May 2025 official BLS OEWS thresholds

Salary Percentile Calculator & Wage Band Check

See where your base salary sits relative to official statewide P10, P25, P50, P75 and P90 wage thresholds for your occupation.

Honest boundary: this tool identifies a published wage band. It does not manufacture an exact percentile or declare that an employer is underpaying you.

Fast benchmark

Check your salary

Choose one occupation and work state. No account or personal identity is required.

Use base wage only; exclude bonus, equity and benefits.
BLS state median$140,270May 2025

Showing a California registered nurse example.

Official threshold view

Your BLS wage band

Not an exact percentile
Registered Nurses · California Your salary sits between the official BLS P10 and P25 wage thresholds.

$20,270 · 14.5% below the state median

Published annual wage thresholds

BLS OEWS
P10$101,260
P25$122,440
P50 median$140,270
P75$173,170
P90$213,320

Use this as a conversation starter

  • Compare the same role, specialty and experience level—not the title alone.
  • Ask for the employer's approved range and how your level was assigned.
  • Review bonus reliability, benefits, schedule and location before judging the offer.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025; retrieved 2026-09-02. Statewide thresholds are not metro-, employer-, seniority- or specialty-specific.

Read the result correctly

A benchmark is evidence, not a verdict.

The wage band answers a narrow question: where does your base salary fall among five published BLS thresholds for the same occupation and state? It does not adjust for your years of experience, specialty, metro area, employer type, shift differential or performance.

If your salary falls below the median, compare the employer's range, your exact level and total compensation before drawing a conclusion. If it falls above the median, bonus reliability, workload, benefits and regional costs can still change the real value.

Frequently asked questions

Does this calculate my exact salary percentile?

No. BLS publishes five wage thresholds for these occupation-state cells. PaycheckForge reports the official band containing your salary instead of interpolating an unsupported exact percentile.

Does a salary below the state median mean I am underpaid?

Not by itself. Statewide data does not control for experience, specialty, metro area, employer, schedule, bonus, benefits or performance. Use the benchmark as evidence for a better compensation conversation, not as a verdict.

Are P10 and P90 minimum and maximum salaries?

No. They are published wage thresholds. P10 is not a legal or entry-level minimum, and P90 is not a salary ceiling.