Understanding BLS OEWS: How Wages Are Measured

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces the most comprehensive picture of wages by occupation available anywhere in the United States. Every year, the program surveys approximately 200,000 nonfarm establishments — businesses and government agencies — about the wages they pay workers in hundreds of specific occupations.

The survey is conducted semi-annually, with May data collected from one half of the sample and November data from the other. Results are combined into annual estimates, which BLS publishes every spring. The data covers more than 800 occupations across all 50 states and more than 400 metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.

What OEWS Measures — and What It Doesn't

OEWS reports wage rates, not actual annual earnings. An hourly rate is reported for most occupations; annual wages are calculated by multiplying the hourly rate by 2,080 hours (52 weeks × 40 hours). This is a convention, not a reflection of actual hours worked. A teacher with a $55,000 annual salary contract works roughly 10 months and would show a different annualized rate depending on how the employer reports it.

OEWS also excludes: self-employed workers, farm workers, private household workers, unpaid family workers, and most military personnel. This means OEWS wages may not reflect total labor market compensation for occupations where self-employment is common (physicians, lawyers, tradespeople).

Reading the Percentile Distribution

For each occupation, OEWS reports wages at five percentiles: 10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th. The median is the middle value — half of workers earn more, half earn less. The mean (average) is also reported and is typically higher than the median because a few very high earners pull the average up.

The spread between the 10th and 90th percentile tells you a lot about an occupation. For software developers, the 90th/10th ratio is about 2.5x — a wide spread reflecting the premium for top talent. For administrative assistants, the spread is narrower, around 1.8x.

Source: BLS OEWS at bls.gov/oes. Explore occupation wages at our wages section.