The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) first annual set of modeled wage estimates are now available at www.bls.gov/mwe, providing 2014 and 2015 average hourly wages on selected occupations by job characteristics. The modeled wage estimates use survey data collected by the BLS National Compensation Survey (NCS) and the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) programs. The BLS will produce new modeled wage estimates on an ongoing, annual basis each May.
The new modeled wage estimates combine the strengths of the NCS program for information on job characteristics (part-and full-time status, incentive- and time-based pay, bargaining status) and work levels, and the OES program for occupational and geographic detail to provide more data on national occupational mean hourly wages than either program is able to provide separately. State and area data are also available for selected occupations. For example, OES estimates California Registered Nurses earn an average hourly wage of $48.68 per hour in May 2015. New modeled wage estimates provide additional levels of detail for California Registered Nurses including average hourly wages on job characteristics such as union ($57.15 per hour) versus nonunion ($43.16 per hour) workers.
Users may access the modeled wage estimate query tool at www.bls.gov/mwe/#data. Frequently Asked Questions on the new modeled wage estimates can be found at www.bls.gov/mwe/faq.htm. For additional questions, please email ncsinfo@bls.gov or contact the National Compensation Survey information line at (202) 691-6199.
ABOUT THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor is the principal Federal agency responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the economy. Its mission is to collect, analyze, and disseminate essential economic information to support public and private industry decision-making. As an independent statistical agency, BLS serves its diverse user communities by providing products and services that are objective, timely, accurate, and relevant. For more information, visit www.bls.gov.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL COMPENSATION SURVEY
The National Compensation Survey (NCS) is an on-going, comprehensive employer-based survey of approximately 10,000 establishments conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The NCS is an umbrella program that produces data on several topics including wages, benefits, and compensation cost trends. One of its outputs–the Employment Cost Index (ECI)–is a principal federal economic indicator measuring the percent change in employer costs for total compensation, wages, and benefits. Another output is the Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC). The ECEC provides employer costs for wages and 18 individual benefits on a cost per hour worked basis. In addition, the NCS produces comprehensive data on the incidence and provisions of selected employee benefits, including health and retirement plans. Better decisions begin with better data, so visit www.bls.gov/ncs for your compensation data needs.
ABOUT THE OCCUPATIONAL EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS PROGRAM
The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program is an on-going, comprehensive employer-based survey of approximately 1.2 million establishments collected over a 3-year period. The OES survey is a Federal-State cooperative program between the BLS and State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). The BLS provides the procedures and technical support, draws the sample, and produces the survey materials, while the SWAs collect the data. The OES provides employment and wage estimates for over 800 occupations by State, Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area, as well as by detailed industry and ownership (private industry, local government, state government, and federal government) at the National level. For more information, visit www.bls.gov/oes.