Mages, Warlocks and Priests

• Mage DPS can be found primarily in their arcane and fire specializations, both averaging out very close to each other in real world logging. Frost mages fall almost 50% lower in DPS on average.
  
  For warlocks, the affliction spec is king, followed by destruction at less than a 10% DPS reduction. Affliction warlocks use damage-over-time spells that layer on top of each other. Destruction warlocks are based more around direct, magical attacks. Demonology warlocks need not fear. Their average DPS is less than 10% of a reduction from destruction warlocks, with the added survivability that comes with a pet-focused class.
  
  There is only one DPS specialization for priest; shadow. Shadow priests are capable of incredible damage, running neck and neck for the top overall slots on averaged damage logs.
  
  

Hunters, Shamans and Moonkin Druids

• Hunters, shamans and druids are unique in that their classes encompass both ranged and melee DPS. They also are more heavily armored than their wizardly brethren, making them more survivable.
  
  Marksmanship hunters top all average damage charts according to recorded logs by a margin of roughly 10%. Their melee counterparts, the survival hunters rate about 20% lower than their marksmanship counterparts in overall DPS. Beast mastery hunters come in third, ranging around 10% below survival hunters in DPS but like demonology warlocks, having the flexibility of a pet.
  
  Shamans have two viable DPS specs in enhancement and elemental, both very close in damage. Enhancement shamans are melee-based DPS, while elemental shamans are ranged. Their DPS is nearly identical on average, so it is a matter of preferred play-style.
  
  Moonkin druids are more akin to mages in their direct magical attacks, albeit with heavier armor. They do very well with DPS, ranking not far from the top of overall logged damage charts. The flexibility of shapechanging as a druid also increases their survivability by a large margin.
  
  

Feral Cat Druids and Rogues

• These two classes rely on stealth as their primary means of attack. Being able to stealth into a fight makes a large difference in their DPS ability. As a result both are lightly armored and somewhat fragile, though not so much as mage-type classes. They also are almost entirely dependant on melee attacks.
  
  Rogues are considered DPS classes no matter what their specialty. Assassination specialization turns out the highest DPS numbers, with huge boosts from back-stab damage when they can stealth. Combat rogues are not quite as geared towards burst damage and stealth, but make up for it with a wide array of high-damage abilities, putting them nearly on par for DPS with assassination rogues. Subtlety rogues give up nearly 30% damage to their counterparts but still do respectable DPS.
  
  Feral Cat druids are much like assassination rogues in their method and operation. Their DPS matches very well with them, being only slightly lower on average than assassination rogues and on par with combat rogues. They also can shapeshift to add flexibility and survivability to their battles.
  
  

Paladins, Warriors and Death Knights

• The heavy DPS classes are expected to put out high DPS as well as take it. Frequently they are expected to handle multiple roles, and are ideal if you want front line and in-your-face action.
  
  Warriors are the kings of heavy DPS, with both fury and arms specializations are almost identical in their DPS. The fury specialization relies on rapid attacks with two weapons, while arms relies on hard-hitting attacks with a single, two-handed weapon. Both of these specializations are near the top tier of DPS averages, only about 10% below the very top, averaged out.
  
  Death knights come next, with frost-specialized death knights ranking just below warriors overall for damage. Frost death knights rely on direct, fast and hard attacks. Unholy death knights make use of a pet and more area-of-effect based spells. They average 10-12% lower on average DPS than frost death knights.
  
  Paladins have one specialization for DPS, that being retribution. Retribution paladins sit between frost and unholy death knights in overall damage, and use a variety of hard-hitting attacks based on a single two-handed weapon. Their self healing also makes them more flexible and survivable in many situations.