All of the 17 metropolitan areas located entirely or partially in North Carolina had annual wages that were significantly below the national average for carpenters and for construction laborers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sixteen areas had below-average wages for electricians. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that electricians in the Winston-Salem metropolitan area had an average annual wage that was similar to the U.S. average for electricians. Nationwide, the average (mean) wage for carpenters was $48,340; for construction laborers, $37,890; and for electricians, $56,650. (See table A. For comprehensive definitions of metropolitan areas in North Carolina, please see Technical Note.)

 

Table A. Average (mean) annual wages for selected construction occupations in the United States, North Carolina, and metropolitan areas in North Carolina, May 2016

Area	Carpenters	Construction Laborers	Electricians
United States	$48,340	$37,890	$56,650
North Carolina	35,560*	28,080*	42,960*
Asheville	36,910*	26,140*	40,820*
Burlington	34,270*	29,650*	40,150*
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia	35,060*	27,340*	43,490*
Durham-Chapel Hill	36,280*	27,880*	43,310*
Fayetteville	34,730*	24,370*	36,660*
Goldsboro	34,940*	25,800*	41,960*
Greensboro-High Point	35,940*	31,030*	44,050*
Greenville	34,600*	27,220*	43,430*
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton	33,720*	30,320*	47,010*
Jacksonville	36,380*	24,450*	43,470*
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach	36,330*	30,240*	38,750*
New Bern	32,380*	29,020*	44,780*
Raleigh	37,130*	29,290*	41,150*
Rocky Mount	29,490*	22,990*	40,400*
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News	39,900*	26,890*	48,740*
Wilmington	44,170*	30,270*	43,460*
Winston-Salem	35,830*	29,760*	53,250
Note: An asterisk indicates that the mean annual wage for this area is significantly different from the national average of all areas at the 90-percent confidence level.

 

Metropolitan areas in North Carolina with the highest combined employment for the three selected occupations included Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia (14,300) and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (12,780). Raleigh and Greensboro-High Point had a combined employment of 8,590 and 4,910, respectively. Employment in the three selected occupations combined was less than 2,500 in each of the remaining metropolitan areas for which data were available. (See table B.)

Table B. Employment of selected construction occupations in the United States, North Carolina, and metropolitan areas in North Carolina, May 2016

Area	Carpenters	Construction Laborers	Electricians
United States	676,980	912,100	607,120
North Carolina	15,200	20,400	14,080
Asheville	890	620	450
Burlington	130	260	160
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia	3,530	6,530	4,240
Durham-Chapel Hill	680	450	860
Fayetteville	180	230	410
Goldsboro	90	190	120
Greensboro-High Point	1,190	2,550	1,170
Greenville	320	350	220
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton	250	230	240
Jacksonville	220	350	80
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach	630	980	490
New Bern	290	290	(1)
Raleigh	2,640	3,690	2,260
Rocky Mount	(1)	160	180
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News	3,730	4,180	4,870
Wilmington	670	700	550
Winston-Salem	720	730	860
Footnotes: (1) Data not available.

Wages for carpenters in metropolitan areas in North Carolina

Each of North Carolina’s 17 metropolitan areas had wages significantly below the U.S. average of $48,340 for carpenters. The lower paying areas included Rocky Mount ($29,490), New Bern ($32,380), and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton ($33,720). Among the remaining areas, average wages for carpenters ranged from $44,170 in Wilmington to $34,270 in Burlington.

Wages for construction laborers in metropolitan areas in North Carolina

Construction laborers earned below the U.S. average of $37,890 in each of North Carolina’s 17 metropolitan areas. Rocky Mount ($22,990), Fayetteville ($24,370), and Jacksonville ($24,450) were among the lower paying areas. Average wages for construction laborers in the remaining areas ranged from $31,030 in Greensboro-High Point to $25,800 in Goldsboro.

Wages for electricians in metropolitan areas in North Carolina

Electricians in 16 of the 17 metropolitan areas had wages measurably below the national average of $56,650, including Fayetteville ($36,660), Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach ($38,750), and Burlington ($40,150). Electricians in the Winston-Salem area earned wages that were not measurably different from the U.S. 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 North Carolina Department of Commerce.

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 650 areas, including states and the District of Columbia, metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), metropolitan divisions, nonmetropolitan areas, and territories; national industry-specific estimates at the NAICS sector, 3-, 4-, 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.

OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.2 million establishments. Each year, two semiannual panels of approximately 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 2016 estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected over a 3-year period: May 2016, November 2015, May 2015, November 2014, May 2014, and November 2013. The overall national response rate for the six panels, based on the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is 73 percent based on establishments and 69 percent based on weighted sampled employment. The unweighted employment of sampled establishments across all six semiannual panels represents approximately 58 percent of total national employment. For more information about OES concepts and methodology, go to www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_tec.htm.

The May 2016 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.

• Asheville, N.C. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, and Madison Counties in North Carolina.
• Burlington, N.C. MSA includes Alamance County in North Carolina.
• Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, N.C.-S.C. MSA includes Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, and Union Counties in North Carolina; Chester, Lancaster, and York Counties in South Carolina.
• Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C. MSA includes Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Person Counties in North Carolina.
• Fayetteville, N.C. MSA includes Cumberland and Hoke Counties in North Carolina.
• Goldsboro, N.C. MSA includes Wayne County in North Carolina.
• Greensboro-High Point, N.C. MSA includes Guilford, Randolph, and Rockingham Counties in North Carolina.
• Greenville, N.C. MSA includes Pitt County in North Carolina.
• Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, N.C. MSA includes Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba Counties in North Carolina.
• Jacksonville, N.C. MSA includes Onslow County in North Carolina.
• Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, S.C.-N.C. MSA includes Brunswick County in North Carolina; Horry County in South Carolina.
• New Bern, N.C. MSA includes Craven, Jones, and Pamlico Counties in North Carolina.
• Raleigh, N.C. MSA includes Franklin, Johnston, and Wake Counties in North Carolina.
• Rocky Mount, N.C. MSA includes Edgecombe and Nash Counties in North Carolina.
• Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, Va.-N.C. MSA includes Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, Mathews, and York Counties and Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg cities in Virginia; Currituck and Gates Counties in North Carolina.
• Wilmington, N.C. MSA includes New Hanover and Pender Counties in North Carolina.
• Winston-Salem, N.C. MSA includes Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Stokes and Yadkin Counties in North Carolina.

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