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17-913-ATL
Thursday, July 06, 2017

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Occupational Employment and Wages for Selected Nurse Occupations in South Carolina’s Metropolitan Areas – May 2016

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.

Note on Occupational Employment Statistics Data

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 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.

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.

 

Last Modified Date: Thursday, July 06, 2017