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News Release Information

20-466-CHI
Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (312) 353-1138

Occupational Employment and Wages in Cincinnati — May 2019

Workers in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area had an average (mean) hourly wage of $24.72 in May 2019, about 4 percent below the nationwide average of $25.72, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that, after testing for statistical significance, wages in the local area were higher than their respective national averages in 3 of the 22 major occupational groups: sales and related, production, and healthcare support. Fifteen groups had significantly lower wages than their respective national averages, including arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media; computer and mathematical; and life, physical, and social science.

When compared to the nationwide distribution, Cincinnati area employment was more highly concentrated in 6 of the 22 occupational groups, including production, transportation and material moving, and business and financial operations. Conversely, eleven groups had employment shares significantly below their national representation, including healthcare support, construction and extraction, and sales and related. (See table A and box note at end of release.)

Table A. Occupational employment and wages by major occupational group, United States and the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area, and measures of statistical significance, May 2019
Major occupational groupPercent of total employmentMean hourly wage
United StatesCincinnatiUnited StatesCincinnatiPercent difference (1)

Total, all occupations

100.0100.0$25.72$24.72*-4

Management

5.55.0*58.8856.25*-4

Business and financial operations

5.66.0*37.5635.37*-6

Computer and mathematical

3.13.145.0841.70*-7

Architecture and engineering

1.82.0*42.6940.42*-5

Life, physical, and social science

0.90.837.2834.34*-8

Community and social service

1.51.2*24.2724.150

Legal

0.80.6*52.7150.20-5

Educational instruction and library

6.15.6*27.7529.155

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media

1.41.2*29.7926.16*-12

Healthcare practitioners and technical

5.96.3*40.2137.76*-6

Healthcare support

4.43.6*14.9115.31*3

Protective service

2.42.1*23.9821.57*-10

Food preparation and serving related

9.29.6*12.8211.57*-10

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance

3.02.5*15.0314.50*-4

Personal care and service

2.22.415.0313.31*-11

Sales and related

9.89.1*20.7021.87*6

Office and administrative support

13.313.419.7319.41*-2

Farming, fishing, and forestry

0.30.1*15.0715.634

Construction and extraction

4.23.4*25.2824.19*-4

Installation, maintenance, and repair

3.94.024.1023.60*-2

Production

6.28.1*19.3020.20*5

Transportation and material moving

8.510.0*18.2316.84*-8

Footnotes:
(1) A positive percent difference measures how much the mean wage in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area is above the national mean wage, while a negative difference reflects a lower wage.
* The mean hourly wage or percent share of employment is significantly different from the national average of all areas at the 90-percent confidence level.

One occupational group—production—was chosen to illustrate the diversity of data available for any of the 22 major occupational categories. Cincinnati had 87,590 jobs in production, accounting for 8.1 percent of local area employment, significantly higher than the 6.2-percent share nationally. The average hourly wage for this occupational group locally was $20.20, significantly above the national wage of $19.30.

Some of the larger detailed occupations within the production group included miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators (10,070); packaging and filling machine operators and tenders (6,590); and inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers (6,170). Among the higher-paying jobs in this group were power plant operators at $41.56 per hour, and petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers with mean hourly wages of $34.93. At the lower end of the wage scale were meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers ($11.84) and pressers, textile, garment, and related materials ($11.85). (Detailed data for the production occupations are presented in table 1; for a complete listing of detailed occupations available go to www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_17140.htm.)

Location quotients allow us to explore the occupational make-up of a metropolitan area by comparing the composition of jobs in an area relative to the national average. (See table 1.) For example, a location quotient of 2.0 indicates that an occupation accounts for twice the share of employment in the area than it does nationally. In the Cincinnati area, above-average concentrations of employment were found in some of the occupations within the production group. For instance, engine and other machine assemblers were employed at 3.4 times the national rate in Cincinnati, and prepress technicians and workers, at 3.2 times the U.S. average. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators had a location quotient of 1.0 in Cincinnati, indicating that this particular occupation’s local and national employment shares were similar.

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 Ohio Department of Job & Family Services, Kentucky Center for Statistics, and Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

Changes to the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Data

With the May 2019 estimates, the OES program has begun implementing the 2018 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. Each set of OES estimates is calculated from six panels of survey data collected over three years. Because the May 2019 estimates are based on a combination of survey data collected using the 2010 SOC and survey data collected using the 2018 SOC, these estimates use a hybrid of the two classification systems that contains some combinations of occupations that are not found in either the 2010 or 2018 SOC. These combinations may include occupations from more than one 2018 SOC minor group or broad occupation. Therefore, OES will not publish data for some 2018 SOC minor groups and broad occupations in the May 2019 estimates. The May 2021 estimates, to be published in Spring 2022, will be the first OES estimates based entirely on survey data collected using the 2018 SOC.

In addition, the OES program has replaced some 2018 SOC detailed occupations with SOC broad occupations or OES-specific aggregations. These include home health aides and personal care aides, for which OES will publish only the 2018 SOC broad occupation 31-1120 Home Health and Personal Care Aides.

For more information on the occupational classification system used in the May 2019 OES estimates, please see www.bls.gov/oes/soc_2018.htm and www.bls.gov/oes/oes_ques.htm#qf10.

The May 2019 OES estimates use the metropolitan area definitions delineated in Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Bulletin 17-01, which add a new Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) for Twin Falls, Idaho. For more information on the area definitions used in the May 2019 estimates, please see www.bls.gov/oes/current/msa_def.htm.


Technical Note

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a semiannual survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. The OES data available from BLS include cross-industry occupational employment and wage estimates for the nation; over 580 areas, including states and the District of Columbia, metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), nonmetropolitan areas, and territories; national industry-specific estimates at the NAICS sector, 3-digit, most 4-digit, and selected 5- and 6-digit industry levels, and national estimates by ownership across all industries and for schools and hospitals. OES data are available at www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm.

The OES survey is a cooperative effort between BLS and the State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). BLS funds the survey and provides the procedures and technical support, while the State Workforce Agencies collect most of the data. OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.1 million establishments. Each year, two semiannual panels of approximately 180,000 to 200,000 sampled establishments are contacted, one panel in May and the other in November. Responses are obtained by mail, Internet or other electronic means, email, telephone, or personal visit. The May 2019 estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected over a 3-year period: May 2019, November 2018, May 2018, November 2017, May 2017, and November 2016. The unweighted sample employment of 83 million across all six semiannual panels represents approximately 57 percent of total national employment. The overall national response rate for the six panels, based on the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is 71 percent based on establishments and 68 percent based on weighted sampled employment. The sample in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area included 7,034 establishments with a response rate of 74 percent. For more information about OES concepts and methodology, go to www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_tec.htm.

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.

The May 2019 OES estimates are the first set of OES estimates to be based in part on survey data collected using the 2018 SOC. These estimates use a hybrid of the 2010 and 2018 SOC systems. More information on the hybrid classification system is available at www.bls.gov/oes/soc_2018.htm.

The May 2019 OES estimates are based on the 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). More information about the 2017 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.

The Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area includes Dearborn, Ohio, and Union Counties of Indiana, Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, and Pendleton Counties of Kentucky, and Brown, Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, and Warren Counties of Ohio.

For more information

Answers to frequently asked questions about the OES data are available at www.bls.gov/oes/oes_ques.htm. Detailed information about the OES program is available at www.bls.gov/oes/oes_doc.htm.

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.

Table 1. Employment and wage data for production occupations, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area, May 2019
Occupation (1)EmploymentMean wages
Level (2)Location quotient (3)HourlyAnnual (4)

Production occupations

87,5901.3$20.20$42,020

First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

5,6201.232.7768,150

Coil winders, tapers, and finishers

400.417.6136,630

Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers

2,3001.118.1537,760

Engine and other machine assemblers

1,1503.428.2658,790

Structural metal fabricators and fitters

3800.717.8837,190

Fiberglass laminators and fabricators

(5)(5)15.4332,100

Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators

10,0701.016.7934,920

Bakers

1,1500.814.8630,900

Butchers and meat cutters

9801.016.2733,850

Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers

(5)(5)11.8424,630

Slaughterers and meat packers

1,0802.013.1427,340

Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders

(5)(5)14.9731,130

Food batchmakers

1,4001.217.5436,490

Food cooking machine operators and tenders

6102.715.9933,260

Food processing workers, all other

1300.414.2429,620

Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

1,2602.218.6438,770

Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

300.318.5738,630

Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

(5)(5)21.2544,200

Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

1,9001.317.9237,270

Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

1902.321.7345,190

Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

7501.318.5038,490

Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

3301.621.3744,440

Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

800.620.6242,900

Machinists

5,6302.025.2152,440

Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders

(5)(5)21.3144,320

Foundry mold and coremakers

1100.919.5440,640

Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

1,7601.417.5336,450

Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

2,6202.418.8439,190

Tool and die makers

9401.827.1556,460

Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

3,5901.220.0941,780

Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders

1700.717.1535,670

Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

3302.322.4546,700

Layout workers, metal and plastic

500.921.9245,590

Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

2700.920.6242,890

Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners

400.925.8953,850

Metal workers and plastic workers, all other

1500.817.8037,020

Prepress technicians and workers

7203.220.7843,210

Printing press operators

2,1101.719.2940,120

Print binding and finishing workers

7102.116.0933,460

Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

1,7301.111.9224,780

Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials

3401.211.8524,660

Sewing machine operators

7600.813.2427,540

Sewers, hand

301.013.7528,610

Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers

(5)(5)16.9335,210

Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders

(5)(5)16.9635,280

Upholsterers

1500.715.8833,040

Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers, all other

(5)(5)19.8141,210

Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters

4800.718.5138,500

Furniture finishers

(5)(5)16.3734,050

Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood

400.116.9835,310

Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing

5300.915.1231,440

Power plant operators

2801.141.5686,440

Stationary engineers and boiler operators

1500.629.5261,400

Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

7700.923.3348,540

Chemical plant and system operators

2701.333.5269,720

Gas plant operators

600.6(5)(5)

Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

500.234.9372,660

Plant and system operators, all other

(5)(5)24.1750,270

Chemical equipment operators and tenders

1,4002.223.8449,590

Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders

5001.327.0856,330

Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders

2100.818.5838,660

Grinding and polishing workers, hand

3201.517.0935,540

Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders

1,5001.620.7343,120

Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders

5901.418.1537,760

Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders

6901.320.0141,620

Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders

1801.318.8239,150

Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

6,1701.521.6945,100

Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers

(5)(5)16.7434,830

Dental laboratory technicians

1600.624.2750,480

Medical appliance technicians

400.419.7741,130

Ophthalmic laboratory technicians

3401.617.5736,540

Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders

6,5902.317.7836,980

Painting, coating, and decorating workers

(5)(5)16.9235,200

Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders

9700.918.4238,320

Photographic process workers and processing machine operators

500.520.6442,920

Computer numerically controlled tool operators

2,3402.120.3542,330

Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

2801.528.5859,450

Adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders

4204.116.7634,870

Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders

1801.517.8937,220

Cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders

701.117.6736,750

Etchers and engravers

400.616.2433,780

Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic

4301.316.8935,120

Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders

1,3101.819.3840,320

Helpers--production workers

2,7201.216.6934,720

Production workers, all other

1,9401.219.1539,830

Footnotes:
(1) For a complete listing of all detailed occupations in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area, see www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_17140.htm.
(2) Estimates for detailed occupations may not sum to the totals due to rounding, and because the totals may include occupations that are not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(3) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
(4) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(5) Estimate not released.

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2020