1 

STATEMENT OF 

ERICA L. GROSHEN 

COMMISSIONER 

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

BEFORE THE 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON WORKFORCE PROTECTIONS 

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE 

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

June 18, 2013 

Introduction 

Thank you for the opportunity to provide this overview of the occupational wage data available 

from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics or OES survey. 

Role of the Bureau of Labor Statistics 

Let me first discuss the role of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Like all Federal statistical 

agencies, BLS executes its mission with independence, serving its diverse user communities by 

providing products and services that are accurate, objective, relevant, timely, and accessible. We 

adhere to the principles and practices for federal statistical agencies published by the Committee 

on National Statistics of the National Research Council. To protect our impartiality and 

independence, we take no role in regulation, law enforcement, and policy making and do not 

conduct policy analysis ourselves.1 Regarding today’s topic, BLS has no role in establishing 

prevailing wages or determining what data are appropriate for that purpose. 

 

1

National Research Council. (2013). Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency, Fifth Edition. 

Committee on National Statistics. Constance F. Citro and Miron L. Straf, Editors. Division of Behavioral and Social 

Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. (p. 14) 
2 

Also consistent with the principles and practices for statistical agencies, we are very happy to 

share with you information about our data so that you and other policymakers can make 

appropriate decisions. BLS data are used for a wide range of purposes; they generally are not 

designed for any one particular program application such as Davis-Bacon wage determinations. 

Of course, agencies charged with carrying out policy and regulatory functions sometimes request 

special presentations of our data. In these instances, resources permitting, we may prepare 

special data tabulations based on specifications provided by the requesting agency. 

What is collected in the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey? 

Let me turn now to describing the OES, which is the only federal statistical survey designed with 

the goal of providing detailed wage and employment data for every occupation for a set of 

geographic areas that span the entire country. I will cover what we collect and then how the data 

are used, how we conduct the survey, and the limitations of the data. 

In all of our programs, we use occupational, industry and geographic definitions that allow our 

users to compare and combine data from different sources. To ensure such comparability for the 

OES, we adhere to the following standard classifications established by the Office of 

Management and Budget: 

 the Standard Occupational Classification System (SOC), which defines occupations, the 

job that someone holds 

 the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), which defines industries, 

the type of business someone works for 

 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and metropolitan divisions, which define labor 

market areas 
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I will reference these throughout my remarks as occupations, industries, and metropolitan areas. 

The OES program publishes data for 820 occupations for the nation and for areas that cover the 

entire geography of the country. Data are available for 642 areas, including each state, the 

District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, 414 metropolitan areas, and 174

non-metropolitan areas. 

For each area and occupation, OES provides employment and several wage estimates, including 

hourly and annual mean and median wages. These estimates include workers in both the private 

and public sectors. 

BLS publishes nationwide OES employment and wage estimates by occupation within 

industries. Data are available for broad industry sectors, as well as for more detailed industries. 

For example, data are available for the occupation “carpenters” in the construction sector as a 

whole as well as for the more detailed construction industry, “residential building construction.” 

BLS also produces estimates for states and local areas by industry. We do not regularly publish 

these data; however, we do provide these estimates to states, which release them at their 

discretion. And, just this year, BLS released the statewide industry estimates as a research 

dataset. 

To illustrate the OES data available locally, let me use the example of the metropolitan area of 

Minneapolis—St. Paul—Bloomington, which includes 11 counties in Minnesota -- including, 
4 

Mr. Chairman, Dakota, Scott, and Washington Counties in your district -- and 2 counties in 

Wisconsin.2For this metropolitan area, we recently published May 2012 wage data for 39

construction occupations. Among these construction occupations, the four largest occupations 

(in terms of employment) are carpenters; electricians; plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters; and 

construction laborers. Hourly mean wages for these four occupations in the Minneapolis—St. 

Paul—Bloomington area ranged from $32.08 for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters to $22.99 

for construction laborers.3 

Data uses 

Like all BLS products, OES data are used in many ways, but let me summarize a few of its uses. 

Within BLS, OES employment estimates are a key input to occupational employment 

projections, which are used by millions of individuals making decisions about their careers. OES 

data also are used by BLS to produce the Employment Cost Index, occupational injuries and 

illness rates, and data provided to the President’s Pay Agent for setting locality pay for Federal 

workers. 

The Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration’s (ETA’s) Foreign Labor 

Certification (FLC) program uses OES data in its nonimmigrant and immigrant visa certification 

programs. BLS provides special tabulations of OES wage data to ETA for this purpose, 

following specifications provided by ETA. 

 

2

The counties included in the Minnesota portion of the Minneapolis–St Paul–Bloomington metropolitan area are

Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright counties; in 

Wisconsin, the counties include Pierce and St. Croix counties. 

3 May 2013 wages for the other occupations noted are $ 25.60 for carpenters and $31.64 for electricians. 
5 

BLS also produces special tabulations for other federal agencies, including the National Science 

Foundation, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Employment and Training 

Administration’s Occupational Information Network or O*NET program. 

State and local government agencies use the OES employment and wage data in counseling 

students and jobseekers, and making training and workforce investment decisions, directing 

resources toward occupations that are present in the local economy and perhaps to those that 

have wages above some criterion. OES data also are used by the State Workforce Agencies in 

preparing state and area occupational projections. 

Survey methods 

Now, how do we conduct the survey? The OES program collects employment and wage data 

from a sample of 1.2 million business establishments that employ nearly 60 percent of wage and 

salary workers in the country. These establishments are selected from a business list derived 

from unemployment insurance records. Participation in the OES survey is voluntary. Because 

the business list from which the sample is selected includes only wage and salary workers 

covered by unemployment insurance, self-employed workers are not in the OES data. 

Collection of this large sample requires 3 years, with data solicited from a new set of 200,000 

establishments every 6 months. Establishments are surveyed just once in the 3-year cycle. 

Although the data are collected over a 3-year period, BLS uses well-established statistical 

procedures to make estimates for a single year and publishes those estimates about 10 months 
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after the reference date. For example, our most recent estimates are for May 2012 and were 

published in March 2013. 

The OES survey is a federal-state cooperative effort. Under agreements with BLS, most of the 

data are collected by the State Workforce Agencies. BLS and the states collect OES data 

primarily through a mail survey, although employers may respond by many other means, 

including telephone, fax, or email. Overall the survey has a response rate of about 75 percent. 

Data limitations 

As with all statistical products, the OES data have certain limitations that users need to 

understand. 

The OES design allows us to provide estimates for some very small occupations at detailed 

levels of geography. However, some of these estimates are based on responses from only a 

handful of employers, which may result in large sampling error or require suppression of the data 

to protect the confidentiality of individual respondents. 

The OES program does not gather information on all the attributes that might be of interest when 

examining occupational wages. For example, the OES does not have data on license 

requirements, skill level, or years of experience. Although the OES estimates are available for 

areas that cover the entire geography of the country, the estimates are not available for every 

geographic breakdown that users might want. For example, we cannot produce estimates by 

county. And, the OES collects data from business establishments, not by worksites or 
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construction project sites. A construction business may have multiple projects in the same area 

or in different areas. Also, OES does not measure total compensation, and therefore does not 

include overtime pay or benefits. Nor does the OES collect information on hours or provide 

wages by part-time versus full-time jobs. 

Finally, let me also note that in addition to occupational wage data from the OES program, the 

BLS National Compensation Survey provides information on employer costs for wages and 

benefits, as well as information on the percentage of workers covered by various employee 

benefits. This survey also produces occupational wage data for union and nonunion workers, 

part-time and full-time workers, and supervisors, but not by detailed industry, and only for 15 

large areas. 

Conclusion 

To sum up, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics survey produces 

employment and wage data at great occupational and geographic detail, and by industry. These 

data are used for a variety of purposes, some of which are based on special tabulations produced 

by the BLS on request. However, BLS has no role in establishing prevailing wages or 

determining what data are appropriate for the purpose of prevailing wage determinations. 

I have attached to my written testimony information on the specific construction industries and 

construction occupations for which OES provides data. To illustrate the level of geographic 

detail, a list of the areas in Minnesota for which data are provided is also attached. 
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Thank you for the opportunity to testify before this committee. I am happy to answer any 

questions you may have. 
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OES data are available for the following Construction Industries 

Sector 23 - Construction 

 

236000 - Construction of Buildings 

 236100 - Residential Building Construction 

 236200 - Nonresidential Building Construction 

237000 - Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 

 237100 - Utility System Construction 

 237130 - Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction 

 237200 - Land Subdivision 

 237300 - Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 

 237900 - Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 

238000 - Specialty Trade Contractors 

 238100 - Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 

 238110 - Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors 

 238140 - Masonry Contractors 

 238160 - Roofing Contractors 

 238200 - Building Equipment Contractors 

 238210 - Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors 

 238220 - Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors 

 238290 - Other Building Equipment Contractors 

 238300 - Building Finishing Contractors 

 238310 - Drywall and Insulation Contractors 

 238320 - Painting and Wall Covering Contractors 

 238900 - Other Specialty Trade Contractors 
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Construction trades occupations in the Standard Occupational Classification 

47-2000 Construction Trades Workers 

47-2010 Boilermakers 

47-2020 Brickmasons, Blockmasons, and Stonemasons 

47-2021 Brickmasons and Blockmasons 

47-2022 Stonemasons 

47-2030 Carpenters 

47-2040 Carpet, Floor, and Tile Installers and Finishers 

47-2041 Carpet Installers 

47-2042 Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles 

47-2043 Floor Sanders and Finishers 

47-2044 Tile and Marble Setters 

47-2050 Cement Masons, Concrete Finishers, and Terrazzo Workers 

47-2051 Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers 

47-2053 Terrazzo Workers and Finishers 

47-2060 Construction Laborers 

47-2070 Construction Equipment Operators 

47-2071 Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators 

47-2072 Pile-Driver Operators 

47-2073 Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators 

47-2080 Drywall Installers, Ceiling Tile Installers, and Tapers 

47-2081 Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers 

47-2082 Tapers 

47-2110 Electricians 

47-2120 Glaziers 

47-2130 Insulation Workers 

47-2131 Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall 

47-2132 Insulation Workers, Mechanical 

47-2140 Painters and Paperhangers 

47-2141 Painters, Construction and Maintenance 

47-2142 Paperhangers 

47-2150 Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 

47-2151 Pipelayers 

47-2152 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 

47-2160 Plasterers and Stucco Masons 

47-2170 Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers 

47-2180 Roofers 

47-2210 Sheet Metal Workers 

47-2220 Structural Iron and Steel Workers 

47-2230 Solar Photovoltaic Installers 

47-3000 Helpers, Construction Trades 

47-3010 Helpers, Construction Trades 

47-3011 Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters 

47-3012 Helpers--Carpenters 

47-3013 Helpers--Electricians 

47-3014 Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons 

47-3015 Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 

47-3016 Helpers--Roofers 

47-3019 Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other 
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47-4000 Other Construction and Related Workers 

47-4010 Construction and Building Inspectors 

47-4020 Elevator Installers and Repairers 

47-4030 Fence Erectors 

47-4040 Hazardous Materials Removal Workers 

47-4050 Highway Maintenance Workers 

47-4060 Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators 

47-4070 Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners 

47-4090 Miscellaneous Construction and Related Workers 

47-4091 Segmental Pavers 

47-4099 Construction and Related Workers, All Other 
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OES data are available for these areas in Minnesota 

Minnesota 

Metropolitan areas 

Duluth, MN-WI 

Fargo, ND-MN 

Grand Forks, ND-MN 

La Crosse, WI-MN 

Mankato-North Mankato, MN 

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 

Rochester, MN 

St. Cloud, MN 

Nonmetropolitan areas 

Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area (includes Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Crow 

Wing, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Morrison, 

Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pope, Red Lake, Roseau, Stevens, Todd, Traverse, Wadena, and 

Wilkin counties) 

Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area (includes Aitkin, Cook, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, 

Lake, Mille Lacs, Pine counties) 

Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area (includes Big Stone, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Jackson, 

Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, 

Renville, Rock, Swift, and Yellow Medicine counties) 

Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area (includes Brown, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, 

Goodhue, Le Sueur, Martin, Mower, Rice, Sibley, Steele, Waseca, Watonwan, and Winona 

counties)