What the 90th Percentile Wage Tells You

BLS OEWS data publishes wages at five percentile points: 10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th. The 90th percentile is often the most interesting number — but understanding what it does and doesn't tell you requires some care.

What the 90th Percentile Means

The 90th percentile wage is the wage at which 90% of workers in that occupation earn less and 10% earn more. It represents the threshold for high earners in the occupation — not the top earner, but the floor of the top 10%.

The Top-Code Problem

BLS suppresses wages at or above $100.00/hr (approximately $208,000 annually). For many high-paying occupations — physicians, chief executives, lawyers, financial managers — the 90th percentile hits this cap. When BLS shows "$100.00+" for the 90th percentile, it means the true 90th percentile is $100/hr or more, but the exact figure is suppressed. The real distribution extends well beyond this cap.

Using Percentiles for Negotiation

The 75th percentile is often a more actionable benchmark for salary negotiation than the 90th — it represents what above-average performers earn without the distortion of extreme outliers. If you're targeting the 90th percentile, make sure the BLS figure isn't top-coded in your occupation.

Comparing Across Occupations

When comparing the 90th percentile across occupations on WageDepth, look at both the level and the gap between median and 90th percentile. A large gap indicates a highly skewed distribution where top performers earn far more than typical workers — often a signal of a merit-or-market-driven pay structure. Browse wages at all occupations.