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Household and establishment survey response rates

Notice

  • BLS data collection was affected to differing degrees by the pandemic. Some surveys began to collect data in new ways because in-person visits were suspended and telephone collection centers were temporarily closed. Some survey respondents' availability, ability, or willingness to provide data was disrupted. For more details on data collection changes, please see our COVID-19 webpage.

Introduction

This page presents information on BLS establishment and household survey response rates—the percentage of the sample that responds to or participates in a survey. Response rates are usually calculated as:

Response Rate = (# units responding) / ((# units eligible)+ (# of units with eligibility undetermined))

Different surveys have different definitions of what is and isn’t eligible. Refer to survey response rate calculations for more detail.

Historically, survey response rates have been used as a measure of how representative a survey is of the sampled population.1 Response rates of surveys don't relate well to nonresponse bias, but the pattern of the response rates may give insights into survey processes. There are many reasons why response rates differ between surveys: the amount of time available to collect data, the mode of data collection, and constraints on who can respond. Changes in patterns that are similar between surveys might indicate a common cause, while rate changes unique to a survey might point to a change in methods.

This report groups similar surveys to allow for comparisons. For example, response rates from surveys collected from business establishments are shown together while those collected from households are shown together. Date ranges will vary from chart to chart depending on the most recent time period for which data are available.

Nonresponse bias links show examples of nonresponse bias studies (where available). Additional nonresponse bias studies may be found on the survey’s webpage, linked in the first column of each table.

Response rates on this webpage are updated quarterly.

Note

1Groves, R.M. & Peytcheva, E. (2008). "The impact of nonresponserates on nonresponse bias: a meta-analysis." Public Opinion Quarterly, 72(2), 167–189.

 

Chart 1. Household surveys

View Data

Notes

Telephone Point of Purchase Survey (TPOPS)

The drop in TPOPS response rates in 2012 is the result of the conversion from a landline only sample frame to a dual framesample design containing both landlines and cell phones. Additionally, TPOPS was discontinued in late 2019.

Consumer Price Index-Housing (CPI-Housing)

In March 2021 the CPI-Housing rate shown in Chart 1 was converted from a collection rate to an estimation rate, for consistency purposes with other surveys.

 

Household survey features
Survey Sample size Mandatory/
Voluntary
Frequency Collection methods Collection
period
Approximate survey length Nonresponse bias research

American Time Use Survey (ATUS)

2,060 households Voluntary Monthly Phone 8 weeks 18 min

Sources of nonresponse and effects on time use

Nonresponse effects on volunteering estimates

Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CE) — Diary

2,500 households Voluntary Monthly Diary 2 months 2 weeks Info

Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CE) — Interview

3,700 households Voluntary Monthly Personal visit, Phone 1 month 65 min Info

Consumer Price Index — Housing (CPI—Housing)

7,800 housing units Voluntary Monthly Personal visit, Phone 1 month 5 min Info

Current Population Survey (CPS)

60,000 households Voluntary Monthly Personal visit, Phone 10 days 10 min (varies by month) Info

Telephone Point of Purchase Survey (TPOPS)

33,000 households Voluntary Quarterly RDD(Random Digital Dialing), Phone 7 weeks 13 min Info

 

Chart 2. Establishment surveys: overall unit response rates

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Notes

Annual Refiling Survey (ARS)

In order to achieve the necessary savings for the funding level allocated to BLS in the Consolidated Appropriations Act,2014, the BLS reduced the scope and frequency of collection for select units in the ARS. For more information, refer to 2014 Budget Enacted for Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Consumer Price Index Commodities & Services (CPI C&S) and Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS)

The drop in CPI C&S and JOLTS response rates in October 2013 was due to the Federal Government Shutdown.

Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS)

The 1st sample in the second wave was collected between September 2018 and July 2019, prior to the pandemic. Response rates in the 2nd and 3rd samples, collected between September 2019 and July 2021, were impacted by the pandemic as personal visits were suspended between March 2020 and December 2021. BLS expanded the sample size from approximately 10,000 targeted establishments to 15,000 for the last two samples in the second wave. While lower establishment response rates were expected, the ORS program expected similar amounts of occupational observations as collected in the 1st sample necessary to meet publication standards. The enhanced collection approach prioritized cooperating establishments and minimized collection efforts on establishments lacking engagement, refusing cooperation, or providing incomplete data.

To better reflect the responding establishments used to produce the published estimates, BLS included establishment overlaps between samples in the same wave. Previously, sample overlaps were excluded from response rates which understated the 2022 rate by 1.1 percentage points and by 0.2 percentage points in 2018. BLS recalculated response rates going back to the start of the survey using the new approach.  

Establishment survey features
Survey Sample size Mandatory/
Voluntary
Frequency Collection methods Collection
period
Nonresponse bias research

Annual Refiling Survey (ARS)

1,200,000 establishments Mandatory in 26 states Annual Web 11 months Info

Consumer Price Index — Commodities & Services (CPI C&S)

138,000 price quotes Voluntary Monthly Personal visit, Web, Phone 20-22 business days NA

Current Employment Statistics Survey (CES)

651,000 establishments Voluntary Monthly CATI (ComputerAssisted Telephone Interviewing), EDI (ElectronicData Interchange), Web, Fax, TDE (TouchtoneData Entry), Other About 2 months Info

Employment Cost Index (ECI)

13,200 establishments Voluntary Quarterly Personal visit, Web, Fax, Phone, Mail, E-mail, Video 45 days NA

International Price Program — Exports (IPP-Exports)

5,400 price quotes Voluntary Annual Personal visit, Web 1 year Info

International Price Program — Imports (IPP-Imports)

9,175 price quotes Voluntary Annual Personal visit, Web 1 year Info

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS)

21,000 establishments Voluntary Monthly CATI,Web, E-mail, Fax About 45 days Info

Occupational Employment Statistics Survey (OES)

1,200,000 establishments Voluntary in most states Annual Mail, Fax, Phone, Web, E-mail About 6 months NA

Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS)

10,000-60,000 establishments Voluntary Annual Personal visit, Web, Fax, Phone, Mail, Email, Video 1 year NA

Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII)

230,000 establishments Mandatory Annual Mail, Fax, Phone, Web, E-mail 7 months Info

 

Chart 3. Establishment surveys: initiation

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Notes

Consumer Price Index — Commodities & Services (CPI C&S)

The CPI rate is an unweighted average over the most recent eight semi-annual initiation (collection) periods, whereas the other surveys' rates are calculated based on the most recent initiation (collection) period.

Employment Cost Index (ECI)

The higher than usual ECI initiation rates for September 2015, December 2015, March 2016, and June 2016, are due to higher response rates for the initiation of the state and local government sample, which occurs approximately every 10 years.

International Price Program – Exports (IPP-Exports) and International Price Program – Imports (IPP-Imports)

The IPP fields one import and one export sample each year. Each sample takes approximately 12-15 months to initiate. Themonth listed in the chart and initiation rate table is the end date for a particular initiation period of a sample.

Establishment survey initiation-rates
Survey Number of initiations
attempted annually
Mandatory/
Voluntary
Collection methods Collection
period

Consumer Price Index — Commodities & Services (CPI C&S)

10,500 establishments Voluntary Personal visit, Web February-July and August-January

Current Employment Statistics Survey (CES)

70,000 establishments Voluntary CATI 3 months

Employment Cost Index (ECI)

4,900 establishments Voluntary Personal visit, Web, Fax, Phone, Mail, E-mail,Video 45 days

International Price Program — Exports (IPP-Exports)

950 establishments Voluntary Personal visit, Video, Phone, Email.  2 years

International Price Program — Imports (IPP-Imports)

1,500 establishments Voluntary Personal visit, Video, Phone, Email 2 years

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS)

7,200 establishments Voluntary CATI 3 months

Producer Price Index (PPI), Initiation

4,500 establishments Voluntary  Personal visit, Video, Phone, Email 24-30 months

 

Chart 4. Establishment surveys: repricing or collection rate at first preliminary release

View data

Notes

General

These rates only include data received prior to the deadline for the first preliminary release for surveys that have multiple releases prior to the final release. Final release response rates for these surveys and for surveys that have only a single releasecan be found on chart 2.

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS)

The drop in JOLTS response rates in October 2013 was due to the Federal Government Shutdown.

 

Establishment surveys: repricing/collection at first preliminary release
Survey Sample size Mandatory/
Voluntary
Frequency Collection methods Collection
period

Current Employment Statistics Survey (CES)

651,000 establishments Voluntary Monthly CATI,EDI, Web, Fax, TDE, Other 10-16 business days

International Price Program — Exports (IPP-Exports)

8,650 items Voluntary Monthly Web, Email About 20 days

International Price Program — Imports (IPP-Imports)

13,400 items Voluntary Monthly Web, Email About 20 days

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS)

21,000 establishments Voluntary Monthly CATI,Web, E-mail, Fax 11-17 business days

Producer Price Index (PPI)

25,000 establishments Voluntary Monthly Web, Email 14-15 business days

 

Chart 5. Establishment surveys: repricing or collection rate at final release

View data

 

Establishment surveys: Repricing/collection at final release
Survey Sample size Mandatory/
Voluntary
Frequency Collection methods Collection
period

Consumer Price Index — Commodities & Services (CPI C&S)

138,000 price quotes Voluntary Monthly Personal visit, Web, Phone 20-22 business days

Current Employment Statistics Survey (CES)

651,000 establishments Voluntary Monthly CATI,EDI, TDE, Web, Fax, Other About 2 months

Employment Cost Index (ECI)

13,200 establishments Voluntary Quarterly Web, Fax, Phone, Mail, E-mail, Video 45 days

International Price Program — Exports (IPP-Exports)

8,650 items Voluntary Monthly Web 4 months

International Price Program — Imports (IPP-Imports)

13,400 items Voluntary Monthly Web 4 months

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS)

21,000 establishments Voluntary Monthly CATI,Web, E-mail, Fax About 45 days

Producer Price Index (PPI)

25,000 establishments Voluntary Monthly Web, Email 14-15 business days

 

Notes

Consumer Price Index Commodities & Services (CPI C&S) and Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS)

The drop in CPI C&S and JOLTS response rates in October 2013 was due to the Federal Government Shutdown.

For help on BLS response rates or comments about the web page please contact us.

 

Last Modified Date: March 1, 2024