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Life-Cycle Decisions for Biomedical Data: The Challenge of Forecasting Costs (2020)

Chapter: Appendix C: Identifying Salary Ranges for Jobs Relevant to the Data Life Cycle

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Previous Chapter: Appendix B: Active Data Management Plans as a Planning Tool

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Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Identifying Salary Ranges for Jobs Relevant to the Data Life Cycle." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Life-Cycle Decisions for Biomedical Data: The Challenge of Forecasting Costs. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25639.

C

Identifying Salary Ranges for Jobs Relevant to the Data Life Cycle

The main text identifies certain job descriptions with associated salary ranges, from L (low) to VH (very high). This appendix identifies possible job titles and associated salary ranges observed in workplace and occupational surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, 2019a).

DATA USED

Occupational Employment Statistics

Collection methods, estimation methodology, and coverage are described in BLS (2019b). The committee downloaded the data from https://www.bls.gov/oes/special.requests/oesm18nat.zip on October 30, 2019. From the downloaded data, national_M2018_dl.xlsx was used.

Occupational Information Network

The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) database is a U.S. Department of Labor–sponsored database developed by the National Center for O*Net Development.¹ The database provides standardized descriptions of hundreds of occupations within the U.S. economy. The database comprises worker attributes and job characteristics. Information is collected using a two-stage design in which the following occurs:

A statistically random sample of businesses expected to employ workers in the targeted occupations is identified.
A random sample of workers in those occupations within those businesses is selected. Data are collected by surveying job incumbents using a randomly assigned standardized questionnaire on occupation characteristics, out of three questionnaires. Additional questions cover tasks and demographic information.
Abilities and skills information is developed by occupational analysts using the updated information from incumbent workers (National Center for O*NET Development, 2019a).

___________________

¹ See https://www.onetonline.org/, accessed August 12, 2020.

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A data dictionary (National Center for O*NET Development, 2019b) provides additional information.

Version 23_2 of the data (National Center for O*NET Development, 2019c)² was used for committee determination of salaries. Both Occupation Data.xlsx and Alternate Titles.xlsx were used.

METHODS

Mapping Job Titles to Standard Occupational Classifications

O*NET is structured around Standard Occupational Classification (SOC; BLS, 2019c). The committee’s main text has a normative list of job descriptions based on data management practiced at university libraries. These may not match reported standard occupation titles. The O*NET data provide a long but not exhaustive list of alternate mentions of job titles for specific occupations (Alternate Titles.xlsx). Using both the standard occupation title as well as the alternative mention, the normative job title is matched via probabilistic matching, using the Jaro-Winkler distance (Winkler, 1990) as implemented in the R package fuzzyjoin (Robinson, 2019). All reasonable matches (d < 0.05) were kept to obtain a list of similar occupations and their SOC codes.

Mapping SOC into Salary Ranges

Occupational Employment Statistics computes for each SOC code a salary range, comprising annual salary and hourly wages, and characterized by the 25th and 75th percentile, as well as the median. The annual salary distributions were attached to each of the identified occupations (Table C.1), and then these statistics were collapsed to a triplet of information for each normative job description (Table C.2). To do so, the minimum of all observed 25th percentiles, the median of all observed medians, and the maximum of all observed 75th percentiles were chosen. No weights were applied. An alternative implementation might use the employment shares to create weighted statistics. Reliability statistics were not computed, as the resulting table is meant to be indicative, not precise.

RESULTS

Table C.1 lists the annual salaries, as of 2018, by job title (median, and the 25th and 75th percentile), for all occupations identified as having similar names as the normative description in Chapter 2. Blank salaries (“NA”) indicate that no occupation code could be found on O*NET based on the normative description. Table C.2 lists the ranges, as defined above, for each of the normative descriptions (Chapter 2), based on the underlying occupations identified. Table C.3 lists the statistics associated with each of the salary categories, from low to very high. While the categories are defined based on the experience of members of the committee, ex ante, they match up well with observed median salaries in 2018.

FULL CODE AND DATA

The code and data underlying this appendix, including an exhaustive list of the committee’s edits (inclusions and exclusions) to the list of occupations, are available at https://github.com/labordynamicsinstitute/job-description-and-wages.

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TABLE C.1 Annual Salaries (2018) by Job Title for Occupations

Job Title	Title	SOC	Alternative Title	25th Percentile ($)	Median Income ($)	75th Percentile ($)
Researcher	Industrial Ecologists	19-2041	Researcher	53,580	71,130	94,590
Researcher	Anthropologists	19-3091	Researcher	48,020	62,410	80,230
Researcher	Historians	19-3093	Researcher	40,670	61,140	85,700
Researcher	Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers	11-9041	Scientist	112,400	140,760	173,180
Researcher	Mathematicians	15-2021	Scientist	73,490	101,900	126,070
Researcher	Chemical Engineers	17-2041	Scientist	81,900	104,910	133,320
Researcher	Nanosystems Engineers	17-2199	Scientist	69,890	96,980	126,200
Researcher	Manufacturing Engineering Technologists	17-3029	Scientist	47,500	63,200	80,670
Researcher	Biologists	19-1020	Scientist	56,730	77,550	103,540
Researcher	Biochemists and Biophysicists	19-1021	Scientist	64,230	93,280	129,950
Researcher	Bioinformatics Scientists	19-1029	Scientist	60,250	79,590	98,040
Researcher	Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists	19-1042	Scientist	59,580	84,810	118,040
Researcher	Chemists	19-2031	Scientist	56,290	76,890	103,820
Researcher	Hydrologists	19-2043	Scientist	61,280	79,370	100,090
Researcher	Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists	19-2099	Scientist	75,830	107,230	136,930
Researcher	Geographers	19-3092	Scientist	63,270	80,300	96,980
Data Librarian	Librarians	25-4021	NA	46,130	59,050	74,740
Data Librarian	Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary	25-1082	Librarian	56,550	71,560	90,550
Data Librarian	Archivists	25-4011	Librarian	38,090	52,240	71,250
Metadata Librarian	Librarians	25-4021	NA	46,130	59,050	74,740
Metadata Librarian	Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary	25-1082	Librarian	56,550	71,560	90,550
Metadata Librarian	Archivists	25-4011	Librarian	38,090	52,240	71,250
Records Management Specialist	Librarians	25-4021	NA	46,130	59,050	74,740
Records Management Specialist	Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary	25-1082	Librarian	56,550	71,560	90,550
Records Management Specialist	Archivists	25-4011	Librarian	38,090	52,240	71,250
Curator	Curators	25-4012	NA	39,580	53,780	72,830
Curator	Archivists	25-4011	NA	38,090	52,240	71,250
Curator	Archeologists	19-3091	Curator	48,020	62,410	80,230

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Job Title	Title	SOC	Alternative Title	25th Percentile ($)	Median Income ($)	75th Percentile ($)
Research Domain Curator	Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers	11-9041	Scientist	112,400	140,760	173,180
Research Domain Curator	Mathematicians	15-2021	Scientist	73,490	101,900	126,070
Research Domain Curator	Chemical Engineers	17-2041	Scientist	81,900	104,910	133,320
Research Domain Curator	Nanosystems Engineers	17-2199	Scientist	69,890	96,980	126,200
Research Domain Curator	Manufacturing Engineering Technologists	17-3029	Scientist	47,500	63,200	80,670
Research Domain Curator	Biologists	19-1020	Scientist	56,730	77,550	103,540
Research Domain Curator	Biochemists and Biophysicists	19-1021	Scientist	64,230	93,280	129,950
Research Domain Curator	Bioinformatics Scientists	19-1029	Scientist	60,250	79,590	98,040
Research Domain Curator	Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists	19-1042	Scientist	59,580	84,810	118,040
Research Domain Curator	Chemists	19-2031	Scientist	56,290	76,890	103,820
Research Domain Curator	Climate Change Analysts	19-2041	Scientist	53,580	71,130	94,590
Research Domain Curator	Hydrologists	19-2043	Scientist	61,280	79,370	100,090
Research Domain Curator	Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists	19-2099	Scientist	75,830	107,230	136,930
Research Domain Curator	Anthropologists	19-3091	Scientist	48,020	62,410	80,230
Research Domain Curator	Geographers	19-3092	Scientist	63,270	80,300	96,980
Research Domain Project Manager	Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers	11-9041	Scientist	112,400	140,760	173,180
Research Domain Project Manager	Mathematicians	15-2021	Scientist	73,490	101,900	126,070
Research Domain Project Manager	Chemical Engineers	17-2041	Scientist	81,900	104,910	133,320
Research Domain Project Manager	Nanosystems Engineers	17-2199	Scientist	69,890	96,980	126,200
Research Domain Project Manager	Manufacturing Engineering Technologists	17-3029	Scientist	47,500	63,200	80,670
Research Domain Project Manager	Biologists	19-1020	Scientist	56,730	77,550	103,540
Research Domain Project Manager	Biochemists and Biophysicists	19-1021	Scientist	64,230	93,280	129,950

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Job Title	Title	SOC	Alternative Title	25th Percentile ($)	Median Income ($)	75th Percentile ($)
Research Domain Project Manager	Bioinformatics Scientists	19-1029	Scientist	60,250	79,590	98,040
Research Domain Project Manager	Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists	19-1042	Scientist	59,580	84,810	118,040
Research Domain Project Manager	Chemists	19-2031	Scientist	56,290	76,890	103,820
Research Domain Project Manager	Climate Change Analysts	19-2041	Scientist	53,580	71,130	94,590
Research Domain Project Manager	Hydrologists	19-2043	Scientist	61,280	79,370	100,090
Research Domain Project Manager	Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists	19-2099	Scientist	75,830	107,230	136,930
Research Domain Project Manager	Anthropologists	19-3091	Scientist	48,020	62,410	80,230
Research Domain Project Manager	Geographers	19-3092	Scientist	63,270	80,300	96,980
Informatician	Computer Systems Analysts	15-1121	NA	68,730	887,40	113,460
Informatician	Information Technology Project Managers	15-1199	IT Specialist	66,410	90,270	117,070
Data Wrangler	Information Technology Project Managers	15-1199	IT Specialist	66,410	90,270	117,070
Education Specialist	Health Educators	21-1091	Education Specialist	39,800	54,220	74,660
Education Specialist	Special Education Teachers, Secondary School	25-2054	Education Specialist	48,630	60,600	77,820
Education Specialist	Instructional Coordinators	25-9031	Education Specialist	49,280	64,450	82,860
Communication Specialist	Public Relations Specialists	27-3031	Communication Specialist	44,490	60,000	81,550
Software Engineer	Computer and Information Research Scientists	15-1111	Software Engineer	91,650	118,370	149,470
Software Engineer	Software Developers, Applications	15-1132	Software Engineer	79,340	103,620	130,460
Software Engineer	Software Developers, Systems Software	15-1133	Software Engineer	85,610	110,000	139,550
IT Security Specialist	Security Management Specialists	13-1199	NA	52,200	70,530	94,890
IT Systems Engineer	Computer and Information Systems Managers	11-3021	NA	110,110	142,530	180,190
IT Systems Engineer	Information Technology Project Managers	15-1199	IT Specialist	66,410	90,270	117,070
IT Project Manager	Computer and Information Systems Managers	11-3021	NA	110,110	142,530	180,190
IT Project Manager	Information Technology Project Managers	15-1199	IS/IT Project Manager	66,410	90,270	117,070

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Job Title	Title	SOC	Alternative Title	25th Percentile ($)	Median Income ($)	75th Percentile ($)
Project Manager	Construction Managers	11-9021	Project Manager	70,670	93,370	123,720
Project Manager	Architectural and Engineering Managers	11-9041	Project Manager	112,400	140,760	173,180
Project Manager	Managers, All Other	11-9199	Project Manager	75,460	107,480	143,230
Project Manager	Information Technology Project Managers	15-1199	Project Manager	66,410	90,270	117,070
Project Manager	Environmental Engineers	17-2081	Project Manager	66,590	87,620	112,230
Project Manager	Wind Energy Engineers	17-2199	Project Manager	69,890	96,980	126,200
Project Manager	Environmental Restoration Planners	19-2041	Project Manager	53,580	71,130	94,590
Project Manager	Social Science Research Assistants	19-4061	Project Manager	35,450	46,640	60,830
Project Manager	Remote Sensing Technicians	19-4099	Project Manager	37,940	49,670	63,340
Project Manager	Technical Directors/Managers	27-2012	Project Manager	48,520	71,680	110,350
Project Manager	Intelligence Analysts	33-3021	Project Manager	57,560	81,920	107,000
Senior Staff	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Policy Specialist	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Administrative Staff	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers	43-1011	NA	42,750	55,810	71,550
Administrative Staff	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants	43-6011	NA	46,530	59,340	74,460
Administrative Staff	Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive	43-6014	NA	28,930	36,630	46,230
Administrative Staff	Business Operations Specialists, All Other	13-1199	Administrative Assistant	52,200	70,530	94,890
Administrative Staff	Billing and Posting Clerks	43-3021	Administrative Assistant	31,870	37,800	46,350
Administrative Staff	New Accounts Clerks	43-4141	Administrative Assistant	30,300	35,800	42,050
Administrative Staff	Medical Secretaries	43-6013	Administrative Assistant	29,580	35,760	43,200
Facilities Manager	General and Operations Managers	11-1021	Facilities Manager	65,650	100,930	157,120
Facilities Manager	Administrative Services Managers	11-3011	Facilities Manager	71,850	96,180	127,100
Facilities Manager	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers	11-9141	Facilities Manager	41,210	58,340	85,120
Facilities Manager	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers	37-1011	Facilities Manager	31,020	39,940	52,280

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Job Title	Title	SOC	Alternative Title	25th Percentile ($)	Median Income ($)	75th Percentile ($)
Facilities Manager	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers	43-1011	Facilities Manager	42,750	55,810	71,550
Facilities Manager	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers	49-1011	Facilities Manager	51,430	66,140	83,980
Facilities Manager	Maintenance and Repair Workers, General	49-9071	Facilities Manager	29,560	38,300	50,100
Data Scientist	Computer and Information Research Scientists	15-1111	Data Scientist	91,650	118,370	149,470

NOTE: IT, information technology; SOC, Standard Occupational Classification.

TABLE C.2 Salary Ranges for Job Classifications as Defined in Chapter 2

Job Title	25th Percentile ($)	Median Salary ($)	75th Percentile ($)
Administrative Staff	28,930	37,800	94,890
Communication Specialist	44,490	60,000	81,550
Curator	38,090	53,780	80,230
Data Librarian	38,090	59,050	90,550
Data Scientist	91,650	118,370	149,470
Data Wrangler	66,410	90,270	117,070
Education Specialist	39,800	60,600	82,860
Facilities Manager	29,560	58,340	157,120
Informatician	66,410	89,505	117,070
IT Project Manager	66,410	116,400	180,190
IT Security Specialist	52,200	70,530	94,890
IT Systems Engineer	66,410	116,400	180,190
Metadata Librarian	38,090	59,050	90,550
Policy Specialist	Inf	NA	-Inf
Project Manager	35,450	87,620	173,180
Records Management Specialist	38,090	59,050	90,550
Research Domain Curator	47,500	80,300	173,180
Research Domain Project Manager	47,500	80,300	173,180
Researcher	40,670	79,945	173,180
Senior Staff	Inf	NA	-Inf
Software Engineer	79,340	110,000	149,470

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TABLE C.3 Statistics Across Each of the Salary Categories (used in Chapter 2 of this report)

Relative Salary	25th Percentile ($)	Median Salary ($)	75th Percentile ($)	N	Missing
Low	28,930	37,800	94,890	7	0
Medium	29,560	61,505	173,180	34	0
High	40,670	80,300	180,190	50	1
Very High	52,200	103,620	180,190	10	1

REFERENCES

BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics). 2019a. Occupational Employment Statistics. Data set. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Program. https://www.bls.gov/oes/home.htm.

BLS. 2019b. Survey Methods and Reliability Statement for the May 2018 Occupational Employment Statistics Survey. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Program. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/methods_statement.pdf.

BLS. 2019c. 2018 Standard Occupational Classification System. https://www.bls.gov/soc/2018/major_groups.htm.

National Center for O*NET Development. 2019a. O*NET Data Collection Overview. https://www.onetcenter.org/dataCollection.html.

National Center for O*NET Development. 2019b. O*NET® 23.2 Database. Data Dictionary. O*NET Resource Center. https://www.onetcenter.org/dl_files/database/db_23_2_dictionary.pdf.

National Center for O*NET Development. 2019c. O*NET® Database Release 23.2. Data set. O*NET Resource Center. https://www.onetcenter.org/db_releases.html.

Robinson, D. 2019. Fuzzyjoin: Join Tables Together on Inexact Matching. https://github.com/dgrtwo/fuzzyjoin.

Winkler, W.E. 1990. String comparator metrics and enhanced decision rules in the Fellegi-Sunter Model of Record Linkage. Proceedings of the Section on Survey Research Methods, American Statistical Association, 354-359. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED325505.pdf.