The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts these occupations will have the greatest number of job openings through 2016. Most require little training but also pay very little. The median wage is not necessarily what you would earn if you worked in this field, but rather the mid-point of wages earned by all workers. Half of them earned below it and half earned above it. Earnings vary by employer and depend on factors including experience, training, and location.
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Retail salespeople assist customers. They receive most of their training on the job. The median hourly earnings of retail salespersons were $9.50 in May 2006. That figure includes commissions. The starting hourly wage for salespeople is generally the minimum wage, which is $6.55/hour nationally, but may be higher in some states. Use the
Salary Wizard at Salary.com to find out how much retail salespeople currently earn in your city.
Cashiers work in supermarkets, department stores, gas stations, movie theaters, as well as in other businesses. They usually receive short-term on-the-job training. Cashiers earned a median hourly wage of $8.08 in 2006, but most start off earning the minimum wage. Use the
Salary Wizard at Salary.com to find out how much cashiers currently earn in your city.
Waiters and waitresses serve food and beverages to restaurant clientele. They receive short-term on-the-job training. The median hourly wage for waiters and waitresses was $7.14 in 2006, which includes tips. Tips usually range from 10% to 20% of the total bill and are usually given at the customer's discretion. Use the
Salary Wizard at Salary.com to find out how much waiters and waitresses currently earn in your city.
Food preparation workers receive short-term on-the-job training. Earnings vary greatly by type of job and by location. Median annual earnings for food preparation workers were $17,410 in 2006. Use the
Salary Wizard at Salary.com to find out how much food preparation workers and serving workers currently earn in your city.
Most registered nurses providing direct patient care in hospitals . A registered nurse must have either a bachelor's of science degree in nursing, an associate degree in nursing, or a diploma issued by a hospital. Registered nurses earned a median annual salary of $57,280 in 2006. This is one of the highest paying occupations on this list, and also requires more training than all but one other occupation. Use the
Salary Wizard at Salary.com to find out how much registered nurses currently earn in your city.
Laborers and hand material movers manually move freight, stock and other materials. They receive short-term on-the-job training. Median hourly wages of laborers and hand material movers ranged from $8.48 to $21.83 in 2006. Use the
Salary Wizard at Salary.com to find out how much laborers and hand material movers currently earn in your city.
General office clerks carry out various duties which may change on a daily basis. They receive short-term on-the-job training. Median annual earnings for general office clerks are $23,710. Use the
Salary Wizard at Salary.com to find out how much general office clerks currently earn in your city.
Postsecondary teachers include college and university faculty, postsecondary career and technical education teachers, and graduate teaching assistants. Education and training requirements for postsecondary teachers are the highest of all occupations on this list, ranging from a bachelor's degree to a doctorate degree. At $73,207, the median earnings in 2006 for this occupation, were also higher than for others on this list. Earnings vary according to position and level of education.
Janitors and cleaners perform heavy cleaning duties. They receive short-term on-the-job training. Their median annual earnings were $19,930 in 2006. Use the
Salary Wizard at Salary.com to find out how much janitors and cleaners currently earn in your city.
Customer service representatives help customers with their questions and concerns. They receive moderate on-the-job training. Customer service representatives earned a median hourly wage of $13.62 in 2006. Use the
Salary Wizard at Salary.com to find out how much customer service representatives currently earn in your city.
