Surveys and Data Collection
Have you been contacted to participate in the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Survey in conjunction with the Bureau of Labor Statistics? Learn more about the program and how to submit your information at www.mass.gov/OEWS.
Finding Cities and Towns in an Area
Much of the available Labor Market Information is sorted by geographical area. Different data collection programs utilize different groupings of cities and towns to sort data. Two common examples of city/town groupings include New England City and Town Area (NECTA) and Workforce Development Area (WDA). Some data is also grouped by county.
Click here to view the cities and towns included in each WDA, NECTA, and/or county.
Identifying Industry & Occupations
Understanding the industry and occupations that are most relevant to your business can help you navigate labor market information as an Employer.
Identifying an Industry
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is used to classify establishments into groups. There are twenty sectors that are divided further into more specific industries.
Click here to learn more about NAICS and search for codes on the US Census Website.
Identifying an Occupation
Labor Market Information data is frequently sorted by occupation/job title. Each occupation is assigned a Standard Occupational Code (SOC).
Click here to search for and/or browse occupation titles, descriptions and SOC codes.
Wage Information
Understanding the “going rate” for certain professions and industries can be particularly helpful to employers. If you’re interested in opening a new business, for example, wage information can help you determine costs. Wage information is also useful to existing employers as it can help them pay fair and competitive rates for their area.
Occupational Employment and Wages, by Occupation and Industry: To view this data, you must select an area type, (state-wide, WDA, or NECTA), then select the area name, and either search for or select a specific occupation. Results will include major industry categories in which this occupation is found, employment numbers, along with typical wage information broken out by hour, year, and experience level
Occupational Employment and Wages, by Industry: To view this data, you must select an area type (state-wide or WDA), then select the area name, and then select an Industry. Results will include occupations within the selected industry, employment numbers, and typical wage information for each occupation broken out by hour, year, and experience level.
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, by Occupation: To view this data, you must select an area type (state-wide, WDA, or NECTA), then select the area name, and either search for or select a specific occupation. Results will include employment numbers, typical yearly wage by experience level, and the typical educational requirements needed for entry.
Industry Projections
Industry employment projections use current and historical data to project how employment in various industries will change over time. Short-term and long-term Industry Employment Projections by Occupation are available.
Short Term Industry Projections by Occupation
Additional Resources
Commonwealth Corporation's HireNow Program: A grant program launched in March 2022 to assist eligible Massachusetts employers who hire and retain Massachusetts residents.
MassHire BizWorks: MassHire BizWorks offers a series of tools for companies within the Commonwealth to help them succeed
MassHire JobQuest for Employers: Help with recruitment and hiring, including free job postings
On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program: Get assistance with hiring and training new employees
Safety Grant Information: Information on the Department of Industrial Accidents’ Workplace Safety Training Grant
Workplace Training Fund Program: Information on the Commonwealth Corporation’s Workforce Training Fund Program for small to medium sized businesses