The Economics Daily Home page

Employer costs for employee compensation for private industry workers averaged $46.89 per hour worked in June 2026. Wages and salaries averaged $32.82, while benefit costs averaged $14.07. Wages and salaries accounted for 70.0 percent of employer costs, while benefit costs accounted for the remaining 30.0 percent.

The Producer Price Index for final demand increased 5.4 percent for the 12 months ended in August 2026. Prices for final demand goods rose 7.7 percent, while prices for final demand services prices rose 4.5 percent.

Labor share—the fraction of economic output that accrues to workers as compensation in exchange for their labor—in the nonfarm business sector was 52.8 percent in the second quarter of 2026, the lowest level ever recorded. (As shown in the chart, these data begin in 1947.)

Truck drivers play a vital role in the U.S. economy, making sure the products we need are transported across the country to distribution centers, retailers, and our homes. For Truck Driver Appreciation Week, we’re delivering a shipment of BLS data.