BLS OES — Definition and What It Means for Your Income
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — the primary source for occupation-specific salary data.
BLS OES (Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics) is a federal survey program that produces employment and wage estimates for over 800 occupations, broken down by industry and geographic area. It's the most authoritative source for occupation-specific salary benchmarking in the U.S.
Why it matters
BLS OES data provides verified, government-sourced salary benchmarks, unlike crowdsourced salary sites that may have selection bias toward higher earners who choose to report.
Example
BLS OES reports that the median annual wage for registered nurses nationally is $101,420 — this figure comes from actual employer payroll data, not self-reported surveys.
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BLS OES — FAQ
How often is BLS OES data updated?
BLS OES data is updated annually, with a methodology that surveys approximately 1.1 million establishments.