Occupational Employment Statistics

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

On this Page:

  1. What does the OES program produce?
  2. What are the OES data used for?
  3. What basic concepts are essential to understanding the OES survey?
  4. What are the differences between the Bureau's Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) wage estimates and National Compensation Survey (NCS) wage estimates?
  5. Does the BLS have OES estimates for specific industries?
  6. Does the BLS have OES estimates for individual States?
  7. Does the BLS have OES estimates for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas?
  8. Where can the OES estimates be found?
  9. What is the difference between “Occupational Employment and Wage estimates” and “Industry Staffing Pattern estimates”?
  10. Why does the OES program produce estimates from more than one year's data?
  11. Does the OES survey produce estimates by age, race, sex, or educational attainment?
  12. Does the OES survey produce estimates by size of establishment?
  13. Does the OES program have any data on unemployment for specific occupations?
  14. Does the OES program have any information on job vacancies?
  15. Does the BLS have occupational employment projections or information on occupational outlook?
  16. How are “employees” defined by the OES survey?
  17. Does the BLS have occupational employment estimates that include the self-employed?
  18. How are “wages” defined by the OES survey?
  19. Do the OES wage estimates include benefits?
  20. How long has the OES survey produced wage data?
  21. What are mean wages? What are median wages?
  22. How is the OES survey conducted?
  23. When will this year's OES estimates be available?
  24. How does the OES program classify occupations?
  25. Is the OES classification system compatible with other occupational classification systems?
  26. What is the latest news about the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) revision?
  27. How does the OES program define industry classifications? What is the NAICS? What do the "OES designations" for government industries mean?
  28. What industries are surveyed? What industries are not surveyed?
  29. Does the BLS make OES estimates available in print or electronic form?
  30. Can OES data be used to compare changes in employment or wages over time?
  31. Are OES data available for previous years?
  32. How should OES data be cited?
  33. Is the survey mandatory?
  34. Why does the sum of the areas within a State not equal the statewide employment?
  35. Why are there no estimates for a particular occupation in a specific area or industry?
  36. Why don't the major group or "all occupations" employment totals equal the sum of the employment estimates for detailed occupations?
  37. How are the data accessed?
  38. How do the new OES data by ownership differ from previously released OES data?
  39. Are industry and ownership data available for different geographic detail?
  40. Can the OES data be used to compare private and government pay for similar work?
  41. How were the occupations in the May 2010 estimates created from data based on the 2000 and 2010 SOC codes?
  42. Can I use OES data to obtain prevailing wages for foreign labor certification or federal contracts?

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.

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.

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.

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?

OES Employment and Wage Estimates

Cross-industry


Industry-specific

National

National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates


OES National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates


By State

State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates


May be available from State Workforce Agencies. Contact the appropriate office on the State Contact List


By Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area

Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates


May be available from State Workforce Agencies. Contact the appropriate office on the State Contact List


By Ownership

National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates by ownership


Downloadable

Download Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files