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Compensation costs up 5.1 percent from December 2021 to December 2022
February 02, 2023
Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 5.1 percent for the 12-month period ending December 2022, compared with an increase of 4.0 percent for the 12 months ending December 2021.
12-month percent change in employment costs for civilian workers, December 2012–December 2022
Month
Total compensation
Wages & salaries
Total benefits
Dec 2012
1.9%
1.7%
2.4%
Dec 2013
2.0
1.9
2.2
Dec 2014
2.2
2.1
2.6
Dec 2015
2.0
2.1
1.7
Dec 2016
2.2
2.3
2.1
Dec 2017
2.6
2.5
2.5
Dec 2018
2.9
3.1
2.8
Dec 2019
2.7
2.9
2.2
Dec 2020
2.5
2.6
2.3
Dec 2021
4.0
4.5
2.8
Dec 2022
5.1
5.1
4.9
Wages and salaries increased 5.1 percent for the 12-month period ending in December 2022 and increased 4.5 percent for the 12-month period ending December 2021.
Benefit costs increased 4.9 percent over the year and increased 2.8 percent for the 12-month period ending December 2021.
Over the past decade, the fourth quarter over-the-year change in total compensation costs has ranged from 1.9 percent (in December 2012) to 5.1 percent (December 2022). The 12-month change in wages and salaries has ranged from 1.7 percent (December 2011) to 5.1 percent (December 2022). The 12-month change in benefits costs has ranged from 1.7 percent (December 2015) to 4.9 percent (December 2022).
These data are from the Employment Cost Index program. To learn more, see "Employment Cost Index — December 2022." We also have more charts on the Employment Cost Index. Civilian workers are defined as all private industry workers plus all state and local government workers. Total compensation costs are the sum of wages and salaries plus benefits costs.
United States Department of Labor
