The most disproportionately popular job in the 40 biggest US cities

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: Theatrical and performance makeup artists

Number employed: 1,750

Employment per 1,000 workers: 0.290

Location quotient: 11.69

Median annual salary: $67,250

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI: Occupational therapy aides

Number employed: 2,020

Employment per 1,000 workers: 0.440

Location quotient: 8.11

Median annual salary: $26,470

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: Wellhead pumpers

Number employed: 1,140

Employment per 1,000 workers: 0.327

Location quotient: 4.16

Median annual salary: $55,870

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX: Petroleum engineers

Number employed: 10,950

Employment per 1,000 workers: 3.739

Location quotient: 16.65

Median annual salary: $156,250

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: Political scientists

Number employed: 4,570

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.473

Location quotient: 33.24

Median annual salary: $123,230

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: Sailors and marine oilers

Number employed: 2,800

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.092

Location quotient: 5.03

Median annual salary: No estimate given by BLS.

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: Shampooers

Number employed: 1,350

Employment per 1,000 workers: 0.478

Location quotient: 5.11

Median annual salary: $19,440

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers

Number employed: 6,720

Employment per 1,000 workers: 2.566

Location quotient: 4.35

Median annual salary: No estimate given by BLS.

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH: Biochemists and biophysicists

Number employed: 3,820

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.400

Location quotient: 7.29

Median annual salary: $108,200

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ: Semiconductor processors

Number employed: 1,830

Employment per 1,000 workers: 0.925

Location quotient: 5.60

Median annual salary: $34,880

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA: Subway and streetcar operators

Number employed: 2,910

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.227

Location quotient: 14.49

Median annual salary: $61,560

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA: Tapers

Number employed: 1,250

Employment per 1,000 workers: 0.872

Location quotient: 6.87

Median annual salary: $55,490

According to the Department of Labor's O*NET occupational database, tapers seal joints between plasterboard or drywall pieces to prepare a wall for painting or papering.

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI: Metal and plastic model makers

Number employed: 1,110

Employment per 1,000 workers: 0.565

Location quotient: 13.85

Median annual salary: $68,480

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: Tapers

Number employed: 1,300

Employment per 1,000 workers: 0.667

Location quotient: 5.26

Median annual salary: $51,310

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI: Biomedical engineers

Number employed: 1,240

Employment per 1,000 workers: 0.639

Location quotient: 4.53

Median annual salary: $107,130

San Diego-Carlsbad, CA: Electronics engineers, except computer

Number employed: 6,080

Employment per 1,000 workers: 4.244

Location quotient: 4.48

Median annual salary: $123,130

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL: Private detectives and investigators

Number employed: 1,720

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.343

Location quotient: 6.18

Median annual salary: $54,140

Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO: Financial clerks, all other

Number employed: 1,670

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.157

Location quotient: 5.11

Median annual salary: $45,940

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD: Education administrators, all other

Number employed: 1,550

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.136

Location quotient: 4.48

Median annual salary: $95,920

St. Louis, MO-IL: Financial examiners

Number employed: 1,290

Employment per 1,000 workers: 0.953

Location quotient: 2.58

Median annual salary: $70,260

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC: Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders

Number employed: 1,640

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.382

Location quotient: 6.37

Median annual salary: $23,130

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL: Concierges

Number employed: 1,880

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.553

Location quotient: 6.19

Median annual salary: $24,160

San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX: Telemarketers

Number employed: 5,720

Employment per 1,000 workers: 5.698

Location quotient: 4.28

Median annual salary: $25,690

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA: Semiconductor processors

Number employed: 3,230

Employment per 1,000 workers: 2.789

Location quotient: 16.89

Median annual salary: $35,960

Pittsburgh, PA: Crossing guards

Number employed: 1,630

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.438

Location quotient: 2.68

Median annual salary: $26,690

Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, CA: Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents

Number employed: 3,310

Employment per 1,000 workers: 3.449

Location quotient: 8.68

Median annual salary: $50,080

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV: Gaming service workers, all other

Number employed: 2,530

Employment per 1,000 workers: 2.629

Location quotient: 38.80

Median annual salary: $29,600

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN: Engine and other machine assemblers

Number employed: 1,180

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.115

Location quotient: 4.21

Median annual salary: $55,570

Kansas City, MO-KS: Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents

Number employed: 1,560

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.483

Location quotient: 3.73

Median annual salary: $41,700

Austin-Round Rock, TX: Semiconductor processors

Number employed: 1,090

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.097

Location quotient: 6.65

Median annual salary: $37,620

Columbus, OH: Office machine operators, except computer

Number employed: 1,520

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.469

Location quotient: 3.81

Median annual salary: $26,330

Cleveland-Elyria, OH: Engine and other machine assemblers

Number employed: 1,210

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.173

Location quotient: 4.43

Median annual salary: $56,230

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN: Therapists, all other

Number employed: 1,030

Employment per 1,000 workers: 0.999

Location quotient: 11.85

Median annual salary: $39,270

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: Computer hardware engineers

Number employed: 9,790

Employment per 1,000 workers: 8.989

Location quotient: 19.19

Median annual salary: $145,510

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN: Metal and plastic forging machine setters, operators, and tenders

Number employed: 2,110

Employment per 1,000 workers: 2.245

Location quotient: 17.49

Median annual salary: $57,010

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC: Ship engineers

Number employed: 1,390

Employment per 1,000 workers: 1.871

Location quotient: 33.80

Median annual salary: $59,040

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA: Protective service workers, all other