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Employee Benefits Survey
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Standard Errors
Defined contribution retirement plans: Selected attributes

Table 8. Standard errors for defined contribution retirement plans: Selected
attributes, State and local government workers, National Compensation Survey,
March 2015

Characteristics

Employee contribution

Employee contribution
option

Required

Not required

Pretax

Not pretax

All workers

4.4

4.4

2.7

2.7

Worker characteristics

        

Management, professional, and related

4.9

4.9

3.2

3.2

    Professional and related

5.1

5.1

3.8

3.8

        Teachers

6.6

6.6

5.2

5.2

            Primary, secondary, and special education
             school teachers

7.4

7.4

–

–

Service

4.6

4.6

3.5

3.5

    Protective service

6.5

6.5

–

–

Sales and office

7.0

7.0

2.0

2.0

    Office and administrative support

7.5

7.5

2.0

2.0

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance

6.9

6.9

6.9

6.9

Production, transportation, and material moving

9.2

9.2

–

–

Full time

4.5

4.5

2.7

2.7

Part time

7.2

7.2

–

–

Union

8.2

8.2

4.7

4.7

Nonunion

3.7

3.7

2.4

2.4

Average wage within the following categories:1

        

    Lowest 25 percent

4.2

4.2

3.4

3.4

        Lowest 10 percent

5.7

5.7

–

–

    Second 25 percent

6.6

6.6

3.2

3.2

    Third 25 percent

6.3

6.3

4.7

4.7

    Highest 25 percent

4.2

4.2

2.8

2.8

        Highest 10 percent

5.1

5.1

3.0

3.0

Establishment characteristics

        

Service-providing industries

4.5

4.5

2.7

2.7

    Education and health services

5.2

5.2

4.0

4.0

        Educational services

6.4

6.4

5.2

5.2

            Elementary and secondary schools

7.1

7.1

–

–

            Junior colleges, colleges, and universities

8.2

8.2

5.8

5.8

        Health care and social assistance

5.3

5.3

3.6

3.6

            Hospitals

6.4

6.4

4.7

4.7

    Public administration

6.9

6.9

3.5

3.5

1 to 99 workers

6.7

6.7

–

–

    50 to 99 workers

8.5

8.5

–

–

100 workers or more

4.7

4.7

3.1

3.1

    100 to 499 workers

6.1

6.1

2.8

2.8

    500 workers or more

5.0

5.0

3.8

3.8

State government

7.9

7.9

4.4

4.4

Local government

3.8

3.8

3.3

3.3

Geographic areas

        

South

4.7

4.7

5.0

5.0

    South Atlantic

6.1

6.1

7.0

7.0

    East South Central

10.9

10.9

–

–

Midwest

8.2

8.2

3.4

3.4

    East North Central

6.7

6.7

3.1

3.1

West

10.2

10.2

–

–

    Mountain

13.7

13.7

–

–

    Pacific

12.4

12.4

–

–

1Surveyed occupations are classified into wage categories based on the average wage for the occupation, which may
include workers with earnings both above and below the threshold.  The categories were formed using percentile estimates
generated using wage data for March 2015.


Note: Dash indicates no workers in this category or data did 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/glossary20142015.htm.