You may be able to find the answers to many of your questions in existing research reports. The following are some useful sources of information:
Tacoma, Pierce County, and Washington State Data
- Pierce County data. Economic projections, demographics, wages, and other information specific to Pierce County.
- Pierce County web site.
- Tacoma Census Data. HUD data: Census, employment, business patterns, crime statistics and public finances data for Tacoma.
- Tacoma. MAP Stats: Basic data about Tacoma
- Washington Trends. Useful site giving trends on Economy, Social-Economic, Population, and Budget Drivers.
- State of Washington Data Book. Presents in one reference document, diverse information about Washington, its people, economy, and government.
Wage and Employment Information
- Washington State Labor Market Information. This site provides information on the labor market in all 39 Washington counties. You will find reports on jobs, population, and the various industries within a given area.
- America’s Career InfoNet. Provides employment and wage projections for various occupations. Estimates are made on a national or state basis. Good site for employment trend data.
- Workforce Explorer. Interactive database that contains information on education, census, income, economic indicators and the labor force for the State of Washington.
- Washington State Career Bridge. Provides information on the employment and further education of students after they leave vocational training programs
- Pierce County Wage & Employment Profiles.
- WorkForce Central Skills Gap Analysis and Sector Strategies: A September 2016 report reviewing the population education/job skills and sectors in Pierce County.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. The OES survey collects occupational employment and wage data for over 750 occupations.
- Economic projections and other information specific to Pierce County.
- SOC codes. Standard Occupational Classifications (SOC) are the codes used to define job classifications. You may need SOC codes to find specific information about professions in the above databases. In addition to the SOC code, the site also provides task lists and job responsibilities.
Government Resources (single points of contact)
- First Gov. FirstGov is intended to be your first resource to find any government information on the Internet, with topics ranging from business and economy to money and benefits, to science and technology – and everything in between!
- Fed Stats. Gateway to statistics from more than 100 U.S. Federal agencies.
- U.S. Census Bureau. Your source for population, housing, economic and geographic data.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Research data and recommendations on health and disease prevention.
- Access Washington. First point of contact for State of Washington governmental agencies and information.
- State of Washington Office of Financial Management. Provides estimates of state and local population, monitors changes in the state economy and labor force, and conducts research on a variety of issues affecting the state budget and public policy
Assessment & Institutional Research
- Internet Resources for Institutional Research. The Association for Institutional Research provides resources and links to different research and assessment-related web sites.
- Higher Education Outcomes Assessment. A compendium of links that look at how to measure educational outcomes
Educational Performance (test scores & norms)
- Superintendent of Public Instruction. WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) & ITBS (Iowa Basic Skills) test scores, district and school demographic information. Other K-12 assessment information including the Certificate of Mastery test.
- ACT National and State Scores. Academic abilities and non-academic characteristics of ACT-tested high school graduates.