U.S. Department of Labor

Bureau of Labor Statistics

June 2001

Summary 01-03

National Compensation Survey:

Occupational Wages in the

United States, 1999

Earnings averaged $15.36 per hour in 1999 for all private industry and State and local government workers. This summary presents aggregated national earnings data from the National Compensation Survey (NCS) by:

 Sector of the economy (private industry, State and local government, and total)

 Worker characteristics, including occupational detail

 Establishment characteristics

 Geographic areas

NCS provides comprehensive measures of occupational

earnings, compensation cost trends, and details of benefit

provisions.1 When fully integrated, the NCS will encompass

wages as well as benefit costs and provisions. The focus of

this summary is occupational earnings.

Data in this summary are a subset of occupational earnings data tabulated for the National Compensation Survey.

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 by metropolitan

and nonmetropolitan area. Table 3 provides data for specific

occupations for all workers, as well as for full- and part-time

workers.

Hourly earnings were lower for private industry workers

than for State and local government workers, averaging $14.71

and $19.34, respectively. Part of this difference can be explained by differences in the occupational and industrial

composition of the two sectors. For example, professional

specialty and technical occupations are proportionally more

prevalent in State and local government than in private industry. With the exception of the construction industry, few

State and local government workers are in goods-producing

industries.

Worker characteristics. Earnings varied by occupational

group; full- and part-time status; union and nonunion status; and time and incentive pay. White-collar pay, which

averaged $18.78 per hour, was the highest. Blue-collar pay

averaged $13.03 per hour, while the average pay of workers

in service occupations was $9.21.

Among occupations, average hourly earnings ranged from

$27.67 for executive, administrative, and managerial workers

to $9.21 for service workers. Similarly, there were differences

between occupations within occupational groups. Table 3

presents data on hourly earnings for detailed occupations.

Earnings were higher for full-time than for part-time workers, averaging $16.20 per hour and $8.87 per hour, respectively. This difference reflects, in part, the occupational composition of the two groups. NCS classifies workers as full

and part time based on the employers classification of the

occupation.

Pay also was higher for union workers ($18.31 per hour)

than for nonunion workers ($14.76). Incentive workers (whose

wages are based at least partially on productivity payments

such as piece rates, commissions, and production bonuses)

earned, on average, $19.60 per hour. In contrast, time workers (whose wages are based solely on an hourly rate or salary) earned $15.13 per hour.

Establishment characteristics. Earnings generally varied by

size of the establishment and industry.2 Average hourly earnings ranged from $13.46 in establishments employing between 1 and 99 workers to $21.02 in those with 2,500 or more

workers. In private industry, workers employed in goodsproducing industries earned more than those in service-producing industries, averaging $16.17 versus $14.16 per hour.

(See the boxnote on p. 2 and the Technical Note for information on the expansion of NCS coverage to private establishments with one worker or more in 1999.)

Geographic area. In general, earnings varied by type of

area and geographic region. Workers in metropolitan areas

earned an average of $15.63, while those in nonmetropolitan 1

 NCS integrates data from three BLS programsthe Occupational

Compensation Survey (OCS), the Employment Cost Index (ECI),

and the Employee Benefits Survey (EBS). The OCS provided data on

occupational earnings; the ECI measures changes in labor costs as

well as the average hourly employer costs for employee compensation, and the EBS provides information on detailed benefit provisions.

2

 Data collection of industry classification for State and local government does not permit estimates for goods-producing and serviceproducing industries.
2

areas earned $12.86. By geographic region, average hourly

earnings ranged from $17.84 in the Middle Atlantic region to

$12.13 in the East South Central region.

Additional occupational earnings data. More detailed

information on occupational average hourly earnings will

become available online athttp://www.bls.gov/comhome.htm

in summer 2001. These data include:

 Major industry division (such as construction and

wholesale trade)

 Occupational detail

 Occupational earnings by work level

 Top 10 metropolitan areas

 Occupational wage percentiles

NCS coverage expanded to smaller private sector establishments

Before 1999, the NCS included only establishments with 50 or more workers. Beginning with the 1999 NCS, private

sector establishments with one or more workers are included in the survey. For this reason, the 1999 National

Compensation Survey should not be used for comparisons with earlier NCS surveys.

The State and local government portion of the survey continues to include only establishments with 50 or more

workers.
TABLE 1. Mean hourly earnings1 and weekly hours by selected characteristics, private industry and State and local

government, United States, National Compensation Survey,2 1999

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 ........................................................... $15.36 1.3 35.8 $14.71 1.4 35.7 $19.34 0.7 36.6

Worker characteristics:4

White-collar occupations5 ....................... 18.78 1.4 35.9 18.12 1.7 35.8 21.84 .8 36.4

Professional specialty and technical ... 24.75 2.3 35.7 24.17 3.4 35.7 26.04 .8 35.9

Executive, administrative, and 

managerial ........................................ 27.67 1.9 39.9 28.01 2.1 40.2 25.89 2.5 38.5

Sales ................................................... 12.84 2.7 32.9 12.84 2.7 32.8 12.16 6.2 33.9

Administrative support ........................ 12.20 .9 36.1 12.17 1.1 36.0 12.37 .8 36.4

Blue-collar occupations5 ......................... 13.03 1.0 38.2 12.93 1.1 38.3 15.02 1.2 37.5

Precision production, craft, and repair 16.51 1.2 39.6 16.47 1.3 39.6 17.06 1.7 39.8

Machine operators, assemblers, and

inspectors ......................................... 11.41 2.1 39.4 11.39 2.1 39.4 14.38 6.5 38.4

Transportation and material moving ... 12.92 1.8 37.6 12.79 2.0 38.1 13.96 1.7 34.0

Handlers, equipment cleaners,

helpers, and laborers ........................ 9.86 2.3 35.5 9.73 2.4 35.4 12.44 2.5 38.5

Service occupations5 .............................. 9.21 1.1 31.6 7.94 .9 30.6 14.41 1.3 36.8

Full time .................................................. 16.20 1.4 39.6 15.59 1.6 39.7 19.72 .8 38.8

Part time ................................................. 8.87 1.7 20.5 8.51 1.9 20.6 13.43 2.5 19.2

Union ...................................................... 18.31 1.2 36.5 16.57 1.6 36.3 21.07 1.1 36.7

Nonunion ................................................ 14.76 1.5 35.6 14.46 1.6 35.6 17.80 1.5 36.5

Time ........................................................ 15.13 1.2 35.7 14.40 1.4 35.5 19.34 .7 36.6

Incentive ................................................. 19.60 5.2 37.9 19.60 5.2 37.9 – – –

Establishment characteristics:

Goods producing .................................... 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 16.17 1.5 39.5 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 6 ( )

Service producing ................................... 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 14.16 1.8 34.4 6 ( ) 6 ( ) 6 ( )

1 to 99 workers7 ..................................... 13.46 2.2 34.5 13.44 2.2 34.5 15.03 3.8 36.1

100 to 499 workers ................................. 14.71 2.3 36.5 14.37 2.5 36.6 17.99 1.5 35.6

500 to 999 workers ................................. 17.35 1.5 37.0 16.61 1.9 37.3 19.89 2.1 35.9

1,000 to 2,499 workers ........................... 17.05 6.2 36.8 16.34 8.1 37.1 19.02 1.8 36.0

2,500 workers or more ............................ 21.02 1.0 37.4 21.96 1.6 37.2 20.23 1.1 37.6

Geographic areas:8

Metropolitan ............................................ 15.63 1.2 35.7 14.99 1.4 35.5 20.06 .7 36.6

Nonmetropolitan ..................................... 12.86 4.9 37.0 11.54 5.7 37.1 16.29 2.3 36.6

New England .......................................... 17.18 4.2 34.6 16.54 5.2 34.5 21.82 2.2 35.4

Middle Atlantic ........................................ 17.84 3.7 34.8 17.05 4.5 34.7 22.45 1.6 35.5

East North Central .................................. 15.55 1.8 35.6 14.82 2.0 35.5 20.32 2.1 36.0

West North Central ................................. 14.37 2.8 35.3 13.84 3.2 35.1 18.11 2.2 36.9

South Atlantic ......................................... 14.49 2.9 36.3 14.04 3.5 36.0 16.84 1.5 38.0

East South Central ................................. 12.13 5.0 37.6 11.76 5.5 37.6 16.23 2.7 37.0

West South Central ................................ 14.38 3.5 36.8 13.98 4.0 36.6 16.38 2.0 38.0

Mountain ................................................. 14.10 2.9 35.7 13.26 3.2 35.5 19.00 3.5 36.9

Pacific ..................................................... 16.87 1.7 35.3 16.01 2.0 35.3 22.13 1.2 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. Collection was conducted between

September 1998 and April 2000. The average reference period was September

1999. For the first time, estimates include workers in private establishments

employing fewer than 50 workers. 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. 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 survey areas and

States comprising 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 1999

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 ........................................................... $15.36 1.3 35.8 $15.63 1.2 35.7 $12.86 4.9 37.0

Private industry ....................................... 14.71 1.4 35.7 14.99 1.4 35.5 11.54 5.7 37.1

State and local government .................... 19.34 .7 36.6 20.06 .7 36.6 16.29 2.3 36.6

Worker characteristics:5

White-collar occupations6 ....................... 18.78 1.4 35.9 18.96 1.4 35.8 16.40 5.0 36.8

Professional specialty and technical ... 24.75 2.3 35.7 25.13 2.5 35.7 21.08 2.0 36.3

Executive, administrative, and 

managerial ........................................ 27.67 1.9 39.9 27.83 1.9 40.0 24.80 3.1 39.4

Sales ................................................... 12.84 2.7 32.9 13.07 2.5 32.7 9.60 9.2 35.7

Administrative support ........................ 12.20 .9 36.1 12.30 1.0 36.0 10.81 2.2 37.1

Blue-collar occupations6 ......................... 13.03 1.0 38.2 13.19 1.1 38.1 11.81 3.8 38.9

Precision production, craft, and repair 16.51 1.2 39.6 16.63 1.2 39.6 15.12 4.5 40.1

Machine operators, assemblers, and

inspectors ......................................... 11.41 2.1 39.4 11.47 2.3 39.3 11.08 4.3 39.8

Transportation and material moving ... 12.92 1.8 37.6 12.95 1.9 37.7 12.60 3.4 36.6

Handlers, equipment cleaners,

helpers, and laborers ........................ 9.86 2.3 35.5 9.92 2.6 35.3 9.36 4.1 37.3

Service occupations6 .............................. 9.21 1.1 31.6 9.29 1.1 31.2 8.73 3.0 34.8

Full time .................................................. 16.20 1.4 39.6 16.53 1.4 39.6 13.20 5.3 39.6

Part time ................................................. 8.87 1.7 20.5 8.87 1.8 20.5 8.85 4.8 20.8

Union ...................................................... 18.31 1.2 36.5 18.62 1.2 36.3 15.60 3.9 38.1

Nonunion ................................................ 14.76 1.5 35.6 15.02 1.5 35.5 12.25 5.1 36.8

Time ........................................................ 15.13 1.2 35.7 15.38 1.2 35.5 12.86 5.0 36.9

Incentive ................................................. 19.60 5.2 37.9 19.87 5.3 37.8 12.69 15.7 39.9

Establishment characteristics:

Goods producing7 .................................. 16.17 1.5 39.5 16.70 1.5 39.5 12.68 4.5 40.0

Service producing7 ................................. 14.16 1.8 34.4 14.39 1.7 34.3 10.59 7.3 35.1

1 to 99 workers8 ..................................... 13.46 2.2 34.5 13.54 2.3 34.5 11.54 2.5 35.2

100 to 499 workers ................................. 14.71 2.3 36.5 15.03 2.7 36.5 12.84 3.1 36.6

500 to 999 workers ................................. 17.35 1.5 37.0 17.76 1.5 36.8 15.47 4.6 38.1

1,000 to 2,499 workers ........................... 17.05 6.2 36.8 18.70 1.3 36.4 11.60 15.6 38.2

2,500 workers or more ............................ 21.02 1.0 37.4 21.03 1.1 37.3 20.30 5.1 40.1

Geographic areas:9

New England .......................................... 17.18 4.2 34.6 17.35 4.4 34.6 15.21 6.9 34.8

Middle Atlantic ........................................ 17.84 3.7 34.8 17.93 3.8 34.8 14.93 3.6 35.6

East North Central .................................. 15.55 1.8 35.6 15.75 1.9 35.4 13.83 3.7 36.7

West North Central ................................. 14.37 2.8 35.3 14.73 3.0 35.1 12.70 5.8 36.5

South Atlantic ......................................... 14.49 2.9 36.3 14.71 3.0 36.2 12.60 6.3 37.4

East South Central ................................. 12.13 5.0 37.6 12.87 1.5 37.4 9.72 9.6 38.1

West South Central ................................ 14.38 3.5 36.8 14.42 3.7 36.8 13.90 5.1 37.3

Mountain ................................................. 14.10 2.9 35.7 13.94 3.2 35.6 15.78 2.4 36.2

Pacific ..................................................... 16.87 1.7 35.3 16.92 1.8 35.3 15.45 4.7 36.8

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 Metropolitan areas 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. Collection was conducted between

September 1998 and April 2000. The average reference period was September

1999. For the first time, estimates include workers in private establishments

employing fewer than 50 workers. 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. 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 See Technical Note for a list of survey areas and States comprising the nine

census divisions.

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 1999

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 .......................................................................................... $15.36 1.3 35.8 $16.20 1.4 39.6 $8.87 1.7 20.5

All, excluding sales ........................................................ 15.63 1.3 36.1 16.33 1.4 39.6 9.37 2.0 20.4

White collar ...................................................................... 18.78 1.4 35.9 19.70 1.4 39.5 10.89 2.4 20.0

White collar, excluding sales ..................................... 20.16 1.4 36.7 20.64 1.4 39.4 14.02 2.8 19.3

Professional specialty and technical ......................... 24.75 2.3 35.7 25.11 2.5 38.9 20.27 4.6 17.7

Professional specialty ................................................ 26.87 2.8 35.7 27.17 2.9 38.9 22.75 5.3 16.9

Engineers, architects, and surveyors ..................... 29.36 3.4 40.5 29.36 3.4 40.6 28.93 7.4 22.9

Architects ........................................................... 20.94 8.5 39.7 20.91 8.5 39.8 – – –

Aerospace engineers ......................................... 32.75 3.9 40.1 32.75 3.9 40.1 – – –

Metallurgical and materials engineers ............... 27.98 4.8 40.2 27.98 4.8 40.2 – – –

Petroleum engineers .......................................... 33.58 8.7 40.2 33.58 8.7 40.2 – – –

Chemical engineers ........................................... 35.42 3.4 40.0 35.44 3.4 40.1 – – –

Nuclear engineers .............................................. 34.01 2.2 40.7 34.01 2.2 40.7 – – –

Civil engineers ................................................... 26.57 3.4 40.4 26.57 3.4 40.4 – – –

Electrical and electronic engineers .................... 32.10 3.5 41.0 32.10 3.5 41.0 – – –

Industrial engineers ........................................... 24.85 4.9 40.6 24.85 5.0 40.6 – – –

Mechanical engineers ........................................ 24.89 3.5 41.1 24.89 3.5 41.2 – – –

Engineers, n.e.c. ................................................ 34.34 8.5 40.4 34.34 8.5 40.5 – – –

Surveyors and mapping scientists ..................... 28.52 8.4 39.8 28.56 8.4 39.9 – – –

Mathematical and computer scientists ................... 28.34 2.3 40.0 28.23 2.2 40.1 48.98 30.4 29.6

Computer systems analysts and scientists ........ 28.49 2.4 40.0 28.50 2.4 40.1 23.33 8.7 26.4

Operations and systems researchers and

analysts ............................................................ 27.70 6.2 39.8 26.96 5.0 40.0 – – –

Actuaries ............................................................ 30.75 8.8 38.6 30.75 8.8 38.6 – – –

Statisticians ........................................................ 23.93 7.9 38.3 23.93 7.9 38.3 – – –

Mathematical scientists, n.e.c. ........................... 33.44 18.1 40.0 33.44 18.1 40.0 – – –

Natural scientists ................................................... 26.23 2.3 39.7 26.23 2.3 40.0 26.92 11.1 20.6

Physicists and astronomers ............................... 37.84 7.6 40.0 37.84 7.6 40.0 – – –

Chemists, except biochemists ........................... 29.16 3.9 40.2 29.16 3.9 40.2 – – –

Atmospheric and space scientists ..................... 23.21 14.5 41.3 23.21 14.5 41.3 – – –

Geologists and geodesists ................................. 28.27 8.4 41.4 28.27 8.4 41.4 – – –

Physical scientists, n.e.c. ................................... 26.44 4.3 39.8 26.45 4.3 39.8 – – –

Agricultural and food scientists .......................... 22.91 8.6 39.8 22.56 8.4 39.9 – – –

Biological and life scientists ............................... 23.03 4.4 39.4 23.08 4.5 39.6 – – –

Forestry and conservation scientists ................. 21.26 5.9 40.1 21.26 5.9 40.1 – – –

Medical scientists ............................................... 25.04 7.0 38.5 24.98 7.3 39.7 27.02 11.2 19.6

Health related ........................................................ 27.12 10.7 34.1 27.39 12.6 39.5 25.79 7.5 20.4

Physicians .......................................................... 63.07 23.0 36.7 62.10 25.8 41.5 73.25 4.0 16.5

Dentists .............................................................. 40.34 11.0 30.9 42.44 12.2 39.6 – – –

Optometrists ...................................................... 38.37 4.3 37.3 37.78 5.6 39.9 – – –

Registered nurses .............................................. 21.14 1.2 33.4 20.95 1.4 39.1 21.93 1.6 20.8

Pharmacists ....................................................... 27.17 7.3 33.2 27.57 8.3 39.2 24.94 13.5 17.9

Dietitians ............................................................ 17.68 3.7 36.7 17.56 4.2 39.7 18.81 4.6 20.8

Respiratory therapists ........................................ 18.07 1.8 34.8 18.10 2.0 39.2 17.90 3.5 20.8

Occupational therapists ..................................... 22.38 7.1 34.0 22.19 8.4 39.0 23.46 4.7 19.9

Physical therapists ............................................. 23.84 4.4 36.0 23.15 4.6 39.6 27.95 5.1 23.1

Speech therapists .............................................. 24.72 5.6 33.7 24.61 6.3 38.0 25.52 5.9 18.3

Therapists, n.e.c. ............................................... 18.43 6.0 35.8 17.42 3.1 39.0 25.44 23.8 23.0

Physicians’ assistants ........................................ 32.55 6.8 39.3 32.75 6.5 39.8 – – –

Teachers, college and university ........................... 35.61 2.0 32.4 36.03 2.0 39.1 31.13 5.0 11.5

Earth, environmental, and marine science

teachers ........................................................... 34.21 10.3 37.0 34.15 10.4 37.7 – – –

Biological science teachers ............................... 37.78 7.5 36.8 37.42 7.7 39.1 48.65 15.7 13.2

Chemistry teachers ............................................ 37.45 12.4 40.3 37.36 12.6 41.5 – – –

Physics teachers ................................................ 49.29 12.0 37.0 49.29 12.0 37.2 – – –

Natural science teachers, n.e.c. ........................ 41.45 5.3 37.9 41.61 5.4 38.9 – – –

Psychology teachers .......................................... 33.91 8.7 34.9 34.31 9.0 39.5 22.95 6.9 8.5

Economics teachers .......................................... 40.51 7.1 48.0 40.51 7.1 48.0 – – –

History teachers ................................................. 35.25 6.1 37.9 35.25 6.2 40.7 – – –

Political science teachers .................................. 38.49 14.0 37.0 34.52 10.1 39.7 – – –

Sociology teachers ............................................ 40.51 7.8 37.4 40.71 7.7 39.3 – – –

Social science teachers, n.e.c. .......................... 36.69 3.4 38.2 36.85 3.4 39.5 22.93 31.2 9.5

Engineering teachers ......................................... 43.57 10.0 38.7 43.67 10.4 41.8 41.51 14.2 16.0

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 1999–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 ......................... $35.92 8.3 34.9 $36.65 8.3 38.7 $23.60 8.3 13.0

Computer science teachers ............................... 30.93 12.6 29.6 33.37 13.3 38.9 24.78 4.2 18.4

Medical science teachers .................................. 49.02 6.7 36.8 46.83 7.6 41.4 68.44 11.5 18.5

Health specialities teachers ............................... 33.85 8.0 36.1 34.16 8.2 38.7 24.91 8.6 12.4

Business, commerce, and marketing teachers .. 37.46 7.4 35.2 37.59 7.6 38.8 33.00 9.3 8.4

Agriculture and forestry teachers ....................... 43.40 24.3 35.3 43.40 24.3 35.3 – – –

Art, drama, and music teachers ......................... 29.65 6.2 32.2 30.13 6.7 38.5 26.02 5.1 14.4

Physical education teachers .............................. 34.03 9.0 28.3 34.80 9.7 37.8 27.21 9.8 8.7

Education teachers ............................................ 35.69 8.5 33.3 36.26 8.4 38.9 23.28 11.2 8.1

English teachers ................................................ 37.74 9.8 34.6 38.18 10.1 38.3 27.50 5.0 10.5

Foreign language teachers ................................ 26.98 18.9 31.1 25.59 19.8 40.9 37.50 28.3 11.1

Law teachers ..................................................... 48.64 9.4 36.8 50.54 9.1 41.2 – – –

Social work teachers .......................................... 25.91 9.9 26.6 27.15 10.8 40.1 – – –

Theology teachers ............................................. 37.94 11.6 38.4 38.01 11.6 39.1 – – –

Trade and industrial teachers ............................ 29.04 3.5 17.3 28.96 3.5 38.1 – – –

Other post-secondary teachers ......................... 32.28 2.5 29.4 33.07 2.6 38.7 26.98 5.7 11.3

Teachers, except college and university ................ 26.42 1.4 34.6 26.95 1.3 36.8 15.98 7.4 16.0

Prekindergarten and kindergarten ..................... 16.33 8.1 35.2 17.32 8.3 38.1 10.48 8.0 24.4

Elementary school teachers .............................. 27.82 1.2 36.1 27.90 1.2 36.7 22.41 8.3 17.9

Secondary school teachers ............................... 28.70 1.3 36.7 28.68 1.3 37.1 30.07 5.4 21.3

Teachers, special education .............................. 27.24 6.1 35.5 27.35 6.3 36.4 23.09 14.5 18.7

Teachers, n.e.c. ................................................. 26.19 3.5 30.2 27.04 3.8 36.1 17.76 8.8 11.6

Substitute teachers ............................................ 10.55 4.4 15.4 11.73 14.0 32.3 10.39 4.7 14.3

Vocational and educational counselors ............. 23.79 4.9 36.8 23.88 5.1 38.0 21.46 10.8 19.9

Librarians, archivists, and curators ........................ 21.65 4.3 37.3 21.77 4.4 38.6 18.22 9.9 18.5

Librarians ........................................................... 22.01 3.9 37.1 22.16 4.0 38.5 18.33 10.5 19.3

Archivists and curators ...................................... 19.87 12.3 38.1 19.92 12.5 39.4 – – –

Social scientists and urban planners ..................... 25.11 3.3 36.7 25.04 3.5 39.1 26.57 11.1 15.0

Economists ........................................................ 28.14 4.7 39.8 28.14 4.7 39.8 – – –

Psychologists ..................................................... 25.19 4.0 35.8 25.11 4.2 38.9 26.63 11.1 15.7

Sociologists ........................................................ 18.32 4.9 39.3 18.32 4.9 39.3 – – –

Social scientists, n.e.c. ...................................... 16.10 19.2 37.5 16.08 19.2 39.2 – – –

Urban planners .................................................. 22.69 4.3 36.3 22.73 4.3 39.3 – – –

Social, recreation, and religious workers ............... 14.46 6.7 35.0 14.49 6.7 39.3 13.91 8.9 10.4

Social workers ................................................... 14.51 7.2 35.0 14.53 7.1 39.2 – – –

Recreation workers ............................................ 13.64 3.7 33.1 13.85 4.1 39.3 11.84 8.5 14.2

Clergy ................................................................ 12.89 13.7 42.9 12.82 14.2 45.7 14.84 9.1 16.6

Religious workers, n.e.c. .................................... 18.70 18.2 37.1 18.66 18.4 39.7 – – –

Lawyers and judges ............................................... 38.51 3.3 39.4 38.62 3.3 40.2 29.14 11.5 14.6

Lawyers ............................................................. 38.30 3.3 39.5 38.40 3.3 40.2 29.07 12.1 15.3

Judges ............................................................... 48.21 9.7 36.0 48.58 9.7 39.7 30.83 11.4 6.8

Writers, authors, entertainers, athletes, and

professionals, n.e.c. ............................................. 22.86 3.9 32.2 23.76 3.9 37.8 15.22 11.7 14.2

Technical writers ................................................ 20.71 9.1 38.5 20.64 9.5 39.9 – – –

Designers ........................................................... 21.03 6.9 38.9 21.33 6.9 39.9 – – –

Musicians and composers ................................. 17.27 16.9 17.4 – – – 16.78 19.3 10.4

Actors and directors ........................................... 24.86 20.2 35.4 26.19 21.4 40.5 14.81 29.8 18.1

Painters, sculptors, craft artists, and artist

printmakers ...................................................... 19.24 13.6 39.1 19.40 13.9 40.1 – – –

Photographers ................................................... 18.26 8.2 39.5 18.13 8.4 40.1 – – –

Dancers ............................................................. 15.82 17.0 19.7 – – – 12.90 16.8 17.7

Artists, performers, and related workers, n.e.c. 12.55 10.4 28.7 13.24 15.6 38.9 11.54 10.4 20.7

Editors and reporters ......................................... 24.30 6.2 38.5 24.49 6.2 39.6 13.49 18.1 15.5

Public relations specialists ................................. 22.07 7.5 38.2 22.13 7.6 39.3 17.26 9.2 12.8

Announcers ........................................................ 17.55 29.3 26.2 20.09 32.0 35.9 8.60 14.9 13.4

Professional, n.e.c. ............................................ 26.65 4.9 39.2 26.70 4.8 39.8 24.86 21.6 24.7

Technical ................................................................... 17.91 1.5 35.7 18.26 1.5 39.1 14.59 4.4 19.7

Clinical laboratory technologists and

technicians ....................................................... 15.69 3.6 36.9 15.59 3.7 38.5 17.42 4.5 21.4

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 1999–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 ............................................... $25.72 6.0 22.3 $27.15 5.2 35.1 $23.32 11.3 13.8

Health record technologists and technicians ..... 11.67 7.2 35.9 11.52 7.7 39.0 13.15 8.6 20.2

Radiological technicians .................................... 19.02 5.4 35.6 19.12 5.9 39.6 18.28 5.6 20.7

Licensed practical nurses .................................. 13.40 1.2 34.4 13.37 1.3 39.4 13.57 2.4 20.7

Health technologists and technicians, n.e.c. ...... 13.31 2.2 31.8 13.76 1.7 39.5 11.33 5.0 17.2

Electrical and electronic technicians .................. 18.07 3.5 38.8 18.60 2.4 40.0 – – –

Industrial engineering technicians ..................... 19.37 5.0 40.4 19.37 5.0 40.4 – – –

Mechanical engineering technicians .................. 20.88 4.3 40.0 20.93 4.3 40.2 – – –

Engineering technicians, n.e.c. .......................... 19.01 2.7 39.4 18.95 2.6 39.9 21.05 10.4 27.8

Drafters .............................................................. 17.95 2.8 39.7 18.01 2.8 40.1 12.03 19.3 21.2

Surveying and mapping technicians .................. 15.27 8.8 39.9 15.27 8.8 39.9 – – –

Biological technicians ........................................ 14.99 8.0 31.1 16.57 5.3 39.6 – – –

Chemical technicians ......................................... 17.84 3.4 39.8 17.87 3.4 40.0 – – –

Science technicians, n.e.c. ................................ 17.40 2.7 37.4 17.34 2.7 38.6 18.88 16.2 20.1

Airplane pilots and navigators ............................ 85.03 10.1 22.6 89.91 9.0 23.3 – – –

Broadcast equipment operators ......................... 15.31 11.5 36.7 16.13 12.2 39.9 8.56 6.7 22.3

Computer programmers ..................................... 22.29 3.5 38.8 22.11 3.5 39.7 – – –

Tool programmers, numerical control ................ 17.87 5.9 40.2 17.87 5.9 40.2 – – –

Legal assistants ................................................. 16.30 3.5 37.1 16.56 3.3 39.5 – – –

Technical and related, n.e.c. .............................. 18.15 2.9 38.5 18.34 3.0 39.7 13.54 5.4 22.4

Executive, administrative, and managerial ............... 27.67 1.9 39.9 27.74 1.9 40.5 19.99 6.2 14.8

Executives, administrators, and managers ............ 30.69 2.2 40.5 30.75 2.2 40.9 21.21 9.0 16.5

Legislators ......................................................... 15.74 19.1 12.4 12.97 27.1 33.5 20.05 22.4 6.3

Chief executives and general administrators,

public administration ........................................ 28.96 41.3 45.1 28.96 41.3 45.1 – – –

Administrators and officials, public

administration .................................................. 26.87 2.6 38.9 26.88 2.5 39.5 24.63 42.4 9.9

Financial managers ........................................... 32.32 6.8 40.4 32.36 6.8 40.7 – – –

Personnel and labor relations managers ........... 29.92 8.7 41.1 29.95 8.7 41.2 – – –

Purchasing managers ........................................ 27.96 3.0 42.8 27.96 3.0 42.8 – – –

Managers, marketing, advertising, and public

relations ........................................................... 38.03 6.5 40.9 38.05 6.4 41.0 – – –

Administrators, education and related fields ...... 32.26 2.7 39.2 32.36 2.7 39.6 24.20 14.6 20.8

Managers, medicine and health ......................... 29.73 4.2 38.8 29.77 4.3 39.8 – – –

Managers, food servicing and lodging

establishments ................................................. 15.91 4.3 42.3 16.09 4.4 43.3 10.30 5.8 24.9

Managers, properties and real estate ................ 20.74 7.4 39.8 20.81 7.4 40.4 – – –

Funeral directors ................................................ 22.38 10.7 44.9 22.38 10.7 44.9 – – –

Managers, service organizations, n.e.c. ............ 28.06 8.4 39.1 28.11 8.6 39.7 – – –

Managers and administrators, n.e.c. ................. 31.42 3.5 41.1 31.44 3.5 41.2 18.53 30.3 19.2

Management related .............................................. 22.19 2.3 39.0 22.23 2.3 39.9 18.73 8.3 13.4

Accountants and auditors .................................. 21.14 2.4 39.4 21.12 2.4 39.7 23.07 18.3 21.2

Underwriters ...................................................... 22.24 7.1 39.2 22.24 7.1 39.2 – – –

Other financial officers ....................................... 23.40 4.5 39.7 23.39 4.6 39.8 26.06 14.2 24.1

Management analysts ........................................ 25.03 4.1 40.1 25.00 4.1 40.2 – – –

Personnel, training, and labor relations

specialists ........................................................ 20.64 3.3 36.3 20.74 3.2 39.7 – – –

Purchasing agents and buyers, farm products .. 16.20 19.0 39.8 16.20 19.0 39.8 – – –

Buyers, wholesale and retail trade, except farm

products ........................................................... 19.39 5.4 39.9 19.29 5.3 41.1 – – –

Purchasing agents and buyers, n.e.c. ............... 23.89 7.0 40.0 23.89 7.0 40.0 – – –

Business and promotional agents ...................... 14.86 18.7 39.2 14.86 18.7 39.2 – – –

Construction inspectors ..................................... 20.69 3.5 39.4 20.75 3.5 40.0 17.53 25.1 20.8

Inspectors and compliance officers, except

construction ..................................................... 20.47 3.6 39.0 20.50 3.6 39.3 – – –

Management related, n.e.c. ............................... 23.18 6.4 39.0 23.32 6.5 40.1 16.92 7.3 17.3

Sales ............................................................................. 12.84 2.7 32.9 14.74 3.2 40.2 6.97 1.3 21.0

Supervisors, sales ............................................. 16.10 3.6 41.1 16.20 3.6 41.5 8.69 20.7 23.8

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 1999–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 .................................................. $20.13 6.6 38.1 $20.44 7.1 39.3 $13.20 19.7 22.8

Real estate sales ............................................... 21.20 17.4 34.1 21.90 19.1 37.5 – – –

Securities and financial services sales .............. 32.51 12.0 39.5 32.64 12.0 39.6 – – –

Advertising and related sales ............................. 23.46 17.2 38.5 23.96 17.1 39.5 8.72 5.9 21.8

Sales, other business services .......................... 19.31 6.5 37.7 20.11 7.1 40.5 9.89 14.2 20.9

Sales engineers ................................................. 30.60 5.1 41.3 30.60 5.1 41.3 – – –

Sales representatives, mining, manufacturing,

and wholesale .................................................. 22.95 4.5 40.4 23.13 4.5 40.6 – – –

Sales workers, motor vehicles and boats .......... 20.71 4.5 45.4 20.71 4.5 45.5 – – –

Sales workers, apparel ...................................... 8.99 11.2 26.5 11.15 16.3 38.5 6.86 3.0 20.4

Sales workers, shoes ......................................... 7.97 6.3 26.6 10.33 13.4 38.9 6.61 3.5 22.5

Sales workers, furniture and home furnishings .. 11.36 13.4 30.0 14.27 15.6 39.8 7.01 5.0 21.9

Sales workers, radio, tv, hi-fi, and appliances ... 13.80 11.7 35.4 14.85 10.9 39.7 7.03 5.4 20.8

Sales workers, hardware and building supplies 11.61 5.0 37.4 12.06 5.3 40.6 8.18 3.1 23.7

Sales workers, parts .......................................... 12.95 7.6 38.7 13.47 7.0 40.6 6.00 2.1 23.8

Sales workers, other commodities ..................... 10.62 7.9 29.6 12.59 8.9 39.7 7.14 2.5 20.5

Sales counter clerks .......................................... 7.35 4.2 30.1 7.92 4.8 39.2 6.32 3.5 21.2

Cashiers ............................................................. 7.96 6.8 29.7 8.76 8.9 39.3 6.61 1.2 21.0

Street and door-to-door sales workers .............. 11.50 22.3 22.7 19.91 19.5 37.0 7.25 14.2 19.0

News vendors .................................................... 8.50 5.8 23.7 – – – 8.09 6.5 22.5

Demonstrators, promoters, and models, sales .. 23.21 27.4 30.3 – – – 7.72 5.6 15.2

Sales support, n.e.c. .......................................... 11.97 5.2 35.3 12.89 5.5 40.3 7.69 5.8 22.5

Administrative support, including clerical ................ 12.20 .9 36.1 12.50 .9 39.3 9.50 1.5 20.9

Supervisors, general office ................................ 16.35 3.2 39.8 16.32 3.2 40.0 19.53 10.4 26.7

Supervisors, computer equipment operators ..... 19.44 10.9 40.3 19.44 10.9 40.3 – – –

Supervisors, financial records processing ......... 18.07 4.2 39.3 18.07 4.2 39.4 – – –

Chief communications operators ....................... 19.73 8.0 40.0 19.73 8.0 40.0 – – –

Supervisors, distribution, scheduling, and

adjusting clerks ................................................ 18.83 3.9 40.1 18.84 3.9 40.2 – – –

Computer operators ........................................... 14.54 2.4 39.3 14.57 2.4 39.7 10.37 18.4 18.3

Peripheral equipment operators ........................ 11.33 4.8 38.5 11.26 4.9 39.7 – – –

Secretaries ......................................................... 13.55 3.0 37.6 13.69 3.1 39.0 11.24 3.6 23.4

Stenographers ................................................... 13.73 5.2 36.2 13.77 5.7 39.1 13.43 5.9 21.5

Typists ............................................................... 12.29 2.0 36.2 12.38 2.1 38.5 11.10 3.3 20.5

Interviewers ....................................................... 9.50 3.5 28.5 10.39 2.3 39.1 8.16 4.3 20.2

Hotel clerks ........................................................ 8.73 3.7 36.2 8.90 3.7 40.6 7.64 9.5 21.4

Transportation ticket and reservation agents ..... 12.97 4.0 36.0 13.22 4.0 39.8 11.37 6.0 22.4

Receptionists ..................................................... 9.74 2.4 33.2 10.07 2.7 39.2 8.10 2.3 18.9

Information clerks, n.e.c. .................................... 11.48 5.9 34.6 11.52 3.5 39.1 11.33 19.8 24.3

Classified ad clerks ............................................ 11.38 5.8 35.4 11.68 6.6 38.2 – – –

Correspondence clerks ...................................... 11.59 4.5 36.1 11.86 4.6 39.8 – – –

Order clerks ....................................................... 12.37 2.4 37.2 12.75 2.3 39.8 8.79 5.0 22.8

Personnel clerks, except payroll and

timekeeping ..................................................... 13.09 2.5 38.5 13.14 2.6 39.5 11.59 5.3 22.2

Library clerks ..................................................... 10.87 2.1 30.2 11.34 2.5 37.9 9.34 3.2 18.3

File clerks ........................................................... 8.80 3.7 34.2 9.07 4.3 39.5 7.41 5.5 19.8

Records clerks, n.e.c. ........................................ 11.69 2.1 37.9 11.79 2.1 39.4 9.89 5.2 23.0

Bookkeepers, accounting and auditing clerks ... 12.06 1.2 36.6 12.25 1.3 39.5 9.76 3.5 19.1

Payroll and timekeeping clerks .......................... 13.36 2.4 33.5 13.57 2.4 39.7 10.81 16.9 11.7

Billing clerks ....................................................... 10.83 4.5 37.9 10.88 4.8 39.7 10.04 3.2 20.7

Cost and rate clerks ........................................... 15.61 14.4 40.0 15.61 14.4 40.0 – – –

Billing, posting, and calculating machine

operators .......................................................... 9.83 4.4 34.6 9.89 5.7 39.1 9.64 4.4 24.8

Duplicating machine operators .......................... 10.46 4.7 37.1 10.69 5.4 39.8 8.91 4.3 25.5

Mail preparing and paper handling machine

operators .......................................................... 9.74 6.2 35.2 10.03 6.4 39.0 7.46 5.1 20.1

Office machine operators, n.e.c. ........................ 8.62 3.9 37.7 8.71 4.2 39.7 7.26 5.4 21.4

Telephone operators .......................................... 11.38 2.6 34.8 11.91 2.6 39.0 8.65 2.9 22.3

Communications equipment operators, n.e.c. ... 10.86 4.6 26.2 11.42 3.9 39.5 8.61 9.2 11.2

Mail clerks, except postal service ...................... 9.31 4.2 36.6 9.56 5.1 39.0 7.52 3.8 25.2

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 1999–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

Messengers ....................................................... $8.70 6.1 30.4 $8.86 7.7 39.0 $8.28 10.9 19.0

Dispatchers ........................................................ 13.21 3.5 38.7 13.33 3.7 40.1 10.29 7.9 20.0

Production coordinators ..................................... 14.96 5.6 39.4 15.03 5.7 40.0 7.89 4.4 15.8

Traffic, shipping and receiving clerks ................. 11.36 2.8 37.9 11.46 2.9 39.8 9.81 6.4 21.9

Stock and inventory clerks ................................. 11.20 2.2 36.0 11.57 2.2 39.6 8.10 5.5 20.5

Meter readers .................................................... 14.75 3.0 39.6 14.79 3.1 40.0 13.98 6.7 32.3

Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers 13.81 6.8 36.1 14.13 7.2 40.0 9.94 16.7 16.8

Expeditors .......................................................... 11.94 4.4 38.3 12.15 4.6 39.8 8.84 8.5 24.0

Material recording, scheduling, and distribution

clerks, n.e.c. ..................................................... 12.25 8.9 37.3 12.70 9.7 39.9 7.85 6.3 22.7

Insurance adjusters, examiners, and

investigators ..................................................... 16.70 2.4 38.1 16.77 2.3 38.5 – – –

Investigators and adjusters, except insurance ... 12.59 2.4 38.6 12.69 2.5 39.8 9.98 7.5 21.2

Eligibility clerks, social welfare ........................... 14.31 4.8 38.7 14.42 4.7 39.3 9.84 6.1 24.6

Bill and account collectors ................................. 11.90 3.9 37.8 11.97 4.0 39.4 10.39 14.3 20.3

General office clerks .......................................... 11.14 1.3 34.1 11.49 1.4 39.3 9.24 5.1 20.0

Bank tellers ........................................................ 9.22 2.2 32.6 9.47 2.2 39.1 8.39 2.3 21.0

Proofreaders ...................................................... 13.42 13.8 37.4 13.67 13.7 39.7 – – –

Data entry keyers ............................................... 10.55 2.1 36.4 10.68 2.3 39.5 9.56 7.3 23.3

Statistical clerks ................................................. 11.39 4.4 38.6 11.41 4.5 39.7 10.20 7.4 17.7

Teachers’ aides ................................................. 9.76 2.0 30.8 9.40 2.0 35.4 10.81 4.4 22.2

Administrative support, n.e.c. ............................ 11.74 1.8 36.3 12.01 2.0 39.3 9.53 4.8 22.2

Blue collar ........................................................................ 13.03 1.0 38.2 13.30 1.2 40.0 8.43 3.6 21.7

Precision production, craft, and repair ...................... 16.51 1.2 39.6 16.52 1.2 39.9 15.03 11.9 21.8

Supervisors, mechanics and repairers .............. 21.03 2.5 40.7 21.03 2.5 40.7 – – –

Automobile mechanics ....................................... 15.26 4.6 40.2 15.26 4.6 40.2 – – –

Automobile mechanic apprentices ..................... 11.22 10.5 36.7 11.34 11.4 40.0 – – –

Bus, truck, and stationary engine mechanics .... 14.30 6.8 39.6 14.35 6.9 40.1 – – –

Aircraft engine mechanics ................................. 21.19 4.9 40.0 21.19 4.9 40.0 – – –

Small engine repairers ....................................... 11.60 6.7 39.7 11.64 6.7 40.0 – – –

Automobile body and related repairers .............. 16.86 9.2 40.7 16.86 9.2 40.7 – – –

Aircraft mechanics, except engine ..................... 20.61 3.4 40.1 20.61 3.4 40.1 – – –

Heavy equipment mechanics ............................. 17.53 3.8 40.0 17.54 3.8 40.0 – – –

Farm equipment mechanics .............................. 12.40 8.9 40.7 12.40 8.9 40.7 – – –

Industrial machinery repairers ........................... 17.17 2.0 39.9 17.17 2.0 39.9 – – –

Machinery maintenance ..................................... 13.61 4.7 38.0 14.06 3.6 39.9 – – –

Electronic repairers, communications and

industrial equipment ......................................... 18.61 3.7 37.3 18.62 3.7 39.9 – – –

Data processing equipment repairers ................ 15.63 5.7 36.3 15.40 5.8 40.0 – – –

Household appliance and power tool repairers 12.46 10.2 40.0 12.46 10.2 40.0 – – –

Telephone line installers and repairers .............. 19.65 4.1 39.9 19.65 4.1 40.0 – – –

Telephone installers and repairers .................... 18.21 3.8 40.0 18.21 3.8 40.0 – – –

Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration

mechanics ........................................................ 15.09 3.0 39.8 14.91 2.9 40.0 – – –

Camera, watch, and musical instrument

repairers ........................................................... 17.75 12.9 40.0 17.75 12.9 40.0 – – –

Locksmiths and safe repairers ........................... 16.90 5.7 40.0 16.90 5.7 40.0 – – –

Office machine repairers .................................... 14.67 8.0 40.3 14.67 8.0 40.3 – – –

Mechanical controls and valve repairers ........... 16.38 14.4 39.7 16.44 14.5 40.0 – – –

Millwrights .......................................................... 17.68 5.2 40.1 17.68 5.2 40.1 – – –

Mechanics and repairers, n.e.c. ......................... – – – – – – 16.20 19.8 17.1

Supervisors, brickmasons, stonemasons, and

tilesetters ......................................................... 19.97 11.0 40.0 19.97 11.0 40.0 – – –

Supervisors, carpenters and related workers .... 23.51 8.2 40.1 23.51 8.2 40.1 – – –

Supervisors, electricians and power

transmission installers ..................................... 24.66 3.4 40.1 24.66 3.4 40.1 – – –

Supervisors, painters, paperhangers, and

plasterers ......................................................... 17.70 5.4 40.3 17.70 5.4 40.3 – – –

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 1999–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

Supervisors, plumbers, pipefitters, and

steamfitters ...................................................... $25.56 6.8 40.0 $25.56 6.8 40.0 – – –

Supervisors, construction trades, n.e.c. ............. 19.75 4.4 40.2 19.74 4.5 40.2 – – –

Brickmasons and stonemasons ......................... 20.33 10.5 39.2 20.33 10.5 39.2 – – –

Brickmason and stonemason apprentices ......... 11.13 11.4 40.0 11.13 11.4 40.0 – – –

Carpet installers ................................................. 18.70 9.6 39.7 18.70 9.6 39.7 – – –

Carpenters ......................................................... 17.25 3.6 40.0 17.27 3.6 40.1 $13.18 14.8 25.4

Carpenter apprentices ....................................... 12.88 6.3 40.6 12.88 6.3 40.6 – – –

Drywall installers ................................................ 19.72 10.9 39.0 19.73 10.9 39.0 – – –

Electricians ........................................................ 19.12 5.0 39.8 19.12 5.0 39.8 – – –

Electrician apprentices ....................................... 12.39 4.8 40.0 12.39 4.8 40.0 – – –

Electrical power installers and repairers ............ 22.57 2.6 40.0 22.57 2.6 40.0 – – –

Painters, construction and maintenance ............ 13.59 5.7 39.5 13.59 5.7 39.5 – – –

Plasterers ........................................................... 18.33 19.2 40.0 18.33 19.2 40.0 – – –

Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters ............... 20.37 5.6 39.4 19.96 5.4 39.7 – – –

Plumber, pipefitter, and steamfitter apprentices 17.28 14.3 39.8 17.28 14.3 39.8 – – –

Concrete and terrazzo finishers ......................... 15.47 13.2 37.6 15.47 13.2 37.7 – – –

Glaziers .............................................................. 14.17 4.8 38.4 14.18 4.9 39.7 – – –

Insulation workers .............................................. 15.13 10.1 37.9 15.43 9.8 40.0 – – –

Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment

operators .......................................................... 11.93 11.8 40.0 11.93 11.8 40.0 – – –

Roofers .............................................................. 16.56 14.5 37.5 16.52 14.9 37.7 – – –

Sheetmetal duct installers .................................. 18.67 11.4 39.6 18.67 11.4 39.6 – – –

Structural metal workers .................................... 16.05 5.0 39.7 16.05 5.1 40.1 – – –

Construction trades, n.e.c. ................................. 14.75 5.5 39.5 14.75 5.5 39.6 – – –

Supervisors, extractive ...................................... 21.55 17.6 41.6 21.94 17.1 42.2 – – –

Drillers, oil well ................................................... 15.20 28.5 40.3 15.20 28.5 40.3 – – –

Mining machine operators ................................. 16.50 8.2 40.0 16.50 8.2 40.0 – – –

Supervisors, production ..................................... 19.31 2.8 40.6 19.31 2.8 40.7 – – –

Tool and die makers .......................................... 19.84 2.5 40.1 19.84 2.5 40.1 – – –

Tool and die maker apprentices ........................ 15.61 8.2 39.8 15.61 8.2 39.8 – – –

Precision assemblers, metal .............................. 13.28 11.1 40.0 13.28 11.1 40.0 – – –

Machinists .......................................................... 16.03 4.6 39.5 16.10 4.7 40.0 – – –

Machinist apprentices ........................................ 13.04 5.8 38.6 13.27 5.6 40.0 – – –

Precision grinders, filers, and tool sharpeners ... 15.55 10.9 40.0 15.55 10.9 40.0 – – –

Patternmakers and modelmakers, metal ........... 18.89 6.2 40.0 18.89 6.2 40.0 – – –

Layout workers .................................................. 15.19 6.5 40.0 15.19 6.5 40.0 – – –

Engravers, metal ................................................ 15.09 23.1 39.4 14.87 24.0 40.0 – – –

Sheet metal workers .......................................... 17.74 6.6 39.1 17.74 6.6 39.1 – – –

Sheet metal worker apprentices ........................ 13.40 10.3 39.3 13.40 10.3 39.3 – – –

Cabinet makers and bench carpenters .............. 11.88 11.0 40.0 11.88 11.0 40.0 – – –

Furniture and wood finishers ............................. 11.23 5.9 40.0 11.23 5.9 40.0 – – –

Dressmakers ...................................................... 10.31 9.6 38.5 10.31 9.6 38.5 – – –

Tailors ................................................................ 12.41 5.9 39.7 12.41 5.9 39.7 – – –

Upholsterers ...................................................... 13.32 13.9 39.4 13.32 13.9 39.4 – – –

Hand molders and shapers, except jewelers ..... 16.31 5.1 40.0 16.31 5.1 40.0 – – –

Patternmakers, layout workers, and cutters ...... 13.97 14.5 40.0 13.97 14.5 40.0 – – –

Optical goods workers ....................................... 11.13 10.0 39.9 11.13 10.0 39.9 – – –

Dental laboratory and medical appliance

technicians ....................................................... 14.21 1.3 39.0 14.21 1.3 39.0 – – –

Bookbinders ....................................................... 11.38 3.9 39.8 11.38 3.9 39.8 – – –

Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers 10.72 3.3 39.7 10.75 3.3 40.0 7.21 4.6 24.7

Miscellaneous precision workers, n.e.c. ............ 15.90 8.0 39.8 15.92 7.9 40.0 – – –

Precision food production .................................. 12.42 20.4 30.5 14.57 18.9 37.0 – – –

Butchers and meat cutters ................................. 10.37 3.7 38.5 10.34 3.7 39.7 11.50 10.2 18.3

Bakers ................................................................ 10.11 7.1 34.5 10.23 7.9 37.0 9.03 7.8 21.4

Food batchmakers ............................................. 10.39 6.6 38.1 10.43 6.8 39.8 – – –

Inspectors, testers, and graders ........................ 16.95 2.6 40.3 16.96 2.6 40.3 – – –

Precision inspectors, testers, and related

workers, n.e.c. ................................................. 20.33 7.6 40.0 20.33 7.6 40.0 – – –

Adjusters and calibrators ................................... 14.69 11.8 39.6 14.65 12.0 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 1999–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

Water and sewer treatment plant operators ...... $15.92 3.0 39.0 $16.06 2.9 40.0 – – –

Power plant operators ........................................ 21.77 2.1 39.8 21.77 2.1 39.8 – – –

Stationary engineers .......................................... 19.58 3.5 39.3 19.59 3.5 39.9 – – –

Miscellaneous plant and system operators,

n.e.c. ................................................................ 20.87 4.8 40.1 20.87 4.8 40.1 – – –

Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors ..... 11.41 2.1 39.4 11.49 2.1 39.9 $7.47 1.9 24.3

Lathe and turning machine set-up operators ..... 14.51 3.6 40.0 14.51 3.6 40.0 – – –

Lathe and turning machine operators ................ 13.32 5.8 39.9 13.32 5.8 39.9 – – –

Milling and planing machine operators .............. 12.56 7.0 40.0 12.56 7.0 40.0 – – –

Punching and stamping press operators ........... 12.45 3.3 39.9 12.46 3.4 40.0 – – –

Rolling machine operators ................................. 14.51 8.1 40.3 14.51 8.1 40.3 – – –

Drilling and boring machine operators ............... 11.41 14.2 40.0 11.41 14.2 40.0 – – –

Grinding, abrading, buffing, and polishing

machine operators ........................................... 12.12 2.8 39.9 12.14 2.8 40.0 – – –

Forging machine operators ................................ 12.99 4.5 39.8 12.99 4.5 39.8 – – –

Numerical control machine operators ................ 13.95 3.5 40.0 13.95 3.5 40.0 – – –

Fabricating machine operators, n.e.c. ............... 13.18 2.9 39.4 13.42 2.3 39.9 – – –

Molding and casting machine operators ............ 10.91 5.4 39.8 10.96 5.4 39.9 6.25 6.5 34.7

Metal plating machine operators ........................ 13.56 4.5 39.7 13.61 4.3 39.9 – – –

Heat treating equipment operators .................... 13.99 2.7 40.0 13.99 2.7 40.0 – – –

Wood lathe, routing, and planing machine

operators .......................................................... 8.82 11.1 39.2 8.80 11.3 39.8 – – –

Sawing machine operators ................................ 10.35 7.9 39.8 10.37 8.0 40.0 – – –

Shaping and jointing machine operators ........... 10.19 7.7 39.9 10.19 7.7 39.9 – – –

Printing press operators ..................................... 14.19 3.1 39.4 14.21 3.1 39.7 10.84 18.6 22.2

Photoengravers and lithographers ..................... 16.24 11.2 39.1 16.32 11.2 39.3 – – –

Typesetters and compositors ............................. 13.19 6.2 35.3 13.61 6.1 39.3 – – –

Winding and twisting machine operators ........... 11.99 7.2 39.8 11.99 7.2 39.8 – – –

Knitting, looping, taping, and weaving machine

operators .......................................................... 10.14 2.9 40.0 10.14 2.9 40.0 – – –

Textile cutting machine operators ...................... 8.65 8.2 40.0 8.65 8.2 40.0 – – –

Textile sewing machine operators ..................... 7.73 5.0 39.1 7.78 5.1 39.9 – – –

Shoe machine operators .................................... 9.64 10.7 39.8 9.64 10.7 39.8 – – –

Pressing machine operators .............................. 7.55 4.1 37.9 7.58 4.2 39.9 – – –

Laundering and dry cleaning machine operators 7.21 2.1 37.5 7.23 2.2 39.3 6.89 5.0 22.6

Cementing and gluing machine operators ......... 10.50 10.1 40.0 10.50 10.1 40.0 – – –

Packaging and filling machine operators ........... 10.78 4.8 39.3 10.91 4.3 40.0 – – –

Extruding and forming machine operators ......... 11.81 4.2 39.8 11.81 4.2 39.8 – – –

Mixing and blending machine operators ............ 13.31 3.9 39.7 13.31 3.9 39.8 – – –

Separating, filtering, and clarifying machine

operators .......................................................... 16.69 3.0 39.6 16.74 3.0 39.8 – – –

Compressing and compacting machine

operators .......................................................... 10.65 2.4 39.5 10.69 2.4 40.0 – – –

Painting and paint spraying machine operators 11.32 8.0 40.0 11.32 8.0 40.0 – – –

Roasting and baking machine operators, food .. 11.83 9.5 39.7 11.85 9.5 40.0 – – –

Washing, cleaning, and pickling machine

operators .......................................................... 11.26 8.7 40.1 11.26 8.7 40.1 – – –

Folding machine operators ................................ 11.81 4.2 39.7 11.85 4.2 39.8 – – –

Furnace, kiln, and oven operators, except food 13.36 5.5 39.9 13.36 5.5 40.0 – – –

Crushing and grinding machine operators ......... 12.37 5.7 39.9 12.37 5.7 39.9 – – –

Slicing and cutting machine operators ............... 12.50 4.6 39.9 12.51 4.6 40.0 – – –

Photographic process machine operators ......... 10.77 6.4 31.0 12.20 4.0 39.9 7.34 4.8 20.2

Miscellaneous machine operators, n.e.c. .......... 10.87 6.4 39.6 10.90 6.5 39.9 7.98 5.6 19.3

Welders and cutters ........................................... 14.41 2.5 40.0 14.42 2.5 40.0 – – –

Solders and braziers .......................................... 9.54 8.2 40.0 9.54 8.2 40.0 – – –

Assemblers ........................................................ 11.44 3.7 39.3 11.60 3.8 39.9 7.32 2.5 28.1

Hand cutting and trimming ................................. 7.71 10.5 39.8 7.72 10.5 40.0 – – –

Hand molding, casting, and forming .................. 11.50 2.4 39.9 11.53 2.3 40.0 – – –

Hand painting, coating, and decorating ............. 10.14 5.5 39.8 10.14 5.6 40.0 – – –

Hand engraving and printing .............................. 11.54 8.7 35.2 – – – – – –

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 1999–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

Miscellaneous hand working, n.e.c. ................... $10.19 4.5 38.8 $10.31 4.6 39.6 $5.86 7.2 21.8

Production inspectors, checkers and examiners 11.49 2.9 39.9 11.50 2.9 40.0 8.69 10.7 23.1

Production testers .............................................. 12.55 3.6 40.0 12.55 3.6 40.0 – – –

Production samplers and weighers .................... 14.53 3.5 39.6 14.53 3.5 39.6 – – –

Graders and sorters, except agricultural ............ 9.55 5.7 39.9 9.58 5.7 39.9 – – –

Hand inspectors, n.e.c. ...................................... 10.36 5.4 39.9 10.36 5.4 39.9 – – –

Transportation and material moving ......................... 12.92 1.8 37.6 13.26 1.8 40.8 9.86 9.7 21.8

Supervisors, motor vehicle operators ................ 17.24 4.2 41.8 17.29 4.2 41.9 – – –

Truck drivers ...................................................... 12.72 2.3 40.3 12.72 2.2 42.0 12.73 20.1 24.4

Driver-sales workers .......................................... 11.90 5.6 34.2 13.27 5.2 40.7 5.97 5.9 20.1

Bus drivers ......................................................... 12.38 2.8 28.0 13.26 4.4 36.8 11.08 2.7 20.8

Taxicab drivers and chauffeurs .......................... 8.31 4.7 30.0 8.95 6.0 39.7 7.00 4.4 20.0

Parking lot attendants ........................................ 7.71 7.1 32.3 8.49 5.2 40.0 5.77 6.3 22.0

Motor transportation, n.e.c. ................................ 7.69 6.9 30.5 8.58 6.8 38.3 5.76 10.2 21.2

Locomotive operating ........................................ 27.01 14.8 40.5 27.02 14.8 40.5 – – –

Railroad brake, signal and switch operators ...... 19.69 16.5 40.0 19.69 16.5 40.0 – – –

Ship captains and mates, except fishing boats .. 17.99 7.3 51.2 18.06 7.4 52.0 – – –

Sailors and deckhands ...................................... 12.17 14.4 43.6 11.92 14.1 47.5 – – –

Marine engineers ............................................... 15.56 29.8 51.4 15.56 29.8 51.4 – – –

Bridge, lock and lighthouse tenders ................... 11.74 2.5 40.0 – – – – – –

Supervisors, material moving equipment ........... 16.65 6.7 40.4 16.65 6.7 40.4 – – –

Operating engineers .......................................... 18.68 6.1 40.0 18.68 6.1 40.0 – – –

Longshore equipment operators ........................ 27.42 6.9 37.5 – – – – – –

Hoist and winch operators ................................. 14.92 9.7 40.0 14.92 9.7 40.0 – – –

Crane and tower operators ................................ 16.01 4.8 40.1 16.01 4.8 40.1 – – –

Excavating and loading machine operators ....... 13.85 3.7 40.0 13.85 3.7 40.0 – – –

Grader, dozer, and scrapper operators ............. 14.41 4.1 40.0 14.41 4.1 40.0 – – –

Industrial truck and tractor equipment operators 12.24 2.6 39.7 12.28 2.6 39.9 9.35 8.7 30.7

Miscellaneous material moving equipment

operators, n.e.c. ............................................... 14.31 3.8 38.4 14.45 3.9 39.9 11.21 3.0 20.3

Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and

laborers ....................................................................... 9.86 2.3 35.5 10.26 2.9 39.7 7.33 1.4 21.2

Nursery workers ................................................. 7.37 5.1 34.6 7.84 5.2 40.0 – – –

Supervisors, agriculture-related workers ........... 16.80 9.9 38.8 16.81 10.0 38.9 – – –

Groundskeepers and gardeners, except farm ... 9.29 4.2 37.1 9.45 4.8 39.8 7.45 4.4 20.1

Animal caretakers, except farm ......................... 10.22 11.8 32.8 11.06 10.1 38.6 6.33 7.2 19.5

Inspectors, agricultural products ........................ 8.74 11.3 37.2 9.08 15.5 40.0 – – –

Supervisors, handlers, equipment cleaners, and

laborers, n.e.c. ................................................. 16.02 7.4 38.9 16.06 7.5 39.1 – – –

Helpers, mechanics and repairers ..................... 10.40 4.1 38.4 10.59 4.5 39.8 7.20 8.9 24.7

Helpers, construction trades .............................. 10.13 3.5 39.1 10.13 3.6 39.9 10.35 10.5 22.5

Helpers, extractive ............................................. 8.85 14.8 38.1 8.85 14.8 38.1 – – –

Construction laborers ......................................... 11.65 4.8 39.3 11.68 4.9 39.9 10.96 16.8 28.6

Production helpers ............................................. 10.04 3.7 38.9 10.08 3.8 39.8 – – –

Garbage collectors ............................................. 13.94 7.6 39.8 14.09 7.6 40.0 – – –

Stevedores ......................................................... 20.47 6.2 39.2 20.47 6.2 39.3 – – –

Stock handlers and baggers .............................. 9.54 7.4 29.8 11.19 9.3 39.7 6.68 1.6 20.7

Machine feeders and offbearers ........................ 9.61 2.7 39.2 9.62 2.7 39.8 8.96 13.6 22.8

Freight, stock, and material handlers, n.e.c. ...... 10.80 3.2 33.9 11.21 3.6 39.7 9.05 2.9 20.8

Garage and service station related .................... 8.83 7.4 34.2 9.11 7.7 39.1 6.36 4.7 16.2

Vehicle washers and equipment cleaners ......... 8.82 4.2 37.5 8.96 4.4 39.9 6.98 4.9 20.9

Hand packers and packagers ............................ 8.18 2.5 38.2 8.24 2.9 39.9 6.74 3.4 19.6

Laborers, except construction, n.e.c. ................. 9.57 2.0 36.5 9.88 2.2 39.6 7.36 2.8 23.4

Service .............................................................................. 9.21 1.1 31.6 10.16 1.5 39.0 6.56 1.1 20.7

Protective service .................................................. 14.84 2.1 37.5 15.47 2.2 40.7 8.28 3.4 20.6

Supervisors, firefighters and fire prevention ...... 21.90 4.7 49.5 21.90 4.7 49.5 – – –

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 1999–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

Supervisors, police and detectives .................... $25.00 3.3 40.1 $25.00 3.3 40.1 – – –

Supervisors, guards ........................................... 16.60 7.1 37.8 16.87 6.9 38.6 – – –

Fire inspection and fire prevention ..................... 18.74 6.5 39.0 18.78 6.6 41.7 – – –

Firefighting ......................................................... 16.13 3.0 43.5 16.43 2.8 48.7 $7.01 7.7 10.3

Police and detectives, public service ................. 20.25 1.4 39.5 20.32 1.4 40.0 11.74 12.2 16.4

Sheriffs, bailiffs, and other law enforcement

officers ............................................................. 16.60 2.8 39.2 16.74 2.8 39.9 11.95 7.1 24.9

Correctional institution officers ........................... 14.94 3.8 39.8 14.96 3.8 39.9 – – –

Crossing guards ................................................. 8.97 4.5 17.2 – – – 8.58 4.6 16.6

Guards and police, except public service .......... 8.89 2.0 34.3 9.07 2.0 39.4 8.15 4.2 22.3

Protective service, n.e.c. .................................... 12.03 7.7 29.3 13.95 8.5 39.3 8.08 9.7 19.2

Food service .......................................................... 6.72 1.5 28.8 7.44 2.5 38.5 5.74 1.2 21.6

Waiters, waitresses, and bartenders ................... 4.71 2.8 27.4 4.94 3.7 37.7 4.42 3.4 20.2

Bartenders ......................................................... 6.72 6.6 28.1 7.34 9.2 38.2 5.75 2.7 19.8

Waiters and waitresses ...................................... 4.04 3.8 27.7 4.09 5.3 37.5 3.98 4.5 20.8

Waiters’/Waitresses’ assistants ......................... 5.65 2.7 25.3 6.03 4.0 38.3 5.17 3.2 17.9

Other food service ............................................... 7.63 1.2 29.5 8.57 1.3 38.9 6.36 1.2 22.3

Supervisors, food preparation and service ........ 10.75 2.4 39.3 11.06 2.3 41.4 6.86 11.7 24.2

Cooks ................................................................. 8.24 2.0 33.6 8.65 1.9 38.6 7.00 4.3 24.2

Kitchen workers, food preparation ..................... 7.22 2.4 30.2 7.78 2.9 38.9 6.52 3.0 23.4

Food preparation, n.e.c. ..................................... 6.77 1.3 26.0 7.53 1.4 37.9 6.22 1.3 21.1

Health service ........................................................ 9.35 1.7 33.3 9.51 1.8 38.8 8.56 1.8 19.6

Dental assistants ............................................... 12.34 8.2 30.4 12.85 8.6 37.0 9.00 11.2 14.0

Health aides, except nursing ............................. 10.05 2.2 32.6 10.34 2.3 39.3 8.55 3.2 17.3

Nursing aides, orderlies and attendants ............ 8.79 1.3 33.9 8.85 1.5 38.8 8.52 1.8 21.2

Cleaning and building service ................................ 9.14 1.5 33.4 9.52 1.8 39.1 7.26 2.0 19.4

Supervisors, cleaning and building service

workers ............................................................ 10.73 7.9 39.3 10.75 8.0 39.5 8.75 2.8 25.3

Maids and housemen ........................................ 7.44 2.3 33.9 7.52 2.5 37.8 7.04 4.2 22.0

Janitors and cleaners ......................................... 9.27 1.8 32.3 9.77 2.0 39.4 7.30 2.3 18.9

Elevator operators ............................................. 13.26 6.3 39.1 – – – – – –

See footnotes at end of table.

13
TABLE 3. Mean hourly earnings1 and weekly hours for selected occupations, full-time and part-time workers,2 United States, National

Compensation Survey,3 1999–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

Cleaning and building service –Continued

Pest control ........................................................ $11.07 10.0 40.0 $11.07 10.0 40.0 – – –

Personal service .................................................... 8.93 2.2 29.8 9.66 2.5 37.7 $7.10 3.2 19.6

Supervisors, personal service ............................ 15.89 10.4 39.0 16.06 10.0 40.0 9.28 9.5 19.8

Hairdressers and cosmetologists ....................... 9.79 5.6 29.8 9.83 6.1 38.6 9.68 9.1 18.6

Attendants, amusement, and recreation

facilities ............................................................ 6.41 5.5 29.0 6.63 5.5 39.5 5.98 6.1 19.3

Guides ............................................................... 11.14 11.2 30.7 12.33 9.3 39.4 7.54 7.5 18.4

Ushers ............................................................... 5.93 4.3 15.7 – – – 5.95 4.5 15.3

Public transportation attendants ........................ 26.33 7.6 21.4 27.76 6.6 21.6 13.49 17.8 20.1

Baggage porters and bellhops ........................... 6.98 5.9 35.3 6.79 6.8 39.4 7.87 9.5 23.8

Welfare service aides ........................................ 7.59 4.8 29.0 8.36 4.3 39.3 6.35 6.1 20.4

Early childhood teachers’ assistants .................. 7.02 3.4 30.4 7.28 4.4 37.7 6.51 3.8 21.9

Child care workers, n.e.c. .................................. 8.27 3.2 29.5 8.57 3.6 39.4 7.60 3.4 19.1

Service, n.e.c. .................................................... 8.28 8.4 30.4 8.64 11.4 39.1 7.22 3.6 18.3

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. Collection was conducted between September 1998

and April 2000. The average reference period was September 1999. For the first time,

estimates include workers in private establishments employing fewer than 50 workers. 4 A classification system including about 480 individual occupations is used to cover all

workers in the civilian economy. 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. 

14
15

The data in this report are based on the National Compensation Survey (NCS) conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The National Compensation Survey 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 NCS studied 19,481 establishments representing nearly 95 million workers within the scope of the

survey. (See table below.) Beginning with the 1999 NCS,

private sector establishments with one or more workers are

included in the survey. State and local governments with 50

or more workers are included. 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.

Technical Notes

Sample design and data collection. The sample for this

survey was selected using a three-stage design. The first

stage involved the selection of areas. The NCS sample consisted of 154 metropolitan areas and nonmetropolitan areas

that represent the Nations 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 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) or Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas (CMSAs), as defined

by the 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 industry and

ownership. 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

establishments 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.

Collection was conducted between September 1998 and

April 2000, with an average reference period of September 1999.
Number of workers1 represented by the survey, by occupational group,2 United States, National

Compensation Survey,3 1999

Occupational group All industries Private industry State and local

government

All ............................................................................................. 94,757,800 80,546,700 14,211,100

All, excluding sales ............................................................... 84,911,500 70,755,500 14,156,100

White collar ......................................................................... 49,081,600 39,489,300 9,592,400

White collar, excluding sales ............................................ 39,235,300 29,698,000 9,537,300

Professional specialty and technical ................................. 16,051,400 10,406,800 5,644,600

Professional specialty occupations ............................... 12,530,200 7,362,400 5,167,900

Technical occupations .................................................. 3,521,200 3,044,500 476,700

Executive, administrative, and managerial ....................... 7,067,700 5,876,300 1,191,400

Sales ................................................................................. 9,846,300 9,791,300 55,000

Administrative support, including clerical .......................... 16,116,200 13,414,900 2,701,300

Blue collar ........................................................................... 28,026,000 26,552,700 1,473,300

Precision production, craft, and repair .............................. 9,358,400 8,764,300 594,100

Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors .............. 7,466,200 7,433,400 32,800

Transportation and material moving ................................. 4,043,000 3,515,300 527,700

Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers ...... 7,158,400 6,839,800 318,600

Service ................................................................................. 17,650,200 14,504,800 3,145,400

1 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. 3 This survey covers all 50 States. Collection was conducted

between September 1998 and April 2000. The average reference

period was September 1999. For the first time, estimates include

workers in private establishments employing fewer than 50

workers.

16
17

Occupational selection and classification. 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 jobs

chance of selection.

The second step of the process entailed classifying the

selected jobs into occupations based on their duties. The

National Compensation Survey occupational classification

system is based on the 1990 Census of Population. A selected job may fall into any one of about 480 occupational

classifications, from accountant to wood lathe operator. For

cases in which a jobs 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.

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

establishments definition of those terms. Then, the worker

was classified as having a time versus 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. Finally, the worker was identified as being in

a union job or a nonunion job.

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

surveysampling 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 each other.

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 $15.36 per

hour and a relative standard error of 1.3 percent for this estimate. At the 90-percent level, the confidence interval for this

estimate is $15.03 to $15.69 ($15.36 x 1.645 x 0.013= $0.328,

round to $0.33); ($15.36  .33 = $15.03; $15.36 + .33 = $15.69).

If all possible samples were selected to estimate the population value, the interval from each sample 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. A

Technical Reinterview Program done in all survey areas will

be used in the development of a formal quality assessment

process to help compute nonsampling error. Although such

errors were not specifically measured, efforts were made to

minimize them through the 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.

1 The Middle Atlantic census division also includes the New York, NY,

CMSA (which consists of parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania) and the Philadelphia, PA, CMSA (which consists of parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland).

2 The East North Central census division also includes the Cincinnati,

OH, CMSA (which consists of parts of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana).

3

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

MO CMSA (which consists of parts of Missouri and Illinois) and the

Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN, MSA (which consists of parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin).

4

 The East South Central census division also includes the Louisville,

KY, MSA (which consists of parts of Kentucky and Indiana) and the

Memphis, TN, MSA (which consists of parts of Tennessee, Arkansas,

and Mississippi).
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Additional information about the National Compensation

Survey, including a list of occupational classifications and

the factors 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 data contained in this summary are available on the

Bureaus Internet site: http://www.bls.gov/comhome.htm.

Data are in three formats: An ASCII file containing the published table formats; an ASCII file containing positional columns of data for manipulation as a database or spreadsheet;

and a Portable Document Format (PDF) containing the entire

summary.

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.