An official website of the United States government
Operate, test, maintain, or calibrate unmanned, automated, servo-mechanical, or electromechanical equipment. May operate unmanned submarines, aircraft, or other equipment at worksites, such as oil rigs, deep ocean exploration, or hazardous waste removal. May assist engineers in testing and designing robotics equipment.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
---|---|---|---|---|
13,520 | 4.2 % | $28.96 | $60,240 | 1.0 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hourly Wage | $17.83 | $21.98 | $27.78 | $34.89 | $42.72 |
Annual Wage (2) | $37,090 | $45,720 | $57,790 | $72,560 | $88,860 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 1,450 | 0.36 | $27.26 | $56,690 |
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 1,380 | 0.09 | $29.24 | $60,820 |
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 1,200 | 0.33 | $26.63 | $55,390 |
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 1,180 | 0.16 | $26.54 | $55,190 |
Scientific Research and Development Services | 970 | 0.14 | $35.06 | $72,920 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Other Pipeline Transportation | 30 | 0.36 | $38.60 | $80,280 |
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 1,450 | 0.36 | $27.26 | $56,690 |
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 1,200 | 0.33 | $26.63 | $55,390 |
Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 190 | 0.24 | $26.53 | $55,180 |
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 1,180 | 0.16 | $26.54 | $55,190 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 50 | (7) | $43.39 | $90,260 |
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | (8) | (8) | $42.73 | $88,870 |
Other Pipeline Transportation | 30 | 0.36 | $38.60 | $80,280 |
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 440 | 0.11 | $38.23 | $79,520 |
Oil and Gas Extraction | (8) | (8) | $35.23 | $73,280 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
California | 2,510 | 0.15 | 1.58 | $30.69 | $63,830 |
Texas | 1,620 | 0.13 | 1.43 | $27.44 | $57,070 |
Massachusetts | 1,050 | 0.29 | 3.16 | $27.75 | $57,710 |
Pennsylvania | 690 | 0.12 | 1.27 | $24.60 | $51,160 |
Virginia | 620 | 0.16 | 1.74 | $26.93 | $56,020 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wyoming | 80 | 0.30 | 3.26 | $28.97 | $60,260 |
Massachusetts | 1,050 | 0.29 | 3.16 | $27.75 | $57,710 |
Louisiana | 530 | 0.28 | 2.97 | $28.10 | $58,450 |
Oklahoma | 330 | 0.21 | 2.22 | $27.71 | $57,640 |
Minnesota | 520 | 0.18 | 1.95 | $27.39 | $56,980 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Washington | 110 | 0.04 | 0.38 | $39.32 | $81,790 |
Georgia | 330 | 0.08 | 0.81 | $33.02 | $68,690 |
Maryland | 460 | 0.17 | 1.84 | $32.88 | $68,390 |
New York | 240 | 0.03 | 0.27 | $32.42 | $67,440 |
Colorado | 240 | 0.09 | 0.97 | $31.67 | $65,870 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 990 | 0.16 | 1.73 | $29.69 | $61,750 |
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | 980 | 0.36 | 3.80 | $28.20 | $58,650 |
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 690 | 0.19 | 2.08 | $26.67 | $55,470 |
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 540 | 0.48 | 5.12 | $27.53 | $57,270 |
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 520 | 0.18 | 1.88 | $26.90 | $55,960 |
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 450 | 0.14 | 1.54 | $30.25 | $62,930 |
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 390 | 0.20 | 2.12 | $28.95 | $60,210 |
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 320 | 0.03 | 0.36 | $30.94 | $64,360 |
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 310 | 0.15 | 1.60 | $27.04 | $56,240 |
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | 300 | 0.40 | 4.32 | $25.17 | $52,350 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
California-Lexington Park, MD | 150 | 3.13 | 33.53 | $37.07 | $77,110 |
Lafayette, LA | 160 | 0.81 | 8.67 | $27.36 | $56,900 |
Baton Rouge, LA | 300 | 0.76 | 8.09 | $29.46 | $61,270 |
Tulsa, OK | 240 | 0.55 | 5.91 | $26.14 | $54,380 |
Midland, TX | 50 | 0.51 | 5.48 | $35.43 | $73,700 |
New Bedford, MA | 30 | 0.50 | 5.37 | (8) | (8) |
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 540 | 0.48 | 5.12 | $27.53 | $57,270 |
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | 300 | 0.40 | 4.32 | $25.17 | $52,350 |
Boulder, CO | 70 | 0.39 | 4.21 | $28.54 | $59,360 |
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | 980 | 0.36 | 3.80 | $28.20 | $58,650 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
California-Lexington Park, MD | 150 | 3.13 | 33.53 | $37.07 | $77,110 |
Midland, TX | 50 | 0.51 | 5.48 | $35.43 | $73,700 |
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 250 | 0.10 | 1.09 | $34.84 | $72,460 |
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | (8) | (8) | (8) | $33.32 | $69,310 |
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 170 | 0.06 | 0.68 | $31.24 | $64,990 |
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA | 80 | 0.08 | 0.84 | $31.03 | $64,540 |
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 320 | 0.03 | 0.36 | $30.94 | $64,360 |
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 240 | 0.05 | 0.56 | $30.56 | $63,570 |
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 450 | 0.14 | 1.54 | $30.25 | $62,930 |
Columbus, OH | (8) | (8) | (8) | $30.01 | $62,420 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | 100 | 0.53 | 5.69 | $21.92 | $45,590 |
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 0.49 | 5.26 | $21.80 | $45,340 |
South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.33 | 3.49 | (8) | (8) |
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.33 | 3.57 | $25.27 | $52,560 |
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.20 | 2.18 | $29.08 | $60,490 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | 100 | 0.53 | 5.69 | $21.92 | $45,590 |
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 0.49 | 5.26 | $21.80 | $45,340 |
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.33 | 3.57 | $25.27 | $52,560 |
South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.33 | 3.49 | (8) | (8) |
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.20 | 2.18 | $29.08 | $60,490 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.20 | 2.18 | $29.08 | $60,490 |
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.33 | 3.57 | $25.27 | $52,560 |
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | 100 | 0.53 | 5.69 | $21.92 | $45,590 |
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 0.49 | 5.26 | $21.80 | $45,340 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2018 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: March 29, 2019