Internal comp vs BLS OEWS benchmarks. by occupation and MSA
Market benchmarks without a consulting engagement. BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics pulled quarterly for your metropolitan area.
Schedule a demoInternal avg comp vs BLS P50. by occupation (% above or below market midpoint)
Sample data. illustrative only. BLS OEWS figures represent May 2024 MSA-level wage estimates.
- Registered Nurses (29-1141): internal avg $74,200 vs BLS P50 $89,100. 16.7% below market. With 62 RNs and a 24% turnover rate, this is your highest combined retention risk.
- Software Developers (15-1252): internal avg $104,800 vs BLS P50 $122,400. 14.4% below market P50. Below P25 ($108,600) for the MSA.
- First-Line Supervisors, Production (51-1011): internal avg $71,400 vs BLS P50 $68,900. 3.6% above market. In range; no action needed.
- Sales Reps, Wholesale (41-3099): internal avg $88,200 vs BLS P50 $72,100. 22.3% above P50. Review whether OTE structure is driving this or if base is misaligned.
AI-generated report (sample)
Four occupations are below the BLS P25 for the Minneapolis MSA. the most concerning are Registered Nurses and Software Developers, both of which also carry elevated turnover. Bringing these two occupations to P50 would cost an estimated $312K in annual payroll. That figure should be weighed against the $487K replacement cost incurred last year from turnover in these same groups. The math favors remediation. Recommend presenting this analysis to the CFO with the turnover cost data attached.
Why this matters for HR leaders
- The CHRO can walk into a comp review meeting with BLS MSA benchmarks by SOC code instead of vague "market data" from a salary survey subscription.
- P25/P50/P75 positioning per role makes the business case for remediation quantifiable. the budget ask becomes "here's the cost to stop losing people," not "trust me, we're underpaying."
- Quarterly OEWS refresh means the comparison doesn't go stale between annual performance cycles.
Compensation benchmarking detail. all tracked occupations
| Occupation | SOC | N | Internal Avg | BLS P25 | BLS P50 | BLS P75 | vs P50 | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 29-1141 | 62 | $74,200 | $72,100 | $89,100 | $109,400 | -16.7% | Below P25 |
| Software Developers | 15-1252 | 48 | $104,800 | $108,600 | $122,400 | $148,200 | -14.4% | Below P25 |
| Customer Service Reps | 43-4051 | 34 | $41,800 | $37,200 | $46,100 | $56,800 | -9.3% | P25–P50 |
| Accountants | 13-2011 | 9 | $72,400 | $60,100 | $77,200 | $98,400 | -6.2% | P25–P50 |
| HR Specialists | 13-1071 | 7 | $64,200 | $52,800 | $66,400 | $84,200 | -3.3% | P25–P50 |
| First-Line Supv, Prod | 51-1011 | 14 | $71,400 | $58,400 | $68,900 | $84,100 | +3.6% | P50–P75 |
| Market Research Analysts | 13-1161 | 8 | $78,100 | $62,400 | $76,200 | $98,600 | +2.5% | P50–P75 |
| Production Workers | 51-9199 | 61 | $44,800 | $36,200 | $43,100 | $54,200 | +4.0% | P50–P75 |
| Sales Reps, Wholesale | 41-3099 | 27 | $88,200 | $52,800 | $72,100 | $98,400 | +22.3% | Above P75 |
| Craft Workers | 47-2152 | 22 | $71,200 | $52,100 | $62,800 | $78,400 | +13.4% | Above P75 |
Sample data. illustrative only. BLS OEWS May 2024 Minneapolis–St. Paul MSA wage estimates. Real dashboard uses your HRIS comp data matched to quarterly BLS releases.
Stop guessing whether you're paying market. Know it.
BLS OEWS data for your MSA, matched to your SOC codes, updated quarterly. No salary survey subscription required.