Wage percentiles explained
A wage percentile tells you what share of workers earn at or below a given pay level. The median (50th percentile) is the middle: half earn less, half more. The 10th percentile is near the bottom of the pay range and the 90th percentile near the top. The mean is the average, which a few very high earners pull up — for all US jobs the median is $49,500 but the mean is $67,920. Use the median as "typical pay" and the 10th-to-90th range to see how widely pay varies in a job.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
The five points BLS publishes
For each occupation, the OEWS survey reports the annual wage at five points in the distribution:
- 10th percentile — only 10% of workers earn less (entry-level / lowest-paid).
- 25th percentile — the bottom quarter earn less.
- Median (50th) — the exact middle of the pay range.
- 75th percentile — the top quarter earn more.
- 90th percentile — only the top 10% earn more (most experienced / highest-paid).
Worked examples
Three common jobs and their national pay range (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $79,850 | $103,050 | $133,080 | $169,000 | $211,450 |
| Registered Nurses | $66,030 | $78,610 | $93,600 | $107,960 | $135,320 |
| Electricians | $39,430 | $48,820 | $62,350 | $81,730 | $106,030 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A software developers earning $211,450 is in the top 10% of that occupation; one earning $79,850 is near the bottom. Check where your own salary ranks.
Mean vs median: which to use
Use the median when you want "what a typical worker earns" — it is not distorted by a handful of very high salaries. The mean is useful for totals (e.g. a payroll budget) but sits above the median in most occupations because top earners pull the average up. When a headline cites a single "average salary," check whether it is the mean or the median; they can differ by tens of thousands of dollars.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between mean and median wage?
The median is the middle value — half of workers earn less, half earn more. The mean is the average, which a few very high earners pull upward. For all US jobs the median is $49,500 but the mean is $67,920; the gap shows the pay distribution is skewed toward the top. The median is usually the better "typical pay" figure.
What does the 90th percentile wage mean?
The 90th-percentile wage is the level that 90% of workers in that occupation earn at or below — so only the top 10% earn more. The 10th percentile is the opposite: 90% of workers earn at or above it. Together with the median, they show the spread of pay in a job.
Why does BLS sometimes show a wage as $239,200+?
BLS top-codes very high wages: any annual wage at or above $239,200 in the May 2024 data is reported as that cap rather than a precise figure, to protect respondent confidentiality. We show those as $239,200+ and mark the value.
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Last updated: 2026-06-20