Methodology

This page documents how we calculate the salary figures shown throughout the site.

Source data

Baseline figures come from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2024 release — the most recent comprehensive US wage survey published prior to 2026. OEWS covers ~150 million wage and salary workers across ~830 detailed occupations.

Projecting to 2026

BLS data published in 2024 reflects wages collected through May 2024. To project these forward to Q1 2026, we apply category-specific year-over-year wage growth rates derived from the BLS Employment Cost Index (ECI) and Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker. Growth rates vary by category:

• Healthcare: 5.0%/yr (acute labor shortage)
• Trades: 5.0%/yr (skilled labor shortage)
• Education: 4.0%/yr
• Public service: 4.0%/yr
• Hospitality: 4.5%/yr (post-pandemic catch-up)
• Finance: 3.5%/yr
• Legal: 3.5%/yr
• Administrative: 3.5%/yr
• Business: 3.0%/yr
• Engineering: 3.0%/yr
• Sales: 3.0%/yr
• Technology: 2.5%/yr (post-layoffs normalization)
• Creative: 2.5%/yr
• Real estate: 2.5%/yr

State adjustments

State-level pay is computed using state multipliers derived from BEA Regional Price Parity data (2023 release, adjusted) combined with C2ER Cost of Living Index Q4 2024. For specific occupations with strong geographic concentration (e.g., investment banking in NYC, petroleum engineering in TX/OK), we apply additional state-specific overrides.

Metro adjustments

Metro pay = 80% pure metro cost-of-labor multiplier + 20% home-state multiplier. This blend reflects how metro-level employers compete in both metro-level and state-level talent markets.

Percentile estimation

BLS publishes 25th, median, 75th, and 90th percentile wages. We use these directly at the national level. For state/metro percentiles, we apply the location multiplier uniformly across percentiles, which assumes percentile spreads scale linearly with location. This is a known simplification; in reality, percentile spreads compress slightly in higher-cost markets.

Experience tiers

BLS does not publish experience-tiered wages directly. Our experience multipliers (Entry: 0.70, Junior: 0.87, Mid: 1.00, Senior: 1.20, Veteran: 1.36) are derived from O*NET career path data combined with PayScale tenure-progression curves averaged across occupations. These are approximations; actual progression varies significantly by industry and role.

Known limitations

• We track base salary only. Total compensation (bonus, equity, benefits) can be 1.2–2.5x base in some industries, especially technology and finance.
• Our 100-job set is broad but not exhaustive. Niche specializations may not have a direct match.
• Projections assume stable macroeconomic conditions. Recessions, AI displacement shocks, or industry-specific disruptions can invalidate the projection within a year.
• Self-employed, gig, and contract workers are underrepresented in BLS data.

Corrections

We update data annually when new BLS releases come out (typically Q2). For specific corrections, contact us via the contact page.