To earn more, think
big. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program show that,
generally, the larger the establishment in which people
worked, the more they were paid. One exception was for the
smallest establishments, where workers earned somewhat more
per week than did those in some slightly larger
establishments. This stems, in part, from higher earnings in
small establishments in the wholesale trade, information,
and arts, entertainment, and recreation industries.
As the chart illustrates, workers employed in the largest
class of establishments averaged $450 to $500 more per week
than did those employed in the smallest. But small
establishments—those with fewer than 100 employees—outnumber
large ones. An establishment is defined as an institution
that produces goods or services, usually in a single
physical location, such as a factory or a store.
The data are from January to March 2002 and cover 98
percent of all U.S. jobs: those that fall under
unemployment-insurance laws. For more information, contact
the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW)
Program, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE., Room 4840, Washington, DC
20212-0001; (202) 691-6567; www.bls.gov/cew.
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