Tuesday, December 7, 2004 Posted: 5:54 PM EST (2254 GMT)

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Nurses get top marks when it comes to honesty and ethics, and car salesmen are the least trusted people, according to Gallup's annual U.S. survey of professions released Tuesday.

Nurses were given a "very high" or "high rating" by 79 percent of those surveyed nationwide in telephone interviews with 1,015 adults, aged 18 or older, conducted November 19-21.

Grade school teachers were next highest on the chart of 21 professions at 73 percent, one point higher than pharmacists and military officers.

Car salesmen brought up the rear with only 9 percent rating their honesty and ethics as high. That was one point lower than for people in advertising.

Journalists did not fare much better in public approval.

TV reporters (23 percent) and newspaper reporters (21) ranked below auto mechanics (26) and nursing home operators (24) on the list.