I’ve been doing some research and I ended up looking at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labour Statistics National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates (Data for May, 2005).  There’s some interesting stuff hidden in there.

First, there’s a lot of title inflation.  For example, there are no “florists” in the U.S.-but there are 63,920 “floral designers”.  Sounds exciting-but it only pays a median wage of $10.12 an hour.

Similarly, there are only 13,630 barbers in the U.S.   However, fear not your access to a haircut as there are 338,910 hairdressers and hairstylists.  On average, I’d rather be a barber: mean hourly wage of $11.88 vs. $11.36.  Incidentally, there must be a lot of hairstylists making next to nothing as the median wage is $9.91 vs. a mean of $11.36.

Good salary: CEO’s.  Average hourly wage of $67.22 and 321,300 of them.  Some scary numbers at the bottom.  Waiters and waitresses (2,274,770 of ‘em) make an average of $7.84 (median of only $6.83).  Similarly for cashiers (3,481,420-the second largest occupation after the 4,344,770 retail salepersons) at an average of $8.32 and a median of $7.82.

Here are some random stats for you.  There are 540 “locomotive firers”; 970 astronomers-and it pays well if you get it at $50 median hourly wage; 810 geographers and 560 prosthodontists (no idea what they do, but the average hourly wage is $70.23!).  Least workers: there are only 330 segmental pavers.  I have no idea what they do, but I’ll miss them as their profession disappears.  I’m misting up as I picture increasingly few people attending the Segment Paving Lodge weekly meetings.

Finally, check out how many lawyers there are: 677,330.  There are about 301 million Americans-so that means there’s a lawyer for every 444 men, women and children.  Been sued recently?