Department of Economic Research (DER)

Massachusetts occupational employment and wage data are derived from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program (OEWS), a program operated in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data are collected statewide and for seven Metropolitan New England City and Town Statistical Areas (NECTA's).

In addition, the Department of Economic Research produces occupational employment and wages for the Commonwealth's 16 Workforce Development Areas (WDA's) and nine NECTA Divisions. Though these estimates are produced using the BLS methodology, they are not official BLS estimates.

NOTE TO DATA USERS: As of July 27, 2023, the May 2022 survey data are available.

The May 2022 employment and wage estimates were calculated using data collected in the May 2022, November 2021, May 2021, November 2020, May 2020, and November 2019 semiannual panels.

For information about the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on OEWS estimates:
https://www.bls.gov/covid19/effects-of-covid-19-pandemic-on-occupational-employment-and-wage-statistics.htm

Last year's May 2021 estimates were the first OEWS estimates to be based entirely on survey data collected using the 2018 Standard Occupational Classifications (SOC). May 2022 OEWS data are available for most 2018 SOC detailed occupations. To improve data quality, the OEWS program aggregates some occupations to the SOC broad occupation level or as OEWS-specific combinations of 2018 SOC detailed occupations. These include home health aides and personal care aides, for which OEWS will publish only the 2018 SOC broad occupation 31-1120 Home Health and Personal Care Aides.

Begining with last year's May 2021 estimates, the OEWS program has implemented a new estimation method. This model-based method, called MB3, has advantages over the previous estimation method, as described in this Monthly Labor Review article.

For Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics methodology: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_tec.htm

For assistance, please email Department of Economic Research.

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