What Do Jobs Actually Require? What BLS Reported in 2026
In January 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released Occupational Requirements in the United States — 2025.
The Occupational Requirements Survey reports job-related information across four broad areas:
Physical demands
Environmental conditions
Education, training, and experience
Cognitive and mental requirements
BLS notes that the 2025 estimates are preliminary until the full third-wave survey sample is collected and aggregated.
Here are some of the findings in plain English.
How many workers could pause their work?
BLS reported that 53.5% of workers had the ability to pause work in 2025.
BLS defines pause control as the ability of a worker to take short, unscheduled breaks.
Among occupations highlighted in the report:
More than 95% of software developers had pause control
91.9% of lawyers had pause control
62.6% of electricians had pause control
How common were self-paced workloads?
BLS reported that 18.5% of workers had a self-paced workload.
BLS describes a self-paced workload as one that is mostly self-directed within general performance guidelines, allowing the worker significant discretion to vary the timing of tasks within certain limits.
Among the occupations highlighted:
65.8% of software developers had self-paced workloads
70.0% of lawyers had self-paced workloads
0.7% of electricians had self-paced workloads
How often did work schedules vary?
BLS defines work schedule variability as situations in which the employer changes the work schedule, requiring workers to report on different days or times or work a different number of hours from week to week.
In 2025, 48.3% of workers had work schedule variability.
BLS reported:
23.2% of software developers
47.8% of lawyers
65.1% of electricians
had work schedule variability.
What minimum formal education requirements did BLS report?
BLS defines minimum formal education as the minimum level of formal coursework resulting in a degree required as a condition of hire, excluding general education.
In 2025:
32.5% of workers were in jobs requiring no minimum formal education
39.3% were in jobs requiring a high school diploma
17.7% were in jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree
BLS also reported that a high school diploma was required for 82.0% of electricians, while a bachelor’s degree was required for 82.9% of marketing managers.
What did BLS report about sitting and standing?
Across civilian workers, BLS reported that workers spent an average of:
44.9% of the workday sitting
55.1% of the workday standing
Waiters and waitresses spent an average of 1.4% of the workday sitting, while civil engineers spent 76.6% of the workday sitting.
How should the 2025 estimates be read?
BLS identifies the 2025 Occupational Requirements Survey estimates as preliminary.
The estimates represent approximately 148.7 million civilian workers and combine two annual samples collected between August 2023 and July 2025 as part of the third wave of the survey.
BLS also says the estimates are subject to sampling error and advises against comparing them with previously published ORS estimates. The agency states that ORS estimates are not time-series data and instead reflect job requirements for the published reference period.
What does the data show?
The BLS Occupational Requirements Survey reports job requirements across areas including cognitive and mental requirements, education and training, physical demands, and environmental conditions.
The 2025 figures summarized here are preliminary estimates, as noted by BLS.
From Job Requirements to Job Opportunity
BLS reports occupational requirements across areas such as education, training and experience, cognitive and mental requirements, physical demands, and environmental conditions.
Diversity.com helps job seekers explore opportunities across industries and career levels and helps employers connect with candidates for a wide range of roles.
Get Started with Diversity.com
At Diversity.com, we connect employers with qualified candidates through inclusive hiring, and help job seekers find employers committed to it.
For Employers & HR Professionals:
✔ Post a job and reach candidates across healthcare, higher education, government, nonprofits, and private industry
✔ Browse our resources for guides, checklists, and reports on inclusive hiring
✔ Join our community in LinkedIn for hiring and compliance updates
For Job Seekers:
✔ Find Inclusive Jobs at organizations that chose to post here
✔ Create a free account to apply and get matched to new openings
✔ Browse our resources for career guides and tools
Have questions? Reach out to our team. We're here to support you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Occupational Requirements Survey?
The BLS Occupational Requirements Survey provides job-related information about physical demands, environmental conditions, education, training and experience, and cognitive and mental requirements.
Are the 2025 Occupational Requirements Survey figures final?
No.
BLS identifies the 2025 estimates as preliminary until the entire third-wave sample is collected and aggregated.
What percentage of workers could take short, unscheduled breaks?
BLS reported that 53.5% of workers had pause control in 2025.
What percentage of workers were in jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree?
BLS reported that 17.7% of workers were in jobs where a bachelor’s degree was the minimum formal education required.
Related Articles
Black History Month 2026: What Census Data Showed About Population, Education and Work
Women’s History Month 2026: What Census Data Showed About Women and Work
Foreign-Born Workers in the U.S.: What the 2025 BLS Data Shows
Sources & References
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026, January 16). Occupational requirements in the United States — 2025. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ors_01162026.htm
