Employer Costs for Employee Compensation Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Friday, March 20, 2026					    USDL-26-0505

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                       EMPLOYER COSTS FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION - DECEMBER 2025

Employer costs for employee compensation for civilian workers averaged $48.78 per hour worked in 
December 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries averaged $33.45, 
while benefit costs averaged $15.33. (See tables 1 and 2.) 

Total employer compensation costs for private industry workers averaged $46.15 per hour worked in 
December 2025. Wages and salaries averaged $32.36 per hour worked and accounted for 70.1 percent of 
employer costs, while benefit costs averaged $13.79 per hour worked and accounted for the remaining 
29.9 percent. (See tables 1 and 4.)

Total employer compensation costs for state and local government workers averaged $65.68 per hour 
worked in December 2025. Wages and salaries averaged $40.49 per hour worked and accounted for 61.7 
percent of employer costs, while benefit costs averaged $25.19 per hour worked and accounted for the 
remaining 38.3 percent. (See tables 1 and 3.)

Total employer compensation costs for private industry workers in the wholesale trade industry 
averaged $53.03 per hour worked in December 2025. Wholesale trade wages and salaries averaged $37.52, 
while benefit costs averaged $15.51. Total employer compensation costs for private industry workers in 
the retail trade industry averaged $26.41 per hour worked. Retail trade wages and salaries averaged 
$20.27, while benefit costs averaged $6.14. (See table 4.) 

Wholesale trade and retail trade industries in the private sector

In wholesale trade industries, employer costs for paid leave averaged $4.18 per hour worked and 
accounted for 7.9 percent of employer costs. Costs for legally required benefits averaged $3.77 per 
hour worked and accounted for 7.1 percent of employer costs. In retail trade industries, employer costs 
for paid leave averaged $1.34 per hour worked and accounted for 5.1 percent of employer costs. Costs 
for legally required benefits averaged $2.19 per hour worked and accounted for 8.3 percent of employer 
costs. (See table 4.) 

In wholesale trade industries, wages and salaries for sales and office occupations averaged $38.91 per 
hour worked. Wages and salaries for production, transportation, and material moving occupations 
averaged $23.63 per hour worked. In retail trade industries, wages and salaries for sales and office 
occupations averaged $18.70 per hour worked. Wages and salaries for production, transportation, and 
material moving occupations averaged $18.33 per hour worked. (See table 4.)

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation for March 2026 is scheduled to be released on 
Friday, June 12, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).