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EEOC Explore Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is EEOC Explore?

As part of its mission and mandate to prevent and remedy employment discrimination, 

the EEOC collects workforce demographic information from private employers and 

certain federal contractors through the EEO-1 form (now known as “Component 1” of the 

EEO-1).

EEOC Explore is an interactive data query and mapping tool that provides public users 

with access, at an aggregate level, to this data. Public access is limited to aggregated 

data to protect employer and employee confidentiality. The user-friendly tool enables the 

public to explore, analyze, and compare workforce data trends across a number of 

categories, including geographic area, sex, race/ethnicity, and industry sector without 

the need for experience in computer programming or statistical analysis.

In 2016, the EEOC added a pay data collection to the EEO-1 form, known as 

“Component 2.” The EEOC collected 2017 and 2018 pay data from private employers 

and certain federal contractors using Component 2. For the first time, the EEOC is 

making this aggregated Component 2 pay data available to the public through EEOC 

Explore, while protecting employer and employee confidentiality.

2. How does EEOC Explore protect data confidentiality?

EEOC Explore provides aggregate-level data in a manner that does not identify a 

particular employer or entity or reveal an individual employee’s personal information. 

Additionally, confidential information is protected from disclosure by a series of statistical 

disclosure limitation activities. As a result, EEOC Explore contains details of aggregate 

employment characteristics only when they will not identify any employer or employee.

3. What is the difference between EEO-1 Component 1 data and EEO-1 Component 2 

data?

The EEO-1 Component 1 data collection includes workforce demographic information on 

employee race/ethnicity, sex, and job category. The EEO-1 Component 2 data collection
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includes information on W-2 income earnings (aggregated into pay bands) by 

race/ethnicity, sex, and job category.

4. Why did the EEOC collect EEO-1 Component 2 data?

The EEOC collected EEO-1 Component 2 data in furtherance of its mission to prevent 

and remedy employment discrimination, including pay discrimination.

5. Why do I see only two years of pay data in EEOC Explore?

The EEOC conducted the EEO-1 Component 2 data collection only for reporting years 

2017 and 2018.

6. Does the EEOC plan to collect pay data again?

Advancing equal pay for all workers is a key priority for the EEOC, as memorialized in 

the agency’s Strategic Enforcement Plan for Fiscal Years 2024-2028. The National 

Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies) studied the 

EEOC’s historic, first-time collection of pay data and concluded in a Consensus Study

Report that a federal pay data collection is necessary to identify and combat pay 

discrimination effectively. The National Academies also made recommendations for the 

EEOC to consider in any future pay data collections to enhance the value of the data to 

the EEOC and the public and reduce the potential burden on employers. Since the 

Consensus Study Report was issued, the EEOC has been rigorously examining its 

findings and recommendations and hearing from advocates, researchers, employers, 

and employees about next steps. Any new pay data collection would be preceded by 

additional and formal opportunities for public input, including public notice and a public 

hearing, and any such collection would be informed and guided by that public input.

7. Why is the data focused on the median pay band instead of average pay? 

Component 2 collected aggregate counts of employees by pay band rather than 

individual employee salaries. Accordingly, a true median or average salary cannot be 

calculated. The dashboard highlights median pay bands for comparisons across 

geographic area, sex, race/ethnicity, industry, and job category. The median pay band is 

determined by finding the pay band in which the 50th percentile of employees would fall 

when ordered from smallest to largest pay band.
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8. What industry codes and geographic areas are reflected in EEOC Explore?EEOC

Explore uses the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) to code

industries, with the sector reflected in the first two digits of the code and the subsector

reflected in the third digit. For utility and confidentiality, three (3)-digit level NAICS code

data (i.e., subsector data) is available at the national level, and two (2)-digit level NAICS

code data (i.e., sector data) is available at the state and core based statistical area

(“CBSA”) level. Three (3)-digit level NAICS code data (i.e., subsector data) is not

currently available on EEOC Explore at the state or CBSA level.

9. Does EEOC Explore offer downloadable public use data files?

Yes. Public use files can be downloaded using links in the downloads section below the

application:

For 2017/2018: https://www.eeoc.gov/data/2017-and-2018-pay-data-collection#downloads

There are two tabs in the exported CSV file. The first tab shows data. The data is in a 

long format with each geography, pay band, race/ethnicity, sex, industry, occupation, 

and employment totals displayed vertically.

10. Can I download a visualization along with output of queries?

Yes, visualizations and data can be exported in various formats by using the download

button (a box with down arrow key) at the bottom right corner of the application.

11. Does a screen reader work on the visualization for blind and visually impaired

individuals?

Yes, standard readers work on the visualization. A free version of the NVDA screen

reader software can be downloaded from the following site:

https://www.nvaccess.org/download/

For additional information on the NVDA software and system requirements, please visit:

https://www.nvaccess.org/about-nvda/

NVDA quick reference command keys information is available at:

https://www.nvaccess.org/files/nvdaTracAttachments/455/keycommands%20with%20lap

top%20keyboard%20layout.html
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12. How do I download data from the visualization using a screen reader?

Use Tab until the map or plot is selected. Follow audio instruction for opening data 

window using Control+Shift+Enter keys simultaneously. The screen reader will instruct 

options for data download when the data window is opened.

13. How can I access the visualization download option by using a keyboard?

Use the Tab key on the keyboard to navigate through controls until the Tableau logo is 

reached along the bottom left corner of the visualization. Then, use the Right Arrow key 

twice to reach the download option. Hit the Enter key on the keyboard for opening the 

dialogue box that presents download options. Use the Up or Down Arrow key to select 

the desired download option.