Publications

UPDATED! Oklahoma Job Quarterly Earnings Percentile Changes: All Industries, Mining, Manufacturing, and Health for Years 2012 to 2022  This report is an update of our previous year's 2009 to 2019 report, providing a new 10-year, 3-year, and 1-year percentile earnings for all industries and a comparison of the percentile earnings for the same periods for the select industries of mining, manufacturing, and health care. Agency administrative earnings records were used to construct a 10-year history as well as recent year changes in earnings as measured in percentiles.

Entrepreneurship and the Oklahoma Economy
Entrepreneurship plays a vital role in both national and statewide economic growth. This report provides highlights for Oklahoma from data produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Business Employment Dynamics (BED) program, providing insight on the contribution of young and small businesses to the overall number of businesses and jobs in the economy. 

Job Flows Into and Within Oklahoma: 1st Quarter 2015 to 1st Quarter 2018
The U.S. Census Bureau’s Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) program provides information about the origin and destination of workers changing jobs. Job-to-Job Flows (J2J) is a new set of statistics on worker reallocation in the United States constructed from the LEHD data. These job-to-job flow statistics show the age, gender, industries, and geographic location of workers entering and leaving Oklahoma. They also provide insights on job movements across industries within the state.

Changes in Oklahoma’s Labor Force Participation Help Explain Recent Job Gains
The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas recently completed an analysis of changes in the U.S. labor force participation rate and how that might explain job creation even as the unemployment rate reached historically low levels. Has Oklahoma’s labor market followed the trends observed nationally? This analysis investigates the answer to that question.

2021 Update! Oklahoma Unemployment Insurance Tax Rates by Industry, Establishment Size and County
This report provides a detailed analysis and comparison of Oklahoma Unemployment Insurance contributions and tax rates between 1st quarter 2016 and 1st quarter 2021 by industry, establishment size and county. Presented in an easy to grasp ‘chart book’ format, the report also offers a brief overview of the Oklahoma Unemployment Insurance system and examines the performance of Oklahoma’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund over the past ten years.

2024 UPDATED! Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Periodic Table (poster)
This poster provides information on STEM occupations, including Physics and Astronomy, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Chemistry, Geoscience, and Life Science. The poster looks at the projected employment, average annual wage, and typical education for these occupations. The charts compare average annual wages and long-term projections for non-STEM and STEM occupations in Oklahoma and nationwide. The charts also compare the typical education needed for entry into non-STEM and STEM occupations.

2024 NEW! STEM Occupations and Employment: A Brief Review for Oklahoma
Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workers drive innovation and competitiveness by generating new ideas, new companies and new industries. STEM occupations include a wide range of scientific and technical job categories. Educational requirements for STEM occupations vary from a high school diploma and on-the-job training to a Ph.D. Growing demand for technological advances means more jobs for STEM workers in the future.

Updated! After the Downturn: An Analysis of Oklahoma Mining UI Claimants Post 1st Quarter 2015, Employment and Earnings
Unemployment Insurance (UI) records and our Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program (QCEW) was used to construct a post-downturn ten quarter history of mining employment and earnings. This was done by identifying 4,481 UI individual claimants in the 1st quarter 2015 downturn and tracing their employment and earnings over the succeeding ten quarters.

Business Establishment Survival in Oklahoma 2016: Younger vs. Older Business Establishments
Entrepreneurship plays an important role in a healthy labor market. Many new businesses open each year, while others are forced to close. The churning of jobs and employers created by this process drives Oklahoma’s economy. This publication presents data about younger Oklahoma businesses and how they performed compared to older businesses in terms of jobs gained and lost, business births and deaths, and survival rates.

Oklahoma Restaurant Employment and All Industry Employment: A 10-year Trend Analysis Comparison (Phase I)
The following analysis uses Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) data for Oklahoma to compare NAICS 7225 Restaurants and other eating places and total, all industries employment over a 10-year period from 1st quarter 2006 to 4th quarter 2015. This analysis will also examine industry employment growth in different geographic regions of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Restaurant Employment and All Industry Employment: A 10-year Trend Analysis Comparison (Phase II)
The following analysis uses data from the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) program. Oklahoma private employer data for employee characteristics for NAICS 7225 Restaurants and Other Eating Places and for the all industries aggregate, were extracted and analyzed for the 10-year period from 1st quarter 2006 to 4th quarter 2015, when the quarter was available. Oklahoma geological areas of statewide and (NEW) each of the four MSAs were also extracted and examined.

Oklahoma Energy and Other Oklahoma Industries
The analysis in this report takes an exploratory qualitative comparative approach in examining the detailed relationships between Oklahoma energy industries, individual Oklahoma industries and an aggregate of all Oklahoma industries. This innovative approach consists of correlating, scale measuring, score tabulation and ranking of bivariate correlation scale scores; between the employment and earnings of individual industries, energy industries, Baker-Hughes Total US Land Rig Counts and aggregate of all Oklahoma industries.

EMPLOYMENT CHANGE, PHASE I: A Comparative Study of Employment Change in McCurtain County, Texas County and Oklahoma by Firm and Employee Characteristics
Why are there historically large differences in the unemployment rates in different areas of Oklahoma? This analysis examines employment trends in McCurtain County, Oklahoma and Texas County, Oklahoma along with statewide Oklahoma using the U.S. Census Bureau's Longitudinal Employer Dynamics (LED) Quarterly Workforce Indicators (QWI) to determine whether differing characteristics of employees and establishments in these areas might be related to their having historical employment change differences.

EMPLOYMENT CHANGE, PHASE II: A Comparative Study of Employment Change in McCurtain County and Texas County by Firm Location and Size
Why are there historically large differences in the unemployment rates in different areas of Oklahoma? Using the findings of the previous Phase I of this study, two new hypotheses are formulated as determinates of the historical differences in employment change rates in McCurtain County, Oklahoma and Texas County, Oklahoma. This five-step analysis uses OESC’s administrative unemployment insurance (UI) claim records, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) employment data, and Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) workforce, employment and unemployment data over the time interval from January 2014 through June 2017.

EMPLOYMENT CHANGE, PHASE III: A Comparison of Two Oklahoma Border Counties’ Employment Dynamics, Including Adjacent In-State and Out-of-State Counties
The two Oklahoma geographical areas described in the Phase II analysis, McCurtain County and Texas County as central counties are expanded in this Phase III analysis to also include the counties in adjacent states surrounding these two central counties. Three new hypotheses were proposed for testing in the Phase III analysis. This six-step analysis uses OESC’s administrative unemployment insurance (UI) claim records, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) employment data, and Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) workforce, employment and unemployment data over the time interval from January 2014 through June 2017.

Oklahoma Job Quarterly Earnings Percentile Changes: All Industries, Mining, Manufacturing, and Health for Years 2009 to 2019  This report is an update of our previous year's 2008 to 2018 four reports, providing a new 10-year, 3-year, and 1-year percentile earnings for all industries and a comparison of the percentile earnings for the same periods for the select industries of mining, manufacturing, and health care. Agency administrative earnings records were used to construct a 10-year history as well as recent year changes in earnings as measured in percentiles

Oklahoma Health Industry and All Industry Employment and Earnings: A Trend Analysis Comparison of Change by Age and Gender, 2011 to 2020
The following study updates a previous trend analysis of employment and earnings in ambulatory health care services, hospitals, and nursing and residential care facilities industries using data from the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics program.

Rural Oklahoma Health Industry and All Industry Employment and Earnings: A Trend Analysis Comparison of Change by Age and Gender, 2001 to 2017
This study is the second in a series of trend analysis of employment and earnings in ambulatory health care services, hospitals, and nursing and residential care facilities industries focusing on rural Oklahoma.

UPDATED! Urban Oklahoma Health Industry and All Industry Employment and Earnings: A Trend Analysis Comparison of Change by Age and Gender, 2012 to 2021
This updated study is the third in a series of trend analyses of employment and earnings in ambulatory health care services, hospitals, and nursing and residential care facilities industries. Using data from the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics program, this urban study makes weighty comparisons with our previous rural Oklahoma analysis; both studies meaningful and timely, considering the increasing industry workforce portion approaching retirement age findings and the anticipated increasing health needs of Oklahoma’s aging population.

Oklahoma Job Quarterly Earnings Percentile Changes: All Industries, Mining, Manufacturing and Health 2008-2018
This report is an update of our previous year’s 2007 to 2017 four reports, providing a new 10-year, 3-year and 1-year percentile earnings for all industries and a comparison of the percentile earnings for the same periods for the select industries of mining, manufacturing and health care. Agency administrative earnings records were used to construct a ten year history and recent year changes in earnings as measured by percentiles.

Oklahoma Job Quarterly Earnings Percentile Changes: All Industries, Mining, Manufacturing and Health 2007-2017
This report is an update of our previous year’s 2006 to 2016 four reports, and as such, provides new 10-year, 3-year and 1-year percentile earnings for all industries and then provides and compares the percentile earnings for the same periods for the select industries of mining, manufacturing and health care. The agency administrative earnings records were used to construct a ten year history and recent year changes in earnings as measured by percentiles.

Oklahoma Job Quarterly Earnings Percentile Changes: All Industries 2005-2015
This report is an analysis for the earnings of an aggregate of all industries. Our agency administrative earnings records was used to construct and compare a ten year history and four year recent changes in earnings as measured by percentiles. This report includes percentile dollar amount change and percentile percent change.

Oklahoma Job Quarterly Earnings Percentile Changes: 2015 Manufacturing Report
Since manufacturing is Oklahoma’s third largest in employment and second largest in payroll size, a trend analysis of the industry’s earnings percentile change is important to understanding Oklahoma’s overall economic health. This analysis also chronicles manufacturing’s previous employment decline and recent indications of possible renewed manufacturing employment growth.

Oklahoma Job Quarterly Earnings Percentile Changes: 2015 Health Report
A trend analysis of Oklahoma’s largest health industry’s job earnings percentile change is needed and a helpful addition to the list of Oklahoma economic indicators, especially in view of the state’s demographically aging population and our growing need for employees in the health care professions.

Oklahoma Job Quarterly Earnings Percentile Changes: 2015 Mining Report
An analysis of the percentile earnings changes in Oklahoma’s mining industry provides an important indicator of economic and business trends as well as job growth for the state. The data used in this publication is our agency’s administrative earnings records to construct a 10-year history of changes in earnings as measured by percentiles for the mining industry, as previously done for an aggregate of all Oklahoma industries.

Characteristics of Hispanic and Latino Workers in Oklahoma, 2001-2021
In Oklahoma, the number of Hispanic and Latino workers has more than doubled over the past 20 years, forming an integral and essential part of the state's workforce. This report covers employment trends in this segment of Oklahoma's workforce from 2001 to 2020 using the Census Bureau's Quarterly Workforce Indicators (QWI) dataset.

UPDATED! Characteristics of Female Workers in Oklahoma
The rapid rise in women’s labor force participation was a major development in the labor market during the second half of the 20th century. This updated report re-examines trends in the female workforce in Oklahoma from 2001 to 2020 using the Census Bureau's Quarterly Workforce Indicators (QWI) dataset.

UPDATED! Characteristics of Older Workers in Oklahoma
This updated report provides data from 2001 to 2020 on Oklahoma's workforce who are age 65 and older. In addition to analyzing trends in Oklahoma's workers age 65 and older, this report also provides comparisons of trends among all age groups using the Census Bureau's Quarterly Workforce Indicators (QWI) dataset.

Oklahoma Youth Labor Force
This publication examines the youth labor force in Oklahoma, comparing it to national trends. It also looks at labor force participation rates and unemployment data segmented by selected age groups from 1999 to 2014. Finally, the study examines youth employment and earnings by industry in Oklahoma from 2000 to 2014.

Oklahoma's Economic Indicators
A monthly update of economic conditions for both Oklahoma and the U.S., including output, employment, manufacturing activity, construction, income and spending, as well as special reports. Presented in an easy to understand format, the source and importance of each economic indicator is provided, along with current trends and developments. Giving the reader a timely and complete picture of the statewide and national economies.

2024 Oklahoma Annual Economic Report
This annual publication examines long-term economic trends both statewide and nationally covering various aspects of economic performance, labor market dynamics, consumer spending and income, and more..

State Rankings
This summary of state rankings provides comparisons between Oklahoma and the rest of the nation using 25 key labor market indicators.

Oklahoma Digital Skills Project                                                                                                        Based on a 2017 Brookings Institute study that created a digital scoring system for most of the detailed occupational classifications, this short paper is a briefing of our efforts to better understand how digital skills affect our labor markets. Our methodology applied the scores developed by the Brookings Institute and matched them with occupational wage estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program and long-term occupational employment projections. 

Oklahoma Employment and Wage Report
The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey is a semiannual mail survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments. The results if this survey are included in this report.

Oklahoma Occupational Projections Chart Book
This publication contains industry and occupational employment projections data combined with average earnings and educational and skill requirements. Job seekers along with school and career counselors may find this publication very useful in identifying good paying and in-demand career clusters.

Oklahoma Labor Force Data
This publication includes the civilian labor force data, employed, unemployed, and the unemployment rate for the state, nation, county and metropolitan statistical areas.

Oklahoma CES Benchmark Report
Each year, the Current Employment Statistics Program (CES) survey of nonfarm establishments undergoes a benchmarking process, which is a revision of previously published monthly employment, hours, and earning estimates. The benchmarking process involves replacing sample-based estimates with universe counts of employment provided primarily from Unemployment Insurance (UI) tax reports.

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
This publication contains average annual employment and payroll figures for the state and each county. In addition, covered employment and average weekly earnings figures are included by major industry division for every county in the state and the Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Lawton Metropolitan Statistical Areas.

Oklahoma Business Employment Dynamics
Oklahoma's economy is constantly changing as businesses open, close, grow, and contract. The Oklahoma Business Employment Dynamics (BED) publication tracks and explains these changes each quarter. By highlighting data at the establishment level, this publication provides economists, policymakers, and the business community with a more complete picture of how changes in individual businesses impact the state’s employment growth.

2023 Oklahoma Workforce Briefing
This state briefing reviews Oklahoma’s population, educational attainment and assets, labor force information, top industry data, and target sectors. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission prepares briefings for each of Oklahoma’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and Nonmetropolitan Areas.

2023 Oklahoma City MSA Local Briefing
This local briefing reviews Oklahoma City MSA’s population, educational attainment and assets, labor force information, top industry data, and target and complementary sectors. The Oklahoma City MSA is one of five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission prepares briefings for each of the Metropolitan and four Nonmetropolitan Areas, including a state-level briefing.

2023 Tulsa MSA Local Briefing
This local briefing reviews Tulsa MSA’s population, educational attainment and assets, labor force information, top industry data, and target and complementary sectors. The Tulsa MSA is one of five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission prepares briefings for each of the Metropolitan and four Nonmetropolitan Areas, including a state-level briefing.

2023 Lawton MSA Local Briefing
This local briefing reviews Lawton MSA’s population, educational attainment and assets, labor force information, top industry data, and target and complementary sectors. The Lawton MSA is one of five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission prepares briefings for each of the Metropolitan and four Nonmetropolitan Areas, including a state-level briefing.

2023 Enid MSA Local Briefing
This local briefing reviews Enid MSA’s population, educational attainment and assets, labor force information, top industry data, and target and complementary sectors. The Enid MSA is one of five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission prepares briefings for each of the Metropolitan and four Nonmetropolitan Areas, including a state-level briefing.

2023 Fort Smith MSA Local Briefing
This local briefing reviews the Oklahoma portion of the Fort Smith MSA’s population, educational attainment and assets, labor force information, top industry data, and target and complementary sectors. The Oklahoma portion of the Fort Smith MSA is one of five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission prepares briefings for each of the Metropolitan and four Nonmetropolitan Areas, including a state-level briefing

2023 Southwest Nonmetropolitan Area Local Briefing
This local briefing reviews the Southwest Nonmetropolitan Area’s population, educational attainment and assets, labor force information, top industry data, and target and complementary sectors. The Southwest Nonmetropolitan Area is one of four Nonmetropolitan Areas in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission prepares briefings for the four Nonmetropolitan Areas and each of the five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), including a state-level briefing.

2023 Northeast Nonmetropolitan Area Local Briefing
This local briefing reviews the Northeast Nonmetropolitan Area’s population, educational attainment and assets, labor force information, top industry data, and target and complementary sectors. The Northeast Nonmetropolitan Area is one of four Nonmetropolitan Areas in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission prepares briefings for the four Nonmetropolitan Areas and each of the five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), including a state-level briefing.

2023 Northwest Nonmetropolitan Area Local Briefing
This local briefing reviews the Northwest Nonmetropolitan Area’s population, educational attainment and assets, labor force information, top industry data, and target and complementary sectors. The Northwest Nonmetropolitan Area is one of four Nonmetropolitan Areas in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission prepares briefings for the four Nonmetropolitan Areas and each of the five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), including a state-level briefing.

2023 Southeast Nonmetropolitan Area Local Briefing
This local briefing reviews the Southeast Nonmetropolitan Area’s population, educational attainment and assets, labor force information, top industry data, and target and complementary sectors. The Southeast Nonmetropolitan Area is one of four Nonmetropolitan Areas in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission prepares briefings for the four Nonmetropolitan Areas and each of the five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), including a state-level briefing.

PY 2023 OESC LMI Annual Performance Report  The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) Economic Research & Analysis Division collects information with the help of employers, the public, government agencies, and various other entitiies. The Labor Market Information (LMI) unit is a part of the division. It's our mission to produce, analyze, and deliver timely and reliable labor market statistics to improve economic decision-making. In accordance with the Employment and Training Administration's (ETA) guidelines for grant deliverables for Program Year 2022, the accomplishments of OESC's LMI unit are outlined in this report.

OESC Benefits Survey 2005
This survey contains results calculated from the responses of over 1,900 Oklahoma firms and is reported according to Industry, Firms Size and Employee Category (Salaried, Full-time Hourly and Part-time Hourly).

2014 Oklahoma Employer Benefit Survey
This comprehensive survey of state worker benefits compiles information on leave, health benefits, retirement benefits, and other fringe benefits. The 2014 Oklahoma Employer Benefit Survey shows how worker benefits in the state compare between certain industries and firm sizes.

Effects of Unemployment Insurance Tax on Wages and Employment: A Partial Equilibrium Analysis
We develop a partial equilibrium model under a cost minimization problem to derive the effect of an unemployment insurance tax on average wage rates and employment. We assume perfect competition in the product market and perfect factor mobility in the factor market. Our model suggests that a portion of the tax is passed on to employees by means of reduced wages. The model also suggests that a lower level of employment will be realized as a result of the tax.

Oklahoma's Educational Capacity Report 2009
This report compares employment projections to post-secondary degree and certificates conferred based on matches between the classification of instructional program codes (CIP) and the standard occupational codes (SOC).