About OEWS

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About

A semi-annual survey designed to produce employment and wage estimates for about 800 occupation classifications. Comparable statistics are available in every area, Metropolitan Statistical Areas and substate regions.

Data Source

OEWS is a federal-state cooperative program between the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and state agencies. Surveyed employers are asked about the number of wage and salary workers in detailed occupations and about the wage distribution for those workers. OEWS survey samples are drawn from the universe of non-farm employers covered by the Unemployment Insurance (UI) system. In Minnesota, about 6,000 employers participate in the survey each year.

What can it provide?

  • Employment estimates by occupation, state, Metropolitan Statistical Area and sub-state region.
  • Average and median wage estimates and wage distributions (10th, 25th, 75th and 90th percentiles).
  • Staffing pattern estimates for major industry groups.
  • A wage-setting benchmark for employers.
  • Job search and career planning information used by job seekers and employment counselors.

How is the data formatted?

Viewable tables, downloadable files

Definitions

Occupations are classified using U.S. Department of Labor’s Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) typology.

The definition of wage for the OEWS program is straight-time gross pay, including base pay, incentive pay (commissions and production bonuses), cost-of-living allowances, guaranteed pay, hazardous-duty pay, on-call pay and tips. Excluded from the wage definition are overtime pay, shift differentials, non-production bonuses, holiday pay, meal and lodging payments, draw, severance pay, back pay, jury duty pay and tuition reimbursements.

For occupations where 40 hours per week and 52 weeks per year are not typical (i.e. teaching positions), only annual salary statistics are presented.

Program notes: There is a 10-month time lag between the start of the survey period and the public release of survey findings. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development adjusts wage estimates quarterly to account for wage inflation, using the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s Employment Cost Index (ECI) online.

These links lead to the website of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For questions about the Minnesota data, Talk to Our Experts