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Spotlight on Statistics
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October 2011

BLS Spotlight on Statistics: Automobiles

Audio Script

The U.S. automobile industry can be viewed as both a barometer and beneficiary of American growth and economic achievement. Supporting that view is the fact that the automobile industry affects industries that manufacture steel, glass, plastics, and rubber, as well as those that refine and sell gasoline, build roads, and maintain, repair, and sell motor vehicles.

Here are some BLS data that provide insight into the automobile industry:

  • In 2010, households in the Northeast region of the United States spent, on average, $1,134 on vehicle insurance. This amount is more than the amount spent by households residing in other regions.
  • Employment of workers in the motor vehicle and parts manufacturing industry steadily decreased from 1,086,500 in June 2006 to 622,700 in June 2009. Since then, employment has slowly increased.
  • Among states, Michigan’s employment in the motor vehicle manufacturing industry has decreased from 102,000 jobs in 1990 to 34,900 in 2010—a loss of 67,100 jobs.
  • In 2010, there were 5,784 private business establishments in the motor vehicle parts manufacturing industry, employing 415,180 workers.
  • In May 2010, about 588,000 automotive service technicians and mechanics worked in the United States. The average annual wage for this occupation was $38,200.
  • In 2008, employers in the motor vehicles and parts dealers industry initiated a total of 70 mass layoff events (a series high) that resulted in the displacement of 7,224 workers from their jobs.
  • Within the motor vehicle manufacturing industry, injury cases decreased from a rate of 10.2 per 100 full-time workers in 2003 to a rate of 5.6 per 100 full-time workers in 2010.

To learn more, visit www.bls.gov/spotlight/2011/auto/.

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