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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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May 2021 OEWS Charts
Overview of May 2021 occupational employment and wages
Charts highlighting selected industry, occupation, and area data for May 2021.
Occupations with the highest location quotients in each state and area
For any state or area, this chart will show which occupations are most concentrated relative to the national average. To get started, click on the chart to the right, choose a state, then an area within the state or statewide. The chart will then show the occupations with the highest location quotients (1) in that area.
Largest occupations at the national, state, and area levels
The largest occupations in the U.S. include retail salespersons, cashiers, and general office clerks. To find the largest occupations in any area, click the chart to the right; select a state, then an area within the state or statewide.
Largest occupations in each industry
Each industry has a unique combination of workers. To see the largest occupations in each industry, click the chart on the right. You can select a particular sector for a broader combination of industries, or select detailed industries within each sector from the second drop down menu.
Industries with the highest levels of employment for each occupation
Some occupations, such as general office clerks, are found in a large number of industries, while others, such as avionics technicians, are concentrated in a smaller number of industries. To see the industries with the largest employment for over 800 occupations, click the chart to the right.
States with the highest levels of employment for each occupation
The larger states, including California, New York, and Texas have the most employment for many occupations. However, some occupations, such as logging equipment operators and tire builders, have more employment in some smaller states.
States with the highest location quotients for each occupation
Location quotients (1) are a convenient and useful tool for analyzing differences in the mix of occupations in states and metropolitan areas. While many occupations have most of their employment in large states, this measure shows the areas in which an occupation is most prevalent relative to the national average. LQs are the ratio of the area's concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average. To see the states with the highest location quotient, click the chart to the right.
Areas with the highest levels of employment for each occupation
Like large states, large metropolitan areas account for most of the employment for many occupations. Some occupations, such as ship engineers, are also found in smaller areas.
Areas with the highest location quotients for each occupation
Some occupations, like gaming dealers, are concentrated in a few geographic areas, while others, like coaches and scouts, are concentrated in a mix of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. To see the areas with the highest location quotient (1) of each occupation, click the chart to the right.
OEWS Mapping Tool
This mapping tool allows the user to first select a major occupational group, then a detailed occupation, and show either a State or MSA map by employment, location quotient (1), or mean wage.
(1) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022