The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a wealth of information for anyone interested in employment, labor market trends, and economic data in the United States. For career website owners and content creators, BLS tools and data are invaluable resources to enhance website content, provide users with up-to-date career information, and drive informed career decisions. This article outlines key BLS resources that can be seamlessly integrated into career websites to offer a richer user experience.
Inflation & Prices Data for Economic Context
Understanding inflation and price trends is crucial for assessing the real value of wages and the cost of living in different areas. BLS provides comprehensive price data through the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI).
| Database Name | Description | Top Picks | Data Finder | One Screen | Multi-Screen | Tables | Text Files |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Urban Consumers (Current Series) (CPI) | Measures the average change in prices paid by urban consumers for a basket of consumer goods and services. Useful for showing general inflation trends affecting purchasing power. | Top Picks for CPI | Data Finder for CPI | One Screen Data Search | Multi Screen Data Search | CPI Tables | CPI Text Files |
| Industry Data (PPI) | Tracks changes in prices received by domestic producers in various industries. Can be used to analyze industry-specific inflation and pricing pressures. | Top Picks for PPI Industry Data | Data Finder for PPI Industry Data | One Screen Data Search | Multi Screen Data Search | PPI Tables | PPI Text Files |
| Commodity Data (PPI) | Provides price indexes for commodities at various stages of processing. Useful for understanding commodity price fluctuations that can impact different sectors. | Top Picks for PPI Commodity Data | Data Finder for PPI Commodity Data | One Screen Data Search | Multi Screen Data Search | PPI Tables | PPI Text Files |
| Import/Export Price Indexes (IPP) | Measures price changes for goods and services traded internationally. Relevant for websites focusing on global careers or international economics. | Top Picks for Import/Export Price Indexes | Data Finder for Import/Export Price Indexes | One Screen Data Search | Multi Screen Data Search | IPP Tables | IPP Text Files |
These datasets can be utilized on career websites to create cost of living calculators, regional economic profiles, or articles discussing the impact of inflation on specific industries and job sectors.
Employment Statistics for Job Market Insights
For career websites, employment data is paramount. BLS offers a range of employment statistics, from monthly employment figures to long-term occupational projections.
| Database Name | Description | Special Notice | Top Picks | Data Finder | One Screen | Multi-Screen | Tables | Text Files |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment, Hours, and Earnings – National (CES) | Provides monthly data on employment, average weekly hours, and average hourly earnings for the nation. Essential for tracking national job growth and wage trends. | Special Notice for CES National | Top Picks for CES National | Data Finder for CES National | One Screen Data Search | Multi Screen Data Search | CES National Tables | CES National Text Files |
| Employment, Hours, and Earnings – State and Metro Area (CES) | Offers employment, hours, and earnings data at the state and metropolitan area level, allowing for localized job market analysis. | Special Notice for CES State and Metro Area | Top Picks for CES State and Metro Area | Data Finder for CES State and Metro Area | One Screen Data Search | Multi Screen Data Search | CES State and Metro Area Tables | CES State and Metro Area Text Files |
| Labor Force Statistics (CPS) | Presents comprehensive data on the labor force, including employment and unemployment rates, derived from the Current Population Survey. | Top Picks for CPS | Data Finder for CPS | One Screen Data Search | CPS Tables | CPS Text Files | ||
| Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) | Provides insights into job openings, hires, and separations, offering a dynamic view of labor demand and turnover. | Special Notice for JOLTS | Top Picks for JOLTS | One Screen Data Search | Multi Screen Data Search | JOLTS Text Files | ||
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) | Delivers detailed employment and wage data for hundreds of occupations across various industries and geographic areas. Crucial for salary benchmarking and career path exploration. | Data Finder for OEWS | One Screen Data Search | OEWS Tables | OEWS Text Files | |||
| Employment Projections | Offers long-term projections of employment by industry and occupation, essential for understanding future job market trends. | Multi Screen Data Search for Employment Projections | Employment Projections Tables |
Career websites can leverage this employment data to create job market analysis reports, salary comparison tools, and features highlighting in-demand occupations and industries.
Image alt text: Data finder icon from Bureau of Labor Statistics website, used to locate specific occupational employment and wage statistics.
Unemployment Data for Labor Market Health Assessment
Unemployment statistics are key indicators of labor market health. BLS provides data on national and local unemployment rates.
| Database Name | Description | Top Picks | Data Finder | One Screen | Multi-Screen | Tables | Text Files |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Force Statistics including the National Unemployment Rate (CPS) | Provides the national unemployment rate as part of broader labor force statistics. | Top Picks for CPS | Data Finder for CPS | One Screen Data Search | CPS Tables | CPS Text Files | |
| Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) | Offers unemployment rates and labor force data for states, counties, and metropolitan areas, enabling localized labor market analysis. | Top Picks for LAUS | Data Finder for LAUS | One Screen Data Search | Multi Screen Data Search | LAUS Tables | LAUS Text Files |
Integrating unemployment data into career websites allows users to understand the job market conditions in different regions, which is crucial for job seekers considering relocation or targeting specific geographic areas.
Pay & Benefits Data for Compensation Benchmarking
Accurate compensation data is vital for both job seekers and employers. BLS offers detailed information on wages, earnings, and employee benefits.
| Database Name | Description | Special Notice | Top Picks | Data Finder | One Screen | Multi-Screen | Tables | Text Files |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modeled Wage Estimates | Provides wage estimates generated using statistical models, offering comprehensive wage data across occupations and regions. | Top Picks for Wage Modeling | Data Finder for Wage Modeling | One Screen Data Search | Multi Screen Data Search | Wage Modeling Tables | Wage Modeling Text Files | |
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) | As mentioned earlier, OEWS includes extensive wage data alongside employment figures, making it a comprehensive resource for compensation research. | Data Finder for OEWS | One Screen Data Search | OEWS Tables | OEWS Text Files | |||
| Weekly & Hourly Earnings (CPS) | Tracks weekly and hourly earnings of wage and salary workers, offering insights into earnings trends. | Top Picks for CPS earnings | Data Finder for CPS earnings | One Screen Data Search | CPS Earnings Tables | CPS Earnings Text Files | ||
| Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC) | Provides data on employer costs for wages, salaries, and benefits, crucial for understanding the total compensation package. | Top Picks for ECEC | Data Finder for ECEC | One Screen Data Search | Multi Screen Data Search | ECEC Tables | ECEC Text Files | |
| Benefit Incidence & Provisions (NCS Benefits) | Offers data on the availability and details of various employee benefits, such as health insurance and retirement plans. | Top Picks for NCS Benefits | Data Finder for NCS Benefits | Multi Screen Data Search | NCS Benefits Tables | NCS Benefits Text Files |
Career websites can integrate this pay and benefits data to offer salary estimators, benefit comparison tools, and articles on compensation trends and best practices.
Image alt text: Top Picks icon from Bureau of Labor Statistics, used to quickly access popular data sets like the Employment Cost Index.
Spending & Time Use Data for Work-Life Balance Insights
Beyond traditional labor market data, BLS also provides insights into consumer spending and time use, which can be relevant for career websites addressing work-life balance and lifestyle considerations.
| Database Name | Description | Top Picks | Data Finder | One Screen | Multi-Screen | Tables | Text Files |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE) | Provides data on household spending habits, which can be used to understand consumer behavior and spending patterns related to different careers and lifestyles. | Top Picks for Consumer Expenditure | Data Finder for Consumer Expenditure | One Screen Data Search | Multi Screen Data Search | Consumer Expenditure Tables | Consumer Expenditure Text Files |
| American Time Use Survey (ATUS) | Offers data on how Americans spend their time, including time spent working, commuting, and on leisure activities. Valuable for articles and tools related to work-life balance and time management in different professions. | Top Picks for ATUS | Data Finder for ATUS | One Screen Data Search | ATUS Tables | ATUS Text Files |
This data can enhance career websites by providing content on work-life balance in different professions, regional lifestyle comparisons based on spending habits, and time management advice tailored to specific career paths.
Productivity Data for Industry Performance Analysis
Productivity data from BLS can be used to assess the performance and efficiency of different industries, providing context for career opportunities and industry growth potential.
| Database Name | Description | Top Picks | Data Finder | One Screen | Multi-Screen | Tables | Text Files |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major Sector Quarterly Labor Productivity and Costs | Tracks labor productivity and costs for major economic sectors, providing a macro-level view of productivity trends. | Top Picks for Productivity and Costs | Data Finder for Productivity and Costs | One Screen Data Search | Multi Screen Data Search | Productivity and Costs Tables | Productivity and Costs Text Files |
| Detailed Industry Productivity | Offers detailed productivity measures for specific industries, allowing for in-depth analysis of industry-level efficiency and growth. | Top Picks for Industry Productivity | Data Finder for Industry Productivity | One Screen Data Search | Multi Screen Data Search | Industry Productivity Tables | Industry Productivity Text Files |
Career websites can use productivity data to create industry outlook reports, articles on high-growth sectors, and analyses of the impact of technology and innovation on job creation and industry evolution.
Workplace Injuries Data for Safety Considerations
Information on workplace injuries and illnesses is important for career websites addressing job safety and risk factors in different occupations.
| Database Name | Description | Special Notice | Top Picks | Data Finder | One Screen | Multi-Screen | Tables | Text Files |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) | Tracks fatal work injuries, providing critical data on workplace fatalities across industries and occupations. | Special Notice for Fatal Occupational Injuries | Top Picks for Fatal Occupational Injuries | One Screen Data Search | Multi Screen Data Search | CFOI Tables | CFOI Text files | |
| Biennial Nonfatal Case and Demographic numbers and rates | Provides data on nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses, including demographic characteristics and case circumstances. | Top Picks for Nonfatal cases | One Screen Data Search | Multi Screen Data Search | Nonfatal cases Tables | Nonfatal cases Text Files | ||
| Occupational Injuries and Illnesses: Industry Data | Offers industry-specific data on workplace injuries and illnesses, allowing for comparisons of safety records across different sectors. | Special Notice for Industry Occupational Injuries and Illnesses | Top Picks for Industry Occupational Injuries and Illnesses | Data Finder for Industry Occupational Injuries and Illnesses | Multi Screen Data Search | Industry Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Tables | Industry Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Text Files |
Career websites focused on specific industries or job types can use this data to provide safety ratings, risk assessments, and information on workplace safety regulations and best practices.
Image alt text: Special notice icon from Bureau of Labor Statistics, indicating important updates or changes in data collection for Fatal Occupational Injuries.
Occupational Requirements Data for Job Role Understanding
The Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS) provides detailed information on the physical demands, environmental conditions, and cognitive and mental requirements of various occupations.
| Database Name | Description | Data Finder |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Requirements Survey | Offers comprehensive data on job requirements, aiding in job matching, career counseling, and understanding the demands of different professions. | Data Finder for Occupational Requirements Survey |
Career websites can use ORS data to create detailed job descriptions, career exploration tools that match user skills and preferences to job requirements, and content advising job seekers on the physical and mental demands of different careers.
Regional Resources for Localized Career Information
BLS provides regional information offices that offer localized data and analysis.
| Database Name | Description | Special Notice | Top Picks | Tables |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Information Office | Provides regional data and analysis for the Northeast region of the U.S. | Special Notice for the Northeast Office | Top Picks for the Boston Office | Tables for the Boston Office |
| Mid-Atlantic Information Office | Regional data and analysis for the Mid-Atlantic region. | Special Notice for the Philadelphia Office | Top Picks for the Philadelphia Office | Tables for the Philadelphia Office |
| Southeast Information Office | Regional data for the Southeast. | Special Notice for the Atlanta Office | Top Picks for the Atlanta Office | Tables for the Atlanta Office |
| Midwest Information office | Regional data for the Midwest. | Special Notice for the Chicago Office | Top Picks for the Chicago Office | Tables for the Chicago Office |
| Southwest Information Office | Regional data for the Southwest. | Special Notice for the Dallas Office | Top Picks for the Dallas Office | Tables for the Dallas Office |
| Mountain-Plains Information Office | Regional data for the Mountain-Plains area. | Special Notice for the Kansas City Office | Top Picks for the Kansas City Office | Tables for the Kansas City Office |
| Western Information Office | Regional data for the Western U.S. | Special Notice for the San Francisco Office | Top Picks for the San Francisco Office | Tables for the San Francisco Office |
Career websites can direct users to these regional resources for more localized labor market data, economic analysis, and career advice relevant to specific geographic areas.
Public Data API for Direct Data Integration
For advanced users, BLS offers a Public Data API, enabling direct access to raw economic data for seamless integration into websites and applications.
| Public Data API | Description |
|---|---|
| BLS Public Data API | Allows developers to programmatically access BLS data, enabling real-time data integration into career websites, applications, and tools. |
By utilizing the BLS API, career websites can offer dynamic data visualizations, real-time job market dashboards, and interactive tools that provide users with the most current labor market information.
Conclusion
The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a vast array of tools and data that are exceptionally valuable for career websites. By leveraging these resources, website owners can offer users richer, data-driven content, enhance user engagement, and establish their platforms as authoritative sources for career information. From basic data lookups to advanced API integrations, BLS tools empower career websites to provide essential insights into the labor market, helping users make informed decisions about their professional journeys.
