Highlights of York, Pa. National Compensation Survey, October 2006 (PDF)

Workers in the York metropolitan area averaged $16.73 per hour during October 2006, according to new survey results from the National Compensation Survey (NCS) released by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Regional Commissioner Sheila Watkins reported average hourly earnings of $28.01 for management, professional, and related workers and $18.60 for natural resources, construction, and maintenance workers.  Production, transportation, and material moving workers averaged $14.30 an hour; sales and office workers $13.22; and service workers, $9.37.  [See table 1.  Note:  Occupational aggregations are now based on the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system.]

In the York metropolitan area, production, transportation, and material moving workers made up the largest occupational group, accounting for 24 percent of the workforce, followed by sales and office workers (23 percent), management, professional, and related workers (22 percent) and service workers (20 percent).  Natural resources, construction, and maintenance represented the smallest group in the survey at 11 percent. 

The NCS provides straight-time earnings data for a variety of occupations in private establishments employing 1 or more employees and 50 employees or more for State and local governments.  This NCS survey covered 143 establishments representing 166,700 workers in the York metropolitan area, which consists of York County in Pennsylvania.  Agricultural establishments, private households, the self-employed, and the Federal Government were excluded from the survey. 

In the York area, average hourly wages were published for full-time workers in a number of detailed occupations.  Within the production, transportation, and material moving occupations, printing machine operators averaged $20.50 and truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer, averaged $15.89.  In the management, professional, and related occupations, registered nurses averaged $27.33 while accountants and auditors averaged $21.56.  Secretaries and administrative assistants, part of the sales and office occupational group, earned $16.57.  (See table 2.)

The NCS also provides broad coverage of selected occupational characteristics.  Establishments in the York area with 1-99 workers averaged $14.50 and those in establishments with 100-499 workers earned $16.99; workers in establishments with 500 or more employees earned $20.29.  Full-time workers averaged $17.83 per hour while their part-time counterparts earned $9.27.  (See tables 1 and 2.)

The NCS is a comprehensive survey that measures occupational earnings, occupational levels based on duties and responsibilities, compensation cost trends, and benefit incidences.  The Employment Cost Index (ECI) component measures changes in labor costs.  Average employer costs for employee compensation are available from the Employer Cost for Employee Compensation (ECEC) series.  Details on benefits incidences and provisions are available from the Employee Benefits Survey (EBS).  The occupational wage data may be used by businesses for establishing pay plans, making decisions concerning plant relocation, and in collective bargaining negotiations.  Individuals may use such data to help choose potential careers.  Details on the NCS are available at http://www.bls.gov/ncs/.

Survey Availability

Complete survey results are contained in the York, PA National Compensation Survey 2006 (Bulletin 3135-78) (PDF).  While supplies last, single copies of the bulletin are available from the Mid-Atlantic Information Office by calling 215-597-3282.  In addition, data contained in the bulletin are available on the Internet in both text and PDF formats at http://www.bls.gov/ncs/.

For personal assistance or further information on the National Compensation Survey, as well as other Bureau programs, contact the Mid-Atlantic Information Office at 215-597-3282 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET.