Using the most recent occupational statistics made available by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Forbes.com recently determined a list of "America's Highest-Paying Blue-Collar Jobs."
BLS's Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program produces employment and wage estimates for over 800 occupations. Forbes.com designated as "blue collar" occupations those that are "typically paid on an hourly basis and labor intensive."
Here are the top 10 highest-paying blue collar jobs, along with OES median hourly and annual wage data:
- Elevator Installers and Repairers $32.69 hourly/$68,000 annual
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation and Relay $28.35/$58,970
- Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters $28.20/$58,650
- Locomotive Engineers $27.65/$57,520
- Power Plant Operators $27.23/$56,640
- Ship Engineers $26.97/$56,090
- First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $26.90/$55,950
- Gas Plant Operators $26.27/$54,640
- Farm, Ranch and Other Agricultural Managers $25.83/$53,720
- Transportation Inspectors $24.73/$51,440
In addition to nationwide statistics, OES estimates are available for metropolitan areas and individual states. (Note: self-employed persons are not included in the estimates.) For more information, see the OES section of the BLS website at: www.bls.gov/oes.
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