Our Jobs

Americans work in a variety of occupations. Here is a sampling:

Occupation

Number of employees

    
Teachers

7.2 million

Chief executives

1.7 million

Janitors and building cleaners

2.1 million

Computer software engineers

1.0 million

Aerospace engineers

137,000

Electricians

874,000

Registered nurses

2.8 million

Social workers

729,000

Clergy

441,000

Hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists

773,000

Chefs and head cooks

351,000

Customer service representatives

1.9 million

Taxi drivers and chauffeurs

373,000

Firefighters

293,000

Roofers

234,000

Pharmacists

243,000

Machinists

409,000

Musicians, singers and related workers

186,000

Artists and related workers

213,000

Gaming services workers (gambling)

111,000

Tax preparers

105,000

Service station attendants

87,000

Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers and weighers

751,000

Farmers and ranchers

751,000

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as cited in the Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2010, Table 640 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>