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Occupational Requirements Survey
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The Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS) is a product of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The ORS provides job-related information regarding physical demands; environmental conditions; education, training, and experience; as well as cognitive and mental requirements for jobs in the U.S. economy.
Notices
- Link to notice on the BLS page of impact on COVID-19 on ORS. Read More »
Graphics
Click the graphic to enlarge chart: what is ors.
Click the graphic to enlarge chart: why it matters.
Latest Numbers
Physical demands of civilian workers
Sedentary work strength level
28.5% in 2021
Light work strength level
33.3% in 2021
Medium work strength level
28.2% in 2021
Heavy work strength level
8.9% in 2021
Very heavy work strength level
1.1% in 2021
Environmental conditions of civilian workers
Exposed to outdoors
33.0% in 2021
Quiet noise intensity level
13.6% in 2021
Moderate noise intensity level
79.1% in 2021
Loud noise intensity level
7.0% in 2021
Education, training, and experience of civilian workers
No minimum education requirement
30.0% in 2021
High school diploma education requirement
39.8% in 2021
Associate's degree education requirement
4.4% in 2021
Bachelor's degree education requirement
18.9% in 2021
Master's degree education requirement
2.6% in 2021
Professional degree education requirement
1.5% in 2021
Cognitive and mental requirements of civilian workers
Interaction with the general public
78.1% in 2021
Varying work pace
56.0% in 2021
Telework available
9.6% in 2021
Historical Data
News Release
News Releases
//ORS Auto-Suppl Test 09072023// Flexibility was available to civilian workers
09/07/2023
//ORS Auto-Suppl Test 09072023// The flexibility to pause work and take short, unscheduled breaks throughout the workday was available to 55.6 percent of civilian workers in 2023.
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Next Release
The Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS) for
2023
is scheduled to be released in
late 2023
at 10:00 A.M. Eastern Time.
Publications
The Economics Daily
Use of personal protective equipment to mitigate noise exposure in 2020
In 2020, 71.4 percent of production workers and 78.4 percent of transportation and material moving workers were exposed to moderate noise at work. Another 25.2 percent of production workers and 19.8 percent of transportation and material moving workers were exposed to loud noise. read more »
Beyond the Numbers
Minds at work: what’s required according to the Occupational Requirements Survey
How much problem-solving time goes into an architect’s job? What types of mental capabilities are required of employees who work in a telework environment? What types of interpersonal skills are required for customer service jobs? Mental and cognitive job requirements provide job seekers with important information on the soft skills needed for specific jobs and a sense of the demands of different occupations read more »