This indicator represents the percentage of physical scientists in a state's workforce. Physical scientists are identified from standard occupational codes that include astronomers, physicists, atmospheric and space scientists, chemists, materials scientists, environmental scientists, geoscientists, and postsecondary teachers in these fields. A high share of physical scientists in a state's workforce could indicate several scenarios, ranging from the presence of forests or national parks, which require foresters, wildlife specialists, and conservationists to manage the natural assets in these areas, to a robust cluster of physical science industries such as basic chemical manufacturing.

Data on employment in physical science 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.