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For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, March 13, 2024 USDL-24-0485 Technical information: (202) 691-6199 * ncsinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/ecec Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * pressoffice@bls.gov EMPLOYER COSTS FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION - DECEMBER 2023 Employer costs for employee compensation for civilian workers averaged $45.42 per hour worked in December 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries averaged $31.29, while benefit costs averaged $14.13. (See tables 1 and 2.) Total employer compensation costs for private industry workers averaged $43.11 per hour worked in December 2023. Wages and salaries averaged $30.33 per hour worked and accounted for 70.4 percent of employer costs, while benefit costs averaged $12.77 per hour worked and accounted for the remaining 29.6 percent. (See tables 1 and 4.) Total employer compensation costs for state and local government workers averaged $60.56 per hour worked in December 2023. Wages and salaries averaged $37.53 and accounted for 62.0 percent of employer costs, while benefit costs averaged $23.03 and accounted for 38.0 percent. (See tables 1 and 3.) Wage and salary costs for private industry workers in goods-producing industries averaged $30.31 per hour worked. Wage and salary costs for private industry workers in service-providing industries averaged $30.34. Benefit costs averaged $14.44 in goods-producing industries and $12.44 in service-providing industries. Employer costs for employee paid leave components include costs for vacation, holiday, sick, and personal leave. Paid leave costs averaged $2.82 in goods-producing industries and $3.34 in service-providing industries. (See table 4.) Private industry compensation costs Among service-providing industries, compensation costs averaged $46.28 for the education and health services industry sector. Wage and salary costs averaged $32.71 and accounted for 70.7 percent of total compensation. Benefit costs averaged $13.57 and accounted for 29.3 percent of total compensation. (See table 4.) Within the educational services industry, employer costs for wages and salaries averaged $38.92 per hour worked and accounted for 71.8 percent of total compensation. Within the health care and social assistance industry, employer costs for wages and salaries averaged $31.84 per hour worked and accounted for 70.5 percent of total compensation. (See table 4.) Within the educational services industry, paid leave cost employers $4.70 per hour worked and accounted for 8.7 percent of total compensation. Within the health care and social assistance industry, paid leave cost employers $3.93 per hour worked and accounted for 8.7 percent of total compensation. (See table 4.) Employer Costs for Employee Compensation for March 2024 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).