O*NET® 29.2 Database
The O*NET database contains a rich set of variables that describe work and worker characteristics, including skill requirements. Developers and other customers are encouraged to incorporate the O*NET database within their products, services, and research. This section contains an overview of the most recent database and a variety of database download options, as well as format-specific data dictionaries.
Highlights of the O*NET 29.2 Database
The 29.2 release includes the following:
- 1,444 alternate titles related to 546 occupations were added from employer job postings and customer input.
- Updated Survey Booklet Locations and Content Model Reference files reflect changes and edits within the O*NET questionnaires.
For updated versions of the generic, customizable forms of the questionnaires used in the O*NET Data Collection Program, see O*NET Questionnaires.
In the 29.0 database, 101 occupations were updated by job incumbents and occupational experts. show details
- Addition and update of Abilities and Skills data for 101 occupations
- Addition and update of Task Statement ratings (importance, relevance, and frequency) for 80 occupations
- Addition and update of Work Activities, Knowledge, and Work Context data for 80 occupations
- Addition and update of Training and Work Experience and Education data for 80 occupations
- Addition and update of Work Styles data for 80 occupations
- Addition and update of Job Zones data for 80 occupations
- Addition and update of Detailed Work Activities (DWAs) and linkages for 42 occupations
- Addition and update of Alternate Titles and Sample of Reported Titles for 80 occupations
Beginning with the 29.0 release, task statements are considered relevant and retained as part of an occupation’s task statement list if they have a relevance rating of 25% or higher. The minimum relevance in previous releases was 10%. This impacts the 80 occupations with updated task ratings, as well as 466 task statements across an additional 228 occupations.
In the 29.1 database, updated job zone assignments were published for 21 occupations, along with updates to “Hot Technologies” and “In Demand” technology skills. show details
- Occupational analysts updated the job zone assignments for 21 occupations using the procedures for developing preliminary job zone ratings.
- An updated listing of 170 “Hot Technologies,” based on employer job postings from across all occupations, resulted in 11,600+ occupation linkages.
- Updated “In Demand” technology skill designations, based on employer job postings from within each occupation, led to 2,300+ “In Demand” skill linkages across 487 occupations.
- 150+ new technology linkages related to 90 occupations were identified from employer job postings and customer input.
- 13 new tools linkages related to 2 occupations were identified from customer input.
The O*NET Database: A Primary Source of Occupational Information
The O*NET database has a wide variety of worker and job oriented data categories. The O*NET Content Model provides the framework that identifies and organizes this important information about work. The O*NET-SOC Occupation Taxonomy covers work performed in the U.S. economy and defines the set of occupations for which data is collected.
The O*NET Data Collection Program currently makes updates to the O*NET Database on a quarterly basis, with a primary update occurring in the 3rd quarter of each year. Listings showing data updates by category or occupation are available on the Occupation Update Summary page. See Data Publication Schedule for a listing of primary updates and collection history. Past releases of the O*NET Database are available on the Database Releases Archive page.
Science Behind the O*NET Database
We have published several reports to explain the research and procedures involved in developing the O*NET Database. To learn more, visit these sections in our Reports and Documents area:
- Data Collection — General
- Data Collection — Skills and Abilities
- Education and Training
- Taxonomy
- Technology Skills and Tools Used
- Work Activities
Share or Adapt the O*NET Database
The O*NET database is provided in five formats:
- Microsoft Excel (XLSX)
- Tab-delimited text files
- SQL files for MySQL, PostgreSQL, or compatible relational databases
- SQL files for Microsoft SQL Server
- SQL files for Oracle Database
Previous releases of the database are available at the Database Releases Archive.
All Files
Download all 40 files in the O*NET core database, in one convenient ZIP archive.
Read the comprehensive documentation for the O*NET 29.2 Database online.
Individual File Documentation
Education, Experience, Training
Work Values and Work Styles
Technology Skills & Tools
Work Activities
Work Context
Occupation Titles
Related Occupations and Related Domains
- Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
- Education, Experience, Training
- Interests
- Work Values and Work Styles
- Tasks
- Technology Skills & Tools
- Work Activities
- Work Context
- Occupation Titles
- Related Occupations and Related Domains
- Data Collection
- Competency Frameworks
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
This file contains the Content Model Knowledge data associated with each O*NET-SOC occupation. Read more...
This file contains the Content Model Skill data associated with each O*NET-SOC occupation. Read more...
This file contains the Content Model Ability data associated with each O*NET-SOC occupation. Read more...
Education, Experience, Training
This file contains the percent frequency data associated with Education, Training, and Experience Content Model elements. Read more...
This file contains the categories associated with the Education, Training, and Experience content area. Read more...
This file contains each O*NET-SOC code and its corresponding Job Zone number. Read more...
This file describes the five O*NET Job Zones, which are groups of occupations that need the same level of experience, education, and training. Read more...
Interests
This file contains the general occupational interest (RIASEC) high-point codes and numeric profile data for each O*NET-SOC occupation. Read more...
This file contains action and object keywords for each general occupational interest. Read more...
This file contains linkages between each basic occupational interest to relevant general occupational interests. Read more...
This file contains illustrative work activities related to the general and basic occupational interests. Read more...
This file contains illustrative occupations linked to the general and basic occupational interests. Read more...
Work Values and Work Styles
This file contains the Content Model Work Values data associated with each O*NET- SOC occupation. Read more...
This file contains the Content Model Work Styles data associated with each O*NET-SOC occupation. Read more...
Tasks
This file contains the tasks associated with each O*NET-SOC occupation. Read more...
This file contains the task ratings associated with each O*NET-SOC occupation. Read more...
This file contains the categories associated with the Task content area. Read more...
This file contains new and revised task statements proposed for future data collection. Read more...
Technology Skills & Tools
This file contains the Technology Skills examples, including hot and in-demand technologies, associated with O*NET-SOC occupations. Read more...
This file contains the Tools Used examples associated with O*NET-SOC occupations. Read more...
This file contains a listing of commodities in the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC), version 23.0701. Read more...
Work Activities
This file contains the Content Model Work Activity data associated with each O*NET-SOC occupation. Read more...
This file contains each Intermediate Work Activity and its corresponding O*NET Work Activity element ID. Read more...
This file contains each Detailed Work Activity and its corresponding GWA and IWA identifiers. Read more...
This file maps each Detailed Work Activity (DWA) to the task statements, and consequently to the O*NET-SOC occupations, requiring that activity. Read more...
Work Context
This file contains the Content Model Work Context data associated with each O*NET-SOC occupation. Read more...
This file contains the categories associated with the Work Context content area. Read more...
Occupation Titles
This file contains each O*NET-SOC code, occupational title, and definition/description. Read more...
This file contains alternate, or "lay", occupational titles for the O*NET-SOC classification system. Read more...
This file contains job titles frequently reported by incumbents and occupational experts on data collection surveys. Read more...
Related Occupations and Related Domains
For each O*NET-SOC code included, 10 primary and 10 supplemental related O*NET-SOC codes are listed. Read more...
This file contains linkages between abilities and relevant work activities. Read more...
This file contains linkages between abilities and relevant work context. Read more...
This file contains linkages between skills and relevant work activities. Read more...
This file contains linkages between skills and relevant work context. Read more...
Data Collection
This file contains the Content Model elements and descriptions. Read more...
This file contains occupational level metadata variables associated with data collection statistics. Read more...
This file contains the scale anchors associated with the following four content areas – 1) Abilities, 2) Knowledge, 3) Skills, and 4) Work Activities. Read more...
This file contains the Scale information by which the raw values are measured. Read more...
This file contains the Content Model elements that have corresponding survey item numbers in the Survey Booklet. Read more...
Competency Frameworks
The O*NET Content Model includes worker- and job-oriented hierarchical taxonomies that can effectively serve as frameworks for organizing workforce competencies, credentials, and other work-relevant information. These frameworks are available in Excel format and also as machine-readable CTDL JSON-LD files, described using the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) Achievement Standards Network (ASN) schema external site developed by Credential Engine external site. The JSON-LD files use the CTDL ASN CompetencyFramework external site and Competency external site classes.
Current and past O*NET-SOC occupations are also published in CTDL JSON-LD format. See Machine-Readable Occupation Taxonomies.
This file contains the hierarchy of Knowledge competencies from the O*NET Content Model.
Includes the framework from the Content Model Reference file and data from the Knowledge file.
This file contains the hierarchy of Basic Skills competencies from the O*NET Content Model.
Includes the framework from the Content Model Reference file and data from the Skills file.
This file contains the hierarchy of Cross-Functional Skills competencies from the O*NET Content Model.
Includes the framework from the Content Model Reference file and data from the Skills file.
This file contains the hierarchy of Abilities competencies from the O*NET Content Model.
Includes the framework from the Content Model Reference file and data from the Abilities file.
This file contains Technology Skills associated with O*NET-SOC occupations, organized by the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC).
Includes the framework from the UNSPSC Reference file and data from the Technology Skills file.
This file contains the hierarchy of Work Activities competencies, including generalized, intermediate, and detailed work activities. Linked occupation-specific tasks from across occupations are provided as illustrative or “task examples” related to the activities.
Includes the framework from the Content Model Reference, IWA Reference, and DWA Reference files and data from the Work Activities and Tasks to DWAs files.
O*NET Web Services provides real-time, up-to-date access to all of the information in the downloadable O*NET Database. With these services, programmers and researchers can:
- Programmatically discover every file in the database, and what data each file contains
- Retrieve all data from any part of the database
- Filter and sort results based on multiple criteria
The Database Services API always provides the latest version of the O*NET Database (currently 29.2), with no need to worry about downloading and integrating quarterly updates.
To learn more:
- See the Reference Manual for our Database Services
- Sign up for access to all O*NET Web Services
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Except as noted below, the content of the O*NET 29.2 Database is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License external site. You are free to copy or adapt the information from this database, as long as you:
- credit the O*NET 29.2 Database and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration external site as the original source,
- link to the license external site, and
- indicate where any changes were made to the original.
How to Credit Us
If you use O*NET information verbatim:
This page includes information from the O*NET 29.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
If you make edits or additions to O*NET information:
This page includes information from the O*NET 29.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. [Your name or company] has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
If you modify or edit O*NET information, we recommend you also provide a download link to a file listing all changes, or an email address or phone number, so that your audience can determine exactly which material is your own work. For more guidance, see Creative Commons' frequently asked questions external site and best practices for attribution external site.
The O*NET Database is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), and developed by the National Center for O*NET Development.
O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The trademark symbol must be properly displayed when referring to O*NET. When using the O*NET name, users must use "O*NET" as an adjective, not as nouns or verbs, followed by the proper generic product name. For example: "...with O*NET data," "...formulated from O*NET data," or "...includes information from the O*NET database," not "...includes O*NET." In addition, the O*NET name must not appear in the possessive or plural form.
Developer Notice
Users intending to develop other products, software or systems applications using the O*NET 29.2 Database are asked to complete an optional registration form. Registration helps us to better understand our audience and to continue developing useful information and products.
All grantees and recipients of federal assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor need to ensure that individuals with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity to use services based on the O*NET Database.
License Exceptions
This license applies only to the downloadable files of the O*NET 29.2 Database linked from the tabbed sections on this page. To copy or adapt other information on websites in the O*NET family, see our License Agreements page.