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News Release Information

16-1030-ATL
Thursday, May 19, 2016

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (404) 893-4220

Occupational Employment and Wages in Louisville-Jefferson County—May 2015

Workers in the Louisville-Jefferson County Metropolitan Statistical Area had an average (mean) hourly wage of $20.87 in May 2015, about 10 percent below the nationwide average of $23.23, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that, after testing for statistical significance, wages in the local area were lower than their respective national averages in 14 of the 22 major occupational groups including, legal, computer and mathematical, and management. One group had a significantly higher wage than their respective national average.

When compared to the nationwide distribution, local employment was more highly concentrated in 4 of the 22 occupational groups, including production, and transportation and material moving. Conversely, 16 groups had employment shares significantly below their national representation, including education, training, and library; business and financial operations; and sales and related. (See table A and box note at end of release.)

Table A. Occupational employment and wages by major occupational group, United States and the Louisville-Jefferson County Metropolitan Statistical Area, and measures of statistical significance, May 2015
Major occupational groupPercent of total employmentMean hourly wage
United StatesLouisvilleUnited StatesLouisvillePercent difference (1)

Total, all occupations

100.0%100.0%$23.23$20.87*-10

Management

5.04.8*55.3046.20*-16

Business and financial operations

5.14.4*35.4830.69*-14

Computer and mathematical

2.92.2*41.4333.50*-19

Architecture and engineering

1.81.1*39.8932.47*-19

Life, physical, and social science

0.80.3*34.2426.82*-22

Community and social services

1.41.1*22.1919.97*-10

Legal

0.80.6*49.7437.48*-25

Education, training, and library

6.24.7*25.4824.22-5

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media

1.31.0*27.3921.34*-22

Healthcare practitioner and technical

5.86.7*37.4034.88-7

Healthcare support

2.92.6*14.1914.472

Protective service

2.41.9*21.4516.86*-21

Food preparation and serving related

9.19.310.989.94*-9

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance

3.22.7*13.0211.91*-9

Personal care and service

3.12.9*12.3311.54*-6

Sales and related

10.59.8*18.9018.12-4

Office and administrative support

15.815.717.4716.67*-5

Farming, fishing, and forestry

0.30.1*12.6713.96*10

Construction and extraction

4.03.5*22.8821.03*-8

Installation, maintenance, and repair

3.94.4*22.1122.060

Production

6.610.0*17.4117.360

Transportation and material moving

6.910.2*16.9018.5210

Footnotes:
(1) A positive percent difference measures how much the mean wage in Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN, is above the national mean wage, while a negative difference reflects a lower wage.
* The percent share of employment or mean hourly wage for this area is significantly different from the national average of all areas at the 90-percent confidence level.
 

One occupational group—production—was chosen to illustrate the diversity of data available for any of the 22 major occupational categories. Louisville-Jefferson County had 62,620 jobs in production, accounting for 10.0 percent of local area employment, significantly higher than the 6.6-percent share nationally. The average hourly wage for this occupational group locally was $17.36, compared to the national wage of $17.41.

Some of the larger detailed occupations within the production group included team assemblers (14,610), inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers (3,870), and first-line supervisors of production and operating workers (3,280). Among the higher paying jobs were first-line supervisors of production and operating workers, and tool and die makers, with mean hourly wages of $26.36 and $25.57, respectively. At the lower end of the wage scale were laundry and dry-cleaning workers ($9.80) and production workers helpers ($12.69). (Detailed occupational data for production are presented in table 1; for a complete listing of detailed occupations available go to www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_31140.htm .)

Location quotients allow us to explore the occupational make-up of a metropolitan area by comparing the composition of jobs in an area relative to the national average. (See table 1.) For example, a location quotient of 2.0 indicates that an occupation accounts for twice the share of employment in the area than it does nationally. In the Louisville-Jefferson County Metropolitan Statistical Area, above-average concentrations of employment were found in some of the occupations within the production group. For instance, cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic were employed at 3.6 times the national rate in Louisville, and team assemblers, at 2.9 times the U.S. average. On the other hand, computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic had a location quotient of 1.0 in Louisville, indicating that this particular occupation’s local and national employment shares were similar.

These statistics are from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, a federal-state cooperative program between BLS and State Workforce Agencies, in this case, the Kentucky Department for Workforce Investment.

Notes on Occupational Employment Statistics Data

With the issuance of data for May 2015, the OES program has incorporated redefined metropolitan area definitions as designated by the Office of Management and Budget. OES data are available for 394 metropolitan areas, 38 metropolitan divisions, and 167 OES-defined nonmetropolitan areas. A listing of the areas and their definitions can be found at www.bls.gov/oes/current/msa_def.htm.

A value that is statistically different from another does not necessarily mean that the difference has economic or practical significance. Statistical significance is concerned with the ability to make confident statements about a universe based on a sample. It is entirely possible that a large difference between two values is not significantly different statistically, while a small difference is, since both the size and heterogeneity of the sample affect the relative error of the data being tested.


Technical Note

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a semiannual mail survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. The OES program produces employment and wage estimates for over 800 occupations for all industries combined in the nation; the 50 states and the District of Columbia; 432 metropolitan areas and divisions; 167 nonmetropolitan areas; and Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. National estimates are also available by industry for NAICS sectors, 3-, 4-, and selected 5- and 6-digit industries, and by ownership across all industries and for schools and hospitals. OES data are available at www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm.

OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.2 million establishments. Forms are mailed to approximately 200,000 sampled establishments in May and November each year. May 2015 estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected over a 3-year period: May 2015, November 2014, May 2014, November 2013, May 2013, and November 2012. The overall national response rate for the six panels is 73.5 percent based on establishments and 69.6 percent based on weighted sampled employment. The unweighted employment of sampled establishments across all six semiannual panels represents approximately 57.9 percent of total national employment. (Response rates are slightly lower for these estimates due to the federal shutdown in October 2013.) The sample in the Louisville-Jefferson County Metropolitan Statistical Area included 5,003 establishments with a response rate of 76 percent. For more information about OES concepts and methodology, go to www.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.

The May 2015 OES estimates are based on the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system and the 2012 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Information about the 2010 SOC is available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/soc and information about the 2012 NAICS is available at www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm.

Metropolitan Area definitions

The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

The Louisville-Jefferson County, Ky. Metropolitan Statistical Area  includes Bullitt, Henry, Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, and Trimble Counties of Kentucky, and Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, and Washington Counties of Indiana.

Additional information

OES data are available on our regional web page at www.bls.gov/regions/southeast. Answers to frequently asked questions about the OES data are available at www.bls.gov/oes/oes_ques.htm. Detailed technical information about the OES survey is available in our Survey Methods and Reliability Statement on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/oes/current/methods_statement.pdf.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

Table 1. Employment and wage data from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey, by occupation, Louisville-Jefferson County Metropolitan Statistical Area, May 2015
Occupation (1)EmploymentMean wages
Level (2)Location quotient (3)HourlyAnnual (4)

Production Occupations

62,6201.5$17.36$36,110

First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers

3,2801.226.3654,820

Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers

500.813.3127,680

Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers

4600.513.5428,170

Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers

(5)(5)17.4036,180

Engine and Other Machine Assemblers

(5)(5)14.5530,260

Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

4301.221.9145,570

Team Assemblers

14,6102.918.1837,820

Assemblers and Fabricators, All Other

4,0303.911.9024,750

Bakers

2300.313.0627,160

Butchers and Meat Cutters

4900.815.6432,530

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers

(5)(5)12.6326,270

Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders

(5)(5)14.1929,510

Food Batchmakers

7801.314.0829,290

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

3502.316.6134,550

Food Processing Workers, All Other

(5)(5)11.1423,160

Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic

6601.016.7934,920

Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tool Programmers, Metal and Plastic

600.518.6538,780

Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

5001.516.2333,760

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

1802.119.7140,990

Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

4803.317.6736,750

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

3,1403.621.6845,100

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

801.218.9739,450

Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

2500.815.7932,840

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

500.319.9441,480

Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

800.927.5157,230

Machinists

1,6800.921.3244,340

Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

7501.215.3131,840

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

9001.915.8132,890

Tool and Die Makers

8202.425.5753,190

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

2,9401.719.2840,110

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

5002.114.8930,970

Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

400.416.7134,750

Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

500.313.4828,040

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners

601.313.2227,500

Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other

800.814.5130,190

Prepress Technicians and Workers

1901.219.4340,420

Printing Press Operators

1,6102.118.8239,150

Print Binding and Finishing Workers

2701.115.4632,160

Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers

5500.69.8020,390

Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials

1900.99.2019,130

Sewing Machine Operators

5800.913.3727,800

Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers

800.912.9326,890

Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers

(5)(5)17.1435,640

Upholsterers

600.514.4430,030

Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other

(5)(5)13.5428,160

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters

6301.516.2833,860

Furniture Finishers

1301.713.1327,310

Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood

2101.012.2125,400

Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing

9702.814.8130,810

Power Plant Operators

2301.435.1173,030

Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators

700.523.2348,310

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

2500.517.8137,040

Chemical Plant and System Operators

700.5(5)(5)

Plant and System Operators, All Other

300.631.4665,440

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders

3501.123.5548,980

Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

2101.021.2944,280

Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

1000.715.5032,240

Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand

2001.613.8028,700

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

6001.018.1037,640

Cutters and Trimmers, Hand

(5)(5)14.0229,160

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

5501.916.5934,510

Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

3801.212.5626,130

Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers

3,8701.718.4438,350

Dental Laboratory Technicians

1601.017.6436,690

Medical Appliance Technicians

701.1(5)(5)

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

400.314.2029,540

Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

2,4201.414.9531,100

Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

4601.216.4434,190

Painters, Transportation Equipment

2100.926.1354,350

Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers

1201.614.2629,670

Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators

(5)(5)14.6330,430

Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders

1602.115.2431,700

Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders

300.412.9426,910

Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders

401.210.4521,730

Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic

1600.911.0022,870

Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

6001.415.0531,310

Helpers--Production Workers

2,2701.112.6926,400

Production Workers, All Other

3,1402.911.8324,620

Footnotes:
(1) For a complete listing of all detailed occupations in Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN, see www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_31140.htm.
(2) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(3) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
(4) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a ‘year-round, full-time’ hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(5) Estimate not released.
 

 

Last Modified Date: Thursday, May 19, 2016