SOC Codes
SOC codes are critical in Labor Condition Applications for nonimmigrant visas like H-1B and E-3. Correctly selecting a SOC code ensures that the offered position aligns with the visa requirements, facilitates accurate wage determination, and minimizes RFEs and delays.
When you fill out quarterly reports to ESD (for SUTA taxes) for your employees, you need to include SOC codes. These are a set of identifiers that match jobs with specific job duties and functions. A number of government agencies use the system, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics and state employment agencies. Representatives from the Washington Hospitality Association and ESD’s Occupational Employment Statistics program recently spoke with ESD staff to explain SOC codes. An OES analyst, Denice Craig, noted that SOC codes are used for various purposes. They help state agencies compare data and answer important questions about the labor market. They also allow the public to better understand occupations and how they are changing. For example, SOC codes can give insight into future trends in employment.
SOC codes are available at the major group, minor group, and detailed occupation levels. The level of detail published depends on disclosure restrictions and the availability of information. The majority of workers are classified in a single detailed occupation. Exceptions are workers who perform the duties of more than one distinct occupation, such as teachers at different levels. In such cases, the worker is coded in the occupation requiring the highest skill or education level.
Where to Use SOC Codes?
The SOC system helps state agencies gather, analyze, and disseminate occupational data. It is used in many government programs and often cited by private companies and research organizations. The SOC code system provides a common way for employers to describe the work they do for pay, enabling agencies and others to make comparisons of the types of jobs available in the economy.
SOC codes also help state HR professionals understand their agency’s workforce in terms of the larger world of work. This information will allow them to develop career advancement options for their employees and better understand when staffing reductions are necessary. In addition, SOC codes will help to standardize position descriptions when responding to surveys conducted by other government agencies and when communicating with private salary and employment data publishers.
Other Industry Codes
The SOC is used by many government agencies that collect and report employment data. The SOC is designed to maximize the utility of the federal government’s occupational information and facilitate comparisons among data sets. In the United States, the SOC is published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and by state workforce agencies. LMIC uses the SOC to publish employment and wage data at the occupation level.
In addition to the SOC, LMIC also uses NAICS and Census industry codes. NIOCCS is an autocoder that can automatically code large files of industry and occupation free-text descriptions to SOC, NAICS, and Census codes. NIOCCS can also crosswalk data between the different classification systems to enable analysis.
SOC Codes: Major Group 00-0000: All Occupations
- 11-0000 Management Occupations
- 13-0000 Business and Financial Operations Occupations
- 15-0000 Computer and Mathematical Occupations
- 17-0000 Architecture and Engineering Occupations
- 19-0000 Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
- 21-0000 Community and Social Service Occupations
- 23-0000 Legal Occupations
- 25-0000 Education, Training, and Library Occupations
- 27-0000 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
- 29-0000 Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- 31-0000 Healthcare Support Occupations
- 33-0000 Protective Service Occupations
- 35-0000 Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- 37-0000 Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
- 39-0000 Personal Care and Service Occupations
- 41-0000 Sales and Related Occupations
- 43-0000 Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- 45-0000 Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations
- 47-0000 Construction and Extraction Occupations
- 49-0000 Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
- 51-0000 Production Occupations
- 53-0000 Transportation and Material Moving Occupations