Job Skills & Title Taxonomy Explorer • O*NET
Explore standardised occupational titles, core technical skills, soft skills, BLS median salaries, and interactive career transition skill-gap analyser.
💼 Standardized Occupational Directory
Search by job title, SOC classification code, required software, or hard/soft competencies.
Software Engineer
15-1252.00Designs, develops, tests, and maintains software applications and scalable distributed systems.
Data Scientist
15-2051.00Applies statistical modeling, machine learning algorithms, and exploratory data analysis to solve complex predictive problems.
Product Manager
11-9199.00Guides product vision, defines feature roadmaps, aligns engineering and design teams, and measures market adoption.
Financial Analyst
13-2051.00Assesses economic trends, prepares financial forecasts, and builds quantitative valuation models for investments.
UX / Product Designer
27-1029.00Researches user behavior, creates interactive wireframes, and designs high-fidelity design systems for digital platforms.
Cybersecurity Analyst
15-1212.00Monitors network traffic, investigates security breaches, configures firewalls, and enforces vulnerability remediation.
Registered Nurse (RN)
29-1141.00Administers acute and routine patient care, interprets diagnostic tests, monitors clinical vitals, and educates patients.
DevOps & Cloud Engineer
15-1259.01Automates deployment pipelines, provisions infrastructure as code (IaC), and manages scalable containerized cloud environments.
Digital Marketing Manager
11-2021.00Plans and executes multi-channel customer acquisition campaigns, oversees paid search/social advertising, and optimizes conversion funnels.
Mechanical Engineer
17-2141.00Researches, designs, develops, builds, and tests mechanical and thermal devices, engines, and automated industrial machinery.
Business Data Analyst
15-2051.01Extracts, cleans, and translates operational data into interactive executive dashboards and actionable business insights.
Human Resources Specialist
13-1071.00Recruits candidates, screens applicants, administers employee benefits, and coordinates workplace culture initiatives.
🔀 Career Pivot & Skill-Gap Matrix
Select your current career discipline and a target role to calculate competency overlap, shared transferable skills, and critical skills to acquire.
✔ Shared Competencies
🚧 Target Skills to Bridge
- Machine Learning Algorithms (Scikit-Learn, PyTorch)
- Advanced Python / R Programming
- A/B Testing & Rigorous Experimental Design
- Linear Algebra & Multivariate Statistics
📖 The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Master Guide
An exhaustive reference to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) occupational coding architecture, hierarchical structures, O*NET integration, and practical labor market applications.
Four-Tier Hierarchical Coding Scheme
Every SOC code adheres to a strict 6-digit numerical format (XX-XXXX) broken into four escalating tiers of specialization:
- Major Group (2 digits): e.g.,
15-0000Computer and Mathematical Occupations - Minor Group (3 digits): e.g.,
15-1200Computer Occupations - Broad Occupation (5 digits): e.g.,
15-1250Software and Web Developers, Programmers, and Testers - Detailed Occupation (6 digits): e.g.,
15-1252Software Developers
O*NET Content Model Crosswalk
The US Department of Labor extends the 6-digit SOC standard into 8-digit O*NET-SOC codes (such as 15-1252.00 for Software Developers). O*NET layers over 277 standardized descriptors across worker requirements, generalized work activities, tools used, and occupational knowledge domains.
Prevailing Wage & Immigration (LCA)
Federal agencies (including DOL, USCIS, and the Department of State) mandate SOC classification for H-1B specialty occupation visas, PERM labor certifications, and Labor Condition Applications (LCA) to determine statutory Level 1 through Level 4 prevailing wages.
Resume & ATS Keyword Optimization
Modern Enterprise Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) like Workday and Taleo benchmark candidate resumes against O*NET and SOC standardized taxonomy skills. Aligning your resume summary with verified SOC terminology significantly elevates match scores.
Complete Directory of All 23 SOC Major Groups
| SOC Code | Major Group Title | Core Occupational Focus | Typical Wage Range |
|---|---|---|---|
11-0000 | Management Occupations | C-suite executives, general operations, marketing, finance, and engineering managers. | $98K – $208K+ |
13-0000 | Business & Financial Operations | Analysts, compliance officers, accountants, recruiters, and budget analysts. | $65K – $96K |
15-0000 | Computer & Mathematical | Software engineers, data scientists, cybersecurity analysts, and cloud architects. | $82K – $164K |
17-0000 | Architecture & Engineering | Mechanical, civil, electrical, aerospace, chemical, and biomedical engineers. | $82K – $132K |
19-0000 | Life, Physical, & Social Science | Biochemists, epidemiologists, physicists, chemists, economists, and psychologists. | $74K – $152K |
21-0000 | Community & Social Service | Licensed clinical social workers, mental health therapists, and counselors. | $46K – $74K |
23-0000 | Legal Occupations | Corporate lawyers, litigation attorneys, paralegals, mediators, and patent agents. | $48K – $140K |
25-0000 | Educational Instruction & Library | University professors, high school teachers, instructional designers, and librarians. | $55K – $81K |
27-0000 | Arts, Design, Entertainment, & Media | UX/UI designers, art directors, technical writers, video editors, and game designers. | $57K – $105K |
29-0000 | Healthcare Practitioners & Technical | Physicians, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and physical therapists. | $81K – $353K |
31-0000 | Healthcare Support Occupations | Certified nursing assistants, medical assistants, phlebotomists, and dental assistants. | $30K – $63K |
33-0000 | Protective Service Occupations | Police officers, firefighters, criminal detectives, security officers, and TSA screeners. | $34K – $87K |
35-0000 | Food Preparation & Serving | Executive chefs, restaurant managers, pastry bakers, and sommeliers. | $30K – $62K |
37-0000 | Building & Grounds Maintenance | Facilities managers, commercial landscapers, pest control techs, and arborists. | $36K – $74K |
39-0000 | Personal Care & Service | Personal trainers, event planners, hairstylists, and licensed massage therapists. | $34K – $53K |
41-0000 | Sales & Related Occupations | Enterprise account executives, commercial real estate brokers, and sales engineers. | $45K – $108K |
43-0000 | Office & Administrative Support | Executive assistants, customer service leads, medical coders, and fleet dispatchers. | $41K – $66K |
45-0000 | Farming, Fishing, & Forestry | Agricultural managers, foresters, aquaculture specialists, and ag drone scouts. | $44K – $75K |
47-0000 | Construction & Extraction | Electricians, plumbers, carpenters, HVAC technicians, and heavy equipment operators. | $45K – $99K |
49-0000 | Installation, Maintenance, & Repair | Industrial machinery mechanics, aircraft A&P techs, and wind turbine technicians. | $45K – $82K |
51-0000 | Production Occupations | CNC machinists, certified welders, chemical plant operators, and semiconductor techs. | $39K – $69K |
53-0000 | Transportation & Material Moving | Commercial airline pilots, supply chain directors, air traffic controllers, and CDL-A drivers. | $41K – $211K |
55-0000 | Military Specific Occupations | Defense intelligence analysts, cyber warfare specialists, and tactical mission planners. | $52K – $96K |
About this tool
How to use it
- Search the Occupational Directory by career title, SOC classification code, or required skill keyword (e.g. 'Python', 'Financial Modeling', 'Epic EHR').
- Filter by Industry Sector (Technology, Finance, Healthcare, Engineering, Marketing, Creative) to explore standard job families.
- Click 'View Full Skill Profile' on any occupation to inspect entry education requirements, BLS median annual salaries, and daily work tasks.
- Switch to the Career Transition & Skill Gap tab to select your current role and a target role to calculate competency overlap percentages and actionable skills to learn.
Why it matters
Labor markets are evolving rapidly, with skills increasingly replacing static degrees as the currency of employment. Understanding standardized occupational taxonomies (like the US Department of Labor's SOC and O*NET frameworks) empowers career changers, job seekers, and recruiters to identify transferable skills and targeted training pathways.
When to use it
Use this tool when planning a career transition, building a targeted resume, identifying skills to learn for a promotion, or benchmarking market salaries across industries.
Common questions
What is a Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code?
SOC codes are 6-digit federal numeric identifiers used to categorize jobs across the United States. For example, 15-1252.00 specifically identifies Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts.
Where do the median salary figures come from?
Median annual wages are compiled from published datasets of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) nationwide surveys.
What is skill overlap percentage?
Skill overlap is the proportion of competencies from your current occupation that directly transfer to your target role. A higher overlap means fewer new technical competencies are required to make the career transition.
How can I bridge my identified skill gap?
Review the 'Target Skills to Bridge' column in the transition matrix. Prioritize foundational technical proficiencies (such as SQL or Python) through structured portfolio projects, open-source contributions, or accredited industry certifications.