Compensation costs in private industry and private industry health care

Overall, private industry employers spent an average of $29.11 per hour worked for employee compensation in June 2013. Wages and salaries averaged $20.47 per hour worked, while benefits averaged $8.64. Private industry hospitals spent an average of $39.45 per hour worked ($26.59 for wages and salaries and $12.85 for benefits). Average compensation costs were $20.52 in private industry nursing and residential care facilities ($14.89  for wages and salaries, $5.63 for benefits).

 

Overall, private industry employer costs for paid leave averaged $2.00 per hour worked, supplemental pay averaged 80 cents, insurance benefits averaged $2.39, retirement and savings averaged $1.07, and legally required benefits averaged $2.39 per hour worked.

In private hospitals, employer costs for benefits were all higher than the average for all private employers. Paid leave averaged $3.38 per hour worked, supplemental pay averaged $1.20, insurance benefits averaged $3.93, retirement and savings averaged $1.52, and legally required benefits averaged $2.83 per hour worked.

In private nursing and residential care facilities, benefits costs were all lower than the average for all private employers. Paid leave averaged $1.35 per hour worked, supplemental pay averaged 41 cents, insurance benefits averaged $1.67, retirement and savings averaged 29 cents, and legally required benefits averaged $1.92.

These data are from the Employment Cost Trends program. To learn more, see "Employer Costs for Employee Compensation — June 2013" (HTML) (PDF), news release USDL-13-1835.