News
Bureau of Labor Statistics
United States
Department
of Labor
Washington, D.C. 20212
Technical Contact: (202) 691-6199 [email protected]
Media Contact:
(202) 691-5902
Internet Address:
http://www.bls.gov/ect
USDL: 08-1271
For Release: 10:00 AM EDT
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
EMPLOYER COSTS FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION—JUNE 2008
Employers spent an average of $1.25 for employee retirement and savings plans for every hour worked
in June 2008, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This accounted for 4.4
percent of total compensation. Retirement and savings, which includes both defined benefit and defined
contribution plans, is only one of several benefits included in the Employer Costs for Employee Compensation
survey, along with wages and salaries. Total compensation (wages and salaries and benefits) for civilian
workers averaged $28.48 per hour worked in June 2008. Wages and salaries, which averaged $19.85, accounted
for 69.7 percent of these costs, while benefits, which averaged $8.64, accounted for the remaining 30.3 percent.
(See table 1.) The Employer Costs for Employee Compensation program, a product of the National
Compensation Survey, measures employer costs for wages, salaries, and employee benefits for nonfarm private
and state and local government workers.
In addition to retirement and savings the other benefit categories were: life, health, and disability
insurance benefits, which averaged $2.39 (8.4 percent of total compensation); legally required benefits,
including Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation, which averaged
$2.25 per hour (7.9 percent); paid leave benefits (vacations, holidays, sick leave, and personal leave), which
averaged $1.99 (7.0 percent); and supplemental pay which averaged 76 cents (2.7 percent).
Private industry
In June 2008, private industry employer compensation costs averaged $26.78 per hour worked. Wages
and salaries averaged $18.92 per hour (70.6 percent), while benefits averaged $7.86 (29.4 percent). Employer
costs for paid leave averaged $1.78 per hour worked (6.7 percent), supplemental pay averaged 83 cents (3.1
percent), insurance benefits averaged $2.05 (7.7 percent), retirement and savings averaged 95 cents (3.6
percent), and legally required benefits averaged $2.24 (8.4 percent) per hour worked. (See table 5.)
Retirement and savings benefit costs in private industry
In June 2008, average costs in private industry for retirement and savings benefits were 95 cents per hour
worked, or 3.6 percent of total compensation. The average cost per hour worked for defined benefit plans—
NOTE
Effective with the December 2008 release, series for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas in table 7 will
be discontinued.
2
retirement plans that typically specify a benefit based on age, years of service, and earnings—was 42 cents (1.6
percent of total compensation). The average cost for defined contribution plans—retirement plans usually based
on employer contributions to individual employee accounts—was 53 cents (2.0 percent of total compensation).
(See table 5.) Employer costs for retirement and savings plans are affected by several factors, including the
percentage of employees that have access to and participate in the plans offered by their employer. (The
National Compensation Survey produces comprehensive data on the percentage of workers with access to and
participation in retirement plans. Data for March 2008 were recently released and are available at
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ebs2.pdf).
Among occupational groups, retirement and savings costs ranged from 22 cents per hour worked for
service occupations to $1.94 for management, professional, and related occupations. Sales and office
occupations averaged 61 cents; production, transportation, and material moving occupations, 87 cents; and
natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations, $1.42 per hour. The proportion of total
compensation represented by retirement and savings ranged from 1.6 percent for service workers to 4.7 percent
for natural resources, construction, and maintenance workers. (See table 5.)
Retirement and savings costs were higher, both in amount and as a proportion of total compensation, for
union workers ($2.44 and 6.7 percent of total compensation) than for nonunion workers (78 cents and 3.0
percent of total compensation). Defined benefit plan costs were significantly higher for union workers ($1.73
and 4.8 percent of compensation) than for nonunion workers (27 cents and 1.0 percent of compensation). (See
table 5.)
Retirement and savings costs were higher per hour worked in goods-producing industries ($1.45 and 4.6
percent of total compensation) than in service-providing industries (83 cents and 3.2 percent of total
compensation). Retirement costs within goods-producing industries averaged $1.54 per hour in construction
and $1.31 per hour in manufacturing. Costs in service-providing industries varied widely, ranging from 13
cents in leisure and hospitality to $1.49 in information and $1.51 in the financial activities industry. (See table
6.)
Among the four census regions, retirement and savings costs ranged from 84 cents per hour in the South
to $1.14 in the Northeast. Retirement and savings costs were 97 cents in the West and 95 cents in the Midwest.
Within the nine census divisions, retirement and savings costs ranged from 53 cents in the East South Central
division to $1.19 in the Middle Atlantic division. (See table 7.)
Retirement and savings costs increased, both in cost per hour worked and proportion of total
compensation, with establishment size. Establishments with fewer than 50 workers averaged 50 cents (2.3
percent), significantly less than establishments with 500 workers or more, averaging $1.89 (5.0 percent). (See
table 8.)
Since June 2003, private industry retirement and savings costs have changed in terms of total
compensation percentage from 3.0 to 3.6 percent. Defined benefit cost percentages in June 2003 were 1.1
percent of total compensation compared with 1.6 percent currently while defined contribution percentages were
similar at 1.9 percent versus 2.0 percent.
Note
The Employer Costs for Employee Compensation news release for September 2008 is scheduled for
Wednesday, December 10, 2008, at 10:00 AM (EST).
3
Table of Contents:
Table 1.
Table 2.
Table 3.
Table 4.
Table 5.
Table 6.
Table 7.
Table 8.
Table 9.
Table 10.
Table 11.
Table 12.
Table 13.
Table 14.
Civilian workers, by major occupational and industry group
Civilian workers, by occupational and industry group
State and local government workers, by major occupational and industry group
State and local government workers, by occupational and industry group
Private industry workers, by major occupational group and bargaining unit status
Private industry workers, by major industry group
Private industry workers, by census region and division, and area
Private industry workers, by establishment employment size
Private industry workers, goods-producing and service-providing industries, by
occupational group
Private industry workers, by industry group
Private industry workers, by occupational group and full-time and part-time status
Private industry workers, by industry group and full-time and part-time status
Private industry workers, by major industry group and establishment
employment size and bargaining unit status
Private industry health care and social assistance workers, by industry
and occupational group
Technical Note
Note: Supplemental tables with occupational, establishment size, and bargaining status series for
detailed industries are available at http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ect/sp/ecsuptc7.pdf and
http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ect/sp/ecsuptc7.txt.
5
7
8
9
10
12
14
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
4
Relative importance of employer costs for
employee compensation, June 2008
Compensation
component
Civilian State and local
workers
government
Private
industry
Wages and salaries
69.7%
65.8%
70.6%
Benefits
30.3
34.2
29.4
Paid leave
7.0
8.3
6.7
Supplemental pay
2.7
0.9
3.1
Insurance
8.4
11.3
7.7
7.9
10.9
7.2
4.4
7.7
3.6
Defined benefit
2.6
6.9
1.6
Defined contribution
1.8
0.8
2.0
7.9
6.0
8.4
Health benefits
Retirement & savings
Legally required
Employer costs per hour worked for retirement and savings benefits, by various categories,
June 2008
„ Defined benefits Defined contribution
Civilian workers
State and local government
Private industry
Goods-producing
Service-providing
Management, professional & related
Sales & office
Service
Natural resources, construction, & maintenance
Production, transportation, & material moving
Northeast
South
Midwest
West
Union
Nonunion
1-99 employees
100-499 employees
500+ employees
$0.00
$0.50
$1.00
$1.50
$2.00
$2.50
$3.00
5
Table 1. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total
compensation: Civilian workers, by major occupational and industry group, June 2008
Occupational group
Compensation
component
Management,
professional,
and
related
All
workers1
Sales
and
office
Service
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Total compensation ..................................................
$28.48
100.0
$47.57
100.0
$21.70
100.0
$15.57
100.0
Wages and salaries ..............................................
19.85
69.7
33.32
70.0
15.41
71.0
11.05
71.0
Total benefits ........................................................
8.64
30.3
14.25
30.0
6.29
29.0
4.52
29.0
Paid leave .........................................................
Vacation ........................................................
Holiday ..........................................................
Sick ...............................................................
Personal .......................................................
1.99
0.94
0.65
0.31
0.08
7.0
3.3
2.3
1.1
0.3
3.90
1.78
1.26
0.66
0.19
8.2
3.7
2.7
1.4
0.4
1.43
0.69
0.48
0.21
0.05
6.6
3.2
2.2
1.0
0.2
0.87
0.42
0.28
0.14
0.03
5.6
2.7
1.8
0.9
0.2
Supplemental pay .............................................
Overtime and premium4 ...............................
Shift differentials ...........................................
Nonproduction bonuses ................................
0.76
0.26
0.07
0.43
2.7
0.9
0.2
1.5
1.23
0.17
0.11
0.96
2.6
0.4
0.2
2.0
0.52
0.14
0.02
0.35
2.4
0.7
0.1
1.6
0.28
0.17
0.05
0.07
1.8
1.1
0.3
0.4
Insurance ..........................................................
Life ................................................................
Health ...........................................................
Short-term disability ......................................
Long-term disability ......................................
2.39
0.05
2.25
0.05
0.04
8.4
0.2
7.9
0.2
0.1
3.57
0.10
3.32
0.08
0.08
7.5
0.2
7.0
0.2
0.2
1.94
0.03
1.85
0.04
0.03
9.0
0.2
8.5
0.2
0.1
1.33
0.02
1.28
0.02
(5)
8.6
0.1
8.3
0.1
6
( )
Retirement and savings ....................................
Defined benefit .............................................
Defined contribution ......................................
1.25
0.75
0.50
4.4
2.6
1.8
2.41
1.44
0.97
5.1
3.0
2.0
0.71
0.32
0.39
3.3
1.5
1.8
0.58
0.44
0.14
3.8
2.8
0.9
Legally required benefits ..................................
Social Security and Medicare .......................
Social Security7 ........................................
Medicare ...................................................
Federal unemployment insurance ................
State unemployment insurance ....................
Workers’ compensation ................................
2.25
1.62
1.29
0.33
0.03
0.14
0.47
7.9
5.7
4.5
1.1
0.1
0.5
1.6
3.14
2.60
2.05
0.55
0.02
0.13
0.38
6.6
5.5
4.3
1.2
(6)
0.3
0.8
1.70
1.28
1.03
0.25
0.03
0.13
0.25
7.8
5.9
4.8
1.2
0.1
0.6
1.2
1.45
0.94
0.75
0.19
0.03
0.11
0.36
9.3
6.0
4.8
1.2
0.2
0.7
2.3
See footnotes at end of table.
6
Table 1. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total
compensation: Civilian workers, by major occupational and industry group, June 2008 — Continued
Occupational group
Compensation
component
Natural
resources,
construction,
and
maintenance
Industry group
Production,
transportation,
and
material
moving
Goodsproducing2
Serviceproviding3
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Total compensation ..................................................
$30.41
100.0
$23.30
100.0
$31.59
100.0
$27.84
100.0
Wages and salaries ..............................................
20.67
68.0
15.50
66.5
21.09
66.8
19.59
70.4
Total benefits ........................................................
9.75
32.0
7.80
33.5
10.50
33.2
8.25
29.6
Paid leave .........................................................
Vacation ........................................................
Holiday ..........................................................
Sick ...............................................................
Personal .......................................................
1.59
0.84
0.52
0.16
0.06
5.2
2.8
1.7
0.5
0.2
1.39
0.71
0.49
0.16
0.04
6.0
3.0
2.1
0.7
0.2
1.99
1.06
0.71
0.17
0.04
6.3
3.4
2.3
0.5
0.1
1.99
0.92
0.64
0.33
0.09
7.1
3.3
2.3
1.2
0.3
Supplemental pay .............................................
Overtime and premium4 ...............................
Shift differentials ...........................................
Nonproduction bonuses ................................
0.99
0.66
0.05
0.28
3.2
2.2
0.2
0.9
0.85
0.51
0.10
0.23
3.6
2.2
0.4
1.0
1.30
0.58
0.10
0.62
4.1
1.8
0.3
2.0
0.65
0.20
0.06
0.39
2.3
0.7
0.2
1.4
Insurance ..........................................................
Life ................................................................
Health ...........................................................
Short-term disability ......................................
Long-term disability ......................................
2.60
0.05
2.44
0.08
0.03
8.5
0.2
8.0
0.3
0.1
2.41
0.04
2.28
0.06
0.03
10.4
0.2
9.8
0.3
0.1
2.89
0.06
2.69
0.10
0.04
9.2
0.2
8.5
0.3
0.1
2.29
0.05
2.16
0.04
0.04
8.2
0.2
7.8
0.2
0.1
Retirement and savings ....................................
Defined benefit .............................................
Defined contribution ......................................
1.49
1.01
0.48
4.9
3.3
1.6
0.91
0.55
0.37
3.9
2.3
1.6
1.45
0.83
0.63
4.6
2.6
2.0
1.21
0.74
0.47
4.3
2.6
1.7
Legally required benefits ..................................
Social Security and Medicare .......................
Social Security7 ........................................
Medicare ...................................................
Federal unemployment insurance ................
State unemployment insurance ....................
Workers’ compensation ................................
3.08
1.74
1.40
0.33
0.03
0.18
1.14
10.1
5.7
4.6
1.1
0.1
0.6
3.7
2.23
1.32
1.07
0.25
0.03
0.16
0.71
9.6
5.7
4.6
1.1
0.1
0.7
3.1
2.87
1.80
1.45
0.35
0.03
0.20
0.84
9.1
5.7
4.6
1.1
0.1
0.6
2.7
2.12
1.58
1.26
0.32
0.03
0.13
0.39
7.6
5.7
4.5
1.2
0.1
0.4
1.4
1 Includes workers in the private nonfarm economy excluding
households and the public sector excluding the Federal government.
2 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing. The
agriculture, forestry, farming, and hunting sector is excluded.
3 Includes utilities; wholesale trade; retail trade; transportation
and warehousing; information; finance and insurance; real estate
and rental and leasing; professional and technical services;
management of companies and enterprises; administrative and
waste services; educational services; health care and social
assistance; arts, entertainment and recreation; accommodation and
food services; other services, except public administration; and
public administration.
4 Includes premium pay for work in addition to the regular work
schedule (such as overtime, weekends, and holidays).
5 Cost per hour worked is $0.01 or less.
6 Less than .05 percent.
7 Comprises the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance
(OASDI) program.
Note: The sum of individual items may not equal totals due to
rounding.
7
Table 2. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total
compensation: Civilian workers, by occupational and industry group, June 2008
Benefit costs
Series
Total
compensation
Wages
and
salaries
Paid
leave
Total
Supplemental
pay
Insurance
Retirement
and
savings
Legally
required
benefits
Cost per hour worked
Civilian workers1 .......................................................
$28.48
$19.85
$8.64
$1.99
$0.76
$2.39
$1.25
$2.25
47.57
53.20
45.41
49.83
33.32
36.64
32.04
35.49
14.25
16.56
13.37
14.35
3.90
4.77
3.56
3.26
1.23
2.17
0.87
0.15
3.57
3.64
3.55
4.67
2.41
2.50
2.38
3.41
3.14
3.47
3.01
2.85
47.89
44.85
21.70
20.33
22.52
15.57
34.27
31.69
15.41
15.27
15.49
11.05
13.63
13.16
6.29
5.06
7.03
4.52
2.33
3.60
1.43
1.09
1.63
0.87
0.16
1.50
0.52
0.56
0.49
0.28
5.10
3.11
1.94
1.25
2.36
1.33
3.43
1.56
0.71
0.48
0.85
0.58
2.60
3.40
1.70
1.68
1.71
1.45
30.41
20.67
9.75
1.59
0.99
2.60
1.49
3.08
30.60
30.18
20.69
20.64
9.91
9.54
1.22
2.04
1.01
0.96
2.56
2.64
1.74
1.19
3.38
2.71
23.30
23.76
22.85
15.50
15.71
15.31
7.80
8.06
7.55
1.39
1.52
1.27
0.85
1.03
0.68
2.41
2.57
2.26
0.91
0.76
1.06
2.23
2.18
2.28
33.37
40.21
39.79
23.38
27.86
27.65
9.99
12.35
12.14
2.50
2.85
2.19
0.43
0.15
0.15
3.09
4.27
4.66
1.72
2.74
2.92
2.26
2.34
2.22
44.11
28.69
34.50
29.85
20.32
23.39
14.26
8.37
11.11
4.98
2.26
3.03
0.15
0.62
1.03
3.78
2.28
3.23
2.65
1.03
1.33
2.70
2.20
2.48
Occupational group
Management, professional, and related .......
Management, business, and financial ......
Professional and related ...........................
Teachers2 .............................................
Primary, secondary, and special
education school teachers ..............
Registered nurses ................................
Sales and office ............................................
Sales and related ......................................
Office and administrative support .............
Service ..........................................................
Natural resources, construction, and
maintenance ...............................................
Construction, extraction, farming, fishing,
and forestry3 ...........................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair ........
Production, transportation, and material
moving ........................................................
Production ................................................
Transportation and material moving .........
Industry group
Education and health services ......................
Educational services .................................
Elementary and secondary schools ......
Junior colleges, colleges, and
universities .........................................
Health care and social assistance ............
Hospitals ...............................................
Percent of total compensation
Civilian workers1 .......................................................
100.0
69.7
30.3
7.0
2.7
8.4
4.4
7.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
70.0
68.9
70.6
71.2
30.0
31.1
29.4
28.8
8.2
9.0
7.8
6.5
2.6
4.1
1.9
0.3
7.5
6.8
7.8
9.4
5.1
4.7
5.2
6.8
6.6
6.5
6.6
5.7
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
71.5
70.7
71.0
75.1
68.8
71.0
28.5
29.3
29.0
24.9
31.2
29.0
4.9
8.0
6.6
5.4
7.2
5.6
0.3
3.3
2.4
2.8
2.2
1.8
10.7
6.9
9.0
6.1
10.5
8.6
7.2
3.5
3.3
2.4
3.8
3.8
5.4
7.6
7.8
8.3
7.6
9.3
100.0
68.0
32.0
5.2
3.2
8.5
4.9
10.1
100.0
100.0
67.6
68.4
32.4
31.6
4.0
6.8
3.3
3.2
8.4
8.8
5.7
3.9
11.1
9.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
66.5
66.1
67.0
33.5
33.9
33.0
6.0
6.4
5.6
3.6
4.3
3.0
10.4
10.8
9.9
3.9
3.2
4.7
9.6
9.2
10.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
70.1
69.3
69.5
29.9
30.7
30.5
7.5
7.1
5.5
1.3
0.4
0.4
9.3
10.6
11.7
5.2
6.8
7.3
6.8
5.8
5.6
100.0
100.0
100.0
67.7
70.8
67.8
32.3
29.2
32.2
11.3
7.9
8.8
0.3
2.2
3.0
8.6
7.9
9.4
6.0
3.6
3.9
6.1
7.7
7.2
Occupational group
Management, professional, and related .......
Management, business, and financial ......
Professional and related ...........................
Teachers2 .............................................
Primary, secondary, and special
education school teachers ..............
Registered nurses ................................
Sales and office ............................................
Sales and related ......................................
Office and administrative support .............
Service ..........................................................
Natural resources, construction, and
maintenance ...............................................
Construction, extraction, farming, fishing,
and forestry3 ...........................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair ........
Production, transportation, and material
moving ........................................................
Production ................................................
Transportation and material moving .........
Industry group
Education and health services ......................
Educational services .................................
Elementary and secondary schools ......
Junior colleges, colleges, and
universities .........................................
Health care and social assistance ............
Hospitals ...............................................
1 Includes workers in the private nonfarm economy excluding
households and the public sector excluding the Federal government.
2 Includes postsecondary teachers; primary, secondary, and
special education teachers; and other teachers and instructors.
3 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations were combined with
construction and extraction occupational group as of December
2006.
Note: The sum of individual items may not equal totals due to
rounding.
8
Table 3. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total compensation: State and local
government workers, by major occupational and industry group, June 2008
Occupational group1
Compensation
component
Management,
professional,
and
related
All
workers
Industry group
Sales
and
office
Service-providing2
Service
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Total compensation ..................................................
$38.30
100.0
$47.09
100.0
$26.29
100.0
$28.23
100.0
$38.35
100.0
Wages and salaries ..............................................
25.19
65.8
32.04
68.0
16.27
61.9
17.11
60.6
25.23
65.8
Total benefits ........................................................
13.11
34.2
15.05
32.0
10.03
38.1
11.12
39.4
13.12
34.2
Paid leave .........................................................
Vacation ........................................................
Holiday ..........................................................
Sick ...............................................................
Personal .......................................................
3.17
1.12
1.04
0.79
0.22
8.3
2.9
2.7
2.1
0.6
3.74
1.14
1.24
1.04
0.31
7.9
2.4
2.6
2.2
0.7
2.38
1.06
0.76
0.46
0.10
9.0
4.0
2.9
1.8
0.4
2.55
1.10
0.82
0.50
0.12
9.0
3.9
2.9
1.8
0.4
3.17
1.12
1.04
0.79
0.22
8.3
2.9
2.7
2.1
0.6
Supplemental pay .............................................
Overtime and premium3 ...............................
Shift differentials ...........................................
Nonproduction bonuses ................................
0.35
0.17
0.05
0.13
0.9
0.5
0.1
0.3
0.27
0.08
0.03
0.16
0.6
0.2
0.1
0.3
0.21
0.11
0.02
0.08
0.8
0.4
0.1
0.3
0.56
0.35
0.08
0.12
2.0
1.3
0.3
0.4
0.35
0.17
0.05
0.13
0.9
0.4
0.1
0.3
Insurance ..........................................................
Life ................................................................
Health ...........................................................
Short-term disability ......................................
Long-term disability ......................................
4.34
0.09
4.17
0.02
0.05
11.3
0.2
10.9
0.1
0.1
4.84
0.13
4.61
0.02
0.07
10.3
0.3
9.8
0.1
0.1
3.93
0.05
3.82
0.02
0.04
14.9
0.2
14.5
0.1
0.2
3.53
0.05
3.43
0.02
0.03
12.5
0.2
12.1
0.1
0.1
4.35
0.09
4.17
0.02
0.05
11.3
0.2
10.9
0.1
0.1
Retirement and savings ....................................
Defined benefit .............................................
Defined contribution ......................................
2.97
2.65
0.32
7.7
6.9
0.8
3.55
3.16
0.39
7.5
6.7
0.8
1.84
1.61
0.23
7.0
6.1
0.9
2.65
2.41
0.24
9.4
8.5
0.9
2.97
2.65
0.32
7.8
6.9
0.8
Legally required benefits ..................................
Social Security and Medicare .......................
Social Security4 ........................................
Medicare ...................................................
Federal unemployment insurance ................
State unemployment insurance ....................
Workers’ compensation ................................
2.28
1.78
1.38
0.41
(5)
0.06
0.44
6.0
4.6
3.6
1.1
6
( )
0.2
1.2
2.65
2.19
1.68
0.51
(5)
0.06
0.40
5.6
4.6
3.6
1.1
6
( )
0.1
0.8
1.67
1.28
1.02
0.27
(5)
0.06
0.33
6.3
4.9
3.9
1.0
6
( )
0.2
1.2
1.84
1.25
0.97
0.28
(5)
0.06
0.53
6.5
4.4
3.4
1.0
6
( )
0.2
1.9
2.28
1.78
1.38
0.41
(5)
0.06
0.44
6.0
4.6
3.6
1.1
6
( )
0.2
1.1
1 This table presents data for the three major occupational groups in State
and local government: management, professional, and related occupations,
including teachers; sales and office occupations, including clerical workers; and
service occupations, including police and firefighters.
2 Service-providing industries, which include health and educational
services, employ a large part of the State and local government workforce.
3 Includes premium pay for work in addition to the regular work schedule
(such as overtime, weekends, and holidays).
4 Comprises the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI)
program.
5 Cost per hour worked is $0.01 or less.
6 Less than .05 percent.
Note: The sum of individual items may not equal totals due to rounding.
9
Table 4. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total
compensation: State and local government workers, by occupational and industry group, June 2008
Benefit costs
Series
Total
compensation
Wages
and
salaries
Paid
leave
Total
Supplemental
pay
Insurance
Retirement
and
savings
Legally
required
benefits
Cost per hour worked
State and local government workers ........................
$38.30
$25.19
$13.11
$3.17
$0.35
$4.34
$2.97
$2.28
47.09
46.35
52.82
32.04
31.64
36.94
15.05
14.71
15.88
3.74
3.53
3.59
0.27
0.25
0.15
4.84
4.82
5.34
3.55
3.54
4.00
2.65
2.58
2.80
51.00
26.29
26.47
28.23
36.18
16.27
16.33
17.11
14.81
10.03
10.14
11.12
2.44
2.38
2.40
2.55
0.16
0.21
0.21
0.56
5.67
3.93
3.99
3.53
3.91
1.84
1.87
2.65
2.63
1.67
1.67
1.84
40.78
41.08
40.43
27.67
28.06
27.92
13.11
13.03
12.51
3.08
2.95
2.22
0.22
0.15
0.16
4.54
4.63
4.85
3.00
3.04
3.10
2.28
2.26
2.19
43.94
38.94
34.94
35.67
28.83
25.31
22.60
22.07
15.11
13.63
12.34
13.60
5.73
3.85
3.39
3.43
0.14
0.60
0.74
0.55
3.85
3.98
4.07
4.16
2.84
2.78
1.87
3.15
2.54
2.42
2.26
2.31
Occupational group
Management, professional, and related .......
Professional and related ...........................
Teachers1 .............................................
Primary, secondary, and special
education school teachers ..............
Sales and office ............................................
Office and administrative support .............
Service ..........................................................
Industry group
Education and health services ......................
Educational services .................................
Elementary and secondary schools ......
Junior colleges, colleges, and
universities .........................................
Health care and social assistance ............
Hospitals ...............................................
Public administration ....................................
Percent of total compensation
State and local government workers ........................
100.0
65.8
34.2
8.3
0.9
11.3
7.7
6.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
68.0
68.3
69.9
32.0
31.7
30.1
7.9
7.6
6.8
0.6
0.5
0.3
10.3
10.4
10.1
7.5
7.6
7.6
5.6
5.6
5.3
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
71.0
61.9
61.7
60.6
29.0
38.1
38.3
39.4
4.8
9.0
9.1
9.0
0.3
0.8
0.8
2.0
11.1
14.9
15.1
12.5
7.7
7.0
7.1
9.4
5.2
6.3
6.3
6.5
100.0
100.0
100.0
67.8
68.3
69.1
32.2
31.7
30.9
7.5
7.2
5.5
0.5
0.4
0.4
11.1
11.3
12.0
7.4
7.4
7.7
5.6
5.5
5.4
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
65.6
65.0
64.7
61.9
34.4
35.0
35.3
38.1
13.0
9.9
9.7
9.6
0.3
1.5
2.1
1.5
8.8
10.2
11.7
11.7
6.5
7.1
5.4
8.8
5.8
6.2
6.5
6.5
Occupational group
Management, professional, and related .......
Professional and related ...........................
Teachers1 .............................................
Primary, secondary, and special
education school teachers ..............
Sales and office ............................................
Office and administrative support .............
Service ..........................................................
Industry group
Education and health services ......................
Educational services .................................
Elementary and secondary schools ......
Junior colleges, colleges, and
universities .........................................
Health care and social assistance ............
Hospitals ...............................................
Public administration ....................................
1 Includes postsecondary teachers; primary, secondary, and
special education teachers; and other teachers and instructors.
Note: The sum of individual items may not equal totals due to
rounding.
10
Table 5. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total
compensation: Private industry workers, by major occupational group and bargaining unit status, June 2008
Occupational group
Compensation
component
Management,
professional,
and
related
All
workers
Cost
Total compensation .................................................. $26.78
Sales
and
office
Service
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
100.0
$47.77
100.0
$21.29
100.0
$13.32
100.0
Wages and salaries ..............................................
18.92
70.6
33.85
70.9
15.33
72.0
9.97
74.9
Total benefits ........................................................
7.86
29.4
13.92
29.1
5.96
28.0
3.34
25.1
Paid leave .........................................................
Vacation ........................................................
Holiday ..........................................................
Sick ...............................................................
Personal .......................................................
1.78
0.91
0.59
0.22
0.06
6.7
3.4
2.2
0.8
0.2
3.96
2.05
1.27
0.51
0.14
8.3
4.3
2.7
1.1
0.3
1.34
0.66
0.45
0.19
0.05
6.3
3.1
2.1
0.9
0.2
0.57
0.29
0.18
0.08
0.02
4.3
2.2
1.4
0.6
0.1
Supplemental pay .............................................
Overtime and premium1 ...............................
Shift differentials ...........................................
Nonproduction bonuses ................................
0.83
0.28
0.07
0.48
3.1
1.0
0.3
1.8
1.63
0.20
0.14
1.29
3.4
0.4
0.3
2.7
0.54
0.15
0.02
0.37
2.6
0.7
0.1
1.8
0.23
0.14
0.04
0.06
1.8
1.0
0.3
0.4
Insurance ..........................................................
Life ................................................................
Health ...........................................................
Short-term disability ......................................
Long-term disability ......................................
2.05
0.04
1.92
0.06
0.04
7.7
0.2
7.2
0.2
0.1
3.05
0.08
2.78
0.10
0.09
6.4
0.2
5.8
0.2
0.2
1.77
0.03
1.67
0.04
0.03
8.3
0.2
7.8
0.2
0.1
0.94
(2)
0.90
0.02
(2)
7.1
(3)
6.8
0.1
(3)
Retirement and savings ....................................
Defined benefit .............................................
Defined contribution ......................................
0.95
0.42
0.53
3.6
1.6
2.0
1.94
0.73
1.21
4.1
1.5
2.5
0.61
0.21
0.40
2.9
1.0
1.9
0.22
0.09
0.12
1.6
0.7
0.9
Legally required benefits ..................................
Social Security and Medicare .......................
Social Security4 ........................................
Medicare ...................................................
Federal unemployment insurance ................
State unemployment insurance ....................
Workers’ compensation ................................
2.24
1.59
1.27
0.31
0.03
0.15
0.47
8.4
5.9
4.8
1.2
0.1
0.6
1.8
3.34
2.77
2.20
0.57
0.03
0.16
0.38
7.0
5.8
4.6
1.2
0.1
0.3
0.8
1.70
1.28
1.03
0.25
0.03
0.14
0.25
8.0
6.0
4.9
1.2
0.2
0.6
1.2
1.38
0.88
0.72
0.17
0.04
0.12
0.34
10.4
6.6
5.4
1.3
0.3
0.9
2.5
See footnotes at end of table.
11
Table 5. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total
compensation: Private industry workers, by major occupational group and bargaining unit status, June 2008
— Continued
Occupational group
Compensation
component
Natural
resources,
construction,
and
maintenance
Cost
Total compensation .................................................. $30.29
Bargaining unit status
Production,
transportation,
and
material
moving
Union
Nonunion
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
100.0
$23.12
100.0
$36.34
100.0
$25.65
100.0
Wages and salaries ..............................................
20.75
68.5
15.44
66.8
22.56
62.1
18.49
72.1
Total benefits ........................................................
9.54
31.5
7.68
33.2
13.78
37.9
7.16
27.9
Paid leave .........................................................
Vacation ........................................................
Holiday ..........................................................
Sick ...............................................................
Personal .......................................................
1.47
0.80
0.49
0.13
0.06
4.9
2.6
1.6
0.4
0.2
1.36
0.70
0.49
0.14
0.03
5.9
3.0
2.1
0.6
0.1
2.70
1.41
0.81
0.36
0.13
7.4
3.9
2.2
1.0
0.4
1.67
0.86
0.56
0.21
0.05
6.5
3.3
2.2
0.8
0.2
Supplemental pay .............................................
Overtime and premium1 ...............................
Shift differentials ...........................................
Nonproduction bonuses ................................
1.02
0.68
0.05
0.29
3.4
2.2
0.2
1.0
0.86
0.52
0.10
0.24
3.7
2.2
0.4
1.0
1.24
0.79
0.18
0.27
3.4
2.2
0.5
0.7
0.78
0.22
0.06
0.51
3.0
0.8
0.2
2.0
Insurance ..........................................................
Life ................................................................
Health ...........................................................
Short-term disability ......................................
Long-term disability ......................................
2.47
0.05
2.31
0.09
0.02
8.2
0.2
7.6
0.3
0.1
2.34
0.04
2.21
0.06
0.03
10.1
0.2
9.5
0.3
0.1
4.24
0.06
3.98
0.15
0.05
11.7
0.2
10.9
0.4
0.1
1.80
0.04
1.67
0.05
0.04
7.0
0.2
6.5
0.2
0.1
Retirement and savings ....................................
Defined benefit .............................................
Defined contribution ......................................
1.42
0.91
0.51
4.7
3.0
1.7
0.87
0.50
0.38
3.8
2.2
1.6
2.44
1.73
0.71
6.7
4.8
1.9
0.78
0.27
0.51
3.0
1.0
2.0
Legally required benefits ..................................
Social Security and Medicare .......................
Social Security4 ........................................
Medicare ...................................................
Federal unemployment insurance ................
State unemployment insurance ....................
Workers’ compensation ................................
3.15
1.76
1.42
0.34
0.03
0.19
1.18
10.4
5.8
4.7
1.1
0.1
0.6
3.9
2.24
1.32
1.07
0.25
0.03
0.17
0.71
9.7
5.7
4.6
1.1
0.1
0.7
3.1
3.16
1.98
1.59
0.38
0.03
0.22
0.93
8.7
5.4
4.4
1.1
0.1
0.6
2.6
2.13
1.54
1.24
0.31
0.03
0.14
0.42
8.3
6.0
4.8
1.2
0.1
0.6
1.6
1 Includes premium pay for work in addition to the regular
work schedule (such as overtime, weekends, and holidays).
2 Cost per hour worked is $0.01 or less.
3 Less than .05 percent.
4 Comprises the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability
Insurance (OASDI) program.
Note: The sum of individual items may not equal totals due to
rounding.
12
Table 6. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total compensation: Private industry
workers, by major industry group, June 2008
Goods-producing1
Compensation
component
All goodsproducing1
Cost
Total compensation .................................................. $31.58
Construction
Service-providing2
Manufacturing
All
serviceproviding3
Trade,
transportation,
and
utilities
Information
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
100.0
$30.33
100.0
$31.61
100.0
$25.59
100.0
$22.88
100.0
$38.92
100.0
Wages and salaries ..............................................
21.09
66.8
20.99
69.2
20.83
65.9
18.38
71.8
16.22
70.9
26.93
69.2
Total benefits ........................................................
10.49
33.2
9.34
30.8
10.77
34.1
7.21
28.2
6.66
29.1
11.99
30.8
Paid leave .........................................................
Vacation ........................................................
Holiday ..........................................................
Sick ...............................................................
Personal .......................................................
1.98
1.06
0.71
0.17
0.04
6.3
3.4
2.3
0.5
0.1
1.07
0.60
0.37
0.08
0.02
3.5
2.0
1.2
0.2
0.1
2.39
1.25
0.87
0.21
0.05
7.6
4.0
2.7
0.7
0.2
1.73
0.88
0.56
0.24
0.06
6.8
3.4
2.2
0.9
0.2
1.37
0.71
0.43
0.19
0.04
6.0
3.1
1.9
0.8
0.2
3.56
1.82
1.01
0.43
0.30
9.1
4.7
2.6
1.1
0.8
Supplemental pay .............................................
Overtime and premium6 ...............................
Shift differentials ...........................................
Nonproduction bonuses ................................
1.31
0.58
0.10
0.63
4.1
1.8
0.3
2.0
1.07
0.63
(4)
0.43
3.5
2.1
(5)
1.4
1.36
0.54
0.14
0.68
4.3
1.7
0.4
2.2
0.71
0.20
0.06
0.44
2.8
0.8
0.2
1.7
0.60
0.27
0.03
0.29
2.6
1.2
0.1
1.3
1.01
0.37
0.05
0.59
2.6
0.9
0.1
1.5
Insurance ..........................................................
Life ................................................................
Health ...........................................................
Short-term disability ......................................
Long-term disability ......................................
2.88
0.06
2.68
0.10
0.04
9.1
0.2
8.5
0.3
0.1
2.25
0.03
2.13
0.08
(4)
7.4
0.1
7.0
0.3
(5)
3.13
0.06
2.91
0.11
0.05
9.9
0.2
9.2
0.3
0.2
1.85
0.04
1.73
0.05
0.04
7.2
0.1
6.7
0.2
0.1
1.84
0.03
1.74
0.04
0.03
8.1
0.1
7.6
0.2
0.1
3.16
0.05
2.88
0.17
0.06
8.1
0.1
7.4
0.4
0.2
Retirement and savings ....................................
Defined benefit .............................................
Defined contribution ......................................
1.45
0.82
0.63
4.6
2.6
2.0
1.54
1.02
0.52
5.1
3.4
1.7
1.31
0.65
0.65
4.1
2.1
2.1
0.83
0.32
0.51
3.2
1.3
2.0
0.82
0.39
0.43
3.6
1.7
1.9
1.49
0.75
0.74
3.8
1.9
1.9
Legally required benefits ..................................
Social Security and Medicare .......................
Social Security7 ........................................
Medicare ...................................................
Federal unemployment insurance ................
State unemployment insurance ....................
Workers’ compensation ................................
2.87
1.80
1.45
0.35
0.03
0.20
0.85
9.1
5.7
4.6
1.1
0.1
0.6
2.7
3.40
1.74
1.40
0.33
0.03
0.24
1.39
11.2
5.7
4.6
1.1
0.1
0.8
4.6
2.59
1.80
1.45
0.35
0.03
0.18
0.58
8.2
5.7
4.6
1.1
0.1
0.6
1.8
2.09
1.53
1.23
0.30
0.03
0.14
0.38
8.2
6.0
4.8
1.2
0.1
0.5
1.5
2.03
1.35
1.09
0.26
0.04
0.13
0.50
8.9
5.9
4.8
1.2
0.2
0.6
2.2
2.78
2.28
1.83
0.45
0.03
0.20
0.27
7.1
5.9
4.7
1.2
0.1
0.5
0.7
See footnotes at end of table.
13
Table 6. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total compensation:
Private industry workers, by major industry group, June 2008 — Continued
Service-providing2
Compensation
component
Financial activities
Cost
Total compensation .................................................. $35.67
Professional
and
business
services
Education
and
health
services
Leisure
and
hospitality
Other services
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
100.0
$31.81
100.0
$28.75
100.0
$11.82
100.0
$22.53
100.0
Wages and salaries ..............................................
23.94
67.1
23.34
73.4
20.71
72.0
9.23
78.1
16.72
74.2
Total benefits ........................................................
11.73
32.9
8.47
26.6
8.04
28.0
2.59
21.9
5.81
25.8
Paid leave .........................................................
Vacation ........................................................
Holiday ..........................................................
Sick ...............................................................
Personal .......................................................
2.85
1.44
0.90
0.41
0.11
8.0
4.0
2.5
1.1
0.3
2.23
1.12
0.77
0.28
0.06
7.0
3.5
2.4
0.9
0.2
2.13
1.06
0.67
0.32
0.09
7.4
3.7
2.3
1.1
0.3
0.40
0.22
0.12
0.04
(4)
3.4
1.9
1.0
0.3
(5)
1.41
0.65
0.55
0.17
0.04
6.3
2.9
2.4
0.8
0.2
Supplemental pay .............................................
Overtime and premium6 ...............................
Shift differentials ...........................................
Nonproduction bonuses ................................
2.17
0.13
(4)
2.03
6.1
0.4
(5)
5.7
0.86
0.20
0.05
0.61
2.7
0.6
0.2
1.9
0.56
0.22
0.20
0.14
1.9
0.8
0.7
0.5
0.14
0.08
(4)
0.05
1.2
0.7
(5)
0.4
0.50
0.12
(4)
0.36
2.2
0.5
(5)
1.6
Insurance ..........................................................
Life ................................................................
Health ...........................................................
Short-term disability ......................................
Long-term disability ......................................
2.82
0.07
2.62
0.08
0.06
7.9
0.2
7.3
0.2
0.2
1.92
0.06
1.75
0.06
0.05
6.0
0.2
5.5
0.2
0.2
2.18
0.03
2.06
0.04
0.05
7.6
0.1
7.2
0.1
0.2
0.66
(4)
0.63
(4)
(4)
5.6
(5)
5.3
(5)
(5)
1.41
0.04
1.30
0.03
0.03
6.2
0.2
5.8
0.1
0.1
Retirement and savings ....................................
Defined benefit .............................................
Defined contribution ......................................
1.51
0.57
0.95
4.2
1.6
2.7
0.98
0.39
0.60
3.1
1.2
1.9
0.92
0.27
0.65
3.2
0.9
2.3
0.13
0.02
0.10
1.1
0.2
0.9
0.50
0.15
0.35
2.2
0.7
1.5
Legally required benefits ..................................
Social Security and Medicare .......................
Social Security7 ........................................
Medicare ...................................................
Federal unemployment insurance ................
State unemployment insurance ....................
Workers’ compensation ................................
2.37
1.99
1.58
0.42
0.03
0.14
0.20
6.6
5.6
4.4
1.2
0.1
0.4
0.6
2.48
1.89
1.51
0.38
0.03
0.17
0.39
7.8
5.9
4.7
1.2
0.1
0.5
1.2
2.24
1.72
1.38
0.34
0.03
0.13
0.37
7.8
6.0
4.8
1.2
0.1
0.4
1.3
1.27
0.85
0.68
0.16
0.04
0.12
0.27
10.8
7.1
5.8
1.4
0.3
1.0
2.3
2.00
1.40
1.13
0.27
0.03
0.13
0.44
8.9
6.2
5.0
1.2
0.1
0.6
2.0
1 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing. The agriculture,
forestry, farming, and hunting sector is excluded.
2 Includes utilities; wholesale trade; retail trade; transportation and
warehousing; information; finance and insurance; real estate and rental
and leasing; professional and technical services; management of
companies and enterprises; administrative and waste services;
educational services;
health care and social assistance; arts,
entertainment and recreation; accommodation and food services; other
services, except public administration; and public administration.
3 Includes utilities; wholesale trade; retail trade; transportation and
warehousing; information; finance and insurance; real estate and rental
and leasing; professional and technical services; management of
companies and enterprises; administrative and waste services;
educational services;
health care and social assistance; arts,
entertainment and recreation; accommodation and food services; and
other services, except public administration.
4 Cost per hour worked is $0.01 or less.
5 Less than .05 percent.
6 Includes premium pay for work in addition to the regular work
schedule (such as overtime, weekends, and holidays).
7 Comprises the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI)
program.
Note: The sum of individual items may not equal totals due to rounding.
14
Table 7. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total compensation:
Private industry workers, by census region and division, and area, June 2008
Census region and division1
Northeast
Northeast divisions
South
South divisions
Compensation
component
New England
Cost
Total compensation .................................................. $30.43
Middle Atlantic
Percent
South Atlantic
Cost
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
100.0
$30.47
100.0
$30.41
100.0
$23.89
Percent
Cost
Percent
100.0
$25.53
100.0
Wages and salaries ..............................................
21.19
69.6
21.75
71.4
20.96
68.9
17.17
71.8
18.33
71.8
Total benefits ........................................................
9.24
30.4
8.72
28.6
9.45
31.1
6.73
28.2
7.20
28.2
Paid leave .........................................................
Vacation ........................................................
Holiday ..........................................................
Sick ...............................................................
Personal .......................................................
2.24
1.12
0.72
0.30
0.10
7.4
3.7
2.4
1.0
0.3
2.23
1.13
0.76
0.26
0.09
7.3
3.7
2.5
0.8
0.3
2.24
1.12
0.71
0.31
0.10
7.4
3.7
2.3
1.0
0.3
1.49
0.77
0.50
0.18
0.04
6.2
3.2
2.1
0.8
0.2
1.61
0.83
0.53
0.21
0.05
6.3
3.2
2.1
0.8
0.2
Supplemental pay .............................................
Overtime and premium2 ...............................
Shift differentials ...........................................
Nonproduction bonuses ................................
1.06
0.29
0.07
0.70
3.5
1.0
0.2
2.3
0.87
0.27
0.05
0.54
2.8
0.9
0.2
1.8
1.14
0.30
0.07
0.76
3.7
1.0
0.2
2.5
0.70
0.25
0.06
0.39
2.9
1.0
0.3
1.6
0.73
0.25
0.07
0.42
2.9
1.0
0.3
1.6
Insurance ..........................................................
Life ................................................................
Health ...........................................................
Short-term disability ......................................
Long-term disability ......................................
2.28
0.04
2.12
0.08
0.04
7.5
0.1
7.0
0.2
0.1
2.10
0.04
1.97
0.05
0.04
6.9
0.1
6.5
0.2
0.1
2.36
0.04
2.19
0.09
0.04
7.7
0.1
7.2
0.3
0.1
1.77
0.05
1.64
0.05
0.04
7.4
0.2
6.9
0.2
0.2
1.83
0.05
1.69
0.05
0.04
7.2
0.2
6.6
0.2
0.2
Retirement and savings ....................................
Defined benefit .............................................
Defined contribution ......................................
1.14
0.53
0.62
3.8
1.7
2.0
1.01
0.42
0.59
3.3
1.4
1.9
1.19
0.57
0.63
3.9
1.9
2.1
0.84
0.32
0.52
3.5
1.3
2.2
1.01
0.37
0.63
3.9
1.5
2.5
Legally required benefits ..................................
Social Security and Medicare .......................
Social Security3 ........................................
Medicare ...................................................
Federal unemployment insurance ................
State unemployment insurance ....................
Workers’ compensation ................................
2.52
1.79
1.43
0.36
0.03
0.22
0.48
8.3
5.9
4.7
1.2
0.1
0.7
1.6
2.51
1.83
1.47
0.36
0.03
0.22
0.42
8.2
6.0
4.8
1.2
0.1
0.7
1.4
2.52
1.77
1.42
0.35
0.03
0.22
0.50
8.3
5.8
4.7
1.2
0.1
0.7
1.6
1.93
1.43
1.15
0.28
0.03
0.09
0.38
8.1
6.0
4.8
1.2
0.1
0.4
1.6
2.03
1.50
1.20
0.30
0.03
0.09
0.40
7.9
5.9
4.7
1.2
0.1
0.3
1.6
See footnotes at end of table.
15
Table 7. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total compensation:
Private industry workers, by census region and division, and area, June 2008 — Continued
Census region and division1
South divisions
Compensation
component
East South
Central
Cost
Total compensation .................................................. $20.15
Midwest
West South
Central
Midwest divisions
East North Central
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
100.0
$23.32
100.0
$26.09
Percent
West North
Central
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
100.0
$27.09
100.0
$23.87
100.0
Wages and salaries ..............................................
14.34
71.2
16.85
72.2
18.25
70.0
18.88
69.7
16.86
70.6
Total benefits ........................................................
5.81
28.8
6.47
27.8
7.84
30.0
8.21
30.3
7.01
29.4
Paid leave .........................................................
Vacation ........................................................
Holiday ..........................................................
Sick ...............................................................
Personal .......................................................
1.15
0.63
0.38
0.11
0.03
5.7
3.1
1.9
0.6
0.2
1.47
0.74
0.51
0.18
0.04
6.3
3.2
2.2
0.8
0.2
1.71
0.89
0.57
0.19
0.07
6.6
3.4
2.2
0.7
0.3
1.78
0.92
0.60
0.19
0.08
6.6
3.4
2.2
0.7
0.3
1.55
0.84
0.50
0.17
0.04
6.5
3.5
2.1
0.7
0.2
Supplemental pay .............................................
Overtime and premium2 ...............................
Shift differentials ...........................................
Nonproduction bonuses ................................
0.59
0.22
0.07
0.30
2.9
1.1
0.4
1.5
0.72
0.28
0.06
0.38
3.1
1.2
0.2
1.6
0.81
0.31
0.09
0.42
3.1
1.2
0.3
1.6
0.87
0.32
0.10
0.45
3.2
1.2
0.4
1.7
0.67
0.26
0.07
0.34
2.8
1.1
0.3
1.4
Insurance ..........................................................
Life ................................................................
Health ...........................................................
Short-term disability ......................................
Long-term disability ......................................
1.77
0.04
1.66
0.04
0.03
8.8
0.2
8.2
0.2
0.1
1.68
0.04
1.56
0.04
0.03
7.2
0.2
6.7
0.2
0.1
2.20
0.04
2.05
0.07
0.04
8.4
0.2
7.9
0.3
0.1
2.31
0.05
2.15
0.08
0.04
8.5
0.2
7.9
0.3
0.1
1.97
0.04
1.84
0.05
0.03
8.2
0.2
7.7
0.2
0.1
Retirement and savings ....................................
Defined benefit .............................................
Defined contribution ......................................
0.53
0.19
0.34
2.7
1.0
1.7
0.73
0.31
0.43
3.1
1.3
1.8
0.95
0.46
0.48
3.6
1.8
1.9
1.01
0.51
0.49
3.7
1.9
1.8
0.81
0.36
0.46
3.4
1.5
1.9
Legally required benefits ..................................
Social Security and Medicare .......................
Social Security3 ........................................
Medicare ...................................................
Federal unemployment insurance ................
State unemployment insurance ....................
Workers’ compensation ................................
1.76
1.28
1.03
0.25
0.03
0.08
0.37
8.7
6.3
5.1
1.2
0.2
0.4
1.8
1.87
1.40
1.12
0.28
0.03
0.09
0.36
8.0
6.0
4.8
1.2
0.1
0.4
1.5
2.17
1.54
1.24
0.30
0.03
0.16
0.44
8.3
5.9
4.7
1.2
0.1
0.6
1.7
2.24
1.59
1.28
0.31
0.03
0.17
0.45
8.3
5.9
4.7
1.2
0.1
0.6
1.7
2.02
1.43
1.15
0.28
0.03
0.14
0.42
8.5
6.0
4.8
1.2
0.1
0.6
1.8
See footnotes at end of table.
16
Table 7. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total compensation:
Private industry workers, by census region and division, and area, June 2008 — Continued
Census region and division1
West
Area
Metropolitan
area
West divisions
Compensation
component
Mountain
Cost
Total compensation .................................................. $28.79
Nonmetropolitan
area
Pacific
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
100.0
$28.09
100.0
$19.72
100.0
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
100.0
$24.52
100.0
$30.61
Wages and salaries ..............................................
20.38
70.8
17.70
72.2
21.53
70.3
19.83
70.6
14.01
71.0
Total benefits ........................................................
8.40
29.2
6.82
27.8
9.08
29.7
8.26
29.4
5.72
29.0
Paid leave .........................................................
Vacation ........................................................
Holiday ..........................................................
Sick ...............................................................
Personal .......................................................
1.92
0.98
0.63
0.26
0.04
6.7
3.4
2.2
0.9
0.1
1.46
0.77
0.48
0.18
0.03
6.0
3.1
2.0
0.7
0.1
2.11
1.07
0.70
0.30
0.05
6.9
3.5
2.3
1.0
0.2
1.91
0.98
0.63
0.24
0.06
6.8
3.5
2.2
0.9
0.2
1.09
0.58
0.37
0.11
0.03
5.5
2.9
1.9
0.6
0.2
Supplemental pay .............................................
Overtime and premium2 ...............................
Shift differentials ...........................................
Nonproduction bonuses ................................
0.84
0.27
0.06
0.51
2.9
0.9
0.2
1.8
0.72
0.23
0.05
0.44
3.0
0.9
0.2
1.8
0.88
0.29
0.06
0.53
2.9
0.9
0.2
1.7
0.87
0.27
0.07
0.53
3.1
1.0
0.3
1.9
0.59
0.30
0.06
0.24
3.0
1.5
0.3
1.2
Insurance ..........................................................
Life ................................................................
Health ...........................................................
Short-term disability ......................................
Long-term disability ......................................
2.11
0.04
2.00
0.04
0.04
7.3
0.1
6.9
0.1
0.1
1.81
0.04
1.70
0.04
0.04
7.4
0.2
6.9
0.1
0.2
2.25
0.04
2.13
0.04
0.04
7.3
0.1
6.9
0.1
0.1
2.13
0.04
1.99
0.06
0.04
7.6
0.2
7.1
0.2
0.1
1.65
0.04
1.55
0.04
0.02
8.4
0.2
7.9
0.2
0.1
Retirement and savings ....................................
Defined benefit .............................................
Defined contribution ......................................
0.97
0.44
0.53
3.4
1.5
1.8
0.72
0.28
0.44
3.0
1.2
1.8
1.07
0.51
0.57
3.5
1.6
1.8
1.02
0.45
0.57
3.6
1.6
2.0
0.59
0.25
0.33
3.0
1.3
1.7
Legally required benefits ..................................
Social Security and Medicare .......................
Social Security3 ........................................
Medicare ...................................................
Federal unemployment insurance ................
State unemployment insurance ....................
Workers’ compensation ................................
2.57
1.70
1.37
0.34
0.03
0.18
0.66
8.9
5.9
4.7
1.2
0.1
0.6
2.3
2.10
1.48
1.19
0.29
0.03
0.11
0.48
8.6
6.0
4.8
1.2
0.1
0.5
2.0
2.77
1.80
1.44
0.36
0.03
0.21
0.73
9.0
5.9
4.7
1.2
0.1
0.7
2.4
2.32
1.66
1.33
0.33
0.03
0.16
0.48
8.3
5.9
4.7
1.2
0.1
0.6
1.7
1.80
1.22
0.99
0.23
0.03
0.12
0.43
9.1
6.2
5.0
1.2
0.2
0.6
2.2
1 The States that comprise the census divisions are: New England:
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and
Vermont; Middle Atlantic: New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania;
South Atlantic: Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia,
Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia;
East South Central: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee;
West South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas; East
North Central: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin; West
North Central: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North
Dakota, and South Dakota; Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho,
Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming; and Pacific: Alaska,
California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.
2 Includes premium pay for work in addition to the regular work
schedule (such as overtime, weekends, and holidays).
3 Comprises the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI)
program.
Note: The sum of individual items may not equal totals due to rounding.
17
Table 8. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total compensation: Private industry
workers, by establishment employment size, June 2008
1-99 workers
Compensation
component
1-99 workers
Cost
Total compensation .................................................. $22.26
100 workers or more
1-49 workers
50-99 workers
100 workers or
more
100-499 workers
500 workers or
more
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
Cost
Percent
100.0
$21.75
100.0
$23.66
100.0
$31.73
100.0
$27.02
100.0
$37.56
100.0
Wages and salaries ..............................................
16.44
73.8
16.24
74.6
16.99
71.8
21.64
68.2
18.83
69.7
25.13
66.9
Total benefits ........................................................
5.83
26.2
5.52
25.4
6.67
28.2
10.09
31.8
8.20
30.3
12.43
33.1
Paid leave .........................................................
Vacation ........................................................
Holiday ..........................................................
Sick ...............................................................
Personal .......................................................
1.19
0.59
0.42
0.14
0.03
5.3
2.7
1.9
0.6
0.2
1.12
0.56
0.40
0.13
0.03
5.2
2.6
1.8
0.6
0.1
1.36
0.68
0.46
0.17
0.05
5.7
2.9
1.9
0.7
0.2
2.44
1.26
0.78
0.31
0.09
7.7
4.0
2.4
1.0
0.3
1.82
0.93
0.61
0.22
0.06
6.7
3.4
2.3
0.8
0.2
3.20
1.68
0.98
0.43
0.12
8.5
4.5
2.6
1.1
0.3
Supplemental pay .............................................
Overtime and premium1 ...............................
Shift differentials ...........................................
Nonproduction bonuses ................................
0.60
0.20
0.02
0.37
2.7
0.9
0.1
1.7
0.58
0.18
(2)
0.39
2.7
0.8
(3)
1.8
0.65
0.27
0.04
0.34
2.7
1.1
0.2
1.4
1.08
0.36
0.12
0.60
3.4
1.1
0.4
1.9
0.87
0.33
0.07
0.48
3.2
1.2
0.3
1.8
1.33
0.39
0.19
0.75
3.5
1.1
0.5
2.0
Insurance ..........................................................
Life ................................................................
Health ...........................................................
Short-term disability ......................................
Long-term disability ......................................
1.45
0.03
1.37
0.03
0.02
6.5
0.1
6.1
0.1
0.1
1.33
0.03
1.25
0.03
0.02
6.1
0.1
5.8
0.1
0.1
1.80
0.04
1.68
0.05
0.02
7.6
0.2
7.1
0.2
0.1
2.71
0.05
2.52
0.08
0.05
8.5
0.2
7.9
0.3
0.2
2.27
0.04
2.12
0.06
0.04
8.4
0.2
7.9
0.2
0.1
3.26
0.07
3.01
0.11
0.08
8.7
0.2
8.0
0.3
0.2
Retirement and savings ....................................
Defined benefit .............................................
Defined contribution ......................................
0.56
0.20
0.36
2.5
0.9
1.6
0.50
0.15
0.35
2.3
0.7
1.6
0.73
0.34
0.39
3.1
1.4
1.7
1.38
0.67
0.71
4.3
2.1
2.2
0.97
0.44
0.53
3.6
1.6
2.0
1.89
0.95
0.94
5.0
2.5
2.5
Legally required benefits ..................................
Social Security and Medicare .......................
Social Security4 ........................................
Medicare ...................................................
Federal unemployment insurance ................
State unemployment insurance ....................
Workers’ compensation ................................
2.03
1.36
1.09
0.27
0.04
0.15
0.48
9.1
6.1
4.9
1.2
0.2
0.7
2.2
1.98
1.33
1.07
0.26
0.04
0.15
0.47
9.1
6.1
4.9
1.2
0.2
0.7
2.1
2.15
1.43
1.15
0.28
0.04
0.15
0.53
9.1
6.0
4.9
1.2
0.1
0.6
2.2
2.48
1.84
1.47
0.36
0.03
0.15
0.46
7.8
5.8
4.6
1.2
0.1
0.5
1.5
2.26
1.57
1.26
0.31
0.03
0.16
0.50
8.4
5.8
4.7
1.1
0.1
0.6
1.8
2.75
2.17
1.74
0.43
0.03
0.14
0.41
7.3
5.8
4.6
1.2
0.1
0.4
1.1
1 Includes premium pay for work in addition to the regular work schedule (such
as overtime, weekends, and holidays).
2 Cost per hour worked is $0.01 or less.
3 Less than .05 percent.
4 Comprises the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program.
Note: The sum of individual items may not equal totals due to rounding.
18
Table 9. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total compensation: Private
industry workers, goods-producing and service-providing industries, by occupational group, June 2008
Benefit costs
Series
Total
compensation
Wages
and
salaries
Paid
leave
Total
Supplemental
pay
Insurance
Retirement
and
savings
Legally
required
benefits
Cost per hour worked
All workers in private industry ....................................................
$26.78
$18.92
$7.86
$1.78
$0.83
$2.05
$0.95
$2.24
Management, professional, and related .............................
Management, business, and financial ............................
Professional and related .................................................
Sales and office ..................................................................
Sales and related ............................................................
Office and administrative support ...................................
Service ................................................................................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance ............
Construction, extraction, farming, fishing, and forestry1
Installation, maintenance, and repair ..............................
Production, transportation, and material moving ................
Production ......................................................................
Transportation and material moving ...............................
47.77
53.64
44.93
21.29
20.30
21.96
13.32
30.29
30.56
29.96
23.12
23.61
22.61
33.85
37.14
32.25
15.33
15.27
15.37
9.97
20.75
20.83
20.66
15.44
15.63
15.24
13.92
16.50
12.67
5.96
5.03
6.59
3.34
9.54
9.74
9.30
7.68
7.98
7.38
3.96
4.74
3.58
1.34
1.08
1.52
0.57
1.47
1.08
1.95
1.36
1.50
1.23
1.63
2.54
1.20
0.54
0.57
0.53
0.23
1.02
1.05
0.99
0.86
1.03
0.69
3.05
3.38
2.89
1.77
1.23
2.13
0.94
2.47
2.44
2.51
2.34
2.55
2.14
1.94
2.27
1.77
0.61
0.47
0.70
0.22
1.42
1.69
1.09
0.87
0.74
1.01
3.34
3.56
3.23
1.70
1.68
1.71
1.38
3.15
3.48
2.76
2.24
2.18
2.30
All workers, goods-producing industries2 .........................
31.58
21.09
10.49
1.98
1.31
2.88
1.45
2.87
Management, professional, and related .............................
Sales and office ..................................................................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance ............
Production, transportation, and material moving ................
55.02
26.99
31.16
24.92
37.00
18.83
21.08
16.15
18.02
8.17
10.09
8.77
4.84
1.82
1.21
1.59
2.45
0.86
1.16
1.13
3.98
2.41
2.57
2.87
2.99
0.96
1.69
0.85
3.76
2.13
3.46
2.32
All workers, service-providing industries3 ........................
25.59
18.38
7.21
1.73
0.71
1.85
0.83
2.09
Management, professional, and related .............................
Sales and office ..................................................................
Service ................................................................................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance ............
Production, transportation, and material moving ................
46.65
20.85
13.23
28.91
21.52
33.36
15.06
9.93
20.24
14.80
13.28
5.79
3.30
8.67
6.72
3.82
1.30
0.57
1.89
1.16
1.51
0.52
0.23
0.80
0.62
2.91
1.72
0.93
2.32
1.88
1.77
0.58
0.21
0.99
0.89
3.27
1.67
1.37
2.66
2.17
Percent of total compensation
All workers in private industry ....................................................
100.0
70.6
29.4
6.7
3.1
7.7
3.6
8.4
Management, professional, and related .............................
Management, business, and financial ............................
Professional and related .................................................
Sales and office ..................................................................
Sales and related ............................................................
Office and administrative support ...................................
Service ................................................................................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance ............
Construction, extraction, farming, fishing, and forestry1
Installation, maintenance, and repair ..............................
Production, transportation, and material moving ................
Production ......................................................................
Transportation and material moving ...............................
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
70.9
69.2
71.8
72.0
75.2
70.0
74.9
68.5
68.1
69.0
66.8
66.2
67.4
29.1
30.8
28.2
28.0
24.8
30.0
25.1
31.5
31.9
31.0
33.2
33.8
32.6
8.3
8.8
8.0
6.3
5.3
6.9
4.3
4.9
3.5
6.5
5.9
6.3
5.4
3.4
4.7
2.7
2.6
2.8
2.4
1.8
3.4
3.4
3.3
3.7
4.4
3.1
6.4
6.3
6.4
8.3
6.1
9.7
7.1
8.2
8.0
8.4
10.1
10.8
9.5
4.1
4.2
3.9
2.9
2.3
3.2
1.6
4.7
5.5
3.7
3.8
3.1
4.5
7.0
6.6
7.2
8.0
8.3
7.8
10.4
10.4
11.4
9.2
9.7
9.2
10.2
All workers, goods-producing industries2 .........................
100.0
66.8
33.2
6.3
4.1
9.1
4.6
9.1
Management, professional, and related .............................
Sales and office ..................................................................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance ............
Production, transportation, and material moving ................
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
67.2
69.7
67.6
64.8
32.8
30.3
32.4
35.2
8.8
6.7
3.9
6.4
4.5
3.2
3.7
4.5
7.2
8.9
8.2
11.5
5.4
3.6
5.4
3.4
6.8
7.9
11.1
9.3
All workers, service-providing industries3 ........................
100.0
71.8
28.2
6.8
2.8
7.2
3.2
8.2
Management, professional, and related .............................
Sales and office ..................................................................
Service ................................................................................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance ............
Production, transportation, and material moving ................
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
71.5
72.2
75.0
70.0
68.8
28.5
27.8
25.0
30.0
31.2
8.2
6.3
4.3
6.5
5.4
3.2
2.5
1.7
2.8
2.9
6.2
8.2
7.0
8.0
8.7
3.8
2.8
1.6
3.4
4.2
7.0
8.0
10.4
9.2
10.1
1 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations were combined with
construction and extraction occupational group as of December 2006.
2 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing. The agriculture,
forestry, farming, and hunting sector is excluded.
3 Includes utilities; wholesale trade; retail trade; transportation and
warehousing; information; finance and insurance; real estate and rental and
leasing; professional and technical services; management of companies
and enterprises; administrative and waste services; educational services;
health care and social assistance; arts, entertainment and recreation;
accommodation and food services; and other services, except public
administration.
Note: The sum of individual items may not equal totals due to rounding.
19
Table 10. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total compensation: Private
industry workers, by industry group, June 2008
Benefit costs
Series
Total
compensation
Wages
and
salaries
Paid
leave
Total
Supplemental
pay
Insurance
Retirement
and
savings
Legally
required
benefits
Cost per hour worked
All workers, goods-producing industries1 .........................
$31.58
$21.09
$10.49
$1.98
$1.31
$2.88
$1.45
$2.87
Construction .......................................................................
Manufacturing .....................................................................
Aircraft manufacturing2 ...................................................
30.33
31.61
57.58
20.99
20.83
36.32
9.34
10.77
21.26
1.07
2.39
5.55
1.07
1.36
3.10
2.25
3.13
5.27
1.54
1.31
3.43
3.40
2.59
3.92
All workers, service-providing industries3 ........................
25.59
18.38
7.21
1.73
0.71
1.85
0.83
2.09
Trade, transportation, and utilities ......................................
Wholesale trade ..............................................................
Retail trade .....................................................................
Transportation and warehousing ....................................
Utilities ............................................................................
Information ..........................................................................
Financial activities ..............................................................
Finance and insurance ...................................................
Credit intermediation and related activities .................
Insurance carriers and related activities .....................
Real estate and rental and leasing .................................
Professional and business services ...................................
Professional and technical services ...............................
Administrative and waste services .................................
Education and health services ............................................
Educational services .......................................................
Junior colleges, colleges, and universities .................
Health care and social assistance ..................................
Leisure and hospitality ........................................................
Accommodation and food services .................................
Other services ....................................................................
22.88
29.28
16.63
32.77
49.70
38.92
35.67
39.14
33.95
37.93
23.82
31.81
43.87
19.47
28.75
36.43
44.46
27.66
11.82
10.97
22.53
16.22
20.54
12.54
21.42
31.23
26.93
23.94
25.98
22.91
25.54
16.97
23.34
31.85
14.87
20.71
27.00
31.87
19.82
9.23
8.59
16.72
6.66
8.74
4.09
11.35
18.47
11.99
11.73
13.16
11.04
12.38
6.86
8.47
12.02
4.61
8.04
9.43
12.59
7.85
2.59
2.39
5.81
1.37
1.90
0.78
2.31
4.64
3.56
2.85
3.23
2.84
3.17
1.55
2.23
3.55
0.84
2.13
2.40
3.50
2.10
0.40
0.34
1.41
0.60
1.02
0.31
0.80
2.16
1.01
2.17
2.56
1.58
1.55
0.85
0.86
1.23
0.47
0.56
0.13
0.15
0.62
0.14
0.11
0.50
1.84
2.50
1.09
3.30
4.39
3.16
2.82
3.08
2.82
3.24
1.95
1.92
2.74
1.03
2.18
2.74
3.64
2.11
0.66
0.62
1.41
0.82
0.90
0.36
1.95
3.64
1.49
1.51
1.82
1.62
1.89
0.48
0.98
1.41
0.40
0.92
1.44
2.28
0.85
0.13
0.10
0.50
2.03
2.41
1.55
2.99
3.64
2.78
2.37
2.47
2.18
2.54
2.03
2.48
3.08
1.87
2.24
2.72
3.03
2.17
1.27
1.22
2.00
Percent of total compensation
All workers, goods-producing industries1 .........................
100.0
66.8
33.2
6.3
4.1
9.1
4.6
9.1
Construction .......................................................................
Manufacturing .....................................................................
Aircraft manufacturing2 ...................................................
100.0
100.0
100.0
69.2
65.9
63.1
30.8
34.1
36.9
3.5
7.6
9.6
3.5
4.3
5.4
7.4
9.9
9.2
5.1
4.1
5.9
11.2
8.2
6.8
All workers, service-providing industries3 ........................
100.0
71.8
28.2
6.8
2.8
7.2
3.2
8.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities ......................................
Wholesale trade ..............................................................
Retail trade .....................................................................
Transportation and warehousing ....................................
Utilities ............................................................................
Information ..........................................................................
Financial activities ..............................................................
Finance and insurance ...................................................
Credit intermediation and related activities .................
Insurance carriers and related activities .....................
Real estate and rental and leasing .................................
Professional and business services ...................................
Professional and technical services ...............................
Administrative and waste services .................................
Education and health services ............................................
Educational services .......................................................
Junior colleges, colleges, and universities .................
Health care and social assistance ..................................
Leisure and hospitality ........................................................
Accommodation and food services .................................
Other services ....................................................................
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
70.9
70.2
75.4
65.4
62.8
69.2
67.1
66.4
67.5
67.3
71.2
73.4
72.6
76.3
72.0
74.1
71.7
71.6
78.1
78.3
74.2
29.1
29.8
24.6
34.6
37.2
30.8
32.9
33.6
32.5
32.7
28.8
26.6
27.4
23.7
28.0
25.9
28.3
28.4
21.9
21.7
25.8
6.0
6.5
4.7
7.0
9.3
9.1
8.0
8.3
8.4
8.4
6.5
7.0
8.1
4.3
7.4
6.6
7.9
7.6
3.4
3.1
6.3
2.6
3.5
1.9
2.4
4.4
2.6
6.1
6.5
4.6
4.1
3.6
2.7
2.8
2.4
1.9
0.4
0.3
2.2
1.2
1.0
2.2
8.1
8.5
6.5
10.1
8.8
8.1
7.9
7.9
8.3
8.5
8.2
6.0
6.2
5.3
7.6
7.5
8.2
7.6
5.6
5.6
6.2
3.6
3.1
2.2
6.0
7.3
3.8
4.2
4.6
4.8
5.0
2.0
3.1
3.2
2.1
3.2
4.0
5.1
3.1
1.1
0.9
2.2
8.9
8.2
9.3
9.1
7.3
7.1
6.6
6.3
6.4
6.7
8.5
7.8
7.0
9.6
7.8
7.5
6.8
7.9
10.8
11.1
8.9
1 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing. The agriculture,
forestry, farming, and hunting sector is excluded.
2 Data are available beginning with December 2006.
3 Includes utilities; wholesale trade; retail trade; transportation and
warehousing; information; finance and insurance; real estate and rental and
leasing; professional and technical services; management of companies
and enterprises; administrative and waste services; educational services;
health care and social assistance; arts, entertainment and recreation;
accommodation and food services; and other services, except public
administration.
Note: The sum of individual items may not equal totals due to rounding.
20
Table 11. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total compensation: Private
industry workers, by occupational group and full-time and part-time status, June 2008
Benefit costs
Series
Total
compensation
Wages
and
salaries
Paid
leave
Total
Supplemental
pay
Insurance
Retirement
and
savings
Legally
required
benefits
Cost per hour worked
All full-time workers in private industry .................................
$30.42
$21.15
$9.27
$2.18
$1.01
$2.45
$1.17
$2.45
Management, professional, and related .............................
Management, business, and financial ............................
Professional and related .................................................
Sales and office ..................................................................
Sales and related ............................................................
Office and administrative support ...................................
Service ................................................................................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance ............
Construction, extraction, farming, fishing, and forestry1
Installation, maintenance, and repair ..............................
Production, transportation, and material moving ................
Production ......................................................................
Transportation and material moving ...............................
49.30
54.06
46.59
24.35
26.57
23.24
15.88
30.68
30.77
30.56
24.72
24.26
25.30
34.63
37.37
33.07
17.23
19.61
16.06
11.31
20.93
20.90
20.96
16.36
15.94
16.90
14.67
16.69
13.52
7.11
6.96
7.19
4.57
9.75
9.87
9.60
8.35
8.32
8.40
4.25
4.82
3.93
1.69
1.66
1.71
0.89
1.51
1.09
2.03
1.54
1.57
1.50
1.72
2.57
1.24
0.69
0.87
0.60
0.35
1.06
1.08
1.02
0.96
1.07
0.82
3.22
3.41
3.12
2.14
1.75
2.34
1.48
2.53
2.47
2.61
2.55
2.68
2.38
2.10
2.31
1.99
0.74
0.67
0.77
0.34
1.47
1.74
1.14
0.96
0.78
1.20
3.37
3.58
3.25
1.85
2.02
1.76
1.51
3.17
3.48
2.79
2.34
2.21
2.50
All part-time workers in private industry ................................
14.85
11.60
3.25
0.47
0.24
0.74
0.25
1.55
Management, professional, and related .............................
Professional and related .................................................
Sales and office ..................................................................
Sales and related ............................................................
Office and administrative support ...................................
Service ................................................................................
Production, transportation, and material moving ................
Transportation and material moving ...............................
36.24
36.38
13.19
11.05
16.33
10.34
14.28
14.53
27.98
28.07
10.28
8.87
12.36
8.42
10.31
10.24
8.27
8.31
2.90
2.18
3.97
1.92
3.97
4.29
1.75
1.79
0.40
0.22
0.67
0.20
0.40
0.42
0.97
0.98
0.16
0.12
0.21
0.10
0.29
0.29
1.72
1.70
0.77
0.47
1.20
0.32
1.21
1.43
0.69
0.69
0.26
0.18
0.38
0.08
0.39
0.46
3.13
3.15
1.32
1.19
1.51
1.22
1.68
1.69
Percent of total compensation
All full-time workers in private industry .................................
100.0
69.5
30.5
7.2
3.3
8.1
3.8
8.1
Management, professional, and related .............................
Management, business, and financial ............................
Professional and related .................................................
Sales and office ..................................................................
Sales and related ............................................................
Office and administrative support ...................................
Service ................................................................................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance ............
Construction, extraction, farming, fishing, and forestry1
Installation, maintenance, and repair ..............................
Production, transportation, and material moving ................
Production ......................................................................
Transportation and material moving ...............................
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
70.2
69.1
71.0
70.8
73.8
69.1
71.2
68.2
67.9
68.6
66.2
65.7
66.8
29.8
30.9
29.0
29.2
26.2
30.9
28.8
31.8
32.1
31.4
33.8
34.3
33.2
8.6
8.9
8.4
7.0
6.3
7.4
5.6
4.9
3.6
6.6
6.2
6.5
5.9
3.5
4.8
2.7
2.8
3.3
2.6
2.2
3.4
3.5
3.4
3.9
4.4
3.3
6.5
6.3
6.7
8.8
6.6
10.1
9.3
8.3
8.0
8.5
10.3
11.1
9.4
4.3
4.3
4.3
3.0
2.5
3.3
2.1
4.8
5.6
3.7
3.9
3.2
4.7
6.8
6.6
7.0
7.6
7.6
7.6
9.5
10.3
11.3
9.1
9.5
9.1
9.9
All part-time workers in private industry ................................
100.0
78.1
21.9
3.2
1.6
5.0
1.7
10.4
Management, professional, and related .............................
Professional and related .................................................
Sales and office ..................................................................
Sales and related ............................................................
Office and administrative support ...................................
Service ................................................................................
Production, transportation, and material moving ................
Transportation and material moving ...............................
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
77.2
77.2
78.0
80.3
75.7
81.5
72.2
70.5
22.8
22.8
22.0
19.7
24.3
18.5
27.8
29.5
4.8
4.9
3.1
2.0
4.1
2.0
2.8
2.9
2.7
2.7
1.2
1.1
1.3
0.9
2.0
2.0
4.8
4.7
5.8
4.3
7.3
3.1
8.5
9.8
1.9
1.9
2.0
1.6
2.3
0.8
2.7
3.2
8.6
8.7
10.0
10.8
9.3
11.8
11.8
11.7
1 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations were combined with
construction and extraction occupational group as of December 2006.
Note: The sum of individual items may not equal totals due to rounding.
21
Table 12. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total
compensation: Private industry workers, by industry group and full-time and part-time status, June 2008
Benefit costs
Series
Total
compensation
Wages
and
salaries
Paid
leave
Total
Supplemental
pay
Insurance
Retirement
and
savings
Legally
required
benefits
Cost per hour worked
All full-time workers in private industry ...........
$30.42
$21.15
$9.27
$2.18
$1.01
$2.45
$1.17
$2.45
Goods-producing1 ............................................
Construction .................................................
Manufacturing ...............................................
31.99
30.64
32.06
21.29
21.10
21.08
10.70
9.54
10.98
2.03
1.10
2.44
1.34
1.10
1.39
2.96
2.32
3.20
1.48
1.59
1.34
2.89
3.43
2.61
Service-providing2 ............................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ................
Information ....................................................
Financial activities ........................................
Professional and business services .............
Education and health services ......................
Leisure and hospitality ..................................
Other services ..............................................
29.89
27.26
41.56
38.22
35.26
30.28
14.67
25.72
21.11
19.08
28.53
25.48
25.60
21.48
10.87
18.53
8.79
8.18
13.03
12.74
9.66
8.79
3.80
7.19
2.24
1.83
3.82
3.15
2.67
2.44
0.75
1.82
0.89
0.78
1.12
2.42
0.93
0.60
0.21
0.65
2.28
2.23
3.52
3.02
2.23
2.44
1.20
1.87
1.06
1.05
1.67
1.66
1.18
1.07
0.20
0.66
2.31
2.30
2.90
2.50
2.65
2.25
1.43
2.20
All part-time workers in private industry ..........
14.85
11.60
3.25
0.47
0.24
0.74
0.25
1.55
Service-providing2 ............................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ................
Professional and business services .............
Education and health services ......................
Leisure and hospitality ..................................
14.77
13.01
16.79
24.32
9.10
11.53
9.79
13.49
18.46
7.66
3.24
3.22
3.30
5.85
1.44
0.47
0.35
0.35
1.26
0.07
0.24
0.18
0.53
0.44
0.06
0.75
0.96
0.58
1.43
0.14
0.25
0.32
0.11
0.51
0.05
1.53
1.41
1.74
2.21
1.12
Percent of total compensation
All full-time workers in private industry ...........
100.0
69.5
30.5
7.2
3.3
8.1
3.8
8.1
Goods-producing1 ............................................
Construction .................................................
Manufacturing ...............................................
100.0
100.0
100.0
66.6
68.9
65.7
33.4
31.1
34.3
6.4
3.6
7.6
4.2
3.6
4.4
9.2
7.6
10.0
4.6
5.2
4.2
9.0
11.2
8.1
Service-providing2 ............................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ................
Information ....................................................
Financial activities ........................................
Professional and business services .............
Education and health services ......................
Leisure and hospitality ..................................
Other services ..............................................
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
70.6
70.0
68.6
66.7
72.6
71.0
74.1
72.0
29.4
30.0
31.4
33.3
27.4
29.0
25.9
28.0
7.5
6.7
9.2
8.2
7.6
8.0
5.1
7.1
3.0
2.9
2.7
6.3
2.6
2.0
1.5
2.5
7.6
8.2
8.5
7.9
6.3
8.1
8.2
7.3
3.6
3.8
4.0
4.3
3.4
3.5
1.4
2.6
7.7
8.4
7.0
6.5
7.5
7.4
9.8
8.5
All part-time workers in private industry ..........
100.0
78.1
21.9
3.2
1.6
5.0
1.7
10.4
Service-providing2 ............................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ................
Professional and business services .............
Education and health services ......................
Leisure and hospitality ..................................
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
78.1
75.2
80.3
75.9
84.2
21.9
24.8
19.7
24.1
15.8
3.2
2.7
2.1
5.2
0.8
1.6
1.4
3.1
1.8
0.7
5.1
7.4
3.4
5.9
1.5
1.7
2.5
0.7
2.1
0.6
10.4
10.8
10.4
9.1
12.3
1 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing. The
agriculture, forestry, farming, and hunting sector is excluded.
2 Includes utilities; wholesale trade; retail trade; transportation
and warehousing; information; finance and insurance; real estate
and rental and leasing; professional and technical services;
management of companies and enterprises; administrative and
waste services; educational services; health care and social
assistance; arts, entertainment and recreation; accommodation and
food services; and other services, except public administration.
Note: The sum of individual items may not equal totals due to
rounding.
22
Table 13. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total
compensation: Private industry workers, by major industry group and establishment employment size and
bargaining unit status, June 2008
Benefit costs
Series
Total
compensation
Wages
and
salaries
Paid
leave
Total
Supplemental
pay
Insurance
Retirement
and
savings
Legally
required
benefits
Cost per hour worked
All workers, goods-producing industries1 ...
$31.58
$21.09
$10.49
$1.98
$1.31
$2.88
$1.45
$2.87
1-99 workers .....................................................
1-49 workers .................................................
50-99 workers ...............................................
100 workers or more .........................................
100-499 workers ...........................................
500 workers or more .....................................
26.80
25.65
29.30
35.83
30.46
43.04
18.71
18.30
19.62
23.20
20.08
27.40
8.08
7.36
9.68
12.63
10.38
15.64
1.18
1.06
1.43
2.70
1.91
3.75
1.05
1.03
1.09
1.54
1.14
2.08
2.11
1.79
2.80
3.58
3.14
4.16
0.95
0.70
1.50
1.89
1.48
2.43
2.80
2.77
2.86
2.93
2.71
3.23
Union ................................................................
Nonunion ..........................................................
39.49
29.67
23.66
20.47
15.83
9.20
2.36
1.89
1.76
1.20
4.92
2.39
3.11
1.05
3.68
2.67
All workers, service-providing industries2 ..
25.59
18.38
7.21
1.73
0.71
1.85
0.83
2.09
1-99 workers .....................................................
1-49 workers .................................................
50-99 workers ...............................................
100 workers or more .........................................
100-499 workers ...........................................
500 workers or more .....................................
21.28
20.97
22.17
30.57
26.00
36.10
15.94
15.82
16.29
21.20
18.46
24.52
5.34
5.15
5.88
9.37
7.55
11.58
1.19
1.13
1.34
2.37
1.80
3.06
0.50
0.49
0.53
0.95
0.80
1.13
1.31
1.23
1.53
2.47
2.01
3.02
0.48
0.46
0.52
1.24
0.81
1.74
1.86
1.82
1.96
2.35
2.13
2.63
Union ................................................................
Nonunion ..........................................................
34.54
24.77
21.93
18.06
12.61
6.71
2.90
1.63
0.94
0.69
3.84
1.66
2.06
0.72
2.87
2.02
Percent of total compensation
All workers, goods-producing industries1 ...
100.0
66.8
33.2
6.3
4.1
9.1
4.6
9.1
1-99 workers .....................................................
1-49 workers .................................................
50-99 workers ...............................................
100 workers or more .........................................
100-499 workers ...........................................
500 workers or more .....................................
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
69.8
71.3
67.0
64.8
65.9
63.7
30.2
28.7
33.0
35.2
34.1
36.3
4.4
4.1
4.9
7.5
6.3
8.7
3.9
4.0
3.7
4.3
3.7
4.8
7.9
7.0
9.5
10.0
10.3
9.7
3.6
2.7
5.1
5.3
4.9
5.6
10.4
10.8
9.8
8.2
8.9
7.5
Union ................................................................
Nonunion ..........................................................
100.0
100.0
59.9
69.0
40.1
31.0
6.0
6.4
4.5
4.0
12.5
8.1
7.9
3.5
9.3
9.0
All workers, service-providing industries2 ..
100.0
71.8
28.2
6.8
2.8
7.2
3.2
8.2
1-99 workers .....................................................
1-49 workers .................................................
50-99 workers ...............................................
100 workers or more .........................................
100-499 workers ...........................................
500 workers or more .....................................
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
74.9
75.5
73.5
69.3
71.0
67.9
25.1
24.5
26.5
30.7
29.0
32.1
5.6
5.4
6.0
7.7
6.9
8.5
2.4
2.3
2.4
3.1
3.1
3.1
6.2
5.9
6.9
8.1
7.7
8.4
2.2
2.2
2.4
4.0
3.1
4.8
8.7
8.7
8.8
7.7
8.2
7.3
Union ................................................................
Nonunion ..........................................................
100.0
100.0
63.5
72.9
36.5
27.1
8.4
6.6
2.7
2.8
11.1
6.7
6.0
2.9
8.3
8.1
1 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing. The
agriculture, forestry, farming, and hunting sector is excluded.
2 Includes utilities; wholesale trade; retail trade; transportation
and warehousing; information; finance and insurance; real estate
and rental and leasing; professional and technical services;
management of companies and enterprises; administrative and
waste services; educational services; health care and social
assistance; arts, entertainment and recreation; accommodation and
food services; and other services, except public administration.
Note: The sum of individual items may not equal totals due to
rounding.
23
Table 14. Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total
compensation: Private industry health care and social assistance workers, by industry and occupational group,
June 2008
Benefit costs
Series
Total
compensation
Wages
and
salaries
Paid
leave
Total
Supplemental
pay
Insurance
Retirement
and
savings
Legally
required
benefits
Cost per hour worked
Health care and social assistance ....................
$27.66
$19.82
$7.85
$2.10
$0.62
$2.11
$0.85
$2.17
Management, professional, and related .......
Registered nurses ....................................
Sales and office ............................................
Service ..........................................................
40.08
44.40
20.70
15.92
28.96
31.30
14.51
11.26
11.12
13.10
6.19
4.65
3.24
3.67
1.55
0.97
0.93
1.60
0.36
0.37
2.61
2.98
2.00
1.54
1.36
1.44
0.63
0.33
2.98
3.41
1.64
1.45
Hospitals .........................................................
34.41
23.56
10.85
2.96
1.09
3.05
1.22
2.53
Management, professional, and related .......
Registered nurses ....................................
Service ..........................................................
42.61
45.97
19.67
29.66
31.79
12.62
12.95
14.18
7.05
3.78
4.04
1.39
1.43
1.92
0.61
3.15
3.21
2.83
1.48
1.62
0.68
3.11
3.39
1.53
Nursing and residential care facilities ..........
19.22
13.93
5.29
1.28
0.45
1.45
0.29
1.82
Management, professional, and related .......
Service ..........................................................
29.92
14.68
21.97
10.49
7.95
4.19
2.22
0.87
0.72
0.37
1.83
1.29
0.54
0.18
2.63
1.48
Nursing care facilities1 ..............................
20.06
14.63
5.44
1.34
0.54
1.39
0.29
1.88
Management, professional, and related .......
Service ..........................................................
32.34
15.23
24.07
10.87
8.27
4.37
2.28
0.95
0.93
0.42
1.68
1.30
0.52
0.20
2.86
1.50
Percent of total compensation
Health care and social assistance ....................
100.0
71.6
28.4
7.6
2.2
7.6
3.1
7.9
Management, professional, and related .......
Registered nurses ....................................
Sales and office ............................................
Service ..........................................................
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
72.3
70.5
70.1
70.8
27.7
29.5
29.9
29.2
8.1
8.3
7.5
6.1
2.3
3.6
1.7
2.3
6.5
6.7
9.7
9.7
3.4
3.2
3.1
2.1
7.4
7.7
7.9
9.1
Hospitals .........................................................
100.0
68.5
31.5
8.6
3.2
8.9
3.5
7.3
Management, professional, and related .......
Registered nurses ....................................
Service ..........................................................
100.0
100.0
100.0
69.6
69.2
64.2
30.4
30.8
35.8
8.9
8.8
7.1
3.3
4.2
3.1
7.4
7.0
14.4
3.5
3.5
3.5
7.3
7.4
7.8
Nursing and residential care facilities ..........
100.0
72.5
27.5
6.7
2.4
7.5
1.5
9.4
Management, professional, and related .......
Service ..........................................................
100.0
100.0
73.4
71.5
26.6
28.5
7.4
5.9
2.4
2.5
6.1
8.8
1.8
1.2
8.8
10.1
Nursing care facilities1 ..............................
100.0
72.9
27.1
6.7
2.7
6.9
1.4
9.4
Management, professional, and related .......
Service ..........................................................
100.0
100.0
74.4
71.3
25.6
28.7
7.1
6.3
2.9
2.8
5.2
8.5
1.6
1.3
8.8
9.9
1 Data are available beginning with December 2006.
Note: The sum of individual items may not equal totals due to rounding.
24
TECHNICAL NOTE
Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC) measures the average cost to employers for wages
and salaries and benefits per employee hour worked.
Wages and salaries are defined as the hourly straight-time wage rate or, for workers not paid on an
hourly basis, straight-time earnings divided by the corresponding hours. Straight-time wage and salary rates are
total earnings before payroll deductions and include production bonuses, incentive earnings, commission
payments, and cost-of-living adjustments. Not included in straight-time earnings are nonproduction bonuses
such as end-of-year payments, shift differentials, and premium pay for overtime and for work on weekends and
holidays; these payments are included in the benefits component.
Benefits include: Paid leave–vacations, holidays, sick leave, and personal leave; supplemental pay–
premium pay for work in addition to the regular work schedule (such as overtime, weekends and holidays), shift
differentials, and nonproduction bonuses (such as referral bonuses and attendance bonuses); insurance benefits–
life, health, short-term disability, and long-term disability; retirement and savings benefits–defined benefit and
defined contribution plans; and legally required benefits–Social Security, Medicare, federal and state
unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation.
Beginning with this quarter, other leave benefit estimates will include only paid personal leave. Paid
personal leave accounts for the majority of the cost of the overall other leave benefit category. The National
Compensation Survey will no longer collect costs for paid military leave, paid funeral leave, paid jury leave, and
paid family leave (access data will still be available on these benefits).
Employer Costs for Employee Compensation includes data for the civilian economy, which includes
data from both private industry and state and local government. Excluded from private industry are the selfemployed and farm and private household workers. Federal government workers are excluded from the public
sector. The private industry series and the state and local government series provide data for the two sectors
separately.
The cost levels for this quarter were collected from a probability sample of approximately 56,500
occupations selected from a sample of about 12,100 establishments in private industry and approximately
11,800 occupations from a sample of about 1,900 establishments in state and local governments. The state and
local government sample, which is replaced less frequently than the private industry sample, was replaced in its
entirety in September 2007. As a result of this replacement, the number of state and local government
occupations and establishments increased substantially. The private industry sample is rotated over
approximately 5 years, which makes the sample more representative of the economy and reduces respondent
burden. Data are collected for the pay period including the 12th day of the survey months of March, June,
September, and December. The sample is replaced on a cross-area, cross-industry basis.
When respondents do not provide all the data needed, a procedure for assigning missing values is used.
This imputation procedure is comparable to that used for the Employment Cost Index (ECI). For a description,
see “Accounting for missing data in the Employment Cost Index,” in the April 2006 issue of the Monthly Labor
Review at http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2006/04/art4abs.htm.
The ECEC percent of total compensation estimates are calculated from cost aggregates and then rounded
to the published level of precision. This method provides the most precise estimates of the percent of total
compensation; however, estimates of the percentage of total compensation calculated from the published cost
estimates may differ slightly from those calculated from the unpublished cost aggregates.
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Sample establishments are classified by the industry categories based on the 2007 North American
Industry Classification System (NAICS). Prior to December 2007, the 2002 NAICS classification system was
used. Differences between the two NAICS systems did not affect any of the published series. Within a sample
establishment, specific job categories are selected and classified into about 800 occupational classifications
according to the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. Individual occupations are
combined to represent one of ten intermediate aggregations, such as professional and related occupations, or one
of five higher-level aggregations such as management, professional, and related occupations. Both the NAICS
and the SOC classification systems are defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB). For
more detailed information on NAICS and SOC, including background definitions, see the BLS Web sites:
www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm and www.bls.gov/soc/home.htm.
To be included in the ECEC, employees in occupations must receive cash payments from the
establishment for services performed and the establishment must pay the employer’s portion of Medicare taxes
on that individual’s wages. Major exclusions from the survey are the self-employed, individuals who set their
own pay (for example, proprietors, owners, major stockholders, and partners in unincorporated firms),
volunteers, unpaid workers, family members being paid token wages, individuals receiving long-term disability
compensation, and U.S. citizens working overseas.
The state and local government sample consists of 152 areas that represent the Nation’s 361
metropolitan statistical areas and 573 micropolitan statistical areas as defined by OMB in December 2003 and
the remaining portions of the 50 states. The private industry sample consists of 151 metropolitan areas and
nonmetropolitan areas that represent the Nation’s 326 metropolitan statistical areas as defined by OMB in 1994
and the remaining portions of the 50 states. Metropolitan areas are defined as Metropolitan Statistical Areas
(MSAs) or Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas (CMSAs). Nonmetropolitan areas are counties and
other geographic designations that do not fit the metropolitan area definition. The private industry sample will
begin the conversion to December 2003 OMB area definitions in December 2008.
Current employment weights are used to calculate cost levels. These weights are derived from two BLS
programs: the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) and the Current Employment Statistics
(CES). Combined, these programs provide the appropriate industry coverage and currency of data needed to
match the ECEC. For more information on these changes, see "Changes in Calculations for the BLS Employer
Costs for Employee Compensation Data, March 2007," at http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ect/sp/ececcalc.pdf. In most
instances, private industry employment weights used in the ECEC were total employment estimates for 2-digit
industry groups, such as utilities (NAICS 22) or wholesale trade (NAICS 42). In a few cases, more detailed
private industry employment weights were used. These include 4-digit educational establishments—elementary
and secondary schools (6111), junior colleges (6112), and colleges and universities (6113)—as well as the 6digit aircraft manufacturing industry (336411). For state and local governments, a more aggregated level was
used reflecting the level of detail published by the CES program. For both private and government
establishments, the employment data were apportioned based on the sampling weights assigned to the
Employment Cost Index (ECI) sample.
The ECI, which measures the change in employer costs for employee compensation, is calculated with
fixed 2002 employment counts to prevent employment shifts among occupations and industries from
influencing the changes. Therefore, changes over time in the Employer Costs for Employee Compensation
survey will differ from those in the ECI.
Historical ECEC data are available in three listings, all available at: http://www.bls.gov/ect/#tables. The
first historical listing covers data for the March references periods from 1986 to 2002. These data use the
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) and Census of Population classification systems. The second listing
contains data for the March, June, September, and December reference periods from June 2002 to December
2003. These data also are based on the SIC and Census of Population classification systems. The final listing
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includes data for March 2004 to the current reference period. These are based on the NAICS and SOC
classification systems. Also, data and related articles are included in the bulletin, Employer Costs for Employee
Compensation, 1986-99 (Bulletin 2526), available upon request by calling (202) 691-6199 or by email to:
[email protected].
Beginning with the March 2004 quarter, historical data are available based on the North American
Industry Classification System and the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification. The new historical tables are
available on the Internet site http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ect/home.htm or upon request. Information on how costs
are calculated appears in “Measuring Trends in the Structure and Levels of Employer Costs for Employee
Compensation,” Compensation and Working Conditions, Summer 1997, at
http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/archive/summer1997art1.pdf. An article on changes in employer compensation
costs, “Tracking Changes in Benefit Costs,” appears in Compensation and Working Conditions, Spring 1999, at
http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/archive/spring1999brief3.pdf.
Relative Standard Errors
Because the ECEC is a sample survey, it is subject to sampling errors. Sampling errors are differences
that occur between the results computed from a sample of observations and those computed from all
observations in the population. The estimates derived from different samples selected using the same sample
design may differ from one another. A measure of the variation among these differing estimates is the standard
error. It can be used to measure the precision with which an estimate from a particular sample approximates the
expected result of all possible samples. For more information on the calculation procedure, see "Changes in
Variance Estimation Calculations for the BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation Data, March 2007,"
at http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ect/sp/ececvmet.pdf. The chances are about 68 out of 100 that an estimate from the
survey differs from a complete population figure by less than the standard error. The chances are about 90 out
of 100 that this difference would be less than 1.6 times the standard error. All the statements of comparisons
appearing in this publication are significant at a 1.6 standard error level or better, unless otherwise indicated.
This means that for differences cited, the estimated difference is greater than 1.6 times the standard error of the
difference. The relative standard errors (RSE) for all estimates are available shortly after the release is issued at
http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ect/#tables.
For a more detailed explanation of relative standard errors, see “Measuring Trends in the Structure and
Levels of Employer Costs for Employee Compensation,” Compensation and Working Conditions, Summer
1997, at http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/archive/summer1997art1.pdf. For a detailed explanation of how to use
standard error data to analyze differences in changes over time, see "Analyzing Year-to-Year Changes in
Employer Costs for Employee Compensation," Compensation and Working Conditions, Spring 1998, at
http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/archive/spring1998art3.pdf. This article supplements an article from the Summer
1997 issue of Compensation and Working Conditions, "Explaining the Differential Growth Rates of the ECI
and ECEC," available at http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/archive/summer1997art2.pdf, which examined how
differences in the construction of these measures contribute to differing trends.
Standard errors relate to differences that occur from sampling errors, but not from nonsampling errors.
Nonsampling errors are not measured and include survey nonresponse and data collection and processing errors.
Survey nonresponse occurs when sample members are unwilling or unable to participate in the survey. Data
collection errors include inaccurate data by respondents and definitional difficulties. Processing errors include
errors in recording, coding, and entering data. Although nonsampling errors are not measured, BLS quality
assurance programs include procedures for reducing such errors. These procedures include data collection
reinterviews, observed interviews, computer data edits, and systematic review of reports on which data are
recorded. Extensive field economist training also is conducted to maintain high data collection standards.
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Comparing private and public sector data
Aggregate compensation cost levels in state and local government should not be directly compared with
those in private industry. Differences between these sectors stem from factors such as variation in work
activities and occupational structures. Manufacturing and sales, for example, make up a large part of private
industry work activities but are rare in state and local government. Professional and administrative support
occupations (including teachers) account for two-thirds of the state and local government workforce, compared
with one-half of private industry.
A detailed examination of differences in compensation levels and trends between private industry and
state and local government may be found in “Cost of Employee Compensation in Public and Private Sectors,”
Monthly Labor Review, May 1993, on the BLS Internet site http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/1993/05/contents.htm
and “Compensation Cost Trends in Private Industry and State and Local Governments,” Compensation and
Working Conditions, Fall 1999, at http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/archive/fall1999art2.pdf.
Obtaining information
Articles, bulletins, and other information may be obtained by calling (202) 691-6199, sending e-mail to
[email protected], or visiting the Internet site http://www.bls.gov/ect. Information in this release will be made
available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service
Number: 1-800-877-8339.