Methodology and data sources
Primary wage data
All salary figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. The OEWS program surveys employers and publishes wage estimates by occupation for the nation, each state, and each metropolitan statistical area (MSA). We use the May 2025 release, the most recent available.
Occupation and location data
Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills, technology skills, related occupations, and alternate job titles come from the O*NET 29.0 database published by the U.S. Department of Labor. City and state names, coordinates, and populations come from U.S. Census Bureau gazetteer and population-estimate files.
Geographic granularity
BLS publishes wages nationally, by state, and by metro area — not by city. For city pages we map the city to the metropolitan statistical area that contains it and clearly label the figure as a metro-area estimate. When an occupation is too small to report in an area, BLS suppresses the value and we fall back to the state or national figure, noting the substitution.
Definitions
- Median
- The midpoint of the wage distribution: half of workers in the occupation earn more, half earn less.
- Average (mean)
- Total wages divided by total employment. It is usually higher than the median because a small number of very high earners pull it upward.
- Percentiles
- The 10th percentile is the wage below which 10% of workers fall; the 90th percentile is the wage above which only 10% fall. We show the 10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th.
- Hourly and annual
- Annual figures are the OEWS published annual wages. Hourly conversions shown in the calculator divide annual pay by the hours and weeks you enter; the site default assumes 2,080 hours per year.
Limitations
These are statistical estimates, not offers. Actual pay varies with experience, education, certifications, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use the figures as a guide and always confirm with current, local sources. See our about page for how to contact us about corrections.