The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system is used by Federal statistical agencies to classify workers into occupational categories for the purpose of collecting, calculating, or disseminating data. The SOC is designed to reflect the current occupational structure of the United States; it classifies all occupations in which work is performed for pay or profit. The SOC covers all jobs in the national economy, including occupations in the public, private, and military sectors.

The SOC Policy Committee has completed revising the 2000 SOC for 2010 and BLS is in the process of updating this Web site to reflect the 2010 SOC system. Selected information on the 2010 SOC is available below and additional materials, including the 2010 occupational definitions, are expected to be available soon. General questions concerning the SOC may be sent by email or faxed to 202-691-6444.

On This Page

2010 SOC System

See the links below for the final 2010 SOC structure, classification principles and coding guidelines, a table indicating the specific type of change for each detailed occupation, and the crosswalk between the 2000 SOC and the 2010 SOC. Additional materials, including the 2010 occupational definitions, are expected to be available soon.

  • 2010 SOC Structure (PDF) (XLS)
  • 2010 SOC Classification Principles and Coding Guidelines (PDF)
  • Type of change by detailed occupation, 2010 SOC (PDF) (XLS)
  • Crosswalk from 2000 SOC to 2010 SOC (PDF) (XLS)
    • Explanatory note on crosswalk from the 2000 SOC to the 2010 SOC (PDF)

 

2000 SOC System

 

2000 SOC Publications

Note: the documents below refer to the 2000 SOC.

 

SOC Revision Process

On January 21, 2009, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published a Federal Register notice detailing the final decisions for the 2010 SOC. Please refer to the PDF version available below for more information. Two earlier Federal Register notices, also available below in PDF format, initiated the formal process and solicited public comment on the SOC Revision for 2010.

  • Federal Register Notice, January 21, 2009 (PDF)
  • Federal Register Notice, May 22, 2008 (PDF)
  • Federal Register Notice, May 16, 2006 (PDF)

As noted in the Federal Register notice of January 21, 2009, the SOCPC responses to the comments received are provided below.

Note on plans for the next SOC revision

The next major review and revision of the SOC is expected to begin in 2013 in preparation for the 2018 SOC. The intent of this revision schedule is to minimize disruption to data providers, producers, and users by promoting simultaneous adoption of revised occupational and industry classification systems for those data series that use both. Given the multiple interdependent programs that rely on the SOC, this is best accomplished by timing revisions of the SOC for the years following North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) revisions, which occur for years ending in 2 and 7. The next such year is 2018, which has the additional benefit of coinciding with the beginning year of the American Community Survey 5-year set of surveys that bracket the 2020 Decennial Census. Thus, OMB intends to consider revisions of the SOC for 2018 and every 10 years thereafter.

 

Contact Us

Contacts

For additional information concerning the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system, contact us at:
  • Email: Contact us
  • Telephone number: 202-691-6500
  • Fax number: 202-691-6444
  • Mail address: Office of Employment and Unemployment Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, Suite 2135, 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Washington DC 20212-0001