Technical workers consist of a diverse group, including managers in the areas of computer and information science, engineering, or the natural sciences; computer programmers; surveyors, drafters working in architecture, civil engineering, electronics, or mechanical engineering; and technicians in a wide variety of technical fields. Scientists and engineers are not included in this indicator.

Data on technical workers' 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.