Table 29. Standard errors for defined benefit plans: Eligibility requirements, private industry workers,
National Compensation Survey, 2010
                                                                                                         
                                                                                                         
                                                  Open to new employees                                  
                                                                                                         
                            Plans                                                     Plans not          
                           open to     With               Median      No     Age and   open to     Not   
     Characteristics         new     minimum    Median   service   minimum   service     new    determin-
                          employees   age or     age    requirem-   age or  requirem- employees    able  
                                     service  requirem-  ent (in   service   ent not                     
                                    requirem-    ent     months)  requirem- determin-                    
                                       ent                           ent       able                      
                                                                                                      
  Worker characteristic                                                                                  
                                                                                                         
All workers..............       2.3       2.5       0.0       0.0       1.6       0.4       2.3       (1)
                                                                                                         
Management, professional,                                                                                
and related..............       4.3       4.5       0.0       0.0       2.5       0.8       4.3         –
  Management, business,                                                                                  
  and financial..........       5.2       5.0       0.0       0.0         –         –       5.2         –
  Professional and                                                                                       
  related................       4.9       5.7       0.0       0.0       3.1       0.5       4.9         –
Service..................       3.3       5.9       0.0         –         –         –         –         –
Sales and office.........       2.0       2.5       0.0       0.0       1.4       0.3       2.0       0.1
  Sales and related......       4.7       5.0       0.0       0.0         –         –         –         –
  Office and                                                                                             
  administrative support        2.1       2.6       0.0       0.0       1.7       0.4       2.1       0.1
Natural resources,                                                                                       
construction, and                                                                                        
maintenance..............       5.8       7.3       0.0       0.0       6.3       0.8         –         –
  Construction,                                                                                          
  extraction, farming,                                                                                   
  fishing, and forestry..       1.7       9.7       1.0       0.0         –         –         –         –
Production,                                                                                              
transportation, and                                                                                      
material moving..........       3.5       3.8       0.0       0.0       2.8       0.1       3.5         –
  Transportation and                                                                                     
  material moving........       1.3       4.6       0.0       0.0         –         –         –         –
                                                                                                         
Full time................       2.4       2.7       0.0       0.0       1.8       0.5       2.4       (1)
Part time................       2.1       2.8       0.0       0.0       2.0       0.3         –         –
                                                                                                         
Union....................       1.8       3.7       0.0       0.0       3.3       0.8       1.8       0.1
Nonunion.................       3.4       3.8       0.0       0.0       1.6       0.3       3.4         –
                                                                                                         
Average wage within the                                                                                  
following categories:(2)                                                                                 
  Lowest 25 percent......       6.5       6.9       0.0       0.0         –         –         –         –
  Second 25 percent......       3.0       3.4       0.0       0.0       1.8       0.4       3.0         –
  Third 25 percent.......       2.5       3.3       0.0       0.0       3.3       0.2       2.5       0.1
  Highest 25 percent.....       3.5       3.6       0.0       0.0       2.3       0.8       3.5       (1)
    Highest 10 percent...       5.0       4.6       0.0       0.0       2.5       0.5       5.0         –
                                                                                                         
      Establishment                                                                                      
     characteristic                                                                                      
                                                                                                         
Goods-producing                                                                                          
industries...............       4.3       4.2       0.0       0.0       2.3       0.4       4.3         –
  Construction...........       0.0       8.6         –       1.2         –         –         –         –
  Manufacturing..........       5.2       5.0       0.0       0.0       2.4       0.5       5.2         –
                                                                                                         
Service-providing                                                                                        
industries...............       2.7       3.3       0.0       0.0       2.1       0.6       2.7       (1)
  Trade, transportation,                                                                                 
  and utilities..........       3.0       4.2       0.0       0.0       3.4         –         –         –
  Information............       9.9      10.3         –       0.0         –         –       9.8       0.4
  Financial activities...       2.0       2.2       0.0       0.0         –         –       2.0         –
    Finance and insurance       1.6       2.2       0.0       0.0         –         –       1.6         –
      Credit                                                                                             
      intermediation and                                                                                 
      related activities        2.2       2.1       0.0       0.0         –         –         –         –
      Insurance carriers                                                                                 
      and related                                                                                        
      activities.........       3.4       5.5       0.0       0.0         –         –         –         –
  Professional and                                                                                       
  business services......      10.5       9.4       0.0       0.0         –         –      10.5         –
  Education and health                                                                                   
  services...............       3.2       5.3       0.0       0.0         –         –         –         –
    Educational services        0.6      10.2       0.0         –      10.0         –         –         –
      Junior colleges,                                                                                   
      colleges, and                                                                                      
      universities.......       0.9       7.5       1.4         –       7.3         –         –         –
    Health care and                                                                                      
    social assistance....       3.6       5.7       0.0       0.0         –         –         –         –
                                                                                                         
1 to 99 workers..........       4.8       6.1       0.0       0.0         –         –         –         –
  1 to 49 workers........       5.6       6.6       0.0       2.9         –         –         –         –
  50 to 99 workers.......       8.6      10.2       0.0       0.0         –         –         –         –
100 workers or more......       2.4       2.6       0.0       0.0       1.9       0.6       2.4       (1)
  100 to 499 workers.....       4.7       4.3       0.0       0.0       2.4       1.5       4.7         –
  500 workers or more....       2.8       3.4       0.0       0.0       2.4       0.2       2.8       (1)
                                                                                                         
     Geographic area                                                                                     
                                                                                                         
New England..............       9.5       7.9       0.0       0.0         –         –       9.5         –
Middle Atlantic..........       2.9       4.3       0.0       0.0       4.6       0.3       2.9         –
East North Central.......       3.6       4.3       0.0       0.0       1.5       1.7       3.6         –
West North Central.......       4.9       6.5       0.0       0.0         –         –         –         –
South Atlantic...........       6.7       6.9       0.0       0.0       2.4       0.1         –         –
West South Central.......       8.0       8.4       0.0       0.0         –         –         –         –
Mountain.................       6.5      10.8       0.0       0.0         –         –       6.2       0.4
Pacific..................       8.1       9.4       0.0       0.0         –         –         –         –

  1 Less than 0.05.
  2 The categories are based on the average wage for each occupation surveyed, which may include workers
with earnings both above and below the threshold. The average wages are based on the estimates published
in the "National Compensation Survey: Occupational Earnings in the United States, 2009." See Technical
Note for more details.

NOTE: Dashes indicate that no data were reported or that data do not meet publication criteria. For
definitions of major plans, key provisions, and related terms, see the "Glossary of Employee Benefit
Terms" at www.bls.gov/ncs/ebs/glossary20102011.htm.