The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system is the federal standard for categorizing occupation data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) gathers data using SOC codes to help with enumeration, wage data, occupational exposures data, and other workforce analyses. However, the data currently presented through programs such as the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) estimates are not conveyed with enough North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) or SOC code granularity to allow researchers to use this data for the enumeration of the governmental public health workforce work in state, local, Tribal, or territorial health departments.

This issue brief provides recommendations for changes to the SOC system to improve the ability of researchers to gather data on the US public health system.