Data deep-dives
The Numbers
What the wage data actually says — and where it goes quiet.
We pull apart the public wage data — BLS OEWS, union scales, and the submissions workers send us — and show our work. Where the data is solid, we show precision. Where a sample is thin or a number looks too clean, we say so. These posts are for the worker who wants to know not just the median, but the spread, the gaps, and what the headline figure leaves out.
Posts in The Numbers
- What 25 states of BLS data reveal about electrician pay (and where the gaps are)An electrician in Illinois medians $99,560. In Alabama, $55,690 — same trade, same year. Here's what 25 states of BLS wage data actually shows, and what it leaves out.June 23, 2026 · 4 min read
- The metro pay gap: where same-trade workers earn the most (and least)A plumber in San Jose medians $107,560. In Tampa, $52,000 — same trade, a $55,560 gap. Here's what BLS metro wage data says, and why nominal isn't take-home.June 23, 2026 · 6 min read
- Union vs non-union pay: what the scales show where we can actually verify itA union plumber in California scales at $131,040 — 80% over the state BLS median. Real numbers, but only for the 11 trade-and-city pairs we can actually verify.June 23, 2026 · 6 min read