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Wyoming Department of Workforce Services

Research & Planning
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"Labor Market Information (LMI) is an applied science; it is the systematic collection and analysis of data which describes and predicts the relationship between labor demand and supply." The States' Labor Market Information Review, ICESA, 1995, p. 7.

2022 Wyoming Workforce Annual Report

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Wyoming Labor Force Trends

February 2023 | Volume 60, No. 2


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Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Occupations in Wyoming

Article | Tables and Figures


by: Deana Hauf, Senior Statistician

 

In 2021, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) accounted for approximately 4.6% of Wyoming's total employment. This article discusses employment and wage data for STEM occupations. More information about STEM occupations in Wyoming can be found at https://doe.state.wy.us/LMI/STEM.htm.


Introduction

Technical occupations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are often referred to as STEM occupations. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022a) has identified more than 100 STEM occupations. These occupations consist of computer and mathematical, architecture & engineering, and life & physical science occupations, as well as managerial and postsecondary teaching occupations related to these functional areas, and sales occupations requiring scientific or technical knowledge at the postsecondary level. These four occupational groups encourage advanced education in science, technology, engineering, and math, along with other skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity.

According to Wyoming’s Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, publishable employment and wage data were available for 75 of the 105 STEM occupations (see Table 1 or click here for the Microsoft Excel file). The estimated employment for these STEM occupations was 11,940, according to the May 2021 OEWS estimates, representing 4.6% of Wyoming’s 260,530 total estimated employment. More information about the OEWS program is available at https://www.bls.gov/oes/home.htm, and Wyoming data are available at https://doe.state.wy.us/LMI/oes.htm.

Occupations are identified using the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. This hierarchal system classifies all occupations into 23 major groups (two-digit), 98 minor groups (three-digit), 459 broad occupations (four-digit), and 867 detailed occupations (six-digit; see Box 1). This article discusses occupations at the major group and detailed occupation levels.

For the major STEM occupational groups, architecture & engineers led the way with 3,980 jobs, or 33.3% of the STEM employment in Wyoming, followed by computer & mathematics with 2,760, or 23.1% (see Figure 1). Life, physical, and social sciences had an estimated employment of 2,940 or 24.6% of the total, while the three remaining major groups (management occupations, educational instruction & library occupations, and sales & related occupations) accounted for 7.9% of the total, or 2,260 jobs.

The detailed occupation with the largest employment was civil engineers with 850, or 7.1% of the total STEM occupations in Wyoming, followed by computer user support specialists (670, or 5.6%).

The median hourly wage for all occupations in Wyoming was $23.57, and most STEM occupations had substantially higher wages. Of the 75 publishable STEM occupations in Wyoming, only 10 had a median hourly wage below the statewide average. Forest & conservation technicians had the lowest wage at $16.95 an hour. The highest wages belonged to sales representatives, wholesale & manufacturing, technical & scientific products ($64.05), and architectural & engineering managers ($61.06).

Of the 75 publishable STEM occupations in Wyoming, 45 require a bachelor’s degree and 15 an associate’s degree. The nine postsecondary teaching occupations all require a doctoral or professional degree, as do medical scientists, except epidemiologists. Surveying & mapping technicians require a high school diploma or equivalent. Statisticians in most cases require a master’s degree and computer user support specialists only require some college but no degree (BLS, 2022a).

The Research & Planning (R&P) section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services has published data for STEM occupations at https://doe.state.wy.us/LMI/STEM.htm. A forthcoming article in Wyoming Labor Force Trends will explore long-term projections for STEM occupations in Wyoming and the U.S.

References

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2021, March 31). Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Handbook of Methods. Retrieved January 10, 2023, from https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/oews/pdf/oews.pdf

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022a, March 31). Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Additional OEWS data sets. Retrieved January 10, 2023, from https://www.bls.gov/oes/additional.htm

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022b, September 8). Education and training assignments by detailed occupation. Retrieved January 10, 2022, from https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/education-and-training-by-occupation.htm