About the Numbers

Definitions

Occupational Data Definitions

Sources of the data

The National Industry-Occupation Employment Matrix is developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as part of its ongoing Employment Projections program. Data from the 2010-20 matrix underlie information on occupational employment growth presented in the 2012-13 edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook. The 2010 matrix was developed primarily from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey, and the Current Population Survey (CPS). The 2020 matrix was developed as part of the procedures used to project occupational employment.

The 2010-20 National Employment Matrix that presents employment for approximately 300 detailed industries and 750 occupations was used to develop data for this web site. These matrices are available electronically for users who want to manipulate the data for other purposes. For information on how to access these files, visit our ftp site and follow the instructions in the readme file.

Occupational classification

The occupations covered reflect the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, the source used to generate data to develop the 2010 National Employment Matrix. The May 2010 OES estimates mark the first set of estimates based, in part, on data collected on the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification system. Almost all the occupations in this release are 2010 occupations; however, some are not. In these cases an estimate for a temporary occupation was created from data reported for one or more occupations in the 2000 SOC combined with data reported for one or more 2010 SOC occupations. For more information on how OES created estimates based on data from the 2000 and 2010 SOC, see http://www.bls.gov/oes/oes_ques.htm#Ques41.

Data on self-employed and unpaid family workers are based on Current Population Survey (CPS) data for equivalent occupations. A crosswalk was used to distribute CPS data to occupations in the National Employment Matrix.

Industry classification

Industries covered in the national employment matrix reflect the 2007 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Self-employed workers, unpaid family workers, and workers who have a second job in agriculture production, forestry, fishing, and private households are listed separately in order to derive total employment.

Projections methodology

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projections of industrial and occupational employment are developed in a series of six interrelated steps, each of which is based on a different procedure or model and related assumptions: labor force, aggregate economy, final demand (GDP) by consuming sector and product, industry output, employment by industry, and employment by occupation. The results produced by each step are key inputs to following steps, and the sequence may be repeated multiple times to allow feedback and to insure consistency.

Projections updates

National employment projections are developed every other year. The next National projections cycle will cover the 2012-22 decade. Those projections are scheduled to be published in the November 2013 Monthly Labor Review and to be available on this web site in late 2013.

Note

The accuracy of projections for individual occupations is subject to error because of the many unknown factors that may affect the economy over the projection period. Furthermore, while occupational employment projections and related job outlook information can provide valuable inputs to the career decision-making process, they should not be the sole basis for a choice of career.

 

Last Modified Date: March 29, 2012