Understanding how wages and wage distributions vary by occupation, industry, and location is invaluable 

information when negotiating a starting salary or requesting a raise at your current job. The Occupational 

Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces hourly and annual wage estimates for about 830 

occupations. Data shown here are from the May 2022 OEWS estimates, available at www.bls.gov/oes/. 

Find your occupation

First, find your occupation. The OEWS occupational profiles have a wealth of wage information for each of the 

approximately 830 occupations. Each profile page includes the occupation’s definition; national employment 

and wage estimates; and data by state and area, and by industry. Find and click on your occupation in the list 

at www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm. Whether you are a nurse, accountant, security guard, or 

electrician, the occupational profiles will get you started in determining how much you could be earning.

Each occupational profile not only contains the average (mean) wage for the occupation, it also shows the 

wage distribution, which provides information on the spread of the wages. Percentile wages, including the 

10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentiles, indicate how much the wages vary for an occupation. 

For example, 10 percent of workers earn wages at or below the 10th percentile and 90 percent earn at or 

more than the 10th percentile. Eighty percent of workers earn wages between the 10th and 90th percentiles. 

The chart below shows the mean wage and the wage distribution for four different occupations.

 

 

Where an individual’s wage should fall within the national distribution depends on a number of factors. Of 

course, experience and education are factors. Someone new to the field may expect wages near the 10th or 

25th percentile, whereas those with more experience and education could expect wages near the 75th or 90th 

percentile. In addition, location is a very important factor in determining where you might fall in the wage 

distribution, and in many cases the industry also plays a role.

How much could I be earning? Using Occupational Employment 

and Wage Statistics data during salary negotiations
Wages vary by location

The geographic location affects wages because workers tend to earn higher salaries in large metropolitan 

areas, where a higher cost of living and other factors can drive wages upward. For example, the mean hourly 

wages for all four occupations in the chart below are highest in the San Francisco area, followed by 

Minneapolis. OEWS has wage data for approximately 580 states and areas. The occupational profiles have 

maps illustrating mean wages for all areas. Hovering over the area with your mouse provides that area’s wage 

distribution.

Wages vary by industry

Wages for workers in the same occupation can vary by industry. This may be due to differences in working 

conditions, where industry employment is concentrated, whether or not unions are prevalent, and other 

factors. The table below illustrates how annual wages for computer systems analysts can differ considerably 

across industries. For example, wages for computer systems analysts in aerospace product and parts 

manufacturing tend to be high, while colleges, universities, and professional schools pay lower wages.

Annual wages for computer systems analysts, by industry, May 2022

Industry Mean

10th 

percentile

25th 

percentile Median

75th 

percentile

90th 

percentile

Colleges, universities, and professional schools $88,890 $59,150 $67,720 $84,470 $107,020 $125,470

Insurance carriers 103,320 65,470 81,150 102,440 125,390 137,270

Computer systems design and related services 110,840 59,170 79,660 103,640 133,750 168,990

Aerospace product and parts manufacturing 135,980 84,650 105,860 135,920 167,060 186,540

Additional information

In addition to showing wage data, occupational profiles include employment information. It may be helpful to 

know whether or not the areas or industries with the highest wages also have high numbers of jobs in the 

occupation. By using OEWS wage data, you can obtain a better understanding of how your current wage or 

salary compares with the average wage for the nation, the area where you live, and the industry in which you 

work. In addition to the occupational profiles, you can download OEWS data in Excel format at 

www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm. Customizable charts and maps are located at www.bls.gov/oes/charts.htm.

For more information, contact the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program at 

oewsinfo@bls.gov or (202) 691-6569.

$0

$25

$50

$75

Registered nurses Electricians Bookkeeping, accounting, and

auditing clerks

General maintenance and

repair workers

Mean wage per hour

Occupational wages in selected metropolitan areas, May 2022

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

Fargo, ND-MN

Montgomery, AL