Employer Costs for Employee Compensation Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, September 12, 2023			                    USDL-23-1971

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                       EMPLOYER COSTS FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION - JUNE 2023
                       
Employer costs for employee compensation for civilian workers averaged $43.26 per hour worked in June 
2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries cost employers $29.86 
while benefit costs were $13.39. (See tables 1 and 2.) 

Total employer compensation costs for private industry workers averaged $41.03 per hour worked in June 
2023. Wages and salaries averaged $28.97 per hour worked and accounted for 70.6 percent of employer 
costs, while benefit costs averaged $12.06 per hour worked and accounted for the remaining 29.4 
percent. (See tables 1 and 4.)

Total employer compensation costs for state and local government workers averaged $58.25 per hour 
worked in June 2023. Wages and salaries averaged $35.90 and accounted for 61.6 percent of employer 
costs, while benefit costs averaged $22.35 and accounted for 38.4 percent. (See tables 1 and 3.)

Employer costs for legally required benefits for private industry workers averaged $3.08 per hour 
worked and accounted for 7.5 percent of total compensation. Employer costs for legally required 
benefits for state and local government workers averaged $3.14 and accounted for 5.4 percent of total 
compensation. (See table 1). 

Legally required benefit costs for private industry workers 

Among occupational groups, legally required benefit costs ranged from $4.53 per hour worked for 
management, professional, and related occupations to $1.89 for service occupations. Legally required 
benefit costs accounted for 6.6 percent of total compensation in management, professional, and related 
occupations and accounted for 9.2 percent of total compensation in service occupations. Social Security 
costs averaged $3.21 and accounted for 4.6 percent of total compensation for management, professional, 
and related occupations. Social Security costs averaged $1.12 and accounted for 5.4 percent of total 
compensation for service occupations. (See table 4).

In establishments with 1-49 workers, employer costs for legally required benefits averaged $2.69 per 
hour worked and accounted for 8.1 percent of total compensation. In establishments with 500 workers or 
more, employer costs for legally required benefits averaged $3.99 and accounted for 6.7 percent of 
total compensation. (See table 6).

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation for September 2023 is scheduled to be released on
Friday, December 15, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).