Strat: occupational prestige

Sociology 441: Stratification

Occupational prestige

Below are some examples of occupations that have been ranked at different levels of prestige. These rankings were computed from surveys that asked a national sample their "own personal opinion of the general standing that [each] job has". Respondents gave each job a rating of "excellent", "good", "average", "somewhat below average", or "poor". (See Nakao and Treas 1994). A complete listing of all 503 Census occupations is also available. Annual earnings, average education, % minority, and % female are from the 1990 Census.

Annual Average % %

Prestige earnings education minority female

86 Physicians $116,185 19.7 8.6% 20.7%

85

84

83

82

81

80

79

78

77

76

75 Lawyers $82,339 19.5 6.0% 24.5%

74 Professors $42,887 17.9 8.6% 39.2%

73

72

71 Engineers $45,360 15.8 6.7% 9.8%

70

69 Clergy $24,005 16.6 10.1% 10.4%

68

67

66 Registered nurses $31,595 15.2 12.0% 94.3%

65 Accountants $35,787 15.3 11.2% 52.7%

64 Teach, elementary $28,078 16.4 15.2% 78.4%

63

62

61 Computer programmers $35,828 15.2 9.6% 32.5%

60 Police, public service $32,862 14.0 18.7% 12.0%

59 Financial managers $47,766 15.1 8.8% 46.0%

58

57 Health technicians $21,970 13.8 18.9% 71.0%

56

55

54

53 Firefighting $33,372 13.3 15.1% 2.7%

52

51 Managers $50,349 14.4 8.3% 31.4%

50 Electricians $30,335 12.7 12.5% 2.5%

49 Real estate sales $41,190 14.4 7.0% 50.4%

47 Supervisors: production $33,541 12.6 16.6% 17.7%

47 Bookkeepers $19,514 13.2 11.2% 89.6%

46 Secretaries $19,383 13.2 13.4% 98.7%

45 Plumbers $29,029 12.0 15.7% 1.5%

44

43 Bank tellers $14,958 13.1 16.5% 89.8%

42 Guards $21,971 12.6 31.2% 16.6%

42 Nursing aides $16,570 12.3 37.4% 87.2%

40 Auto mechanics $23,320 11.9 18.2% 1.8%

40 Farmers $22,697 11.8 3.0% 14.4%

39 Carpenters $24,344 11.9 14.9% 1.7%

39 Receptionists $15,642 13.0 17.9% 95.7%

36 Hairdressers $16,089 12.7 17.0% 89.6%

35 Assemblers $21,016 11.4 30.4% 43.3%

34 General office clerks $19,857 13.1 22.4% 82.3%

33

32 Bus drivers $23,680 12.1 30.5% 48.1%

31 Cooks [inc. short order] $14,191 11.3 32.8% 47.6%

30 Truck drivers, heavy $25,935 11.7 21.7% 6.0%

29 Sales, apparel $18,633 12.7 17.8% 81.3%

29 Cashiers $15,615 12.1 24.6% 79.1%

28 Waiters & waitresses $13,149 12.4 13.9% 80.5%

27

26

25

24 Laborers, exc. const. $20,322 11.4 30.7% 22.0%

23

22 Janitors $18,577 11.1 36.7% 31.5%

21 Parking lot attendants $17,809 11.9 42.9% 10.3%

20

19 Vehicle washers $17,321 11.2 36.2% 12.4%

18

17 Misc. food preparation $13,217 11.0 34.3% 49.8%

16

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Last updated February 4, 2000

comments to: Reeve Vanneman. reeve@umd.edu

		Annual	Average	%	%
Prestige		earnings	education	minority	female

86	Physicians	$116,185	19.7	8.6%	20.7%
85
84
83
82
81
80
79
78
77
76
75	Lawyers	$82,339	19.5	6.0%	24.5%
74	Professors	$42,887	17.9	8.6%	39.2%
73
72
71	Engineers	$45,360	15.8	6.7%	9.8%
70
69	Clergy	$24,005	16.6	10.1%	10.4%
68
67
66	Registered nurses	$31,595	15.2	12.0%	94.3%
65	Accountants	$35,787	15.3	11.2%	52.7%
64	Teach, elementary	$28,078	16.4	15.2%	78.4%
63
62
61	Computer programmers	$35,828	15.2	9.6%	32.5%
60	Police, public service	$32,862	14.0	18.7%	12.0%
59	Financial managers	$47,766	15.1	8.8%	46.0%
58
57	Health technicians	$21,970	13.8	18.9%	71.0%
56
55
54
53	Firefighting	$33,372	13.3	15.1%	2.7%
52
51	Managers	$50,349	14.4	8.3%	31.4%
50	Electricians	$30,335	12.7	12.5%	2.5%
49	Real estate sales	$41,190	14.4	7.0%	50.4%
47	Supervisors: production	$33,541	12.6	16.6%	17.7%
47	Bookkeepers	$19,514	13.2	11.2%	89.6%
46	Secretaries	$19,383	13.2	13.4%	98.7%
45	Plumbers	$29,029	12.0	15.7%	1.5%
44
43	Bank tellers	$14,958	13.1	16.5%	89.8%
42	Guards	$21,971	12.6	31.2%	16.6%
42	Nursing aides	$16,570	12.3	37.4%	87.2%
40	Auto mechanics	$23,320	11.9	18.2%	1.8%
40	Farmers	$22,697	11.8	3.0%	14.4%
39	Carpenters	$24,344	11.9	14.9%	1.7%
39	Receptionists	$15,642	13.0	17.9%	95.7%
36	Hairdressers	$16,089	12.7	17.0%	89.6%
35	Assemblers	$21,016	11.4	30.4%	43.3%
34	General office clerks	$19,857	13.1	22.4%	82.3%
33
32	Bus drivers	$23,680	12.1	30.5%	48.1%
31	Cooks [inc. short order]	$14,191	11.3	32.8%	47.6%
30	Truck drivers, heavy	$25,935	11.7	21.7%	6.0%
29	Sales, apparel	$18,633	12.7	17.8%	81.3%
29	Cashiers	$15,615	12.1	24.6%	79.1%
28	Waiters & waitresses	$13,149	12.4	13.9%	80.5%
27
26
25
24	Laborers, exc. const.	$20,322	11.4	30.7%	22.0%
23
22	Janitors	$18,577	11.1	36.7%	31.5%
21	Parking lot attendants	$17,809	11.9	42.9%	10.3%
20
19	Vehicle washers	$17,321	11.2	36.2%	12.4%
18
17	Misc. food preparation	$13,217	11.0	34.3%	49.8%
16
15