1

 October 2010 

Occupational Employment 

Statistics (OES) Highlights

Gulf Coast Occupational Employment and 

Wages 

Some of the largest industries in areas along the Gulf of Mexico Coast are related to 

oil and gas drilling, water transportation, and leisure and hospitality. A closer look at 

the occupations and wages in these industries and areas prior to the Gulf oil spill 

could provide insight into potential implications of the spill for the labor force in the 

region, although it is difficult to say which occupations may be adversely affected in 

their employment or wages. 
2

While the largest occupations in the Gulf areas were often the same large 

occupations found in other areas of the United States, location quotients1

 can be 

used to show occupations that are more highly concentrated in the Gulf areas than in 

other parts of the country. Location quotients compare an occupation’s share of total 

employment in the area to its share of total U.S. employment. A location quotient 

greater than one indicates that the occupation is more concentrated in the area than 

in the United States as a whole. Occupations that were the most prevalent in the 25

areas2 along the Gulf Coast, measured in terms of location quotients, are available at 

www.bls.gov/oes/highlight_gulf_table1.htm. Some of the occupations that were the 

most prevalent in the Gulf Coast areas included occupations associated with oil and 

gas extraction, water transportation, and leisure and hospitality. 

Occupations closely related to oil and gas extraction and water transportation 

accounted for over 100,000 jobs across the 25 Gulf Coast areas. Six of the 19 

metropolitan areas and 2 of the 6 nonmetropolitan areas had especially high 

employment concentrations of occupations prevalent in the oil and gas and/or water 

transportation industries. The location quotients for selected occupations in these 8 

areas are shown in figures 1 through 4. 

 

Four of the metropolitan areas—Beaumont-Port Arthur, Victoria, Lake Charles, and 

Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux—are smaller metropolitan areas consisting of 2 

parishes or counties and are shown in figure 1. (See page 9 to view these data in 

table format.) The Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux metropolitan area dominates the 

graph with four occupations with location quotients over 60, including captains, 

mates, and pilots of water vessels; riggers; sailors and marine oilers; and ship 

engineers. Chemical plant and system operators and petroleum pump system 

operators, refinery operators, and gaugers also had high location quotients for 3 of 

the metropolitan areas. 

Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX, and New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA, also had 

high employment concentrations of occupations related to the oil and gas and water 

transportation industries. In many of the occupations, the metropolitan areas were 

similar in the concentrations of employment. For instance, both areas had similar 
3

location quotients for geological and petroleum technicians as well as petroleum 

pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers. Both areas also had high 

concentrations of petroleum engineers. See figure 2. 

(See page 10 to view these data in table format.) 

Two nonmetropolitan areas with high concentrations of oil and gas occupations are 

shown in figures 3 and 4. The New Iberia nonmetropolitan area is located in 

Louisiana and consists of Acadia Parish, Assumption Parish, Iberia Parish, Jefferson 

Davis Parish, St. James Parish, St. Landry Parish, St. Mary Parish, and Vermilion 

Parish. More than half of the 20 occupations with the highest location quotients in 

the New Iberia nonmetropolitan area were in some way related to the oil and gas 

industry or to water transportation. Employment concentrations for several of these 

occupations were more than 10 times as high in the New Iberia nonmetropolitan 

area than in the United States as a whole. For example, commercial divers were 124
4

times more concentrated in the New Iberia nonmetropolitan area than in the United 

States. The annual mean wages for almost half of these occupations also were above 

the U.S. all-occupations average of $43,460. For instance, petroleum engineers had 

an annual wage of $84,960 and a location quotient of 6.3. Captains, mates, and 

pilots of water vessels also had a high location quotient and an annual wage of 

$73,860. (See figure 3.) 

(See page 11 to view these data in table format.) 

The Gulf Coast Texas nonmetropolitan area is located in Texas and consists of 17 

counties. The occupations with the highest location quotients in this area were more 

diverse, and included a number of occupations not closely related to oil and gas 

extraction, such as postsecondary agricultural science teachers and personal and 

home care aides. Among the oil- and gas-related occupations, service unit operators, 

oil, gas, and mining had an employment concentration approximately 41 times the 
5

U.S. average. Petroleum engineers were also highly concentrated in this 

nonmetropolitan area, and had a high annual mean wage of $116,210. 

(See page 12 to view these data in table format.) 

The proximity to water and the types of entertainment found around the Gulf Coast 

make it ideal for tourism and the service industries that support it, such as traveler 

accommodation and food service. Two metropolitan areas with high concentrations of 

leisure and hospitality-related occupations—Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, and Panama CityLynn Haven, FL—are shown in figures 5 and 6. The occupations with high location 

quotients in Gulfport-Biloxi overwhelmingly consist of occupations that are directly 

related to gaming. Other leisure and hospitality-related occupations include 

concierges, baggage porters and bellhops, and lodging managers. 
6

 (See page 13 to view these data in table format.) 

 

The Panama City-Lynn Haven, FL, metropolitan area also highlights the large 

concentrations of occupations in the leisure and hospitality industries. Particularly 

prevalent in this area were several occupations related to lodging and food service, 

including hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop; hotel, motel, and 

resort desk clerks; and restaurant cooks. Like some of the other Gulf Coast areas 

highlighted above, this area also included high concentrations of sailors and marine 

oilers and captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels. 
7

(See page 14 to view these data in table format.) 

(See page 15 to view these data in table format.) 
8

The South Florida nonmetropolitan area also had high concentrations of several 

leisure and hospitality-related occupations, such as tour guides and escorts, 

bartenders, and dishwashers. (See figure 7.) 

In addition to the occupations highlighted above, other occupations were also 

prevalent in specific Gulf Coast areas. For example, several nonmetropolitan areas 

had high concentrations of protective service occupations, including the Northeast 

Florida, South Florida, and Gulf Coast Texas nonmetropolitan areas. The Southwest 

Alabama and Northwest Florida nonmetropolitan areas had high location quotients 

for logging occupations. Among metropolitan areas, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX,

had high concentrations of several teaching occupations, while Naples-Marco Island, 

FL, had high concentrations of construction and landscaping occupations. Although 

occupations associated with oil and gas extraction, water transportation, and leisure 

and hospitality were prevalent across the Gulf Coast region, individual Gulf Coast 

areas also retained some occupational diversity, suggesting that not every area may 

be equally affected by the Gulf oil spill. 

Complete Occupational Employment Statistics data for May 2009 are available from 

the OES home page at www.bls.gov/oes. This highlight was prepared by Swati Patel. 

For more information, please contact the OES program at 

www.bls.gov/oes/home.htm#contact. 

 

1

Location quotients represent the ratio of an occupation’s share of total local employment to 

the occupation’s share of total U.S. employment. If a location quotient is equal to 1, then the 

occupation has the same share of area employment as it does of national employment. 

Location quotients greater than 1 indicate that the occupation makes up a larger share of local 

area employment than it does of national employment. For example, if the location quotient 

for tile and marble setters was 4 in the Naples-Marco Island, FL, metropolitan area, then that 

means that the employment share of tile and marble setters was 4 times as high in NaplesMarco Island, FL, as in the United States as a whole. 

2

The 25 areas include 19 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and 6 OES-defined 

nonmetropolitan areas in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas that border the 

Gulf of Mexico. 
9

Table 1. Oil and gas and water transportation occupations by location quotient for selected 

metropolitan areas, May 2009

Occupation

BeaumontPort Arthur, 

TX

Victoria, 

TX

Lake 

Charles, 

LA

HoumaBayou CaneThibodaux, 

LA

Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels 4.00 (

1

) (

1

) 149.70

Chemical engineers 9.50 14.05 7.91 (

1

)

Chemical equipment operators and tenders 11.97 9.05 (

1

) (

1

)

Chemical plant and system operators 15.14 27.46 34.29 (

1

)

Chemical technicians 8.10 17.65 5.43 0.96

Commercial divers (

1

) (

1

) (

1

) 35.00

Control and valve installers and repairers, except 

mechanical door

4.13 (

1

) 4.72 (

1

)

Derrick operators, oil and gas (

1

) (

1

) (

1

) 17.50

Environmental engineers 0.97 (

1

) 1.44 (

1

)

Environmental science and protection 

technicians, including health

3.17 (

1

) (

1

) (

1

)

Gas plant operators 7.64 (

1

) (

1

) (

1

)

Helpers—extraction workers (

1

) 6.74 (

1

) (

1

)

Petroleum engineers 7.50 3.30 1.70 (

1

)

Petroleum pump system operators, refinery 

operators, and gaugers

35.09 (

1

) 29.46 7.46

Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers 9.63 (

1

) (

1

) 17.63

Riggers 4.20 (

1

) 12.20 70.10

Roustabouts, oil and gas 4.23 27.83 1.34 14.40

Sailors and marine oilers 15.67 (

1

) 14.96 113.71

Service unit operators, oil, gas, and mining 5.82 20.14 6.07 8.39

Ship engineers (

1

) (

1

) (

1

) 91.00

(

1

) Estimate not released
10

Table 2. Oil and gas and water transportation occupations by location quotient for 

selected metropolitan areas, May 2009

Occupation

HoustonSugar LandBaytown, TXNew 

OrleansMetairieKenner, LA

Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels 3.91 22.22

Chemical engineers 4.64 2.40

Chemical equipment operators and tenders 3.97 1.50

Chemical plant and system operators 8.89 7.43

Chemical technicians 2.20 1.40

Commercial divers 3.00 (

1

)

Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical 

door

1.56 1.47

Derrick operators, oil and gas 6.13 3.31

Environmental engineers 0.59 0.39

Environmental science and protection technicians, including 

health

1.46 1.50

Extraction workers, all other (

1

) 2.17

Gas compressor and gas pumping station operators 2.33 (

1

)

Gas plant operators 3.27 (

1

)

Geological and petroleum technicians 10.18 10.73

Helpers—extraction workers (

1

) 0.79

Petroleum engineers 16.40 12.00

Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and 

gaugers

8.00 10.09

Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers 2.40 (

1

)

Riggers 3.40 10.50

Rotary drill operators, oil and gas 7.30 1.30

Roustabouts, oil and gas (

1

) 2.17

Sailors and marine oilers 4.17 21.63

Service unit operators, oil, gas, and mining 6.68 3.25

Ship engineers 3.13 9.25

Wellhead pumpers (

1

) 14.75

(

1

) Estimate not released
11

 

Table 3. Location quotients and wages for selected occupations in the New Iberia, LA,

nonmetropolitan area, May 2009

Occupation Location 

Quotient

Annual 

Mean 

Wage

Employment

Commercial divers 124.00 $52,630 340

Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels 41.83 73,860 1,330

Ship engineers 37.00 58,650 410

Riggers 31.10 32,470 430

Sailors and marine oilers 29.50 35,070 980

Extraction workers, all other 24.50 46,650 200

Motorboat operators 22.50 36,680 60

Service unit operators, oil, gas, and mining 20.96 49,710 820

Bridge and lock tenders 20.00 33,120 80

Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and 

gaugers

12.89 66,940 630

Roustabouts, oil and gas 11.30 26,600 740

Derrick operators, oil and gas 10.75 48,680 240

Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners 10.55 36,570 160

Crane and tower operators 10.13 43,860 440

Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers 7.87 37,330 2,990

Geological and petroleum technicians 7.09 58,380 110

Maintenance workers, machinery 6.57 33,190 460

Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons 6.33 24,850 110

Petroleum engineers 6.30 84,960 180

Helpers, construction trades, all other 6.19 22,430 140
12

Table 4. Location quotients and wages for selected occupations in the Gulf Coast Texas 

nonmetropolitan area, May 2009

Occupation Location 

Quotient

Annual 

Mean 

Wage

Employment

Service unit operators, oil, gas, and mining 40.71 $36,730 1,390

Shoe and leather workers and repairers 25.00 20,780 180

Roustabouts, oil and gas 19.87 25,610 1,140

Derrick operators, oil and gas 17.19 37,820 330

Gas plant operators 12.55 56,680 170

Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary 12.50 70,010 120

First-line supervisors/managers of correctional officers 12.43 40,450 530

Petroleum engineers 9.55 116,210 230

Helpers—extraction workers 8.95 23,020 210

Correctional officers and jailers 8.54 32,870 3,630

Farmworkers, farm and ranch animals 7.15 18,110 240

Detectives and criminal investigators 6.81 48,610 700

Graduate teaching assistants 6.72 29,010 760

Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters 5.76 20,180 530

Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door 5.41 31,780 210

Farm equipment mechanics 5.17 35,730 140

Personal and home care aides 4.82 15,720 2,840

Civil engineering technicians 4.62 35,470 350

Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and 

tenders

4.42 33,080 60

Postmasters and mail superintendents 3.95 53,650 90
13

Table 5. Location quotients for selected occupations in the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, metropolitan area, 

May 2009

Occupation Location

Quotient

Annual 

Mean Wage Employment

Slot key persons 42.91 $29,100 480

Gaming cage workers 31.50 25,640 390

Gaming managers 31.00 74,290 90

Gaming supervisors 27.79 48,190 540

Gaming dealers 27.05 23,040 1,850

Gaming surveillance officers and gaming investigators 22.00 34,340 130

Gaming change persons and booth cashiers 21.80 23,440 330

Bridge and lock tenders 16.33 22,610 50

Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants 13.07 15,720 190

Gaming and sports book writers and runners 11.91 20,040 130

Computer and information scientists, research 7.35 76,820 150

Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and 

repairers

4.69 32,740 140

Emergency management specialists 4.50 36,980 50

Logging equipment operators 4.28 31,940 80

Surveyors 4.18 40,120 170

Baggage porters and bellhops 3.92 18,900 150

Helpers—painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco 

masons

3.83 21,390 50

Concierges 3.69 20,580 60

Conservation scientists 3.46 50,860 50

Lodging managers 3.46 48,810 80
14

Table 6. Location quotients for selected occupations in the Panama City-Lynn Haven, FL, metropolitan 

area, May 2009

Occupation Location 

Quotient

Annual 

Mean Wage Employment

Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and 

repairers

9.45 $27,810 190

Personal care and service workers, all other 7.42 21,340 290

Hazardous materials removal workers 6.07 (1) 130

Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other 5.53 57,860 200

Zoologists and wildlife biologists 4.85 65,490 40

Helpers—pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and 

steamfitters

4.48 26,120 160

Loan interviewers and clerks 4.36 29,140 450

Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels 4.13 46,290 70

Sailors and marine oilers 3.58 28,140 60

Pest control workers 3.39 24,350 110

Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop 3.28 16,930 580

Logging equipment operators 3.11 28,430 40

Construction and related workers, all other 3.08 30,930 80

Real estate brokers 3.08 40,080 80

Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks 2.94 21,200 350

Appraisers and assessors of real estate 2.92 42,600 100

Construction and building inspectors 2.88 50,140 140

Cooks, restaurant 2.88 20,390 1,360

Mechanical engineers 2.80 90,210 340

Dishwashers 2.73 17,210 740

(1) Estimate not released
15

Table 7. Location quotients for selected occupations in the South Florida nonmetropolitan area, May 

2009

Occupation Location 

Quotient

Annual 

Mean Wage Employment

Motorboat mechanics 8.93 $48,000 130

Tour guides and escorts 8.79 31,780 210

Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels 7.91 42,720 180

Fish and game wardens 7.17 36,650 40

First-line supervisors/managers of farming, fishing, and 

forestry workers

6.60 43,600 100

Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency 

medical technicians

5.53 22,190 80

Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists 5.11 33,190 370

Agricultural inspectors 5.09 38,510 60

Counselors, all other 5.08 31,830 120

Farm and home management advisors 5.00 52,660 40

First-line supervisors/managers of correctional officers 4.34 50,590 150

Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks 4.34 21,970 750

Correctional officers and jailers 4.27 35,760 1,510

Zoologists and wildlife biologists 3.85 45,020 50

Construction and related workers, all other 3.64 31,820 130

Bailiffs 3.08 44,480 40

Bartenders 2.94 19,070 1,120

Appraisers and assessors of real estate 2.72 42,310 140

Community and social service specialists, all other 2.70 36,720 230

Dishwashers 2.68 17,180 1,070