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Compensation costs for civilian workers averaged $46.14 per hour worked in March 2024
July 03, 2024
Total employer compensation costs for civilian workers averaged $46.14 per hour worked in March 2024. Benefits cost employers $14.41 and accounted for 31.2 percent of total costs, while wages and salaries benefits cost $31.72 and accounted for the remaining 68.8 percent.
Employer compensation costs per hour worked, March 2024
Compensation component
Civilian workers(1)
Private industry workers
State and local government workers
Cost ($)
Percent of compensation (%)
Cost ($)
Percent of compensation (%)
Cost ($)
Percent of compensation (%)
Total compensation
46.14
100.0
43.78
100.0
61.27
100.0
Total benefits
14.41
31.2
13.02
29.7
23.37
38.1
Wages and salaries
31.72
68.8
30.76
70.3
37.90
61.9
Note: (1) Includes workers in the private nonfarm economy except those in private households, and workers in the public sector, except the federal government.
For private industry workers, total employer compensation costs averaged $43.78 per hour worked. Wage and salary costs averaged $30.76 and made up 70.3 percent of employer costs, while benefit costs were $13.02 and accounted for 29.7 percent. Total employer compensation costs for state and local government averaged $61.27 per hour worked. Wages and salaries averaged $37.90 per hour worked and represented 61.9 percent of total compensation costs, while benefit costs averaged $23.37 and accounted for the remaining 38.1 percent.
Employer costs per hour worked for employee benefits, March 2024
Benefit
Civilian workers(1) (in dollars)
Private industry workers (in dollars)
State and local government workers (in dollars)
Paid leave
3.46
3.31
4.46
Paid vacation leave
1.69
1.69
1.66
Paid holiday leave
1.02
0.97
1.29
Paid sick leave
0.53
0.43
1.16
Paid personal leave
0.23
0.21
0.36
Supplemental pay
1.62
1.77
0.61
Overtime and premium pay
0.41
0.43
0.27
Shift differential pay
0.08
0.08
0.06
Nonproduction bonuses
1.13
1.26
0.28
Insurance
3.70
3.20
6.90
Life insurance
0.06
0.05
0.09
Health insurance
3.50
3.00
6.73
Short-term disability insurance
0.09
0.10
0.03
Long-term disability insurance
0.05
0.05
0.06
Retirement and savings
2.42
1.52
8.14
Defined benefit retirement
1.39
0.43
7.58
Defined contribution retirement
1.02
1.10
0.56
Legally Required benefits
3.21
3.21
3.26
Social Security and Medicare
2.61
2.61
2.60
Federal unemployment insurance
0.03
0.03
-
State unemployment insurance
0.13
0.14
0.07
Workers' compensation
0.45
0.43
0.59
Note: (1) Includes workers in the private nonfarm economy except those in private households, and workers in the public sector, except the federal government.
Paid leave costs for civilian workers averaged $3.46 per hour worked in March 2024 and accounted for 7.5 percent of total compensation costs. Paid leave costs averaged $3.31 per hour worked for private industry workers and $4.46 for workers in state and local government. Insurance costs averaged $3.70 per hour worked for civilian workers, $3.20 for private industry workers, and $6.90 for state and local government workers.
United States Department of Labor
