Over the years, the decennial census and the Current Population Survey have been major sources of essential data to and about workers in specific occupations. In the 1970s, the database of employment projections shifted from the census to the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey program. For various reasons, the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee/State Occupational Information Coordinating Committees (NOICC/SOICC) Network has adopted the OES as the database for current employment estimates and projections of demand requirements for use in state occupational information systems. However, data from the census remain essential in estimating and projecting occupational employment. The NOICC/SOICC Network's needs for occupational information from the 1990 census were reviewed and compared with Census Bureau plans for collecting, tabulating, and delivering occupational data from the 1990 census. On the basis of that review, the following data elements were identified as top-priority data elements needed by the NOICC/SOICC network: detailed occupations of employed persons by industry and class of worker; occupation of employed persons by age and sex for states and territories; occupation (full detail) of employed persons by state, territory, and metropolitan statistical area; and occupation of employed persons by industry and race. Medium- and low-priority data elements were also identified. (MN)