U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Occupational Employment Statistics

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

For more information, please see the Technical Notes.

What does the OES program produce?

The OES program produces employment and wage estimates for about 800 occupations. These are estimates of the number of jobs in certain occupations, and estimates of the wages paid to them. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual States, and for metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), metropolitan divisions, and nonmetropolitan areas; national occupational estimates for specific industries are also available.

• Does the OES survey produce estimates by age, race, sex, or educational attainment?
• Does the OES survey produce estimates by size of establishment?
• Does the OES program have any data on unemployment for specific occupations?
• Does the OES program have any information on job vacancies?

What are the OES data used for?

The OES program is the only comprehensive source of regularly produced occupational employment and wage rate information for the U.S. economy, as well as States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas in each State.

Occupational employment data are used to develop information regarding current and projected employment needs and job opportunities. This information is used in the production of State education and workforce development plans. These data enable the analysis of the occupational composition of different industries, and the comparison of occupational composition across States and local areas, including analysis for economic development purposes. OES employment estimates also are used as job placement aids by helping to identify industries that employ the skills gained by enrollees in career-technical training programs. In addition, OES survey data serve as primary inputs into occupational information systems designed for those who are exploring career opportunities or assisting others in career decision making.

OES data are used by several other BLS and government programs, such as the BLS Employment Projections program, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA), and the Employment Standards Administration (ESA). OES data are used to establish the fixed employment weights for the Employment Cost Index and in the calculation of occupational rates for the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. Wage data also are provided to ETA's Foreign Labor Certification program for use in administering the H1-B visa program.

Employment and wage data for detailed science, engineering, mathematical, and other occupations are provided to the National Science Foundation, along with the complete staffing patterns for all industries.

Occupational wage data are used by job seekers and employers to determine salary ranges for different occupations in different locations and in different industries. OES employment and wage data also can be found in ETA's CareerOneStop.

Many users of OES data use data provided by the State Labor Market Information programs. OES data are used by workforce investment boards and economic development programs to attract businesses. The data provide information on labor availability by occupation as well as average wages. OES is frequently cited as the most popular labor market information program within States.

Finally, employment and wage data are used by academic and government researchers to study labor markets and wage and employment trends. These data inform the so-called “good-jobs/bad-jobs” debate on how business cycles and structural economic change impact wages and employment across the range of occupations; and how many and what types of jobs are impacted by off-shore outsourcing. Currently, OES staffing patterns and wage data are being used by MedPAC in research to improve the calculation of Medicare reimbursement rates.

What basic concepts are essential to understanding the OES survey?

“Establishment,” “Industry,” and “Occupation” are three key concepts.

• An establishment is the physical location of a certain economic activity, for example, a factory, mine, store, or office. Generally a single establishment produces a single good or provides a single service. An enterprise (a private firm, government, or nonprofit organization) could consist of a single establishment or multiple establishments. A multi-establishment enterprise could have all its establishments in one industry (i.e., a chain), or could have various establishments in different industries (i.e., a conglomerate).
• An industry is a group of establishments that produce similar products or provide similar services. For example, all establishments that manufacture automobiles are in the same industry. A given industry, or even a particular establishment in that industry, might have employees in dozens of occupations. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) groups similar establishments into industries. What is the NAICS?
• An occupation is a set of activities or tasks that employees are paid to perform. Employees that perform essentially the same tasks are in the same occupation, whether or not they are in the same industry. Some occupations are concentrated in a few industries, while other occupations are found in the majority of industries.

What are the differences between the Bureau's Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) wage estimates and National Compensation Survey (NCS) wage estimates?

Both the OES and the NCS programs provide information on wages and salaries by occupation, but they have different strengths. Only OES has information on employment for detailed occupations.

• The OES survey provides earnings on an hourly and annual basis, for the nation, States, MSAs, metropolitan divisions, and nonmetropolitan areas. OES wage data include mean and median earnings, as well as 10th, 25th, 75th, and 90th percentile wage estimates. The NCS survey also provides mean earnings on an hourly and annual basis for all surveyed areas, and earnings distributions by the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles for some areas. The OES program is the larger survey and can provide a greater range of occupations and areas, while the NCS program is conducted by personal visit and can provide greater depth by obtaining occupational work level. The NCS occupational work level is based on the duties and responsibilities of the job. An architect, for example, who directs a major project would typically be more highly compensated than an architect preparing a small part of a project under direct supervision.
• The NCS program provides information on the wages for the occupations it covers at specific levels of work, rather than just an average for all workers in the occupation.
• The OES program provides information for the nation, for States, and for 585 metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, including 377 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and 34 metropolitan divisions which make up 11 of the MSAs. (Not all areas have information for all occupations). A listing of the areas and their definitions can be found on the MSA definitions page.
• The NCS program provides information for the nation, for the 9 census divisions, and for approximately 85 metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
• If you need to know the general wage profile for a large number of occupations in a large number of areas, the OES estimates are the better choice. If you need information by State or industry, or for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas not covered by NCS, you will need to use OES estimates. If you want estimates according to the level of work that is being performed, the NCS estimates are the better choice.
• Both surveys include full- and part-time workers who are paid a wage or salary. The NCS program obtains actual work schedules from the establishment, while the OES program assumes standardized schedules. Thus, if you need information on occupations in which the work schedule is atypical, you should exercise caution in using the OES estimates.
• Both surveys exclude agriculture, fishing and forestry industries, and private household workers; the OES program includes the U.S. Postal Service and Federal executive branch employment (except for some national security agencies), while the NCS program excludes Federal Government employment.
• The OES estimates are available at www.bls.gov/oes/oes_data.htm and the NCS estimates are available at http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ocs/compub.htm.

Does the BLS have OES estimates for specific industries?

Yes. The table below shows where to find OES estimates, including national industry-specific occupational employment and wage estimates. The BLS produces national occupational employment and wage estimates for sectors, 3-, 4-, and selected 5-digit NAICS levels. What is the NAICS?

Industry-specific OES estimates for individual States may be available from the States' Labor Market Information (LMI) or Research, Analysis, and Statistics offices that are part of their State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). Availability, format and medium of the data vary by State. To obtain OES data for a particular State, please contact the appropriate office on the State Contact List.

Does the BLS have OES estimates for individual States?

Yes. The table below shows where to find OES estimates, including statewide cross-industry occupational employment and wage estimates for individual States. Additional information may be available from the State Workforce Agency (SWA) in each State. Format and medium of the data vary by State. To obtain additional estimates for a particular State, please contact the appropriate office on the State Contact List.

Does the BLS have OES estimates for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas?

Yes. The table below shows where to find OES estimates, including cross-industry occupational employment and wage estimates for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.

The OES program provides information for the nation, for States, and for 586 metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, including 380 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and 34 metropolitan divisions which make up 11 of the MSAs. (Not all areas have information for all occupations.) In New England, areas are defined based on New England City and Town Areas (NECTA). A listing of the areas and their definitions can be found on the MSA definitions page.

Where can the OES estimates be found?