buildings in clean and orderly condition. Perform heavy cleaning duties, such as cleaning floors, shampooing rugs, washing walls and glass, and removing rubbish. Duties may include tending furnace and boiler, performing routine maintenance activities, notifying management of need for repairs, and cleaning snow or debris from sidewalk.

#7. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 11,630 (14.487 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $77,030 (#63 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 1,278,670 (9.192 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $73,500
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Danbury, CT ($112,810)
--- Napa, CA ($101,850)
--- Santa Fe, NM ($93,680)
- Job description: Sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses or groups of individuals. Work requires substantial knowledge of items sold.

#6. Stockers and order fillers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 12,570 (15.665 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $27,290 (#317 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 2,210,960 (15.895 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $31,010
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Odessa, TX ($39,130)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($39,040)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($38,580)
- Job description: Receive, store, and issue merchandise, materials, equipment, and other items from stockroom, warehouse, or storage yard to fill shelves, racks, tables, or customers' orders. May operate power equipment to fill orders. May mark prices on merchandise and set up sales displays.

#5. Cashiers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 14,200 (17.698 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $24,120 (#195 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 3,333,100 (23.962 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $25,710
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($35,970)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($34,480)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($34,320)
- Job description: Receive and disburse money in establishments other than financial institutions. May use electronic scanners, cash registers, or related equipment. May process credit or debit card transactions and validate checks.

#4. Retail salespersons

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 17,120 (21.331 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $31,300 (#142 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 3,659,670 (26.31 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $30,940
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,160)
--- Carson City, NV ($40,030)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($39,160)
- Job description: Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers.

#3. Office clerks, general

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 17,450 (21.748 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $39,000 (#85 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 2,788,090 (20.044 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $37,770
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($49,560)
--- Napa, CA ($47,570)
--- Boulder, CO ($47,160)
- Job description: Perform duties too varied and diverse to be classified in any specific office clerical occupation, requiring knowledge of office systems and procedures. Clerical duties may be assigned in accordance with the office procedures of individual establishments and may include a combination of answering telephones, bookkeeping, typing or word processing, office machine operation, and filing.

#2. Customer service representatives

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 20,070 (25.008 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $42,050 (#35 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 2,833,250 (20.368 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $38,510
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($49,930)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($47,720)
--- Midland, MI ($47,250)
- Job description: Interact with customers to provide basic or scripted information in response to routine inquiries about products and services. May handle and resolve general complaints. Excludes individuals whose duties are primarily installation, sales, repair, and technical support.

#1. Registered nurses

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Employment: 21,420 (26.682 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $76,750 (#92 highest pay among all metros)

National
- Employment: 2,986,500 (21.47 per 1,000 jobs)
- Annual mean salary: $80,010
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($149,200)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($146,870)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($142,140)
- Job description: Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required.

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