Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
New Jersey's 15 most popular jobs
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Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Workin' for a living
From genetic counseling to operating a pile driver to playing the cello, New Jerseyans are engaged in all manner of employment. The following is a list of the 15 most commonjobs in the state based on the number of employees in that field, from figures published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015. The job categories used by the BLS tend to be very specific (for instance, municipal and transit police are ranked separately). The figures do not include the self-employed. (Star Ledger file photo)
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Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
15. Receptionist
In New Jersey, 50,290 people were employed as receptionists and information clerks, or 12.8 out of every 1,000 jobs in the state. They earned an average of $30,360 in 2014. (NJ.com file photo)
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Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
14. Nurse's assistant
There were 52,810 people in this field as of 2015, earning an average wage of $28,310. Of every 1,000 jobs, 13.5 were filled by nursing assistants. (NJ.com file photo)
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Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
13. Food prep/fast food
Food prep and food servers, including fast food workers, made up 13.584 of every 1,000 jobs in the state in 2015, a total of 53,070 people. They earned, on average, $21,730 a year.
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Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
12. Teachers' assistants
A little more than 54,000 people worked in this field, earning an average of about $27,000 a year. (Star Ledger file photo)
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Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
11. Waiters and waitresses
About 15.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the state belonged to waiters and waitresses as of 2015. The 59,870 people in this group earned an average annual salary of $23,160. (NJ.com file photo)
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10. Administrative assistants
Administrative assistants (excluding legal, medical and executive) made up 15.684 of every 1,000 jobs, or 61,270 people. They earned on average a little more than $40,000 a year. (Star Ledger file photo)
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Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
9. Janitors
Janitorialand other cleaning positions (not counting maids and housekeeping) employed 64,010 people, or 16.385 of every 1,000 jobs, and earned on average $29,930 a year. (NJ.com file photo)
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Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
8. Customer service reps
A little more than 64,000 people worked as customer services reps as of 2015, earning an average wage of $39,120 and accounting for 16.49 of every 1,000 jobs. (NJ.com file photo)
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Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
7. Stock clerk/order filler
Workers in this field are often employed in grocery stores and other retail sales outlets. About 65,000 were employed as stock clerks and order fillers, typically earning a wage of $26,540. Out of every 1,000 jobs, 16.78 were in this field. (Star Ledger file photo)
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Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
6. Office clerks (general)
More than 75,000 people in New Jersey worked as general clerks, earning an annual average wage of $34,110. (Star Ledger file photo)
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Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
5. Registered nurses
Registered nursing is both a fairly popular occupation and a relatively high-paying one. There were 78,460 registered nurses, about about 20.082 per 1,000 jobs, earning an average annual wage of $79,840.
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Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
4. Teachers
There were 78,610 elementary and high school teachers (not counting special education or vocational) as of May 2015. That's about 20.1 per every 1,000jobs in the state. Elementary school teachers earned about $68,000 annually as of last year, while their counterparts in the upper grades earned approximately $74,000.
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Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
3. Laborers/materials handlers
This occupation includes freight handlers and other materials movers who work by hand and not by operating forklifts or other moving equipment. About 92,000 people were employed in this field, or 23.5 out of every 1,000 jobs, and earned an annual wage of $27,880. (NJ.com file photo)
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2. Cashiers
The state boasted more than 96,000 cashiers as of 2015, or 24.779 out of every 1,000 jobs in New Jersey. Cashiers earned a mean annual wage of $21,620. (Star Ledger file photo)
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1. Retail salespeople
The most common occupation among New Jerseyans in 2015, with more than 136,000 peoplein the field,wasretail salesperson. That's 34.9 positions for every 1,000 jobs in the state. Workers in this field earned an average wage of $26,780.
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