Reading BLS News Releases: A Field Guide
BLS releases data in a standardized format that rewards careful reading. Here is a guide to parsing the most important data releases for labor market analysis.
U.S. Labor Market Data
Wages, employment, inflation, job openings, workplace injuries, H-1B filings, unemployment claims, and county-level data — all sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Department of Labor. Updated continuously as BLS and DOL release new data.
CPI (All Items)
330.2
+2.37% YoY
Mar 2026
Initial UI Claims
214,377
All states, latest week
Job Openings
701,000K
Feb 2026 (JOLTS)
Datasets
10
BLS + DOL sources
Highest-Paid Occupations (National)
| Occupation | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $236,000 |
| Prosthodontists | $234,000 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | $227,690 |
| Psychiatrists | $226,880 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $224,640 |
Top H-1B Employers
- Infosys BPO Limited 9,081 filings
- Tata Consultancy Services 7,504 filings
- Ernst and Young LLP 6,069 filings
- Cognizant Technology Solutions 5,962 filings
- Amazon 4,644 filings
- KPMG LLP 4,216 filings
- Deloitte Consulting LLP 4,164 filings
- Wipro Limited 3,954 filings
Occupations
SOC occupation wage profiles from BLS OEWS — median wages, percentile distributions, employment totals.
Industries
NAICS industry employment trends, job openings, injury rates, and producer price data.
Employers (H-1B)
DOL LCA/H-1B employer wage disclosures — what companies certify to pay foreign workers.
Inflation (CPI)
BLS Consumer Price Index time series — headline CPI, core inflation, category breakdowns.
Job Openings (JOLTS)
BLS JOLTS data — job openings, hires, quits, and layoffs by industry.
Unemployment Insurance
DOL weekly initial and continued claims by state — a leading economic indicator.
Tools & Rankings
Browse Occupations
Latest Articles
BLS State and Area Employment Statistics
Beyond national data, BLS produces detailed state and metropolitan area employment data. Here is how to find and use it.
How to Find the Prevailing Wage for H-1B Filings
Employers must pay H-1B workers at least the prevailing wage. Here is how the DOL determines it — and how to look it up for any occupation and location.