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The National Compensation Survey (NCS) produces indexes measuring change over time in labor costs through the Employment Cost Index (ECI) and the level of average costs per hour worked through the Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC). The NCS provides benefits per incidence for the percentage of workers with access to and participating in employer-sponsored benefit plans. The survey covers a broad range of benefits including holidays and vacations, sick leave, health and life insurance, and retirement plans. Details of employer-provided health and retirement plan provisions are also available. The NCS program’s webpage is available at www.bls.gov/ncs/.
Data from the NCS are used for a variety of reasons by the private sector including to aid in collective bargaining negotiations, evaluate benefit packages, analyze contract settlements, guide decisions in business or plant location, assist in wage and salary administration, and adjust wages in long-term contracts. The public sector also uses the NCS to formulate and assess public policy, aid collective bargaining negotiations, evaluate benefit packages, analyze contract settlements, index Medicare payments, and formulate monetary policy. Some examples by product are listed below.
A comprehensive set of recent NCS data is available on the BLS website.
News Release (Latest) (Archived)
Historical and Health Benefit Tables
Employer Costs for Employee Compensation:
News Release (Latest) (Archived)
Historical, Supplemental, and Relative Standard Error Tables
News Release (Latest) (Archived)
Employee Benefits in the United States (Latest) (Archived)
Health and Retirement Plan Provisions in Private Industry (Latest) (Archived)
Health and Retirement Plan Provisions in State and Local Government (Latest) (Archived)
The NCS processes requests for special tabulations of data not available elsewhere. Requests are evaluated and processed according to resource availability and complexity of the request. The NCS is not designed to produce estimates for individual states. Requests for additional geographic detail will be denied. All special tabulations of data are reviewed for reliability and confidentiality prior to release, which may limit the data provided. If the special tabulation data are cited, the user should indicate that the data are unpublished estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey and provide the associated reference period. To submit a request for special tabulation of data, complete the NCS online form, enter “special data request” in the subject line and indicate the scope of the request. BLS staff evaluating the request will respond and ask for clarification, if necessary. When making a special data request, users should provide a detailed explanation of the scope that includes ownership (civilian, private, and state and local government), industry, occupation, worker and establishment characteristics, and time period. This detailed explanation will expedite the evaluation. Users looking to conduct econometric analysis should consider submitting proposals through BLS Restricted Data Access.
The NCS micro data are available on a limited basis to researchers who want to conduct valid statistical analyses. Researchers are encouraged to apply for access as early as possible and to discuss the project with appropriate BLS contacts prior to submitting an application. For more information see BLS Restricted Data Access.