National Compensation Survey: 

Occupational Wages in the 

United States, July 2003 

U.S. Department of Labor 

Bureau of Labor Statistics 

August 2004 

Summary 04-03 

arnings averaged $17.75 per hour in July 2003 for 

private industry and State and local government 

workers in the United States. This summary presents 

aggregated national earnings data from the National Compensation Survey (NCS) for: 

• Sectors of the economy (private industry, State and 

local government, and total) 

• Worker characteristics, including occupational 

detail 

• Establishment characteristics 

• Geographic areas 

The data in this summary are a subset of occupational 

earnings data from the NCS. Table 1 highlights the major 

types of data available by sector of the economy—private 

industry, State and local government, and total. Table 2 

shows similar data for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan 

areas. Table 3 provides data for specific occupations, 

including separate estimates for full- and part-time workers. 

Average hourly earnings were lower for private industry 

workers ($16.98) than for State and local government 

workers ($22.22) in July 2003. Part of this difference can be 

explained by differences in the occupational and industrial 

composition of the two sectors. For example, high-paying 

professional specialty and technical occupations are more 

common in State and local government than in private 

industry. (See the appendix table on page 16 for the number 

of workers by occupational group.) 

Worker characteristics. Earnings varied by occupational 

group; full- and part-time status; union and nonunion status; 

and time and incentive pay. White-collar earnings, which 

averaged $21.85 per hour, were the highest among 

occupational groups. Blue-collar pay averaged $15.03 per 

hour, while the pay of service occupations averaged $10.40. 

Among white-collar occupational groups, average hourly 

earnings ranged from $13.77 for administrative support 

workers to $32.20 for executive, administrative, and 

managerial workers. Blue-collar workers’ earnings ranged 

from $11.27 for handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and 

laborers to $18.89 for precision production, craft, and repair 

workers. 

Earnings were higher for full-time than for part-time 

workers, averaging $18.79 per hour and $9.93 per hour, 

respectively. The difference reflects, in part, the occupational 

composition of the two groups. The NCS classifies workers 

as full and part time based on the employer’s definition of 

those terms. 

Pay also was higher for union workers ($21.45 per hour) 

than for nonunion workers ($16.96 per hour). Incentive 

workers (whose wages are based, at least in part, on productivity payments such as piece rates, commissions, and production bonuses) earned, on average, $22.82 per hour. In 

contrast, earnings were lower for time workers (whose wages 

are based solely on an hourly rate or salary), who earned 

$17.45 per hour. 

Earnings also varied among occupations within occupational groups. For example, average hourly earnings in 

machine operator, assembler, and inspector occupations were 

$13.30, with a range from $8.58 for pressing machine 

operators working with textile articles, to $18.91 for separating, filtering, and clarifying machine operators, such as 

centrifuge operators and carbonation equipment operators 

found in food product industries. (See table 3.) 

Establishment characteristics. Earnings generally varied by 

size of the establishment and by industry.1

 Average hourly 

earnings ranged from $15.06 in establishments employing 

between 1 and 99 workers to $24.09 in those with 2,500 

workers or more. In private industry, workers employed in 

goods-producing industries earned more ($18.46) than did 

those in service-producing industries ($16.44). 

The occupational wages reported in this summary include 

private sector establishments with 1 worker or more and State 

and local government establishments with 50 workers or 

more. 

Geographic area. Among the nine census divisions, average 

hourly earnings ranged from $14.45 in the East South Central 

division to $20.12 in the Pacific division. In private industry, 

average hourly earnings ranged from $13.97 in the East 

South Central division to $19.11 in the Pacific division. 

Earnings for State and local government workers ranged 

from $18.34 in the East South Central division to $25.76 in 

the Pacific division. 

1

 Estimates for goods-producing and service-producing industries are for 

private industry only. 

E
2 

Additional occupational earnings data. More detailed 

information on average hourly earnings by occupation will 

be published later this year in the national bulletin. It will 

include: 

• Occupational detail 

• Occupational earnings by work level 

• Summary data for the 9 census divisions 

• Summary data for the 10 largest metropolitan 

areas 

In addition, supplementary tables will be available online 

later this year at www.bls.gov/ncs/home.htm. These 

tables will include: 

• National occupational wage percentiles 

• National average weekly earnings and hours for 

full-time workers 

• National average annual earnings and hours for 

full-time workers 

• Census division average hourly earnings by 

occupational detail and work level 
TABLE 1. Mean hourly earnings1 and weekly hours by selected characteristics, private industry and State and local

government, United States, National Compensation Survey,2 July 2003

Worker and establishment characteristics

and geographic areas

Total Private industry State and local government

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error3

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error3

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error3

(percent)

Total ........................................................... $17.75 0.9 35.7 $16.98 1.0 35.5 $22.22 0.8 36.8

Worker characteristics:4

White-collar occupations5 ....................... 21.85 .7 36.1 21.12 .9 36.0 25.09 .9 36.6

Professional specialty and technical ... 28.37 .8 36.2 27.73 1.1 36.3 29.80 .7 36.1

Executive, administrative, and 

managerial ........................................ 32.20 2.3 40.0 32.60 2.7 40.2 30.06 2.8 38.5

Sales ................................................... 15.05 1.8 32.4 15.05 1.8 32.4 13.58 5.2 33.9

Administrative support ........................ 13.77 .7 36.3 13.69 .7 36.3 14.17 1.3 36.7

Blue-collar occupations5 ......................... 15.03 .9 38.0 14.91 1.0 38.0 17.11 1.4 37.6

Precision production, craft, and repair 18.89 1.1 39.6 18.84 1.2 39.5 19.52 2.1 39.8

Machine operators, assemblers, and

inspectors ......................................... 13.30 1.3 39.1 13.29 1.3 39.1 16.52 10.0 38.5

Transportation and material moving ... 14.78 1.5 37.5 14.66 1.7 37.9 15.96 1.8 34.1

Handlers, equipment cleaners,

helpers, and laborers ........................ 11.27 1.4 35.0 11.09 1.4 34.9 14.22 2.6 38.7

Service occupations5 .............................. 10.40 1.5 31.5 8.90 1.1 30.4 16.70 1.3 37.1

Full time .................................................. 18.79 1.0 39.6 18.07 1.1 39.7 22.62 .8 38.8

Part time ................................................. 9.93 1.1 20.5 9.56 1.2 20.5 15.12 3.2 19.2

Union ...................................................... 21.45 .7 36.9 19.52 1.0 36.9 24.22 1.2 36.8

Nonunion ................................................ 16.96 1.1 35.4 16.63 1.1 35.3 20.29 1.9 36.8

Time ........................................................ 17.45 .9 35.6 16.57 .9 35.4 22.22 .8 36.8

Incentive ................................................. 22.82 5.1 36.9 22.82 5.1 36.9 – – –

Establishment characteristics:

Goods producing .................................... 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 18.46 1.0 39.5 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 6 ( )

Service producing ................................... 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 16.44 1.4 34.2 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 6 ( )

1 to 99 workers7 ..................................... 15.06 1.1 34.5 15.03 1.1 34.5 17.32 3.8 36.5

100 to 499 workers ................................. 17.20 1.2 36.4 16.78 1.4 36.4 20.67 1.7 35.7

500 to 999 workers ................................. 19.48 1.3 36.9 18.57 1.8 37.1 22.56 2.1 36.1

1,000 to 2,499 workers ........................... 20.99 2.9 36.6 20.71 3.8 36.6 21.73 2.2 36.6

2,500 workers or more ............................ 24.09 2.4 36.9 24.99 4.8 36.4 23.23 1.4 37.5

Geographic areas:8

Metropolitan ............................................ 18.29 .8 35.6 17.54 .9 35.4 23.09 .7 36.8

Nonmetropolitan ..................................... 14.17 2.8 36.2 12.99 3.1 36.0 18.56 2.0 37.0

New England .......................................... 19.55 1.4 34.3 18.70 1.5 34.1 25.45 2.5 35.6

Middle Atlantic ........................................ 20.03 1.1 34.9 19.08 1.0 34.8 25.53 .6 35.6

East North Central .................................. 17.97 1.5 35.5 17.16 1.8 35.4 23.33 2.5 36.0

West North Central ................................. 17.03 4.4 35.1 16.30 4.8 34.7 21.09 4.4 37.4

South Atlantic ......................................... 16.46 1.6 36.2 15.88 2.0 35.8 19.34 1.3 38.2

East South Central ................................. 14.45 6.6 36.2 13.97 7.3 36.1 18.34 2.7 36.9

West South Central ................................ 15.75 1.4 36.6 15.22 1.5 36.3 18.52 1.7 38.4

Mountain ................................................. 16.63 3.0 35.8 15.65 1.8 35.6 22.34 3.6 37.2

Pacific ..................................................... 20.12 1.1 35.8 19.11 1.6 35.8 25.76 1.1 35.6

1 Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees.

They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and hazard pay. Excluded

are premium pay for overtime, vacations, and holidays; nonproduction bonuses;

and tips. The mean is computed by totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by

the number of workers, weighted by hours. 2 This survey covers all 50 States. Data were collected between December

2002 and January 2004. The average reference period was July 2003. 3 The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a

percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence interval" around a

sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see Technical Note. 4 Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule

based on the definition used by each establishment. Union workers are those

whose wages are determined through collective bargaining. Wages of time workers

are based solely on hourly rate or salary; incentive workers are those whose wages

are at least partially based on productivity payments such as piece rates,

commissions, and production bonuses. 5 A classification system including about 480 individual occupations is used to

cover all workers in the civilian economy. For more information, see appendix B in

"National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States" on the

BLS Internet site www.bls.gov/ocs/compub.htm. 6 Classification of establishments into goods-producing and service-producing

industries applies to private industry only. 7 Estimates include private establishments employing 1 to 99 workers and

State and local government establishments employing 50 to 99 workers. 8 Data are presented for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area divisions as

well as nine census divisions. See Technical Note for a list of States making up the

nine census divisions.

NOTE: Dashes indicate that no data were reported or that data did not meet

publication criteria. 

3
TABLE 2. Mean hourly earnings1 and weekly hours by selected characteristics, metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas,2

United States, National Compensation Survey,3 July 2003

Worker and establishment characteristics

and geographic areas

Total Metropolitan areas Nonmetropolitan areas

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error4

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error4

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error4

(percent)

Total ........................................................... $17.75 0.9 35.7 $18.29 0.8 35.6 $14.17 2.8 36.2

Private industry ....................................... 16.98 1.0 35.5 17.54 .9 35.4 12.99 3.1 36.0

State and local government .................... 22.22 .8 36.8 23.09 .7 36.8 18.56 2.0 37.0

Worker characteristics:5

White-collar occupations6 ....................... 21.85 .7 36.1 22.32 .7 36.1 17.70 1.7 36.1

Professional specialty and technical ... 28.37 .8 36.2 29.05 .8 36.2 23.19 2.1 36.1

Executive, administrative, and 

managerial ........................................ 32.20 2.3 40.0 32.76 2.5 40.0 25.87 2.1 39.8

Sales ................................................... 15.05 1.8 32.4 15.47 1.9 32.3 11.08 3.1 33.2

Administrative support ........................ 13.77 .7 36.3 14.02 .7 36.3 11.62 1.7 36.5

Blue-collar occupations6 ......................... 15.03 .9 38.0 15.30 1.0 37.8 13.60 2.2 38.7

Precision production, craft, and repair 18.89 1.1 39.6 19.30 1.2 39.5 16.43 3.3 39.8

Machine operators, assemblers, and

inspectors ......................................... 13.30 1.3 39.1 13.42 1.4 39.0 12.82 3.4 39.4

Transportation and material moving ... 14.78 1.5 37.5 14.89 1.7 37.4 14.17 3.3 38.2

Handlers, equipment cleaners,

helpers, and laborers ........................ 11.27 1.4 35.0 11.46 1.5 34.8 10.18 2.8 36.4

Service occupations6 .............................. 10.40 1.5 31.5 10.68 1.2 31.1 9.10 2.8 33.2

Full time .................................................. 18.79 1.0 39.6 19.41 .9 39.5 14.78 3.1 39.7

Part time ................................................. 9.93 1.1 20.5 10.07 1.1 20.4 8.91 2.6 20.7

Union ...................................................... 21.45 .7 36.9 21.89 .7 36.7 18.06 3.1 37.9

Nonunion ................................................ 16.96 1.1 35.4 17.51 1.0 35.3 13.47 2.9 35.9

Time ........................................................ 17.45 .9 35.6 17.97 .8 35.5 14.08 2.7 36.1

Incentive ................................................. 22.82 5.1 36.9 23.52 5.5 36.5 16.40 6.2 40.4

Establishment characteristics:

Goods producing7 .................................. 18.46 1.0 39.5 – – – – – –

Service producing7 ................................. 16.44 1.4 34.2 – – – – – –

1 to 99 workers8 ..................................... 15.06 1.1 34.5 15.38 1.2 34.5 12.58 2.6 34.2

100 to 499 workers ................................. 17.20 1.2 36.4 17.74 1.3 36.3 14.62 1.8 36.9

500 to 999 workers ................................. 19.48 1.3 36.9 20.26 1.1 36.6 16.48 4.6 38.1

1,000 to 2,499 workers ........................... 20.99 2.9 36.6 21.97 1.6 36.4 15.88 13.6 38.1

2,500 workers or more ............................ 24.09 2.4 36.9 24.63 1.2 36.8 13.74 31.8 40.1

Geographic areas:9

New England .......................................... 19.55 1.4 34.3 20.10 1.0 34.3 14.80 4.0 34.1

Middle Atlantic ........................................ 20.03 1.1 34.9 20.24 1.1 34.9 16.15 7.4 35.3

East North Central .................................. 17.97 1.5 35.5 18.40 1.7 35.5 15.16 2.3 35.6

West North Central ................................. 17.03 4.4 35.1 17.98 5.2 35.1 13.64 3.4 35.2

South Atlantic ......................................... 16.46 1.6 36.2 16.92 1.8 36.1 13.55 2.5 36.8

East South Central ................................. 14.45 6.6 36.2 15.57 5.7 35.0 12.43 12.9 38.6

West South Central ................................ 15.75 1.4 36.6 16.04 1.6 36.7 13.77 3.4 36.2

Mountain ................................................. 16.63 3.0 35.8 16.77 3.7 35.8 15.95 3.3 35.8

Pacific ..................................................... 20.12 1.1 35.8 20.35 1.2 35.8 16.08 2.2 34.6

1 Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees.

They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and hazard pay. Excluded

are premium pay for overtime, vacations, and holidays; nonproduction bonuses;

and tips. The mean is computed by totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by

the number of workers, weighted by hours. 2 A metropolitan area can be a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) or

Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA) as defined by the Office of

Management and Budget, 1994. Nonmetropolitan areas are counties that do not fit

the definitions above. 3 This survey covers all 50 States. Data were collected between December

2002 and January 2004. The average reference period was July 2003. 4 The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a

percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence interval" around a

sample estimate. For more information about RSEs, see Technical Note. 5 Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule

based on the definition used by each establishment. Union workers are those

whose wages are determined through collective bargaining. Wages of time workers

are based solely on hourly rate or salary; incentive workers are those whose wages

are at least partially based on productivity payments such as piece rates,

commissions, and production bonuses. 6 A classification system including about 480 individual occupations is used to

cover all workers in the civilian economy. For more information, see appendix B in

"National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States" on the

BLS Internet site www.bls.gov/ocs/compub.htm. 7 Classification of establishments into goods-producing and service-producing

industries applies to private industry only. 8 Estimates include private establishments employing 1 to 99 workers and

State and local government establishments employing 50 to 99 workers. 9 Data are presented for nine census divisions. See Technical Note for a list of

States making up the nine census divisions.

NOTE: Dashes indicate that no data were reported or that data did not meet

publication criteria. 

4
TABLE 3. Mean hourly earnings1 and weekly hours for selected occupations, full-time and part-time workers,2 United States, National

Compensation Survey,3 July 2003

Occupation4

Total Full time Part time

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

All .......................................................................................... $17.75 0.9 35.7 $18.79 1.0 39.6 $9.93 1.1 20.5

All, excluding sales ........................................................ 18.02 1.0 36.0 18.89 1.1 39.5 10.48 1.2 20.4

White collar ...................................................................... 21.85 .7 36.1 22.92 .8 39.5 12.34 1.3 20.3

White collar, excluding sales ..................................... 23.33 .8 37.0 23.84 .8 39.4 16.15 1.8 19.8

Professional specialty and technical ......................... 28.37 .8 36.2 28.74 .8 38.9 23.16 2.5 18.2

Professional specialty ................................................ 30.60 .7 36.3 30.94 .8 38.9 25.24 2.4 17.5

Engineers, architects, and surveyors ..................... 34.24 1.2 40.3 34.24 1.2 40.5 34.09 13.9 20.7

Architects ........................................................... 31.16 4.1 40.2 31.17 4.1 40.3 – – –

Aerospace engineers ......................................... 39.63 7.3 39.5 39.40 7.5 40.1 – – –

Metallurgical and materials engineers ............... 30.87 5.8 40.3 30.87 5.8 40.3 – – –

Petroleum engineers .......................................... 46.77 6.8 40.0 46.77 6.8 40.0 – – –

Chemical engineers ........................................... 40.75 4.0 40.0 40.75 4.0 40.0 – – –

Nuclear engineers .............................................. 36.82 3.4 40.0 36.82 3.4 40.0 – – –

Civil engineers ................................................... 30.22 3.1 39.5 30.18 3.1 40.2 – – –

Electrical and electronic engineers .................... 37.00 2.5 41.0 37.06 2.5 41.1 – – –

Industrial engineers ........................................... 30.46 1.8 40.7 30.48 1.8 40.9 – – –

Mechanical engineers ........................................ 31.65 2.2 40.5 31.65 2.1 40.7 – – –

Marine engineers and naval architects .............. 29.76 11.5 40.0 29.76 11.5 40.0 – – –

Engineers, n.e.c. ................................................ 35.97 2.2 40.0 35.93 2.2 40.2 – – –

Surveyors and mapping scientists ..................... 29.19 11.2 40.9 30.01 10.5 41.6 – – –

Mathematical and computer scientists ................... 33.26 1.8 39.7 33.37 1.8 40.1 24.47 13.2 22.2

Computer systems analysts and scientists ........ 33.25 1.8 39.7 33.37 1.8 40.1 24.47 13.2 22.2

Operations and systems researchers and

analysts ............................................................ 33.33 5.6 39.8 33.33 5.6 39.8 – – –

Actuaries ............................................................ 36.27 7.3 40.6 36.27 7.3 40.6 – – –

Statisticians ........................................................ 28.56 10.9 39.5 28.56 10.9 39.5 – – –

Natural scientists ................................................... 28.05 5.0 39.5 28.09 5.0 39.8 23.29 6.8 21.2

Physicists and astronomers ............................... 37.87 10.0 39.8 37.87 10.0 39.8 – – –

Chemists, except biochemists ........................... 27.83 3.9 39.7 27.84 3.9 39.8 – – –

Geologists and geodesists ................................. 34.07 11.2 40.9 34.07 11.2 40.9 – – –

Physical scientists, n.e.c. ................................... 30.71 8.4 40.0 30.71 8.4 40.0 – – –

Agricultural and food scientists .......................... 25.66 6.7 38.0 25.57 7.0 40.0 – – –

Biological and life scientists ............................... 26.92 14.7 38.9 27.05 14.9 39.3 – – –

Forestry and conservation scientists ................. 21.12 8.8 40.2 21.12 8.8 40.2 – – –

Medical scientists ............................................... 25.18 5.1 39.2 25.16 5.2 39.6 – – –

Health related ........................................................ 29.19 2.1 34.4 29.28 2.3 39.4 28.69 1.9 20.2

Physicians .......................................................... 52.91 5.4 40.0 52.21 5.9 43.3 69.74 2.4 14.0

Dentists .............................................................. 38.93 11.8 32.2 38.20 13.7 41.1 – – –

Optometrists ...................................................... 52.56 12.2 33.9 53.76 13.5 38.4 – – –

Health diagnosing practitioners, n.e.c. ............... 34.08 2.9 37.6 – – – – – –

Registered nurses .............................................. 25.96 1.0 33.6 25.72 1.2 38.9 27.05 1.7 20.7

Pharmacists ....................................................... 39.32 1.1 33.4 40.04 1.3 39.8 34.84 5.5 16.6

Dietitians ............................................................ 20.95 3.8 36.6 20.84 4.0 39.8 22.08 7.4 20.2

Respiratory therapists ........................................ 21.17 2.2 36.2 21.28 2.2 39.0 19.97 6.8 19.9

Occupational therapists ..................................... 25.49 3.0 33.1 24.82 3.7 39.3 27.52 5.8 22.4

Physical therapists ............................................. 28.07 2.0 33.8 27.11 1.9 39.4 32.59 4.2 20.3

Speech therapists .............................................. 29.81 3.6 34.9 29.74 4.0 38.5 30.54 4.9 17.8

Therapists, n.e.c. ............................................... 19.86 12.2 36.9 18.83 12.7 39.4 29.86 22.1 23.1

Physicians’ assistants ........................................ 35.06 7.2 37.7 35.43 6.2 40.0 – – –

Teachers, college and university ........................... 41.66 2.3 34.6 42.17 2.2 39.1 32.45 4.6 11.2

Earth, environmental, and marine science

teachers ........................................................... 44.99 16.3 36.4 45.00 16.9 38.5 – – –

Biological science teachers ............................... 46.22 11.0 36.4 46.71 11.1 39.5 35.03 27.9 13.1

Chemistry teachers ............................................ 38.05 10.1 40.5 38.09 10.2 41.0 – – –

Physics teachers ................................................ 52.63 10.5 38.3 52.63 10.5 38.5 – – –

Natural science teachers, n.e.c. ........................ 44.16 4.2 39.2 44.16 4.2 39.2 – – –

Psychology teachers .......................................... 38.13 5.1 36.9 38.29 5.2 39.4 27.06 9.6 6.8

Economics teachers .......................................... 62.80 18.4 42.8 62.83 18.4 42.8 – – –

History teachers ................................................. 38.54 9.3 38.6 38.13 9.9 40.7 – – –

Political science teachers .................................. 34.71 8.0 36.9 34.77 8.1 39.3 – – –

Sociology teachers ............................................ 42.34 16.1 38.9 42.36 16.1 39.5 – – –

Social science teachers, n.e.c. .......................... 40.84 4.8 37.8 40.73 4.9 39.2 – – –

Engineering teachers ......................................... 55.87 9.4 37.8 55.74 10.2 41.5 57.78 8.3 16.2

See footnotes at end of table.

5
TABLE 3. Mean hourly earnings1 and weekly hours for selected occupations, full-time and part-time workers,2 United States, National

Compensation Survey,3 July 2003–Continued

Occupation4

Total Full time Part time

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

White collar –Continued

Professional specialty and technical –Continued

Professional specialty –Continued

Teachers, college and university –Continued

Mathematical science teachers ......................... $39.78 7.9 36.4 $40.22 7.8 38.9 $27.71 17.3 13.3

Computer science teachers ............................... 38.01 12.7 33.6 39.46 15.5 38.2 34.22 1.7 25.6

Medical science teachers .................................. 51.55 7.8 39.1 51.73 7.9 43.4 – – –

Health specialties teachers ................................ 43.73 8.2 36.1 44.15 8.5 38.0 28.51 14.0 13.0

Business, commerce, and marketing teachers .. 42.15 13.3 35.1 42.23 13.5 38.7 37.50 10.7 5.7

Agriculture and forestry teachers ....................... 41.18 23.2 36.8 41.18 23.2 36.8 – – –

Art, drama, and music teachers ......................... 36.08 7.0 30.9 36.72 7.9 38.6 27.70 10.9 8.5

Physical education teachers .............................. 34.05 9.3 23.5 36.69 8.8 38.7 20.86 29.3 7.9

Education teachers ............................................ 39.96 8.5 37.1 40.08 8.5 38.2 27.92 26.1 9.6

English teachers ................................................ 42.27 8.5 34.6 42.65 8.7 38.0 31.25 9.4 9.6

Foreign language teachers ................................ 32.52 20.3 34.3 31.64 22.7 40.5 38.98 12.9 16.2

Law teachers ..................................................... 56.34 13.7 24.9 59.55 13.9 36.3 31.29 16.0 7.2

Social work teachers .......................................... 29.29 19.0 28.3 – – – – – –

Theology teachers ............................................. 40.55 6.5 39.7 40.64 6.6 39.9 – – –

Trade and industrial teachers ............................ 29.62 9.5 31.6 29.58 10.1 38.9 30.37 8.7 7.9

Other post-secondary teachers ......................... 40.36 3.5 32.2 41.13 3.6 38.5 30.83 7.3 10.6

Teachers, except college and university ................ 30.09 1.1 34.3 30.59 1.0 36.7 18.67 5.1 13.9

Prekindergarten and kindergarten ..................... 18.10 7.1 35.1 18.69 7.1 38.1 13.33 12.4 21.5

Elementary school teachers .............................. 31.74 1.1 36.1 31.79 1.1 36.5 25.89 9.3 17.1

Secondary school teachers ............................... 31.88 1.4 36.6 31.87 1.4 37.0 32.36 6.2 18.0

Teachers, special education .............................. 32.90 3.5 35.0 33.09 3.5 35.9 24.52 14.9 15.8

Teachers, n.e.c. ................................................. 30.06 2.5 28.6 31.27 3.0 36.2 20.35 8.2 10.6

Substitute teachers ............................................ 12.48 4.1 15.0 12.00 10.7 33.7 12.58 4.9 13.4

Vocational and educational counselors ............. 26.63 5.2 36.8 26.67 5.6 37.7 25.70 16.5 21.2

Librarians, archivists, and curators ........................ 25.93 4.4 37.1 26.12 4.5 38.1 18.73 3.8 19.1

Librarians ........................................................... 26.01 4.8 37.2 26.22 4.9 38.2 18.71 4.0 19.4

Archivists and curators ...................................... 25.24 7.0 36.6 25.35 7.1 37.4 18.99 7.8 16.6

Social scientists and urban planners ..................... 28.68 5.6 36.7 28.95 5.8 39.1 20.74 20.5 12.8

Economists ........................................................ 31.37 7.6 41.3 31.37 7.6 41.3 – – –

Psychologists ..................................................... 28.67 7.4 34.4 29.19 7.7 38.0 20.80 20.9 13.9

Social scientists, n.e.c. ...................................... 24.58 12.8 36.3 24.58 12.8 37.8 – – –

Urban planners .................................................. 26.04 4.8 35.7 26.12 4.8 39.4 – – –

Social, recreation, and religious workers ............... 18.09 2.1 37.0 18.17 2.2 39.1 16.56 7.5 18.6

Social workers ................................................... 18.25 2.3 37.3 18.26 2.4 39.0 18.13 5.4 17.2

Recreation workers ............................................ 16.06 7.2 32.8 17.74 5.5 39.5 10.35 18.5 20.7

Clergy ................................................................ 17.11 8.7 37.6 16.32 8.9 41.4 – – –

Religious workers, n.e.c. .................................... 18.18 9.7 34.9 18.31 10.0 39.0 – – –

Lawyers and judges ............................................... 46.50 4.7 40.3 46.59 4.8 41.5 41.99 13.1 16.2

Lawyers ............................................................. 46.11 4.9 40.4 46.17 4.9 41.6 43.03 14.1 16.4

Judges ............................................................... 56.65 12.8 36.7 57.81 12.7 39.6 – – –

Writers, authors, entertainers, athletes, and

professionals, n.e.c. ............................................. 23.90 3.8 35.2 24.67 4.0 39.4 13.54 9.1 14.4

Technical writers ................................................ 27.91 6.0 39.7 27.98 5.9 40.1 – – –

Designers ........................................................... 21.45 6.0 37.8 22.08 5.9 39.7 8.98 7.7 19.5

Musicians and composers ................................. 34.68 17.4 20.8 – – – 24.80 43.0 6.9

Actors and directors ........................................... 27.39 11.7 37.1 28.18 12.3 40.7 14.71 39.4 15.3

Painters, sculptors, craft artists, and artist

printmakers ...................................................... 20.53 11.5 34.5 21.27 11.2 39.0 – – –

Photographers ................................................... 17.21 11.5 35.7 17.31 11.1 39.5 16.18 28.9 17.7

Dancers ............................................................. 8.44 37.4 17.1 – – – 6.88 39.0 15.5

Artists, performers, and related workers, n.e.c. 14.95 7.0 30.9 15.08 6.6 39.5 14.60 18.8 19.5

Editors and reporters ......................................... 24.82 12.3 38.7 24.89 12.3 39.0 16.29 26.4 20.6

Public relations specialists ................................. 25.08 4.5 39.1 25.22 4.5 39.8 14.41 6.4 16.7

Announcers ........................................................ 29.94 33.2 24.8 37.75 38.6 37.2 11.38 23.3 13.9

Athletes .............................................................. 22.32 21.4 24.1 26.18 20.9 39.5 11.92 11.5 11.8

Professional, n.e.c. ............................................ 30.05 5.8 39.0 30.07 6.0 39.7 29.37 5.4 23.7

Technical ................................................................... 20.85 1.5 36.1 21.09 1.5 38.9 18.19 4.5 20.3

Clinical laboratory technologists and

technicians ....................................................... 17.15 2.4 36.2 17.07 2.6 38.8 18.18 5.7 18.9

See footnotes at end of table.

6
TABLE 3. Mean hourly earnings1 and weekly hours for selected occupations, full-time and part-time workers,2 United States, National

Compensation Survey,3 July 2003–Continued

Occupation4

Total Full time Part time

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

White collar –Continued

Professional specialty and technical –Continued

Technical –Continued

Dental hygienists ............................................... $29.66 4.4 23.9 $30.59 4.5 33.9 $28.00 6.0 15.6

Health record technologists and technicians ..... 16.31 7.5 35.4 16.99 7.2 39.6 11.94 16.9 21.2

Radiological technicians .................................... 22.77 2.4 34.1 22.72 2.4 39.4 23.02 7.4 19.0

Licensed practical nurses .................................. 16.39 1.0 35.0 16.28 1.1 39.1 16.99 2.1 22.2

Health technologists and technicians, n.e.c. ...... 16.20 3.4 34.5 16.61 3.6 39.5 13.41 6.1 18.6

Electrical and electronic technicians .................. 21.02 6.0 39.7 21.02 6.1 40.2 20.62 16.8 20.6

Industrial engineering technicians ..................... 22.08 3.6 40.2 22.08 3.6 40.2 – – –

Mechanical engineering technicians .................. 22.85 4.9 40.3 22.87 4.9 40.4 – – –

Engineering technicians, n.e.c. .......................... 22.69 3.7 39.3 22.52 3.6 39.8 26.67 26.0 29.7

Drafters .............................................................. 19.88 2.6 39.5 19.94 2.8 40.0 16.98 21.2 25.4

Surveying and mapping technicians .................. 16.41 6.7 39.8 16.41 6.7 39.8 – – –

Biological technicians ........................................ 16.73 5.3 37.7 17.02 5.1 39.7 12.08 9.5 20.5

Chemical technicians ......................................... 20.67 6.6 39.9 20.67 6.6 39.9 – – –

Science technicians, n.e.c. ................................ 22.80 14.2 39.8 24.61 13.3 40.3 – – –

Airplane pilots and navigators ............................ 98.47 7.0 21.9 103.49 5.3 22.4 – – –

Broadcast equipment operators ......................... 16.39 15.5 35.4 17.16 16.8 39.4 8.84 7.2 17.8

Computer programmers ..................................... 28.90 3.1 38.6 28.85 3.2 40.0 30.32 18.1 20.6

Tool programmers, numerical control ................ 19.21 4.8 40.0 19.21 4.8 40.0 – – –

Legal assistants ................................................. 19.69 3.7 37.2 19.87 3.6 38.4 16.02 15.3 22.1

Technical and related, n.e.c. .............................. 20.94 5.8 38.4 20.74 5.6 39.6 25.44 44.6 22.5

Executive, administrative, and managerial ............... 32.20 2.3 40.0 32.33 2.3 40.5 21.78 6.1 19.6

Executives, administrators, and managers ............ 35.92 2.7 40.5 36.02 2.7 40.8 21.39 11.8 18.3

Legislators ......................................................... 15.77 18.6 13.8 14.82 28.9 38.1 16.95 22.9 7.7

Chief executives and general administrators,

public administration ........................................ 42.70 10.8 42.6 43.14 10.9 43.3 – – –

Administrators and officials, public

administration .................................................. 30.92 3.5 39.3 30.97 3.5 39.6 25.24 14.0 21.5

Financial managers ........................................... 42.05 14.5 40.4 42.12 14.5 40.8 – – –

Personnel and labor relations managers ........... 32.87 8.3 40.5 32.87 8.3 40.5 – – –

Purchasing managers ........................................ 29.93 6.2 40.4 29.93 6.2 40.4 – – –

Managers, marketing, advertising, and public

relations ........................................................... 43.66 8.9 41.0 43.68 8.9 41.0 – – –

Administrators, education and related fields ...... 35.37 4.1 38.9 35.57 4.1 39.4 25.76 15.7 24.4

Managers, medicine and health ......................... 35.16 4.4 39.7 35.21 4.5 39.8 31.13 18.3 29.1

Managers, food servicing and lodging

establishments ................................................. 19.79 5.4 42.3 19.98 5.3 43.3 – – –

Managers, properties and real estate ................ 20.02 5.2 37.7 20.77 4.3 39.5 – – –

Funeral directors ................................................ 21.30 17.5 44.2 21.30 17.5 44.2 – – –

Managers, service organizations, n.e.c. ............ 28.80 9.5 40.5 28.93 9.6 41.1 15.99 10.8 16.7

Managers and administrators, n.e.c. ................. 37.01 3.0 41.1 37.02 3.0 41.2 33.57 21.4 21.6

Management related .............................................. 25.93 1.8 39.1 26.01 1.8 39.9 22.01 4.9 20.4

Accountants and auditors .................................. 24.35 2.0 38.6 24.35 1.9 39.9 24.30 8.5 24.2

Underwriters ...................................................... 27.68 6.4 38.8 27.68 6.4 38.8 – – –

Other financial officers ....................................... 32.94 7.0 39.6 33.13 7.0 40.0 17.67 19.1 22.1

Management analysts ........................................ 28.30 4.5 40.0 28.30 4.6 40.2 27.57 4.6 26.5

Personnel, training, and labor relations

specialists ........................................................ 23.30 2.6 38.0 23.40 2.7 40.3 19.13 12.3 10.9

Purchasing agents and buyers, farm products .. 27.90 18.2 36.5 28.85 18.1 39.5 – – –

Buyers, wholesale and retail trade, except farm

products ........................................................... 25.08 3.8 39.9 25.08 3.8 39.9 – – –

Purchasing agents and buyers, n.e.c. ............... 24.55 6.7 39.9 24.56 6.7 40.0 – – –

Business and promotional agents ...................... 21.93 6.9 40.6 21.93 6.9 40.6 – – –

Construction inspectors ..................................... 23.60 4.1 39.0 23.64 4.2 39.8 – – –

Inspectors and compliance officers, except

construction ..................................................... 22.44 3.0 39.5 22.47 3.0 39.7 – – –

Management related, n.e.c. ............................... 24.93 1.9 39.4 25.03 1.9 39.8 17.98 9.4 21.9

Sales ............................................................................. 15.05 1.8 32.4 17.56 1.8 40.1 7.83 .9 20.8

Supervisors, sales ............................................. 19.34 3.2 41.2 19.42 3.2 41.4 8.82 11.6 22.8

See footnotes at end of table.

7
TABLE 3. Mean hourly earnings1 and weekly hours for selected occupations, full-time and part-time workers,2 United States, National

Compensation Survey,3 July 2003–Continued

Occupation4

Total Full time Part time

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

White collar –Continued

Sales –Continued

Insurance sales .................................................. $22.80 8.0 39.2 $22.89 8.1 39.6 – – –

Real estate sales ............................................... 23.15 8.9 36.2 23.56 8.7 39.4 – – –

Securities and financial services sales .............. 47.25 7.9 39.3 47.95 7.7 40.3 – – –

Advertising and related sales ............................. 22.02 11.6 38.7 22.04 11.7 38.8 – – –

Sales, other business services .......................... 21.10 7.9 37.0 22.35 6.4 40.5 $8.20 3.3 19.8

Sales engineers ................................................. 34.75 5.3 42.0 34.75 5.3 42.0 – – –

Sales representatives, mining, manufacturing,

and wholesale .................................................. 26.72 3.7 40.2 26.80 3.6 40.4 11.93 10.0 19.0

Sales workers, motor vehicles and boats .......... 19.12 4.1 44.0 19.19 4.1 44.4 – – –

Sales workers, apparel ...................................... 8.74 3.3 25.1 10.12 5.7 37.4 7.55 2.0 19.5

Sales workers, shoes ......................................... 8.67 7.6 23.5 10.82 9.5 39.3 7.37 5.4 19.0

Sales workers, furniture and home furnishings .. 11.17 6.4 28.3 13.64 6.9 41.4 8.46 4.1 20.9

Sales workers, radio, tv, hi-fi, and appliances ... 17.67 29.5 33.5 21.01 25.4 39.8 8.55 4.0 23.4

Sales workers, hardware and building supplies 13.44 4.6 36.4 14.31 5.0 40.6 9.94 2.8 25.7

Sales workers, parts .......................................... 13.85 5.0 37.6 14.29 5.0 40.5 8.52 5.5 20.0

Sales workers, other commodities ..................... 11.37 3.7 29.2 13.35 4.6 39.2 7.81 1.6 20.0

Sales counter clerks .......................................... 9.48 7.0 29.3 10.80 7.1 39.1 7.22 4.8 20.5

Cashiers ............................................................. 8.40 1.6 28.5 9.15 2.1 39.2 7.55 1.0 21.8

Street and door-to-door sales workers .............. 19.16 19.9 32.1 23.28 17.2 40.0 12.42 30.6 24.2

Demonstrators, promoters, and models, sales .. 12.41 8.2 21.8 13.98 5.9 39.8 10.34 21.7 13.6

Sales support, n.e.c. .......................................... 14.85 7.5 35.9 15.88 8.3 40.0 8.67 4.4 22.0

Administrative support, including clerical ................ 13.77 .7 36.3 14.07 .7 39.3 10.94 1.4 21.1

Supervisors, general office ................................ 18.56 2.7 39.1 18.65 2.7 39.6 – – –

Supervisors, computer equipment operators ..... 20.62 8.9 39.8 20.62 8.9 39.8 – – –

Supervisors, financial records processing ......... 20.31 2.7 39.3 20.31 2.7 39.3 – – –

Chief communications operators ....................... 20.05 5.3 40.0 20.05 5.3 40.0 – – –

Supervisors, distribution, scheduling, and

adjusting clerks ................................................ 20.54 4.8 40.1 20.73 4.8 40.5 – – –

Computer operators ........................................... 15.61 3.1 39.0 15.69 3.1 39.7 11.01 10.2 18.3

Peripheral equipment operators ........................ 12.96 8.0 37.0 13.16 8.2 39.2 – – –

Secretaries ......................................................... 15.41 1.0 37.4 15.55 1.0 38.9 12.76 4.0 21.6

Stenographers ................................................... 17.85 4.7 33.8 17.59 4.9 38.8 19.20 15.6 20.4

Typists ............................................................... 14.34 2.4 37.2 14.48 2.5 38.6 11.12 5.6 20.3

Interviewers ....................................................... 11.54 3.9 33.0 11.92 3.5 39.6 9.69 6.9 18.1

Hotel clerks ........................................................ 8.99 2.8 36.0 9.09 3.1 39.5 8.22 4.5 21.3

Transportation ticket and reservation agents ..... 14.07 5.9 36.2 13.87 6.3 39.2 15.66 4.3 22.3

Receptionists ..................................................... 10.98 1.6 34.2 11.34 1.5 39.3 8.96 3.0 19.7

Information clerks, n.e.c. .................................... 12.94 2.6 37.1 13.31 2.6 39.6 10.15 5.8 25.2

Correspondence clerks ...................................... 13.65 3.0 39.0 13.72 3.1 40.0 – – –

Order clerks ....................................................... 13.86 2.4 38.1 14.21 2.5 39.8 9.94 5.6 26.1

Personnel clerks, except payroll and

timekeeping ..................................................... 15.21 2.6 39.4 15.22 2.6 39.8 14.26 11.8 22.2

Library clerks ..................................................... 11.98 2.8 29.3 12.67 3.8 37.9 10.29 3.4 18.9

File clerks ........................................................... 10.27 3.1 32.0 10.78 2.2 39.3 8.69 8.4 20.3

Records clerks, n.e.c. ........................................ 13.38 1.9 37.9 13.49 2.0 39.4 11.65 6.1 23.1

Bookkeepers, accounting and auditing clerks ... 14.11 1.6 36.9 14.32 1.6 39.3 11.18 3.9 20.0

Payroll and timekeeping clerks .......................... 15.41 3.2 36.8 15.57 3.1 39.5 12.38 7.8 15.9

Billing clerks ....................................................... 12.79 2.7 37.8 12.82 2.9 39.7 11.82 4.2 16.3

Cost and rate clerks ........................................... 12.08 14.8 39.9 12.08 14.8 39.9 – – –

Billing, posting, and calculating machine

operators .......................................................... 11.86 3.5 31.9 12.92 5.3 39.5 9.12 2.5 21.3

Duplicating machine operators .......................... 11.99 7.3 38.2 12.07 7.6 39.5 9.74 6.3 20.6

Mail preparing and paper handling machine

operators .......................................................... 11.53 5.5 38.1 11.72 5.6 39.7 – – –

Office machine operators, n.e.c. ........................ 10.52 4.3 38.8 10.57 4.3 39.6 – – –

Telephone operators .......................................... 12.97 8.1 35.1 13.83 7.4 38.8 8.95 6.5 24.3

Communications equipment operators, n.e.c. ... 10.78 13.0 30.6 11.75 13.3 39.3 – – –

Mail clerks, except postal service ...................... 11.50 4.3 36.2 11.73 4.6 38.9 9.37 6.0 22.0

Messengers ....................................................... 9.54 6.5 29.6 10.07 10.9 39.7 8.49 5.6 19.7

Dispatchers ........................................................ 15.91 6.0 39.1 16.06 6.1 40.4 10.89 10.9 19.1

See footnotes at end of table.

8
TABLE 3. Mean hourly earnings1 and weekly hours for selected occupations, full-time and part-time workers,2 United States, National

Compensation Survey,3 July 2003–Continued

Occupation4

Total Full time Part time

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

White collar –Continued

Administrative support, including clerical

–Continued

Production coordinators ..................................... $17.68 3.6 39.5 $17.71 3.5 40.0 – – –

Traffic, shipping and receiving clerks ................. 12.93 2.3 33.6 13.19 2.4 39.9 – – –

Stock and inventory clerks ................................. 12.45 2.1 36.5 12.76 2.4 39.8 $9.43 4.6 20.4

Meter readers .................................................... 16.58 3.8 36.8 16.72 4.0 40.0 12.79 9.6 12.2

Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers 14.46 8.7 37.8 14.50 8.8 40.0 – – –

Expeditors .......................................................... 15.28 6.1 37.1 15.69 6.2 39.0 10.53 8.7 23.9

Material recording, scheduling, and distribution

clerks, n.e.c. ..................................................... 11.85 4.2 38.5 11.96 4.3 39.8 8.93 3.8 20.4

Insurance adjusters, examiners, and

investigators ..................................................... 17.68 4.0 38.1 17.73 4.0 38.9 15.60 7.4 21.3

Investigators and adjusters, except insurance ... 14.99 2.1 38.0 15.16 2.1 39.7 12.37 6.1 22.7

Eligibility clerks, social welfare ........................... 14.89 2.9 38.9 14.94 2.9 39.0 – – –

Bill and account collectors ................................. 14.11 3.4 37.8 14.29 3.6 39.5 11.49 6.0 23.7

General office clerks .......................................... 12.88 .9 35.7 13.16 1.0 39.2 10.60 3.5 20.5

Bank tellers ........................................................ 10.35 1.3 34.2 10.54 1.4 39.5 9.61 1.7 22.7

Proofreaders ...................................................... 15.52 15.7 35.1 17.76 15.5 39.7 10.63 22.4 28.0

Data entry keyers ............................................... 11.84 2.8 36.0 12.08 3.3 39.6 10.44 4.2 23.5

Statistical clerks ................................................. 13.72 3.9 33.1 13.69 4.3 39.4 – – –

Teachers’ aides ................................................. 11.31 1.6 31.6 10.72 1.7 36.0 13.29 3.0 22.3

Administrative support, n.e.c. ............................ 14.06 1.7 36.0 14.43 1.6 39.3 11.07 5.8 21.7

Blue collar ........................................................................ 15.03 .9 38.0 15.38 1.0 40.0 9.71 3.6 21.4

Precision production, craft, and repair ...................... 18.89 1.1 39.6 18.97 1.1 40.0 12.77 6.7 21.4

Supervisors, mechanics and repairers .............. 23.11 2.9 40.9 23.11 2.9 40.9 – – –

Automobile mechanics ....................................... 17.88 3.9 39.4 18.03 4.0 40.3 10.08 3.7 18.2

Automobile mechanic apprentices ..................... 12.37 10.4 39.9 12.52 10.6 41.1 – – –

Bus, truck, and stationary engine mechanics .... 17.26 2.3 39.6 17.36 2.2 40.1 – – –

Small engine repairers ....................................... 14.69 5.5 39.3 14.86 5.3 40.0 – – –

Automobile body and related repairers .............. 15.92 3.5 39.7 16.02 3.5 40.1 – – –

Aircraft mechanics, except engine ..................... 25.68 6.8 40.0 25.69 6.8 40.0 – – –

Heavy equipment mechanics ............................. 18.59 3.7 39.9 18.60 3.7 39.9 – – –

Farm equipment mechanics .............................. 13.76 3.5 41.4 13.79 3.6 41.4 – – –

Industrial machinery repairers ........................... 19.81 1.7 39.8 19.82 1.7 39.8 – – –

Machinery maintenance ..................................... 15.83 4.5 39.8 15.82 4.5 39.8 – – –

Electronic repairers, communications and

industrial equipment ......................................... 21.65 4.8 39.4 21.72 4.8 40.0 16.29 26.2 19.9

Data processing equipment repairers ................ 17.14 11.3 39.7 17.14 11.3 39.7 – – –

Household appliance and power tool repairers 15.48 5.4 39.7 15.49 5.5 40.1 – – –

Telephone line installers and repairers .............. 24.36 3.7 39.9 24.36 3.7 39.9 – – –

Telephone installers and repairers .................... 22.95 2.1 40.0 22.95 2.1 40.0 – – –

Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration

mechanics ........................................................ 17.81 3.5 40.0 17.81 3.5 40.0 – – –

Locksmiths and safe repairers ........................... 14.63 10.2 41.0 14.63 10.2 41.0 – – –

Office machine repairers .................................... 15.39 7.5 39.9 15.39 7.5 39.9 – – –

Mechanical controls and valve repairers ........... 21.87 3.9 39.5 22.01 3.9 40.0 – – –

Elevator installers and repairers ........................ 37.52 12.9 40.0 37.52 12.9 40.0 – – –

Millwrights .......................................................... 21.56 5.1 40.0 21.54 5.2 40.0 – – –

Mechanics and repairers, n.e.c. ......................... 16.05 2.6 38.8 16.10 2.6 39.5 12.76 10.8 17.7

Supervisors, brickmasons, stonemasons, and

tilesetters ......................................................... 21.30 16.1 40.0 21.30 16.1 40.0 – – –

Supervisors, carpenters and related workers .... 24.65 3.9 40.6 24.65 3.9 40.6 – – –

Supervisors, electricians and power

transmission installers ..................................... 29.72 4.9 40.0 29.72 4.9 40.0 – – –

Supervisors, painters, paperhangers, and

plasterers ......................................................... 21.19 5.4 39.5 21.29 5.4 40.5 – – –

Supervisors, plumbers, pipefitters, and

steamfitters ...................................................... 26.83 3.6 40.0 26.83 3.6 40.0 – – –

Supervisors, construction trades, n.e.c. ............. 21.22 4.0 40.4 21.22 4.0 40.4 – – –

Brickmasons and stonemasons ......................... 24.68 8.0 38.4 24.68 8.4 40.0 – – –

See footnotes at end of table.

9
TABLE 3. Mean hourly earnings1 and weekly hours for selected occupations, full-time and part-time workers,2 United States, National

Compensation Survey,3 July 2003–Continued

Occupation4

Total Full time Part time

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

Blue collar –Continued

Precision production, craft, and repair –Continued

Tile setters, hard and soft .................................. $19.03 12.1 40.0 $19.03 12.1 40.0 – – –

Carpet installers ................................................. 17.99 15.9 38.4 18.09 16.9 40.0 – – –

Carpenters ......................................................... 18.83 4.0 39.5 18.84 4.0 40.0 $18.02 26.4 22.3

Carpenter apprentices ....................................... 13.56 6.8 38.7 13.53 7.2 40.0 – – –

Drywall installers ................................................ 20.69 7.7 39.9 20.69 7.7 40.0 – – –

Electricians ........................................................ 23.91 2.7 39.5 23.91 2.7 39.7 – – –

Electrician apprentices ....................................... 14.98 3.9 39.9 14.98 3.9 39.9 – – –

Electrical power installers and repairers ............ 24.82 3.5 40.0 24.82 3.5 40.0 – – –

Painters, construction and maintenance ............ 14.15 5.2 39.2 14.16 5.2 39.6 – – –

Plasterers ........................................................... 14.62 11.6 38.5 14.54 11.8 39.5 – – –

Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters ............... 22.34 2.6 39.9 22.35 2.6 39.9 – – –

Plumber, pipefitter, and steamfitter apprentices 13.52 3.1 40.0 13.52 3.1 40.0 – – –

Concrete and terrazzo finishers ......................... 18.10 11.3 39.3 18.10 11.3 39.4 – – –

Glaziers .............................................................. 17.94 6.8 38.6 17.77 6.6 40.0 – – –

Insulation workers .............................................. 16.50 9.4 39.7 16.50 9.4 39.7 – – –

Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment

operators .......................................................... 15.02 14.4 41.2 15.02 14.4 41.2 – – –

Roofers .............................................................. 16.25 7.5 39.1 16.23 7.5 39.3 – – –

Sheet metal duct installers ................................. 22.47 14.1 40.0 22.47 14.1 40.0 – – –

Structural metal workers .................................... 19.66 6.4 40.0 19.66 6.4 40.0 – – –

Drillers, earth ..................................................... 16.51 5.4 40.0 16.51 5.4 40.0 – – –

Construction trades, n.e.c. ................................. 16.79 5.1 39.3 16.72 5.2 39.9 20.86 9.0 22.9

Supervisors, extractive ...................................... 27.56 13.2 42.3 27.56 13.2 42.3 – – –

Mining machine operators ................................. 19.50 11.1 40.0 19.50 11.1 40.0 – – –

Mining, n.e.c. ..................................................... 16.60 11.6 40.0 16.60 11.6 40.0 – – –

Supervisors, production ..................................... 20.22 2.2 40.4 20.25 2.2 40.4 – – –

Tool and die makers .......................................... 22.15 2.3 40.1 22.15 2.3 40.1 – – –

Tool and die maker apprentices ........................ 17.66 5.8 39.8 17.66 5.8 39.8 – – –

Precision assemblers, metal .............................. 19.62 5.0 40.0 19.62 5.0 40.0 – – –

Machinists .......................................................... 19.22 2.4 39.9 19.23 2.5 39.9 – – –

Machinist apprentices ........................................ 13.27 10.0 37.9 13.92 10.7 40.0 – – –

Boilermakers ...................................................... 17.63 5.2 39.9 17.63 5.2 39.9 – – –

Precision grinders, filers, and tool sharpeners ... 15.01 10.9 40.2 15.01 10.9 40.2 – – –

Patternmakers and modelmakers, metal ........... 21.21 10.7 40.0 21.21 10.7 40.0 – – –

Layout workers .................................................. 16.52 15.5 40.0 16.52 15.5 40.0 – – –

Precious stones and metals workers ................. 13.45 14.9 39.8 13.45 14.9 39.8 – – –

Engravers, metal ................................................ 16.62 16.9 40.0 16.62 16.9 40.0 – – –

Sheet metal workers .......................................... 16.88 5.9 39.1 16.88 5.9 39.1 – – –

Sheet metal worker apprentices ........................ 13.81 13.7 39.5 13.81 13.7 39.5 – – –

Patternmakers and modelmakers, wood ........... 17.37 14.6 40.0 17.37 14.6 40.0 – – –

Cabinet makers and bench carpenters .............. 12.38 6.4 38.5 12.54 5.8 40.0 – – –

Furniture and wood finishers ............................. 12.68 7.4 37.6 12.86 7.4 40.0 – – –

Tailors ................................................................ 12.60 7.6 27.6 13.19 7.5 39.3 – – –

Upholsterers ...................................................... 15.15 15.8 39.9 15.15 15.8 39.9 – – –

Hand molders and shapers, except jewelers ..... 15.45 12.8 40.0 15.45 12.8 40.0 – – –

Patternmakers, layout workers, and cutters ...... 16.49 10.8 39.3 16.71 11.2 40.0 – – –

Optical goods workers ....................................... 12.65 6.7 39.9 12.65 6.7 39.9 – – –

Dental laboratory and medical appliance

technicians ....................................................... 14.67 2.3 39.7 14.67 2.3 39.7 – – –

Bookbinders ....................................................... 13.96 8.6 37.8 14.19 8.4 39.8 – – –

Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers 12.62 4.0 39.6 12.68 4.1 39.9 9.83 4.1 29.3

Miscellaneous precision workers, n.e.c. ............ 14.11 12.3 39.8 14.12 12.3 39.9 – – –

Butchers and meat cutters ................................. 11.94 4.1 37.2 12.03 4.4 39.8 10.44 16.3 17.9

Bakers ................................................................ 11.00 6.8 34.5 11.49 7.3 39.6 9.65 2.7 25.4

Food batchmakers ............................................. 12.50 5.4 38.8 12.60 5.8 40.2 – – –

Inspectors, testers, and graders ........................ 18.00 3.2 39.7 18.13 3.1 40.2 – – –

Precision inspectors, testers, and related

workers, n.e.c. ................................................. 20.74 10.7 39.8 21.19 9.8 40.0 – – –

Adjusters and calibrators ................................... 17.54 11.4 38.3 17.54 11.4 38.3 – – –

Water and sewer treatment plant operators ...... 18.45 2.8 39.9 18.46 2.8 40.0 – – –

Power plant operators ........................................ 26.41 3.5 40.0 26.41 3.5 40.0 – – –

See footnotes at end of table.

10
TABLE 3. Mean hourly earnings1 and weekly hours for selected occupations, full-time and part-time workers,2 United States, National

Compensation Survey,3 July 2003–Continued

Occupation4

Total Full time Part time

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

Blue collar –Continued

Precision production, craft, and repair –Continued

Stationary engineers .......................................... $22.56 4.9 39.6 $22.56 4.9 39.6 – – –

Miscellaneous plant and system operators,

n.e.c. ................................................................ 21.94 4.2 40.1 22.00 4.3 40.4 – – –

Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors ..... 13.30 1.3 39.1 13.42 1.4 39.8 $8.80 2.3 23.3

Lathe and turning-machine set-up operators ..... 16.33 5.2 39.9 16.33 5.2 39.9 – – –

Lathe and turning-machine operators ................ 15.80 5.8 39.6 15.89 5.7 40.0 – – –

Milling and planing machine operators .............. 13.41 5.9 40.0 13.41 5.9 40.0 – – –

Punching and stamping press operators ........... 12.80 8.5 37.8 13.10 7.4 40.0 – – –

Rolling machine operators ................................. 14.67 10.1 40.0 14.67 10.1 40.0 – – –

Drilling and boring machine operators ............... 12.42 9.8 40.0 12.42 9.8 40.0 – – –

Grinding, abrading, buffing, and polishing

machine operators ........................................... 13.51 3.6 39.4 13.57 3.5 39.9 – – –

Forging machine operators ................................ 13.60 7.5 39.8 13.60 7.5 39.8 – – –

Numerical control machine operators ................ 15.11 3.9 40.0 15.11 3.9 40.0 – – –

Fabricating machine operators, n.e.c. ............... 14.88 4.0 39.3 15.12 3.5 39.9 – – –

Molding and casting machine operators ............ 12.57 3.0 39.5 12.59 3.0 39.8 – – –

Metal plating machine operators ........................ 13.14 5.5 39.4 13.29 5.4 39.9 – – –

Heat treating equipment operators .................... 15.65 6.4 40.0 15.65 6.4 40.0 – – –

Wood lathe, routing, and planing machine

operators .......................................................... 12.53 2.3 40.0 12.53 2.3 40.0 – – –

Sawing machine operators ................................ 11.31 4.2 39.8 11.31 4.2 39.9 – – –

Shaping and joining machine operators ............ 12.60 3.5 40.0 12.60 3.5 40.0 – – –

Nailing and tacking machine operators .............. 11.31 6.4 38.1 11.31 6.4 38.1 – – –

Printing press operators ..................................... 15.99 2.3 39.1 16.00 2.3 39.5 14.25 12.7 18.3

Photoengravers and lithographers ..................... 16.68 4.2 36.3 17.01 4.5 39.5 – – –

Typesetters and compositors ............................. 14.15 7.5 34.5 14.73 7.8 38.7 10.50 8.0 20.5

Winding and twisting machine operators ........... 13.00 7.7 39.6 13.01 7.7 39.8 – – –

Knitting, looping, taping, and weaving machine

operators .......................................................... 11.28 4.9 39.8 11.28 4.9 39.8 – – –

Textile cutting machine operators ...................... 10.86 4.0 38.7 10.86 4.0 38.7 – – –

Textile sewing machine operators ..................... 8.64 6.1 38.9 8.62 6.1 39.4 – – –

Pressing machine operators .............................. 8.58 4.0 38.6 8.65 4.3 39.7 – – –

Laundering and dry cleaning machine operators 9.03 4.4 37.2 9.15 4.7 39.5 7.48 5.9 21.9

Cementing and gluing machine operators ......... 11.31 8.2 40.0 11.31 8.2 40.0 – – –

Packaging and filling machine operators ........... 12.52 4.2 39.1 12.70 3.9 39.9 8.26 5.1 26.3

Extruding and forming machine operators ......... 13.45 4.9 39.4 13.45 4.9 39.4 – – –

Mixing and blending machine operators ............ 15.16 5.2 39.7 15.19 5.2 39.8 – – –

Separating, filtering, and clarifying machine

operators .......................................................... 18.91 5.4 39.9 18.91 5.4 39.9 – – –

Compressing and compacting machine

operators .......................................................... 11.70 3.9 39.9 11.70 3.9 39.9 – – –

Painting and paint spraying machine operators 14.12 3.5 39.9 14.11 3.5 40.1 – – –

Roasting and baking machine operators, food .. 12.44 10.1 38.3 12.39 10.5 40.0 – – –

Washing, cleaning, and pickling machine

operators .......................................................... 13.86 12.0 40.0 13.86 12.0 40.0 – – –

Folding machine operators ................................ 13.51 6.6 40.0 13.51 6.6 40.0 – – –

Furnace, kiln, and oven operators, except food 14.70 6.3 39.9 14.76 6.4 39.9 – – –

Crushing and grinding machine operators ......... 14.09 6.2 40.0 14.09 6.2 40.0 – – –

Slicing and cutting machine operators ............... 13.27 4.2 40.0 13.44 4.1 39.9 – – –

Motion picture projectionists .............................. 12.41 31.2 28.5 – – – 19.21 28.5 18.7

Photographic process machine operators ......... 10.41 4.2 29.5 11.72 4.6 39.9 7.73 3.0 19.2

Miscellaneous machine operators, n.e.c. .......... 13.87 2.4 39.2 13.94 2.4 39.7 10.27 5.7 24.8

Welders and cutters ........................................... 15.99 2.2 39.9 15.99 2.2 39.9 – – –

Solderers and brazers ....................................... 11.22 8.4 40.0 11.22 8.4 40.0 – – –

Assemblers ........................................................ 13.80 4.0 39.0 13.99 4.0 40.0 8.67 5.2 23.3

Hand cutting and trimming ................................. 9.68 11.4 39.5 9.71 11.5 40.0 – – –

Hand molding, casting, and forming .................. 10.44 12.7 37.7 11.34 12.1 40.0 – – –

Hand painting, coating, and decorating ............. 9.34 12.4 37.8 9.52 14.2 39.8 – – –

Hand engraving and printing .............................. 13.86 20.0 39.0 13.86 20.0 39.0 – – –

Miscellaneous hand working, n.e.c. ................... 11.31 5.4 39.0 11.41 5.4 39.8 – – –

See footnotes at end of table.

11
TABLE 3. Mean hourly earnings1 and weekly hours for selected occupations, full-time and part-time workers,2 United States, National

Compensation Survey,3 July 2003–Continued

Occupation4

Total Full time Part time

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

Blue collar –Continued

Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors

–Continued

Production inspectors, checkers and examiners $13.78 4.3 39.5 $13.84 4.4 39.8 $9.65 7.3 24.5

Production testers .............................................. 12.58 5.8 39.9 12.58 5.8 39.9 – – –

Production samplers and weighers .................... 12.07 10.9 40.0 12.07 10.9 40.0 – – –

Graders and sorters, except agricultural ............ 10.17 6.6 38.6 10.23 6.8 39.4 – – –

Hand inspectors, n.e.c. ...................................... 10.74 7.6 38.2 10.83 8.0 39.9 – – –

Transportation and material moving ......................... 14.78 1.5 37.5 15.18 1.6 40.9 10.81 5.2 20.6

Supervisors, motor vehicle operators ................ 18.02 4.7 42.2 18.06 4.8 42.3 – – –

Truckdrivers ....................................................... 14.83 2.1 39.8 14.94 2.2 41.8 12.64 10.2 20.2

Driver-sales workers .......................................... 12.72 6.5 34.0 14.54 5.5 40.6 7.90 8.6 23.7

Busdrivers .......................................................... 14.35 1.8 27.8 15.38 2.4 37.3 12.95 2.5 20.7

Taxicab drivers and chauffeurs .......................... 9.61 3.7 26.2 10.02 4.3 38.9 8.69 6.6 15.1

Parking lot attendants ........................................ 8.10 11.7 28.8 8.95 11.3 40.0 6.38 8.9 18.5

Motor transportation, n.e.c. ................................ 10.06 6.1 28.4 11.63 5.8 39.4 7.02 5.8 18.4

Railroad conductors and yardmasters ............... 24.90 14.3 40.0 24.90 14.3 40.0 – – –

Locomotive operating ........................................ 27.08 12.7 39.9 27.09 12.7 40.0 – – –

Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators ..... 25.24 5.1 40.0 25.24 5.1 40.0 – – –

Rail vehicle operators, n.e.c. ............................. 21.47 4.3 40.0 21.47 4.3 40.0 – – –

Ship captains and mates, except fishing boats .. 16.42 6.5 47.2 16.57 7.0 47.6 – – –

Sailors and deckhands ...................................... 11.45 9.6 45.3 11.10 8.1 49.9 – – –

Marine engineers ............................................... 19.37 15.6 41.4 19.37 15.6 41.4 – – –

Bridge, lock and lighthouse tenders ................... 13.34 12.6 39.9 13.34 12.6 39.9 – – –

Supervisors, material moving equipment ........... 20.81 3.6 41.2 20.81 3.6 41.2 – – –

Operating engineers .......................................... 19.73 7.1 39.7 19.73 7.1 39.7 – – –

Crane and tower operators ................................ 17.42 5.9 40.0 17.42 5.9 40.0 – – –

Excavating and loading machine operators ....... 16.28 4.9 39.9 16.29 5.0 39.9 – – –

Grader, dozer, and scraper operators ............... 15.96 5.2 39.9 15.96 5.2 39.9 – – –

Industrial truck and tractor equipment operators 13.66 2.3 39.4 13.75 2.3 39.9 10.15 7.1 27.1

Miscellaneous material moving equipment

operators, n.e.c. ............................................... 15.85 4.1 37.8 16.08 4.1 39.9 12.33 6.5 21.1

Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and

laborers ....................................................................... 11.27 1.4 35.0 11.69 1.5 39.7 9.01 4.6 21.4

Nursery workers ................................................. 9.78 7.7 34.3 10.51 6.7 39.9 7.48 2.5 23.9

Supervisors, agriculture-related workers ........... 20.69 11.2 40.6 20.70 11.3 40.7 – – –

Groundskeepers and gardeners, except farm ... 11.26 3.2 37.3 11.72 3.1 39.7 8.21 4.8 26.7

Animal caretakers, except farm ......................... 10.65 7.9 33.5 11.11 8.3 39.2 7.86 10.3 17.7

Inspectors, agricultural products ........................ 9.70 13.4 39.2 9.98 13.8 40.0 – – –

Supervisors, handlers, equipment cleaners, and

laborers, n.e.c. ................................................. 19.59 4.7 38.9 19.68 4.8 39.5 – – –

Helpers, mechanics and repairers ..................... 11.95 4.9 33.3 11.81 3.9 39.6 12.74 19.1 17.5

Helpers, construction trades .............................. 11.59 3.4 39.2 11.64 3.5 39.9 10.17 3.9 25.8

Helpers, extractive ............................................. 9.77 14.8 40.0 9.77 14.8 40.0 – – –

Construction laborers ......................................... 13.75 3.0 38.5 13.59 3.2 39.6 18.57 11.5 20.6

Production helpers ............................................. 10.37 6.0 38.4 10.48 6.1 39.8 8.00 5.2 21.9

Garbage collectors ............................................. 14.44 9.4 40.6 14.47 9.4 40.8 – – –

Stock handlers and baggers .............................. 9.73 2.1 29.2 11.16 2.4 39.6 7.60 1.8 21.0

Machine feeders and offbearers ........................ 10.63 3.3 39.0 10.68 3.4 39.7 9.13 10.4 24.5

Freight, stock, and material handlers, n.e.c. ...... 12.12 2.5 32.6 12.24 2.7 39.7 11.73 5.7 20.4

Garage and service station related .................... 8.99 3.6 36.5 9.09 3.7 39.8 8.22 8.5 22.3

Vehicle washers and equipment cleaners ......... 9.60 3.8 34.6 10.07 3.9 39.9 6.63 3.1 18.7

Hand packers and packagers ............................ 9.47 3.3 37.2 9.60 3.7 39.6 8.05 3.1 22.7

Laborers, except construction, n.e.c. ................. 10.85 2.6 36.6 11.20 2.8 39.6 8.45 3.3 24.1

Service .............................................................................. 10.40 1.5 31.5 11.47 2.2 38.8 7.30 .9 20.3

Protective service .................................................. 17.17 2.9 37.1 17.69 2.9 40.6 10.48 5.9 17.6

Supervisors, firefighters and fire prevention ...... 25.92 5.1 48.9 25.92 5.1 48.9 – – –

Supervisors, police and detectives .................... 29.67 3.3 40.2 29.67 3.3 40.2 – – –

Supervisors, guards ........................................... 19.30 6.9 39.4 19.34 6.9 39.5 – – –

See footnotes at end of table.

12
TABLE 3. Mean hourly earnings1 and weekly hours for selected occupations, full-time and part-time workers,2 United States, National

Compensation Survey,3 July 2003–Continued

Occupation4

Total Full time Part time

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

hours

Hourly earnings

Mean

weekly

Mean hours

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

Mean

Relative

error5

(percent)

Service –Continued

Protective service –Continued

Fire inspection and fire prevention ..................... $18.36 12.8 41.7 $18.36 12.8 41.7 – – –

Firefighting ......................................................... 18.43 2.9 44.4 18.66 2.4 48.0 $8.34 8.9 10.1

Police and detectives, public service ................. 23.57 1.1 39.3 23.63 1.2 40.0 15.94 15.3 12.2

Sheriffs, bailiffs, and other law enforcement

officers ............................................................. 18.64 2.1 38.4 18.74 2.1 39.8 15.69 12.0 19.0

Correctional institution officers ........................... 16.70 5.3 39.6 16.74 5.3 39.8 – – –

Crossing guards ................................................. 9.92 5.3 17.5 – – – 9.58 4.1 17.2

Guards and police, except public service .......... 10.28 3.6 33.5 10.21 3.6 39.3 10.68 8.2 18.5

Protective service, n.e.c. .................................... 12.31 7.0 27.0 14.07 9.2 38.9 8.86 8.4 16.9

Food service .......................................................... 7.46 .8 28.4 8.32 1.4 38.2 6.28 .9 21.0

Waiters, waitresses, and bartenders ................... 4.98 2.6 26.1 5.26 3.3 37.1 4.70 2.8 20.0

Bartenders ......................................................... 6.98 3.9 26.7 7.28 5.1 37.5 6.60 5.2 19.4

Waiters and waitresses ...................................... 4.33 3.1 25.9 4.47 4.2 36.8 4.20 3.0 20.3

Waiters’/Waitresses’ assistants ......................... 5.95 3.0 26.5 6.31 4.8 37.9 5.49 2.5 19.1

Other food service ............................................... 8.50 .8 29.5 9.40 1.3 38.5 7.12 .7 21.6

Supervisors, food preparation and service ........ 12.61 2.3 39.0 13.01 2.4 41.2 8.96 5.5 26.1

Cooks ................................................................. 9.26 1.4 33.6 9.72 1.3 38.6 7.55 2.5 22.7

Kitchen workers, food preparation ..................... 7.97 2.0 28.9 8.64 2.3 38.8 7.23 2.9 22.7

Food preparation, n.e.c. ..................................... 7.59 1.0 26.4 8.21 1.3 37.8 7.05 1.1 20.9

Health service ........................................................ 10.68 1.5 33.6 10.92 1.5 38.7 9.52 2.8 20.7

Dental assistants ............................................... 14.73 5.7 34.8 14.74 5.9 36.5 14.49 7.5 21.4

Health aides, except nursing ............................. 11.37 3.4 33.7 11.74 3.0 39.2 9.54 7.1 19.6

Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants ........... 10.00 1.0 33.5 10.16 1.0 38.8 9.31 2.4 21.0

Cleaning and building service ................................ 10.52 2.0 34.6 10.94 1.9 39.3 7.95 3.0 20.0

Supervisors, cleaning and building service

workers ............................................................ 16.20 4.5 39.6 16.24 4.5 39.8 10.49 7.5 24.5

Maids and housemen ........................................ 8.23 2.9 34.5 8.25 3.3 38.6 8.10 3.8 20.8

Janitors and cleaners ......................................... 10.59 2.1 34.0 11.12 1.8 39.5 7.86 3.4 19.7

Pest control ........................................................ 13.72 7.9 39.4 13.63 7.9 39.9 – – –

Personal service .................................................... 10.13 4.9 29.3 10.66 7.3 37.4 8.65 2.4 18.3

Supervisors, personal service ............................ 15.14 7.0 39.5 15.30 6.9 40.5 10.12 10.6 22.4

Hairdressers and cosmetologists ....................... 12.81 6.8 25.6 13.68 7.3 37.5 11.24 11.1 16.2

Attendants, amusement and recreation facilities 6.94 3.7 32.5 6.96 3.8 39.8 6.88 4.7 18.7

Guides ............................................................... 12.43 12.1 26.8 13.93 10.7 39.8 9.00 6.7 15.3

Ushers ............................................................... 7.80 6.3 17.7 – – – 7.55 5.9 17.3

Public transportation attendants ........................ 29.53 6.8 19.6 31.48 3.3 19.7 14.95 33.1 18.7

Baggage porters and bellhops ........................... 7.45 4.0 36.4 7.35 4.4 38.7 8.51 9.5 21.9

Welfare service aides ........................................ 9.41 5.3 28.8 10.86 4.0 38.6 7.43 6.4 21.4

Early childhood teachers’ assistants .................. 8.64 2.8 32.0 8.76 3.3 38.2 8.22 3.3 20.5

Childcare workers, n.e.c. ................................... 9.29 3.8 28.8 9.57 5.1 39.0 8.58 3.0 17.1

Service, n.e.c. .................................................... 10.69 4.0 26.9 11.09 4.9 39.2 9.82 8.4 16.2

1 Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They

include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and hazard pay. Excluded are premium

pay for overtime, vacations, and holidays; nonproduction bonuses; and tips. The mean is

computed by totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers,

weighted by hours. 2 Total includes full-time and part-time workers. Employees are classified as working

either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each

establishment. Therefore, a worker with a 35-hour-per-week schedule might be considered

a full-time employee in one establishment, but classified as part-time in another firm, where

a 40-hour week is the minimum full-time schedule. 3 This survey covers all 50 States. Data were collected between December 2002 and

January 2004. The average reference period was July 2003. 

4 A classification system including about 480 individual occupations is used to cover all

workers in the civilian economy. For more information, see appendix B in "National

Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States" on the BLS Internet site

www.bls.gov/ocs/compub.htm. 5 The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the

estimate. It can be used to calculate a "confidence interval" around a sample estimate. For

more information about RSEs, see Technical Note.

NOTE: Dashes indicate that no data were reported or that data did not meet publication

criteria, and n.e.c. means "not elsewhere classified." Overall occupational groups may

include data for categories not shown separately. 

13
14 

Technical Note

he data in this report are based on the National Compensation Survey (NCS) conducted by the Bureau of 

Labor Statistics (BLS). The NCS is locality based and covers 

establishments in private industry and State and local 

governments. Agriculture, private households, and the Federal Government are excluded from the scope of the survey. 

Survey scope. The 2003 NCS included establishments representing nearly 86 million workers within the scope of the 

survey. (See table on page 16.) Private sector establishments 

with one or more workers are covered in the survey. State 

and local governments with 50 workers or more are covered. 

For purposes of this survey, an establishment is an economic 

unit that produces goods or services, a central administrative 

office, or an auxiliary unit providing support services to a 

company. For private industries in this survey, the 

establishment is usually at a single physical location. For 

State and local governments, an establishment is defined as all 

locations of a government entity. 

Sampling frame. The list of establishments from which the 

survey sample was selected (sampling frame) was developed 

from the State unemployment insurance reports. The reference month for the public sector is June 1994. Due to the volatility of industries within the private sector, sampling frames 

were developed using the most recent month of reference 

available at the time the sample was selected. The reference 

month for the private sector varied by area. 

Sample design. The sample for this survey was selected using 

a three-stage design. The first stage involved the selection of 

areas. The NCS sample consists of 154 metropolitan areas 

and nonmetropolitan areas that represent the Nation’s 326 

metropolitan statistical areas (as defined by the U.S. Office of 

Management and Budget) and the remaining portions of the 

50 States. Metropolitan areas are defined as Metropolitan 

Statistical Areas (MSAs) or Consolidated Metropolitan 

Statistical Areas (CMSAs), as defined by the U.S. Office of 

Management and Budget in 1994. Nonmetropolitan areas are 

counties that do not fit the metropolitan area definition. 

In the second stage, the sample of establishments was 

drawn by first stratifying the sampling frame by ownership 

and industry. The number of sample establishments allocated to each stratum was approximately proportional to the 

stratum employment. Each sampled establishment was selected within a stratum with a probability proportional to its 

employment. Use of this technique means that the larger an 

establishment’s employment, the greater its chance of selection. Weights were applied to each establishment when the 

data were tabulated so that each establishment represents 

similar units (in terms of industry and employment size) in 

the economy that were not selected for collection. 

The third stage of sample selection was a probability 

sample of occupations within a sampled establishment. 

Data collection. Collection was the responsibility of field 

economists, working out of the BLS regional offices, who 

contacted each establishment surveyed. Collection was 

conducted between December 2002 and January 2004. The 

average payroll reference month was July 2003. For each 

establishment in the survey, the data reflect the 

establishment’s practices on the day of collection.

Identification of the occupations for which wage data 

were to be collected was a four-step process: 

1. Probability-proportional-to-size selection of establishment jobs. 

2. Classification of jobs into occupations based on the 

Census of Population system. 

3. Characterization of jobs as full versus part time, union 

versus nonunion, and time versus incentive. 

4. Determination of the level of work of each job. 

For each occupation, wage data were collected for those 

workers who met all the criteria identified in the last three 

steps. Special procedures were developed for jobs for which 

a correct classification or level could not be determined. 

In step one, the jobs to be sampled were selected at each 

establishment by the BLS field economist during a personal 

visit. A complete list of employees was used for sampling, 

with each selected worker representing a job within the 

establishment. As with the selection of establishments, the 

selection of a job was based on probability proportional to 

its size in the establishment. The greater the number of 

people working in a job in the establishment, the greater the 

job’s chance of selection. 

The second step of the process entailed classifying the 

selected jobs into occupations based on their duties. The 

NCS occupational classification system is based on that used 

for the 1990 Census of Population. A selected job may fall 

into any of about 480 occupational classifications, from 

accountant to wood lathe operator. For cases in which a 

job’s duties overlapped two or more census classification 

codes, the duties used to set the wage level were used to 

classify the job. Classification by primary duties was the 

fallback. 

Each occupational classification is an element of a 

broader classification known as a major occupational group 

(MOG). For a complete list of all occupations, classified by 

the MOG to which they belong, see appendix B of any 

published NCS locality bulletin or in the bulletin “National 

Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United 

States” that can be accessed online on the BLS Internet site 

www.bls.gov/ncs/ocs/compub.htm. 

T
 

15 

In step three, certain other job characteristics of the 

chosen workers were identified. First, the worker was identified as holding either a full- or part-time job, based on the 

establishment’s definition of those terms. Therefore, a 

worker with a 35-hour-per-week schedule might be 

considered a full-time employee in one establishment, but 

classified as part-time in another firm, where a 40-hour week 

is the minimum full-time schedule. Then, the worker was 

classified as having a time or incentive job, depending on 

whether any part of pay was directly based on the actual 

production of the worker, rather than solely on hours 

worked. The worker was also identified as being in a union 

job or a nonunion job. 

The fourth step in the job classification procedure was to 

determine the work level of each of the establishment’s 

selected jobs, using an occupational leveling process. 

Information on average hourly earnings by occupational 

work level will be published later this year in the national 

bulletin. 

Data reliability. The data in this summary are estimates 

from a scientifically selected probability sample. There are 

two types of errors possible in an estimate based on a sample 

survey—sampling and nonsampling. 

Sampling errors occur because observations come only 

from a sample and not from an entire population. The 

sample used for this survey is one of a number of possible 

samples of the same size that could have been selected using 

the sample design. Estimates derived from the different 

samples would differ from one another. 

A measure of the variation among these differing 

estimates is called the standard error or sampling error. It 

indicates the precision with which an estimate from a 

particular sample approximates the average result of all 

possible samples. The relative standard error (RSE) is the 

standard error divided by the estimate. Tables 1, 2, and 3 

contain RSE data for indicated series in this report. 

The standard error can be used to calculate a “confidence 

interval” around a sample estimate. As an example, table 1 

shows mean hourly earnings for all workers of $17.75 per 

hour and a relative standard error of 0.9 percent for this 

estimate. At the 90-percent level, the confidence interval for 

this estimate is $17.49 to $18.01 ($17.75 x 1.645 x 0.009= 

$0.2628, rounded to $0.26); ($17.75 - 0.26 = $17.49; $17.75 

+ 0.26 = $18.01). If all possible samples were selected to 

estimate the population value, the interval from each sample

1 The Middle Atlantic census division also includes the New York-Northern 

New Jersey-Long Island CMSA (which consists of parts of New York, New 

Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania) and the Philadelphia-WilmingtonAtlantic City CMSA (which consists of parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, 

Delaware, and Maryland). 

2 The East North Central census division also includes the CincinnatiHamilton CMSA (which consists of parts of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana). 

would include the true population value approximately 90 

percent of the time. 

Nonsampling errors also affect survey results. They can 

stem from many sources, such as inability to obtain 

information for some establishments, difficulties with survey 

definitions, inability of the respondents to provide correct 

information, or mistakes in recording or coding the data 

obtained Although such errors were not specifically 

measured, efforts were made to minimize them through 

extensive training of field economists who gathered survey 

data, computer editing of the data, and detailed data review.

Census divisions. Data are tabulated by census divisions 

defined as follows: New England: Connecticut, Maine, 

Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and 

Vermont; Middle Atlantic:1

 New Jersey, New York, and 

Pennsylvania; East North Central:2 Illinois, Indiana, 

Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin; West North Central:3 

Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North 

Dakota, and South Dakota; South Atlantic: Delaware, 

District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North 

Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia; East 

South Central:4

 Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and 

Tennessee; West South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, 

Oklahoma, and Texas; Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, 

Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and 

Wyoming; and Pacific: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, 

and Washington. 

Additional information about the NCS, including reports for 

about 80 metropolitan areas are available from BLS. These 

reports, as well as a list of occupational classifications and 

the factors used in determining work levels, may be obtained 

by calling (202) 691-6199. You may also write to the Bureau 

of Labor Statistics at: Division of Compensation Data 

Analysis and Planning, 2 Massachusetts Ave., NE., Room 

4175, Washington, DC 20212-0001, or send e-mail to 

OCLTINFO@bls.gov. 

The summary is available on the BLS Internet site: 

www.bls.gov/ncs/home.htm in a Portable Document Format 

(PDF). 

Material in this summary is in the public domain and, 

with appropriate credit, may be reproduced without 

permission. This information will be made available to 

sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 

(202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: 1(800) 877-8339. 

3 The West North Central census division also includes the St. Louis MSA 

(which consists of parts of Missouri and Illinois) and the Minneapolis-St. 

Paul MSA (which consists of parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin). 

4

 The East South Central census division also includes the Louisville MSA 

(which consists of parts of Kentucky and Indiana) and the Memphis MSA 

(which consists of parts of Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi). 
Number of workers1 represented by the survey, by occupational group,2 United States, National

Compensation Survey,3 July 2003

Occupational group All industries Private industry State and local

government

All ............................................................................................. 85,904,000 72,520,000 13,384,000

All, excluding sales ............................................................... 77,304,100 63,967,300 13,336,900

White collar ......................................................................... 44,651,700 35,613,000 9,038,800

White collar, excluding sales ............................................ 36,051,800 27,060,200 8,991,600

Professional specialty and technical ................................. 15,174,100 9,812,500 5,361,600

Professional specialty occupations ............................... 11,958,000 7,014,300 4,943,700

Technical occupations .................................................. 3,216,100 2,798,200 417,900

Executive, administrative, and managerial ....................... 6,597,000 5,483,700 1,113,300

Sales ................................................................................. 8,599,900 8,552,800 47,100

Administrative support, including clerical .......................... 14,280,700 11,764,000 2,516,700

Blue collar ........................................................................... 23,703,700 22,355,900 1,347,800

Precision production, craft, and repair .............................. 7,775,300 7,246,700 528,600

Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors .............. 5,870,100 5,844,700 25,400

Transportation and material moving ................................. 4,203,900 3,714,700 489,200

Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers ...... 5,854,400 5,549,800 304,600

Service ................................................................................. 17,548,600 14,551,200 2,997,400

1 Number of workers represented by the survey are rounded

to the nearest 100. Estimates of the number of workers provide a

description of size and composition of the labor force included in

the survey. Estimates are not intended, however, for comparison

with other statistical series to measure employment trends or

levels. Both full-time and part-time workers were included in the

survey. 2 A classification system including about 480 individual

occupations is used to cover all workers in the civilian economy. 

For more information, see appendix B in "National Compensation

Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States" on the BLS

Internet site www.bls.gov/ocs/compub.htm. 3 This survey covers all 50 States. Data were collected

between December 2002 and January 2004. The average

reference period was July 2003. 

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