One of the six metropolitan areas in Maryland—Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va.—had wages significantly above the national average for all three teacher occupations—secondary, middle, and elementary—the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that no metropolitan area in Maryland had a wage that was significantly below that for the nation in the three selected occupations. Nationwide, the average (mean) wage was $60,440 for secondary school teachers, $58,760 for middle school teachers, and $57,730 for elementary school teachers. (See table A. For comprehensive definitions of metropolitan areas in Maryland, please see Technical Note.)

Table A. Average (mean) annual wages for secondary, middle, and elementary school teachers in the United States and metropolitan areas in Maryland, May 2015

Area	Secondary School	Middle School	Elementary School
United States	$60,440	$58,760	$57,730
Maryland	66,080*	65,940*	63,750*
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson	64,400*	59,410	61,910*
California-Lexington Park	65,180	--	67,610
Cumberland	--	--	57,640
Hagerstown-Martinsburg	70,200*	67,450	68,460*
Salisbury	60,800	58,650	57,340
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria	72,940*	73,250*	70,080*
* The mean annual wage for this area is significantly different from the national average of all areas at the 90-percent confidence level.
-- Estimate not released.

Of the six metropolitan areas in the state, the Washington area had employment of 60,070 in the three teaching occupations combined, and the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, Md. area reported teaching jobs totaling 28,560. (See table B.)

Table B. Employment for secondary, middle, and elementary school teachers in the United States and metropolitan areas in Maryland, May 2015

Area	Secondary School	Middle School	Elementary School
United States	962,820	632,760	1,381,430
Maryland	19,780	14,240	25,410
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson	11,570	6,780	10,210
California-Lexington Park	--	--	--
Cumberland	--	--	340
Hagerstown-Martinsburg	790	--	1,520
Salisbury	1,390	1,640	1,170
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria	17,870	13,310	28,890
-- Estimate not released

Wages for secondary school teachers in metropolitan areas in Maryland

Three metropolitan areas in the state—Washington, Hagerstown, and Baltimore—had wages for secondary school teachers that were significantly higher the national average. The Washington area’s annual wage for secondary school teachers was $72,940 per year, more than $12,000 above the U.S. average.

Wages for middle school teachers in metropolitan areas in Maryland

Of the Maryland metropolitan areas for which data were available, only the Washington area had wages for middle school teachers that were significantly higher than the national average. At $73,250, the wages for middle school teachers in Washington were over $14,000 higher than the U.S. average.

Wages for elementary school teachers in metropolitan areas in Maryland

Four metropolitan areas in Maryland had wages for elementary school teachers significantly greater than the national average—Washington ($70,080), Hagerstown ($68,460), California-Lexington Park ($67,610), and Baltimore ($61,910). These areas’ average annual wages ranged from $4,180 to $12,350 above the national average.

These statistics are from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, a federal-state cooperative program between BLS and State Workforce Agencies, in this case the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services; the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation; the Virginia Employment Commission; and WorkForce West Virginia. The OES survey provides estimates of employment and hourly and annual wages for wage and salary workers in 22 major occupational groups and about 800 detailed occupations for the nation, states, metropolitan statistical areas, metropolitan divisions, and nonmetropolitan areas.

A value that is statistically different from another does not necessarily mean that the difference has economic or practical significance. Statistical significance is concerned with the ability to make confident statements about a universe based on a sample. It is entirely possible that a large difference between two values is not significantly different statistically, while a small difference is, since both the size and heterogeneity of the sample affect the relative error of the data being tested.

Technical Note

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a semiannual mail survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. The OES program produces employment and wage estimates for over 800 occupations for all industries combined in the nation; the 50 states and the District of Columbia; 432 metropolitan areas and divisions; 167 nonmetropolitan areas; and Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. National estimates are also available by industry for NAICS sectors, 3-, 4-, and selected 5- and 6-digit industries, and by ownership across all industries and for schools and hospitals. OES data are available at www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm.

OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.2 million establishments. Forms are mailed to approximately 200,000 sampled establishments in May and November each year. May 2015 estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected over a 3-year period: May 2015, November 2014, May 2014, November 2013, May 2013, and November 2012. The overall national response rate for the six panels is 73.5 percent based on establishments and 69.6 percent based on weighted sampled employment. (Response rates are slightly lower for these estimates due to the federal shutdown in October 2013.) The unweighted employment of sampled establishments across all six semiannual panels represents approximately 57.9 percent of total national employment. For more information about OES concepts and methodology, go to www.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.

The May 2015 OES estimates are based on the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system and the 2012 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Information about the 2010 SOC is available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/soc and information about the 2012 NAICS is available at www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm.

Metropolitan area definitions

The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, Md. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, Howard, and Queen Anne’s Counties and Baltimore city in Maryland.

California-Lexington Park, Md. MSA includes St. Mary’s County in Maryland.

Cumberland, Md.-W.Va. MSA includes Allegany County in Maryland and Mineral County in West Virginia.

Hagerstown-Martinsburg, Md.-W.Va. MSA includes Washington County in Maryland and Berkeley County in West Virginia.

Salisbury, Md.-De. MSA includes Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties in Maryland and Sussex County in Delaware.

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va. MSA includes the District of Columbia; Arlington, Clarke, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Warren Counties and Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Manassas Park cities in Virginia; Calvert, Charles, Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland; and Jefferson County in West Virginia.

Additional information

OES data are available on our regional web page at https://www.bls.gov/regions/mid-atlantic. Answers to frequently asked questions about the OES data are available at www.bls.gov/oes/oes_ques.htm. Detailed technical information about the OES survey is available in our Survey Methods and Reliability Statement on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/oes/current/methods_statement.pdf.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request – Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.