Employer Costs for Employee Compensation Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Friday, June 13, 2025					    USDL-25-0958

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                       EMPLOYER COSTS FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION - MARCH 2025
                       
Employer costs for employee compensation for civilian workers averaged $47.92 per hour worked in 
March 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries averaged $32.92, 
while benefit costs averaged $15.00. Total employer compensation costs for civilian workers were $18.08 
at the 10th wage percentile, $35.59 at the 50th (median) wage percentile, and $92.66 at the 90th wage 
percentile. (See tables A and 1.) 

Total employer compensation costs for private industry workers averaged $45.38 per hour worked in 
March 2025. Wages and salaries averaged $31.89 per hour worked and accounted for 70.3 percent of 
employer costs, while benefit costs averaged $13.49 per hour worked and accounted for the remaining 
29.7 percent. Total employer compensation costs for private industry workers were $17.55 at the 10th 
wage percentile, $32.97 at the 50th (median) wage percentile, and $88.34 at the 90th wage percentile. 
(See tables A and 1.)

Total employer compensation costs for state and local government workers averaged $64.00 per hour 
worked in March 2025. Wages and salaries averaged $39.42 and accounted for 61.6 percent of employer 
costs, while benefit costs averaged $24.58 and accounted for 38.4 percent. Total employer compensation 
costs for state and local government workers were $26.97 at the 10th wage percentile, $60.16 at the 
50th (median) wage percentile, and $107.61 at the 90th wage percentile. (See tables A and 1.)

Compensation percentiles are provided in nominal (current dollar) and real (constant dollar) values. 
Constant dollar estimates remove the effect of changes in consumer prices, such that compensation 
estimates are comparable on a same-dollar basis. Each year the constant dollar (real) estimates are 
updated to reflect the most recent reference period.

In March 2025, wages and salaries in the private industry were $14.28 at the 10th wage percentile, 
$23.18 at the 50th (median) wage percentile, and $59.25 at the 90th wage percentile. (See table A.)

In March 2015, nominal (current dollar) private wages and salaries were $8.63 at the 10th wage 
percentile, $16.13 at the 50th (median) wage percentile, and $41.48 at the 90th wage percentile. In 
March 2015, inflation-adjusted (constant dollar) private wages and salaries were $11.69 at the 10th 
wage percentile, $21.84 at the 50th (median) wage percentile, and $56.18 at the 90th wage percentile. 
(See www.bls.gov/ecec/data.htm.) 

For more information on average compensation costs within specified wage percentiles, 
see www.bls.gov/ecec/factsheets/compensation-percentile-estimates.htm.

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation for June 2025 is scheduled to be released on 
Friday, September 12, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).