Seasonal Work and Annual Wages: How BLS Handles Part-Year Employment
September 9, 2026
BLS OEWS reports wages as annual wages — extrapolated from hourly or weekly wages as if the worker were employed full-time, year-round. For seasonal occupations, this methodology creates figures that may not match the actual annual earnings of workers in those jobs.
The Annualization Method
BLS takes hourly wage data from the establishment survey and multiplies by 2,080 hours (52 weeks × 40 hours) to produce "annual wages." A seasonal farmworker earning $15/hour for 6 months would show a $31,200 annual wage in BLS data — but actually earn $15,600 in a year. The annualized rate reflects the full-time-equivalent wage, not actual annual earnings.
Occupations Most Affected
Seasonal and part-time employment is most common in:
- Farming and forestry — many seasonal crop positions
- Food service — resort and tourist-area positions
- Arts and entertainment — project-based work, touring positions
- Construction — weather-dependent in northern climates
Reading Seasonal Occupation Wages
When interpreting BLS wages for occupations with high seasonal or part-time employment rates, treat the figure as a per-hour equivalent rather than an actual annual income. Multiply the hourly wage by your expected actual hours to estimate realistic annual earnings. Browse wages at WageDepth.