Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) presents survey data collected over a 3-year period, which includes all industries and occupational wage data. Since the May 2005 estimates, OEWS has been published once a year. Prior to that date, estimates for November were also available.

Note: Prior to March 2021, this was called the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are the Balance of State Areas?
  View map to see the current counties in each area.
  
• Where can I find definitions to all the occupations listed?
  In the Dictionary of Occupations.
• How are "wages" defined by the OEWS survey?
  Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Included in the collection of wage data are:
  • base rate
  • cost-of-living allowances
  • guaranteed pay
  • hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay including commissions and production bonuses
  • on-call pay
    
    
  Excluded from the wage data are:
  • back pay
  • jury duty pay
  • overtime pay
  • severance pay
  • shift differentials
  • nonproduction bonuses
    
  • tuition reimbursements
• What are mean wages? What are median wages? What is meant by 10th percentile, 90th percentile, 1st quartile, and 3rd quartile?
  The OEWS program produces estimates of wages paid to employees in a given occupation. These occupational wage estimates are expressed as either mean wages or percentiles, such as the median wage.
  • A mean wage is the same as average wage. An occupational mean wage estimate is calculated by summing the wages of all the employees in a given occupation and then dividing the total wages by the number of employees.
    
  • A median wage is the boundary between the highest paid 50 percent and the lowest paid 50 percent of workers in that occupation. Half of the workers in a given occupation earn more than the median wage, and half the workers earn less than the median wage.
    
  • The 10th Percentile is the boundary between the lowest paid 10 percent and the highest paid 90 percent of workers in that occupation. Ten percent of the workers in a given occupation earn less than the 10th percentile wage and 90 percent of the workers earn more than the 10th percentile wage.
  • The 90th Percentile is the boundary between the lowest paid 90 percent and the highest paid 10 percent of workers in that occupation. Ninety percent of the workers in a given occupation earn less than the 90th Percentile wage and 10 percent of the workers earn more than the 90th percentile wage.
    
  • The 1st Quartile is a boundary. An occupational 1st Quartile estimate is the boundary between the lowest paid 25 percent and the highest paid 75 percent of workers in that occupation. Twenty-five percent of the workers in a given occupation earn less than the 1st quartile wage and 75 percent of the workers earn more than the 1st quartile wage.
  • The 3rd Quartile is the boundary between the lowest paid 75 percent and the highest paid 25 percent of workers in that occupation. Seventy-five percent of the workers in a given occupation earn less than the 3rd quartile wage and 25 percent of the workers earn more than the 3rd quartile wage.

  For additional information, refer to the percentile information on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) website.

• How does the OEWS program classify occupations?
  The OEWS occupational classifications are grouped into seven divisions:
  1. Managerial and Administrative
  2. Professional, Paraprofessional, and Technical
  3. Sales and Related
  4. Clerical and Administrative Support
  5. Service
  6. Agricultural, Forestry, and Fishing
  7. Production, Construction, Operating, Maintenance, and Material Handling.
     

  Each division is subdivided into major and minor occupational groups. A 5-digit OEWS code is assigned to each OEWS occupation. The first digit represents the occupational division; the second, the major group; the third, the minor group; and, along with the first three digits, the last two digits identify the detailed occupation. When the OEWS occupational classifications are listed in OEWS code order, similar occupations are listed together.

• What industries are surveyed? What industries are not surveyed?
  The OEWS survey collects occupational employment and wage data from establishments in nonfarm industries. The OEWS survey produces estimates of occupational employment and wages for 2- and 3-digit NAICS (North American Industrial Classification System) industrial groups in these industrial divisions: mining; construction; manufacturing; transportation, communication, electric, gas, and sanitary services; wholesale trade; retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; services; and government.

  The OEWS program does not survey establishments in NAICS 111 (Agricultural production—Crops); NAICS 112  (Agricultural production—livestock and animals specialties); NAICS 113 (Forestry); NAICS 114 (Fishing, hunting, and trapping); and NAICS 814 (Private households).

• Why are there missing statistics for some of the occupations?
  Some of the data are not releasable because of confidentiality issues. In other cases, hourly wage rates for some occupations where workers typically work fewer than 2,080 hours per year are not available. Additionally, wages equal to or greater than $70.00 per hour or $145,600 per year are not reported. Also, there is wide variation in the number of hours worked by those employed as actors, dancers, musicians, and singers. Many jobs are for a duration of 1 day or 1 week and it is extremely rare for a performer to have guaranteed employment for a period that exceeds 3 to 6 months. Therefore, an annual salary may not be reported for these occupations.