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The O*NET Program is the nation’s primary source of occupational information. Valid data are essential to understanding the rapidly changing nature of work and how it impacts the workforce and U.S. economy. From this information, applications are developed to facilitate the development and maintenance of a skilled workforce.

Watch a video overview of the O*NET Program

At the core of the project is the O*NET database, encompassing over 900 occupation profiles and covering more than 55,000 jobs across the U.S. economy. Each profile provides a comprehensive overview of worker attributes and job characteristics. By combining standardized measures with occupation-specific details, the database supports both cross-occupational comparisons and in-depth exploration of individual roles.

The O*NET database is publicly available at no cost and is continuously updated using a wide variety of sources and methodologies. Millions of individuals, businesses, researchers, and developers rely on O*NET each year through platforms such as O*NET OnLine, My Next Move, My Next Move for Veterans, Web Services APIs, and numerous other public and private applications. These resources play a vital role in helping individuals identify training and job opportunities, and enabling employers to connect with the skilled workers needed to remain competitive.

The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) is developed under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA) through a grant to the North Carolina Department of Commerce .

Content Model: Anatomy of an occupation

Every occupation requires a unique mix of knowledges, skills, abilities, activities, and tasks. These defining features are structured within the O*NET Content Model, which organizes information into a detailed taxonomy with multiple levels of granularity.

For example, within the Work Activities hierarchy, more than 19,000 task statements are linked to over 2,000 detailed work activities, which are organized into 325 intermediate activities and ultimately nested into 41 generalized activities.

Explore the interactive Content Model to see the comprehensive range of occupational information and their organizing structures.

O*NET-SOC Taxonomy: A spectrum of occupations

While the Content Model defines the information collected for a single occupation, the O*NET-SOC taxonomy establishes the broader structure of occupations across the labor market. Updated in 2019 to align with the 2018 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC), the taxonomy now includes 1,016 occupational titles, of which 923 are O*NET data-level occupations, collectively representing over 55,000 jobs.

With guidance and sponsorship from DOL, ongoing research ensures the taxonomy remains current, incorporating new and emerging occupations to reflect changes in the workforce.

Data Collection: Real-world information

The O*NET-SOC taxonomy defines occupations, and the Content Model specifies the information to be collected. The Data Collection program brings these frameworks to life through a multi-method approach that draws on a wide variety of sources. As new tools and methodologies emerge, O*NET continually adapts, ensuring the data remains accurate, comprehensive, and relevant to the evolving world of work.

Updated quarterly, the O*NET Database ensures the most current occupational information is available. For information on data currency see: Occupation Update Summary. You can access the latest release on the O*NET Database page. For those interested in tracking how occupations have changed over time, the O*NET Database Releases Archive offers a complete history.

Learn more

For a more comprehensive view of O*NET tools and resources, please see the O*NET overview at the hub of O*NET-related information, the O*NET Resource Center.