The N.C. Division of Employment Security (DES) collects Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes and hours worked for employees on quarterly wage reports. SOC codes are part of a federal standard coding system used to group workers by job types.

How to Choose Standard Occupational Classification Codes using the SOC Lookup Tool

Look up Standard Occupational Classification Codes using the SOC Lookup Tool.

SOC Code Frequently Asked Questions

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SOC codes provide critical information to help guide investments in education and training programs to meet workforce needs. They also help improve data quality, support policy and program decisions, and boost employment and wage outcomes.

No, but codes provide important information about the types of occupations in the state and labor markets.

Note: SOC codes entered by an employer or agent are saved and may be reused each quarter. 

The SOC system has four levels:

  • 23 major groups
  • 98 minor groups
  • 459 broad occupations
  • 867 detailed occupations

SOC Code Structure

SOC Code Structure. The first two digits represent the major group. The third digit represents the minor group. The fourth and fifth digits represent the broad occupation. The sixth digit represents the detailed occupation.

The number of hours an employee worked helps compare wages for different occupations in the state.

For salaried employees, enter the number of hours their salary is based on, even if it is different from the actual number of hours worked. For example, if their standard work week is 40 hours, multiply the number of weeks your employee worked during the quarter by 40.

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