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Occupational Requirements Survey
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The Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS) is a product of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The ORS provides job-related information regarding physical demands; environmental conditions; education, training, and experience; as well as cognitive and mental requirements for jobs in the U.S. economy.
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Latest Numbers
Physical demands of civilian workers
Sedentary work strength level
29.3% in 2023
Light work strength level
32.9% in 2023
Medium work strength level
28.6% in 2023
Heavy work strength level
8.2% in 2023
Very heavy work strength level
1.0% in 2023
Environmental conditions of civilian workers
Exposed to outdoors
33.0% in 2023
Quiet noise intensity level
13.5% in 2023
Moderate noise intensity level
80.2% in 2023
Loud noise intensity level
6.1% in 2023
Education, training, and experience of civilian workers
No minimum education requirement
30.0% in 2023
High school diploma education requirement
40.1% in 2023
Associate's degree education requirement
4.3% in 2023
Bachelor's degree education requirement
19.3% in 2023
Master's degree education requirement
2.5% in 2023
Professional degree education requirement
1.4% in 2023
Cognitive and mental requirements of civilian workers
Interaction with the general public
79.2% in 2023
Varying work pace
52.9% in 2023
Telework available
11.4% in 2023
Historical Data
News Release
News Releases
A consistent and generally fast work pace is required for 38.9% of workers in 2023
02/08/2024
A consistent and generally fast work pace was required for 38.9 percent of workers in 2023. Machinery, equipment, or software controlled the workload for 2.2 percent of workers, work was reviewed by a supervisor more than once per day for 33.3 percent, and 62.4 percent had a supervisor present.
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Next Release
The Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS) for
2024
is scheduled to be released on
November 19, 2024
at 10:00 A.M. Eastern Time.
Publications
The Economics Daily
The average job required 1,021 days of prior work experience in 2022
Prior work experience was required for 47.5 percent of workers and on-the-job training was required for 79.0 percent. On average in 2022, workers were required to have 1,021 days of previous experience. Prior work experience required for management occupations was an average of 1,996 days, while community and social services occupations required 723 days. read more »
Monthly Labor Review
Has the pandemic permanently changed job requirements?
This article reports on an examination of whether the pandemic led to changes in job requirements measured in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Requirements Survey. read more »
Beyond the Numbers
Minds at work: what’s required according to the Occupational Requirements Survey
How much problem-solving time goes into an architect’s job? What types of mental capabilities are required of employees who work in a telework environment? What types of interpersonal skills are required for customer service jobs? Mental and cognitive job requirements provide job seekers with important information on the soft skills needed for specific jobs and a sense of the demands of different occupations read more »