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Compensation costs in private industry averaged $36.23 per hour worked in December 2020
March 23, 2021
Employer costs for employee compensation for private industry workers averaged $36.23 per hour worked in December 2020. Wage and salary costs averaged $25.48 and accounted for 70.3 percent of employer costs, while benefit costs were $10.74 and accounted for 29.7 percent.
Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation of private industry workers, by industry, December 2020
Industry
Wages and salaries
Total benefits
Total compensation
All workers
$25.48
$10.74
$36.23
Utilities
41.64
25.98
67.62
Information
37.13
18.90
56.03
Financial activities
33.93
16.92
50.85
Educational services
35.49
13.68
49.17
Professional and business services
31.94
12.45
44.39
Wholesale trade
29.18
12.02
41.20
Construction
28.29
12.32
40.61
Transportation and warehousing
26.45
13.78
40.24
Manufacturing
26.56
13.46
40.02
Health care and social assistance
25.25
10.75
36.00
Other services
21.97
7.57
29.54
Retail trade
16.45
5.20
21.65
Leisure and hospitality
12.46
3.00
15.46
Among the major industry groups, compensation costs were highest for employers in utilities in December 2020, at $67.62 per hour worked. Wages and salaries averaged $41.64 (61.6 percent of total compensation), while total benefits averaged $25.98 (38.4 percent). Employer costs for employee compensation also exceeded $50.00 per hour worked in the information ($56.03) and financial activities ($50.85) industries.
Compensation costs were lowest for employers in the leisure and hospitality industry, at $15.46 per hour worked. Wages and salaries averaged $12.46 (80.6 percent of total compensation), while total benefits averaged $3.00 (19.4 percent).
Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation of private industry workers, by census division, December 2020
Area
Wages and salaries
Total benefits
Total compensation
Pacific
$30.19
$12.62
$42.81
New England
28.23
12.40
40.63
Middle Atlantic
27.77
12.84
40.61
East North Central
24.63
11.07
35.70
South Atlantic
24.53
9.47
34.00
Mountain
23.61
10.19
33.80
West North Central
22.73
10.08
32.82
West South Central
22.35
8.34
30.68
East South Central
21.30
8.25
29.55
Among the regions, compensation costs for private industry workers were highest in the Pacific states ($42.81), New England ($40.63), and the Middle Atlantic states ($40.61) in December 2020. In the Pacific states, wages and salaries averaged $30.19 (70.5 percent of total compensation), while total benefits averaged $12.62 (29.5 percent).
Compensation costs were lowest in the East South Central states, at $29.55 per hour worked. Wages and salaries averaged $21.30 (72.1 percent of total compensation), while total benefits averaged $8.25 (27.9 percent).
United States Department of Labor
