This indicator represents the percentage of life scientists in a state's workforce. Life scientists are identified from standard occupational codes that include agricultural and food scientists, biological scientists, conservation scientists and foresters, medical scientists, and postsecondary teachers in these fields. A high share of life scientists in a state's workforce could indicate a robust cluster of life sciences industries such as pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing. States in the top quartile for this indicator also tend to contain agriculture-intensive industries.

Data on individuals in life sciences occupations and total occupations come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Survey, a survey of workplaces that assigns workers to a state based on where they work. Estimates are developed by BLS from data provided by state workforce agencies. The OEWS Survey covers all full-time and part-time wage and salary workers in nonfarm industries. The survey does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers, or unpaid family workers.

Estimates for states with smaller populations are generally less precise than estimates for states with larger populations.

Data source: Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Survey.