Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, administered by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), produces the nation s most comprehensive set of employment and wage estimates by occupation. Each annual release contains employment totals, average hourly and annual wages, and detailed industry breakdowns for more than 1,000 detailed occupations coded to the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. The data are compiled from a combination of the Current Population Survey, the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, and administrative payroll records, yielding statistically reliable estimates for national, state, and Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) levels. The primary purpose of OEWS is to track labor market trends, support workforce planning, and inform public policy decisions. Researchers, economists, educators, and private sector HR analysts use the dataset to: * analyze occupational demand and wage growth; * compare regional labor market conditions; * project future skill needs for education and training programs; * benchmark compensation practices. Key features that set OEWS apart include: annual release on a consistent schedule, national to local geographic coverage, occupational detail down to the 6 digit SOC level, hourly and annual wage statistics, and industry specific employment counts. Because the data are publicly available on the BLS website (https://www.bls.gov/oes/), they serve as a standard reference for labor economics research, workforce development, and compensation studies.