Category
How to Use BLS & O*NET Data
Articles in How to Use BLS & O*NET Data.
Hourly vs Annual Trade Wages: Reading BLS's 2,080-Hour Conversion
BLS annual wages assume a 2,080-hour year. Trade crews rarely work one. This guide explains the conversion and which number to put in an hourly offer.
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How Current Is BLS Wage Data? The OEWS Three-Year Sample Explained
A May reference date does not mean every survey response is from May. Here is how the OEWS sample is built and how to account for data age in a trade offer.
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Missing BLS Wage Data for Your Trade? OEWS Suppression Explained
Blank cells and footnotes on a BLS OEWS page are not errors. Here is what suppression means and how to price a trade offer when your metro's numbers are missing.
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When Does BLS Release New Wage Data? The 2026 OEWS Schedule
Wages move every year. If your numbers are from last release, your offer may already be behind the market.
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Mean vs Median Wage: Which One Should Drive Your Trade Offer?
Mean and median aren't the same number - and using the wrong one can quietly inflate or deflate your offer.
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What Is an MSA, and Why Metro Wage Data Beats State Averages
Paying the California average to a Bay Area electrician is a fast way to lose them. Metro data is the fix.
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O*NET-SOC vs BLS SOC Codes: How the Two Datasets Connect
47-2111 or 47-2111.00? Here's why both exist and how joining them gives you wages plus the full job profile in one place.
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