Among the 10 metropolitan areas located entirely or partially in South Carolina, 4 had annual wages that were significantly below the national average for nurse practitioners, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Nine areas had below-average wages for registered nurses, 10 areas had below-average wages for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, and 8 areas had below-average wages for nursing assistants. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that none of the areas had annual wages significantly above the U.S. average for the four selected nursing occupations. Nationwide, the average (mean) wage for nurse practitioners was $104,610; for registered nurses, $72,180; for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, $44,840; and for nursing assistants, $27,650. (See table A. For comprehensive definitions of metropolitan areas in South Carolina, please see Technical Note.)

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

Area	Nurse Practitioners	Registered Nurses	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses	Nursing Assistants
United States	$104,610	$72,180	$44,840	$27,650
South Carolina	94,930*	63,470*	40,090*	24,590*
Augusta-Richmond County	97,550	68,170*	40,480*	23,350*
Charleston-North Charleston	99,230	72,910	41,050*	27,750
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia	98,650*	61,660*	42,630*	23,600*
Columbia	93,270*	61,010*	42,470*	24,650*
Florence	99,730	63,360*	39,790*	20,910*
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin	88,300*	60,700*	39,200*	27,520
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort	103,900	65,240*	37,580*	26,000*
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach	98,900	59,860*	38,420*	23,450*
Spartanburg	99,170*	59,980*	40,260*	23,070*
Sumter	(1)	55,970*	42,490*	21,160*
Footnotes: (1) Data not available.
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.

Of the 10 metropolitan areas located entirely or partially in South Carolina, the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia area had the largest employment in the four selected nursing occupations at 39,340. Employment in these four occupations combined was less than 14,200 in each of the remaining metropolitan areas for which data were available. (See table B.)

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

Area	Nurse Practitioners	Registered Nurses	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses	Nursing Assistants
United States	150,230	2,857,180	702,400	1,443,150
South Carolina	1,920	41,800	9,440	20,850
Augusta-Richmond County	260	6,700	1,780	2,520
Charleston-North Charleston	370	9,410	1,540	2,820
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia	890	23,030	4,010	11,410
Columbia	360	8,140	1,780	3,750
Florence	100	2,980	720	1,750
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin	430	8,170	1,540	4,050
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort	70	1,060	370	660
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach	120	2,090	610	1,400
Spartanburg	120	2,770	640	1,310
Sumter	(1)	620	160	440
Footnotes: (1) Data not available.

Location quotients (LQs) 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. 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.

Two metropolitan areas in South Carolina had above-average concentrations of employment among three of the four selected nursing occupations. Registered nurses were employed at 1.8 times the national rate in Florence, and 1.5 times the U.S. average in Augusta-Richmond County. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses were employed at 1.7 times the national rate in Augusta-Richmond County and in Florence. In the Florence area, nursing assistants had an LQ of 2.0. (See table C.)

Table C. Location quotients of selected nursing occupations in the United States, South Carolina, and metropolitan areas in South Carolina, May 2016

Area	Nurse Practitioners	Registered Nurses	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses	Nursing Assistants
United States	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
South Carolina	0.9	1.0	1.0	1.0
Augusta-Richmond County	1.1	1.5	1.7	1.1
Charleston-North Charleston	1.1	1.4	0.9	0.8
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia	0.7	1.0	0.7	1.0
Columbia	0.9	1.1	1.0	1.0
Florence	1.2	1.8	1.7	2.0
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin	1.0	1.0	0.8	1.0
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort	0.9	0.7	1.0	0.9
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach	0.8	0.7	0.8	0.9
Spartanburg	0.8	1.0	0.9	0.9
Sumter	(1)	0.9	0.9	1.2
Footnotes: (1) Data not available.

Wages for nurse practitioners in metropolitan areas in South Carolina

Nurse practitioners in four metropolitan areas had wages significantly lower than the national average of $104,610. The lower paying areas included Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin ($88,300), Columbia ($93,270), Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia ($98,650), and Spartanburg ($99,170). Nurse practitioners in the remaining five metropolitan areas in South Carolina for which data were available earned wages that were not measurably different from the national average.

Wages for registered nurses in metropolitan areas in South Carolina

Nine metropolitan areas had significantly lower wages than the national average of $72,180 for registered nurses. Sumter ($55,970), Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach ($59,860), and Spartanburg ($59,980) were among the lowest-paying areas. Charleston-North Charleston, had wages that were not measurably different from the national average.

Wages for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in metropolitan areas in South Carolina

All 10 metropolitan areas in South Carolina had annual wages for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses that were significantly below the national average of $44,840. Annual wages ranged from $42,630 in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia to $37,580 in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort.

Wages for nursing assistants in metropolitan areas in South Carolina

Eight metropolitan areas in South Carolina had annual wages for nursing assistants that were significantly below the national average of $27,650. Florence ($20,910), Sumter ($21,160), and Spartanburg ($23,070) were among the lower-paying areas. Nursing assistants in Charleston-North Charleston and Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, 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 South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.

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 https://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.

• Augusta-Richmond County, Ga-S.C. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Aiken and Edgefield Counties in South Carolina; Burke, Columbia, Lincoln, McDuffie, and Richmond Counties in Georgia.
• Charleston-North Charleston, S.C. MSA includes Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester Counties in South 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.
• Columbia, S.C. MSA includes Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Richland, and Saluda Counties in South Carolina.
• Florence, S.C. MSA includes Darlington and Florence Counties in South Carolina.
• Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, S.C. MSA includes Anderson, Greenville, Laurens, and Pickens Counties in South Carolina.
• Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, S.C. MSA includes Beaufort and Jasper Counties in South Carolina.
• Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, S.C.-N.C. MSA includes Brunswick County in North Carolina; Horry County in South Carolina.
• Spartanburg, S.C. MSA includes Spartanburg and Union Counties in South Carolina.
• Sumter, S.C. MSA includes Sumter County in South Carolina.

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