Occupational Requirements in the United States News Release

For release 10:00 A.M. (ET) Tuesday, November 19, 2024                                 USDL-24-2361

Technical information: 	(202) 691-6199  *  orsinfo@bls.gov  *  www.bls.gov/ors
Media contact:	  	(202) 691-5902  *  pressoffice@bls.gov

                       OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2024

A sedentary strength level was required for 30.6 percent of workers in 2024, the U.S. Bureau of 
Labor Statistics reported today. Workers requiring sedentary strength do not lift or carry more 
than 10 pounds and sit for at least two-thirds of their workday. The next lowest strength level, 
light strength, was required for 33.3 percent of workers. Workers requiring light strength may lift 
or carry up to 25 pounds. (See table 1.)

Specific vocational preparation (SVP) captures the minimum amount of preparation time needed to 
obtain the education, training, and experience required for a job. In 2024, a short demonstration 
lasting up to 4 hours was required for 1.7 percent of workers. Preparation time beyond a short 
demonstration and up through 1 month was required for 34.2 percent of workers.

For counter and rental clerks, 68.0 percent required a sedentary or light strength level and 77.3 
percent required beyond a short demonstration and up through 1 month of preparation time.

For retail salespersons, 64.4 percent required a sedentary or light strength level and 76.9 percent 
required beyond a short demonstration and up through 1 month of preparation time. 

For laundry and dry-cleaning workers, less than 0.5 percent required sedentary strength and 88.9 
percent required light strength. Preparation time beyond a short demonstration and up through 1 
month was required for 89.8 percent of these workers. 

The Occupational Requirements Survey captures information on job requirements in the following 
categories: physical demands; environmental conditions; education, training, and experience; as 
well as cognitive and mental requirements. Each category is highlighted below.

Cognitive and mental requirements

Verbal interactions are separated into two categories: interactions with people who work for the 
same employer (internal) and interactions with people who do not work for the employer (external), 
including the general public, vendors, contractors, or delivery people. Internal verbal 
interactions were required at least once per hour, but not every few minutes for 50.1 percent of 
workers and external verbal interactions were required at least once per hour, but not every few 
minutes for 24.2 percent. (See table 2.)

	*Verbal interactions with other workers (internal) were required at least once per hour for 
	 27.9 percent of short order cooks and every few minutes for 66.7 percent. 
	*Verbal interactions with the public (external) were required at least once per hour for 
	 10.4 percent of cashiers and every few minutes for 89.6 percent.

Education, training, and experience 

On-the-job training was required for 80.9 percent of civilian workers to perform their job and 
prior work experience was required for 42.9 percent. (See table 3.)

	*On-the-job training was required for 95.5 percent of stockers and order fillers and 97.4 
	 percent of waiters and waitresses.
	*Prior work experience was required for 58.6 percent of mechanical drafters and 73.7 percent 
	 of human resources assistants.

Physical demands

Reaching overhead was required occasionally, or between 2 percent and 1/3 of the workday, for 21.6 
percent of workers in 2024. Low postures were required occasionally for 36.7 percent of workers and 
fine manipulation was required occasionally for 53.0 percent. (See table 4.)

	*Occasionally performing work in low postures was required for 85.5 percent of animal 
	 caretakers and 94.4 percent of helpers—installation, maintenance, and repair workers.
	*Greater than 99.5 percent of merchandise displayers and window trimmers required fine 
	 manipulation occasionally and 89.5 percent of aircraft mechanics and service technicians.

Environmental conditions

Exposure to hazardous contaminants was present for 5.8 percent of workers, performing critical 
tasks in close proximity to moving mechanical parts was present for 9.0 percent of workers, and 
working outdoors was required for 35.7 percent of workers. (See table 5.)

	*Exposure to hazardous contaminants was present for 16.9 percent of workers in production 
	 occupations and for 36.2 percent of workers in installation, maintenance, and repair 
	 occupations.
	*Exposure to the outdoors was present for 54.0 percent of workers in transportation and 
	 material moving occupations and 91.0 percent of workers in construction and extraction 
	 occupations. 


 
 Table 1. Percentage of workers with strength and SVP requirements, 2024  
 
Occupation and occupational group
Specific vocational preparation
Strength
Short demonstration only
Beyond a short demonstration through 1 month
Sedentary
Light
Estimate
Standard error
Estimate
Standard error
Estimate
Standard error
Estimate
Standard error
 
All workers
1.7
[1]
34.2
1.3
30.6
1.0
33.3
1.0
Architecture and engineering occupations
<0.5
[2]
<0.5
[2]
52.4
10.1
24.0
6.5
Mechanical drafters
<0.5
[2]
<20
[2]
78.2
11.5
21.8
11.5
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
7.4
4.4
11.6
5.2
39.3
5.9
34.6
6.9
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
<0.5
[2]
-
-
<0.5
[2]
<10
[2]
Healthcare support occupations
1.6
1.1
50.5
4.3
<10
[2]
43.1
5.0
Dental assistants
<0.5
[2]
19.4
6.3
20.7
6.5
75.9
5.2
Food preparation and serving related occupations
2.1
0.9
71.7
1.9
<0.5
[2]
60.9
1.9
Cooks, short order
<0.5
[2]
58.8
10.6
<10
[2]
30.8
11.6
Waiters and waitresses
<0.5
[2]
71.6
4.7
<0.5
[2]
85.3
2.0
Personal care and service occupations
5.8
1.5
41.9
5.0
6.9
1.1
50.0
4.9
Animal caretakers
<0.5
[2]
57.0
9.4
<0.5
[2]
23.5
10.2
Sales and related occupations
1.1
0.9
57.5
2.2
22.2
3.1
47.7
2.7
Cashiers
<0.5
[2]
95.9
2.6
0.8
0.5
63.7
4.6
Counter and rental clerks
<0.5
[2]
77.3
6.3
30.6
10.0
37.4
12.9
Retail salespersons
<10
[2]
76.9
6.6
1.4
1.0
63.0
5.0
Office and administrative support occupations
0.6
[1]
32.8
1.3
79.5
1.2
14.1
1.1
Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
<0.5
[2]
16.0
5.6
90.6
4.7
6.7
3.8
Construction and extraction occupations
4.2
1.5
28.4
4.1
4.0
[1]
23.4
3.6
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
<0.5
[2]
16.4
2.6
1.0
[1]
13.2
1.9
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
<0.5
[2]
-
-
<0.5
[2]
<25
[2]
Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
4.0
1.6
-
-
<0.5
[2]
39.0
14.7
Production occupations
1.2
0.5
46.5
6.3
3.7
1.5
31.4
6.5
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
<5
[2]
89.8
8.0
<0.5
[2]
88.9
3.8
Transportation and material moving occupations
1.1
[1]
69.4
1.6
10.5
1.8
19.4
3.5
Stockers and order fillers
<5
[2]
83.9
3.8
<5
[2]
13.6
3.7
[1] Standard error is less than 0.5.
[2] The standard error is not available for this estimate.
Note: Dashes indicate that the estimate was not publishable or there are no workers with the requirement. Due to rounding sum of estimates may not equal 100 percent. 
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey

 
 Table 2. Percentage of workers by cognitive and mental requirements, 2024  
 
Occupation and occupational group
Internal verbal interactions
External verbal interactions
Every few minutes
At least once per hour
Every few minutes
At least once per hour
Estimate
Standard error
Estimate
Standard error
Estimate
Standard error
Estimate
Standard error
 
All workers
26.7
1.5
50.1
1.2
35.0
1.5
24.2
0.9
Architecture and engineering occupations
9.5
4.7
62.2
8.0
0.7
[1]
7.8
3.5
Mechanical drafters
13.4
10.5
58.6
16.4
<0.5
[2]
<10
[2]
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
17.7
6.1
49.0
9.0
27.3
6.0
31.7
6.4
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
-
-
-
-
-
-
64.0
16.5
Healthcare support occupations
19.4
4.2
42.9
4.5
42.6
4.4
49.9
5.5
Dental assistants
44.2
9.2
55.8
9.2
36.5
9.5
63.5
9.5
Food preparation and serving related occupations
56.6
4.4
38.9
4.2
69.2
1.3
11.0
1.5
Cooks, short order
66.7
11.4
27.9
10.5
62.7
14.2
5.0
4.0
Waiters and waitresses
50.6
10.4
49.4
10.4
92.3
4.0
7.7
4.0
Personal care and service occupations
16.3
1.8
60.8
4.8
61.7
3.4
30.5
3.9
Animal caretakers
-
-
38.4
8.2
18.2
8.5
20.7
5.9
Sales and related occupations
27.4
1.7
49.1
2.8
67.7
5.0
27.0
4.0
Cashiers
28.6
3.9
55.7
5.7
89.6
5.1
10.4
5.1
Counter and rental clerks
15.8
5.9
48.0
12.4
65.4
8.9
32.7
8.4
Retail salespersons
36.0
3.3
51.7
6.4
76.5
4.5
22.5
4.0
Office and administrative support occupations
21.7
1.3
61.8
1.7
39.7
2.0
33.5
1.9
Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
43.7
14.2
41.4
13.5
20.3
10.4
16.9
6.8
Construction and extraction occupations
25.3
3.4
48.8
3.5
5.3
3.1
15.3
3.3
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
14.7
1.9
62.5
2.9
4.3
1.4
17.0
2.6
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
-
-
70.4
17.7
<0.5
[2]
-
-
Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
-
-
40.6
9.7
<0.5
[2]
<0.5
[2]
Production occupations
29.1
8.7
52.7
6.0
1.6
0.5
3.7
1.1
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
-
-
31.7
12.3
-
-
3.8
1.3
Transportation and material moving occupations
16.9
1.3
49.1
1.8
13.6
2.0
21.8
2.9
Stockers and order fillers
-
-
43.8
4.6
27.0
2.4
21.2
3.7
[1] Standard error is less than 0.5.
[2] The standard error is not available for this estimate.
Note: Dashes indicate that the estimate was not publishable or there are no workers with the requirement. Due to rounding sum of estimates may not equal 100 percent. 
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey

 
 Table 3. Percentage of workers by education, training, and experience requirements, 2024  
 
Occupation and occupational group
On-the-job training
Prior work experience
Yes
No
Standard error
Yes
No
Standard error
 
All workers
80.9
19.1
0.7
42.9
57.1
1.1
Architecture and engineering occupations
79.2
20.8
5.3
56.6
43.4
7.7
Mechanical drafters
92.4
7.6
3.9
58.6
41.4
7.3
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
65.1
34.9
7.5
62.9
37.1
8.8
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
>99.5
<0.5
[2]
-
-
-
Healthcare support occupations
85.6
14.4
2.7
24.0
76.0
3.9
Dental assistants
87.5
12.5
5.4
23.8
76.2
2.1
Food preparation and serving related occupations
95.4
4.6
1.0
24.5
75.5
1.5
Cooks, short order
>95
<5
[2]
41.2
58.8
10.6
Waiters and waitresses
97.4
2.6
1.1
28.4
71.6
4.7
Personal care and service occupations
84.8
15.2
3.0
29.9
70.1
4.9
Animal caretakers
92.6
7.4
4.5
24.4
75.6
4.5
Sales and related occupations
92.7
7.3
1.3
31.3
68.7
1.7
Cashiers
>99.5
<0.5
[2]
3.9
96.1
2.5
Counter and rental clerks
>95
<5
[2]
12.4
87.6
4.1
Retail salespersons
97.9
2.1
[1]
13.9
86.1
4.3
Office and administrative support occupations
91.7
8.3
0.7
56.6
43.4
1.8
Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
78.9
21.1
7.2
73.7
26.3
7.7
Construction and extraction occupations
74.1
25.9
3.0
44.8
55.2
4.7
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
76.4
23.6
2.9
59.1
40.9
4.0
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
66.0
34.0
13.2
-
-
-
Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
95.0
5.0
1.4
5.5
94.5
2.2
Production occupations
87.2
12.8
2.8
36.9
63.1
4.9
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
>99.5
<0.5
[2]
6.8
93.2
6.8
Transportation and material moving occupations
94.9
5.1
1.1
19.5
80.5
1.5
Stockers and order fillers
95.5
4.5
0.9
6.0
94.0
1.2
[1] Standard error is less than 0.5.
[2] The standard error is not available for this estimate.
Note: Dashes indicate that the estimate was not publishable or there are no workers with the requirement. Due to rounding sum of estimates may not equal 100 percent. 
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey

 
 Table 4. Percentage of workers by physical demands, 2024  
 
Occupation and occupational group
Reaching overhead, occasionally
Low postures, occasionally
Fine manipulation, occasionally
Estimate
Standard error
Estimate
Standard error
Estimate
Standard error
 
All workers
21.6
0.9
36.7
1.2
53.0
0.7
Architecture and engineering occupations
-
-
15.9
4.8
29.2
6.2
Mechanical drafters
<0.5
[2]
<0.5
[2]
14.3
7.3
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
10.1
3.2
19.6
6.3
49.5
7.7
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
70.0
15.5
96.5
2.9
>99.5
[2]
Healthcare support occupations
24.1
4.3
68.2
3.4
73.6
3.6
Dental assistants
22.4
7.2
34.2
6.6
45.5
10.5
Food preparation and serving related occupations
32.2
2.3
42.7
3.8
71.4
2.0
Cooks, short order
42.9
6.8
64.1
5.3
56.5
6.6
Waiters and waitresses
27.2
5.2
36.4
5.4
80.1
8.6
Personal care and service occupations
22.5
4.3
54.3
4.8
69.4
2.9
Animal caretakers
44.5
9.6
85.5
8.0
81.1
4.4
Sales and related occupations
17.9
3.2
30.8
2.2
60.4
3.0
Cashiers
21.2
6.0
29.9
2.7
67.8
4.6
Counter and rental clerks
-
-
25.1
6.1
52.8
10.2
Retail salespersons
27.0
4.3
58.0
4.2
72.8
3.3
Office and administrative support occupations
2.7
[1]
7.3
0.9
28.0
1.4
Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
<0.5
[2]
-
-
23.8
14.6
Construction and extraction occupations
49.6
3.9
64.9
4.2
66.4
2.7
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
66.8
3.1
77.9
2.4
72.4
2.3
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
81.4
8.5
66.0
4.9
89.5
6.3
Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
88.5
5.2
94.4
2.7
79.7
8.3
Production occupations
26.8
4.6
48.1
6.1
61.4
5.8
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
21.2
11.7
-
-
64.5
13.7
Transportation and material moving occupations
37.8
2.6
66.9
2.2
66.6
2.1
Stockers and order fillers
-
-
-
-
-
-
[1] Standard error is less than 0.5.
[2] The standard error is not available for this estimate.
Note: Dashes indicate that the estimate was not publishable or there are no workers with the requirement. Due to rounding sum of estimates may not equal 100 percent. 
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey

 
 Table 5. Percentage of workers by environmental conditions, 2024  
 
Occupation and occupational group
Hazardous contaminants
Moving mechanical parts
Outdoors
Yes
No
Standard error
Yes
No
Standard error
Yes
No
Standard error
 
All workers
5.8
94.2
0.5
9.0
91.0
[1]
35.7
64.3
1.0
Architecture and engineering occupations
21.0
79.0
11.4
7.5
92.5
4.5
57.2
42.8
8.7
Mechanical drafters
<5
>95
[2]
<15
>85
[2]
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
39.8
60.2
5.3
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
-
-
-
Healthcare support occupations
1.0
99.0
[1]
0.6
99.4
0.5
-
-
-
Dental assistants
11.7
88.3
3.5
2.9
97.1
1.8
<5
>95
[2]
Food preparation and serving related occupations
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
6.1
93.9
0.8
35.7
64.3
3.0
Cooks, short order
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
-
-
-
34.4
65.6
14.3
Waiters and waitresses
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
31.8
68.2
6.6
Personal care and service occupations
11.4
88.6
2.5
1.2
98.8
0.8
50.1
49.9
4.0
Animal caretakers
2.9
97.1
1.4
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
77.5
22.5
5.3
Sales and related occupations
2.6
97.4
1.4
1.1
98.9
0.6
34.7
65.3
1.8
Cashiers
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
<5
>95
[2]
28.6
71.4
5.4
Counter and rental clerks
<5
>95
[2]
<5
>95
[2]
62.9
37.1
8.3
Retail salespersons
<15
>85
[2]
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
-
-
-
Office and administrative support occupations
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
4.1
95.9
0.6
Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
<15
>85
[2]
Construction and extraction occupations
22.4
77.6
3.9
42.9
57.1
3.7
91.0
9.0
3.1
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
36.2
63.8
3.9
48.8
51.2
3.9
77.6
22.4
3.0
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
64.3
35.7
12.6
51.7
48.3
15.0
90.2
9.8
6.5
Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
14.6
85.4
7.3
25.6
74.4
11.4
96.6
3.4
1.6
Production occupations
16.9
83.1
4.6
49.4
50.6
3.9
12.8
87.2
2.8
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
2.1
97.9
1.3
<5
>95
[2]
3.2
96.8
1.7
Transportation and material moving occupations
2.0
98.0
0.6
5.3
94.7
1.2
54.0
46.0
2.7
Stockers and order fillers
<0.5
>99.5
[2]
5.0
95.0
2.0
25.8
74.2
3.5
[1] Standard error is less than 0.5.
[2] The standard error is not available for this estimate.
Note: Dashes indicate that the estimate was not publishable or there are no workers with the requirement. Due to rounding sum of estimates may not equal 100 percent. 
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey

                                          Technical Note

The Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS) provides job-related information about the physical 
demands; environmental conditions; education, training, and experience; as well as cognitive and 
mental requirements in the U.S. economy. 

Additional job requirement estimates are available at www.bls.gov/web/ors/ors-complete-dataset.xlsx 
and www.bls.gov/ors/data.htm. For information on estimation concepts and methods, see the Handbook 
of Methods at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/ors/home.htm and www.bls.gov/ors/questions-and-answers.htm. Some 
estimates in this release have been provided as ranges. Ranges represent estimates where the 
precise value cannot be published. More information is available in the range estimates factsheet 
at www.bls.gov/ors/factsheet/range-estimates.htm. 

Sample size: The ORS is a nationally representative establishment-based survey. Estimates are 
produced from a probability sample of 15,000 establishments. There were 5,700 private industry and 
1,300 state and local government responding establishments that provided approximately 26,100 
occupational observations. The 2024 estimates represent 147,810,800 civilian workers. The 2024 
estimates are produced from one annual sample collected between August 2023 and July 2024 as part 
of the third wave of ORS. Estimates are preliminary until the entire third wave sample is collected 
and aggregated to produce final estimates. 

Standard errors: To assist users in ascertaining the reliability of ORS estimates, standard errors 
are made available with the release. Standard errors provide users a measure of the precision of an 
estimate to ensure that it is within an acceptable range for their intended purpose. Collected and 
imputed data are included in the standard error calculation. For further information on standard 
errors and how to use them, see www.bls.gov/ors/se.htm. 

Limitations: Estimates are subject to sampling error, which may cause the sampled results to differ 
from the true value of job requirements in all establishments, see the Handbook of Methods for more 
information. The ORS program advises against making comparisons with previously published ORS 
estimates. ORS estimates are not time series data and instead reflect job requirements for the 
published reference period.

Major terms: Below are selected major terms from the news release. For complete terms and 
definitions, see the collection manual at www.bls.gov/ors/information-for-survey-participants/pdf/
occupational-requirements-survey-collection-manual-third-wave.pdf. 

	*Critical job function is the main purpose and the primary pay factor for the job. It 
	 consists of critical tasks that are integral to the job.
	*Critical tasks are the activities workers must perform to carry out their critical job 
	 function.
	*Specific vocational preparation is the minimum amount of preparation time required for 
	 workers to learn the techniques, acquire the information, and develop the aptitude needed 
	 for basic performance in a specific job. 
	*Strength levels reflect the amount of weight workers are required to lift or carry, how 
	 often, and whether standing or walking is required to perform critical tasks in the 
	 workday. See the strength levels factsheet at www.bls.gov/ors/factsheet/strength.htm for 
	 more information.