Bureau of Labor Statistics
New York Office FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, May 9, 2006 201 Varick Street, Room 808 New York, NY 10014 Telephone: (212) 337-2400 Fax-On-Demand: (212) 337-2412 Internet Address: http://www.bls.gov/ro2/
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BUFFALO-NIAGARA FALLS, NY
NATIONAL COMPENSATION SURVEY, JULY 2005
Workers in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls, New York, metropolitan area averaged $19.22 per hour during July 2005, according to a new survey released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. Regional Commissioner Michael L. Dolfman reported that white-collar workers averaged $21.38 per hour and accounted for 54 percent of the workers in the area. Blue-collar employees averaged $18.09 per hour and represented 29 percent of the workforce, while the remainder worked in service occupations and earned $14.09 per hour. (See table 1.)
The National Compensation Survey (NCS) presents straight-time earnings for occupations in establishments employing 50 or more workers in private industry and State and local governments. The survey excludes agricultural establishments, private households, the self-employed, and the Federal Government. This NCS covered 213 firms representing 256,800 workers in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area, which is comprised of Erie and Niagara Counties in New York State. Almost seventy-five percent of those represented worked in private industry.
In the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area, average hourly wages were published for 28 detailed occupations. (See table 1.) Among white-collar workers, computer systems analysts and scientists averaged $26.40 per hour; registered nurses, $25.13; and secretaries, $16.94. Blue-collar occupations included industrial machinery repairers earning $22.51 per hour, truck drivers at $19.17, and automobile mechanics at $18.15. In the service occupations, janitors and cleaners averaged $12.20 per hour and nursing aides, orderlies and attendants, $11.23.
The NCS also provides broad coverage of selected occupational characteristics. (See tables 2 and 3.) For example, full-time employees in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls area averaged $20.14 per hour, earning more than part-timers at $11.17. Union workers in blue- collar jobs averaged $20.64 per hour while their nonunion counterparts made $15.36. Private industry workers at establishments with 500 or more employees averaged $22.20 per hour, eclipsing the $14.39 average hourly wage of those in establishments employing 50-99 workers.
The NCS is part of a statistical program that integrates three previously separate surveys of wages and benefits into one comprehensive compensation program increasing the amount of data available. Data provided by the NCS may be used by businesses for establishing pay plans, making decisions concerning plant relocation, and in collective bargaining negotiations. Individuals may use such data to help choose potential careers. Average rates of pay are also available for levels of work within an occupation based on knowledge, skill, independent judgment, supervision received, and other factors required on the job.
Survey Availability
Complete survey results are contained in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY National Compensation Survey July 2005 (Bulletin number 3130-52). While supplies last, single copies of the bulletin are available from the New York Information Office by calling (212) 337- 2400. In addition, data contained in the bulletin are available on the Internet in both text and PDF formats at http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ocs/compub.htm. Copies of this release can also be obtained from the Bureau's fax-on-demand service in New York by dialing (212) 337-2412 and requesting document 9615.
For personal assistance or further information on the National
Compensation Survey, as well as other Bureau programs, contact the
New York Information Office at (212) 337-2400 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30
p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.
Technical Note
Because the NCS is a sample survey, it is subject to sampling errors.
Sampling errors occur because observations come only from a sample
and not from an entire population. The sample used for this survey
is one of a number of possible samples of the same size that could
have been selected using the sample design. Estimates derived from
the different samples would differ from each other. A measure of the
variation among these differing estimates is the standard error. It
can be used to measure the precision with which an estimate from a
particular sample approximates the expected result of all possible
samples. The chances are about 68 out of 100 that an estimate from
the survey differs from a complete population figure by less than the
standard error. The chances are about 90 out of 100 that this
difference would be less than 1.6 times the standard error. The
statements of comparisons appearing in this publication are
significant at a 1.6 standard error level or better. This means that
for differences cited, the estimated difference is greater than 1.6
times the standard error of the difference.
NYLS - 7237 Labor - New York
5/05/06
Table 1. Mean hourly earnings,(1) all workers:(2) Selected occupations, private industry and State and local government, National
Compensation Survey, Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY, July 2005
Total Private industry State and local
government
Occupation(3)
Relative Relative Relative
Mean error(4) Mean error(4) Mean error(4)
(percent) (percent) (percent)
All................................................................... $19.22 3.1 $17.51 3.9 $24.68 2.9
All excluding sales............................................... 19.66 2.9 17.94 3.7 24.76 2.8
White collar........................................................ 21.38 3.8 18.80 4.8 28.49 4.0
White collar excluding sales.................................... 22.55 3.3 19.95 4.4 28.66 3.8
Professional specialty and technical.............................. 30.47 3.5 26.20 4.0 36.24 5.4
Professional specialty.......................................... 32.73 4.3 28.14 5.3 37.62 5.0
Engineers, architects, and surveyors.......................... 36.07 3.2 36.89 3.2 – –
Mathematical and computer scientists.......................... 26.54 5.9 – – – –
Computer systems analysts and scientists.................... 26.40 6.2 – – – –
Natural scientists............................................ 28.41 4.5 28.41 4.5 – –
Health related................................................ 26.74 5.0 25.20 6.0 30.11 9.0
Registered nurses........................................... 25.13 2.8 26.24 3.0 22.25 4.1
Teachers, college and university.............................. 60.50 8.9 53.58 .0 62.10 9.8
Teachers, except college and university....................... 36.19 4.8 20.18 16.8 37.91 5.6
Elementary school teachers.................................. 37.19 9.5 – – 39.75 9.5
Secondary school teachers................................... 38.10 9.7 – – 38.10 9.7
Librarians, archivists, and curators.......................... – – – – – –
Social scientists and urban planners.......................... – – – – – –
Social, recreation, and religious workers..................... 20.21 8.0 – – – –
Social workers.............................................. 19.83 9.0 – – – –
Lawyers and judges............................................ – – – – – –
Writers, authors, entertainers, athletes, and professionals,
n.e.c...................................................... – – – – – –
Technical....................................................... 20.59 6.6 20.93 7.2 18.91 14.0
Licensed practical nurses................................... 16.56 2.5 – – – –
Executive, administrative, and managerial......................... 30.38 7.9 31.28 9.3 27.30 9.7
Executives, administrators, and managers...................... 38.49 10.8 41.03 12.6 31.53 14.7
Administrators, education and related fields................ 35.04 9.0 – – – –
Managers and administrators, n.e.c.......................... 32.93 9.3 – – – –
Management related............................................ 23.83 3.5 24.14 3.8 22.53 8.5
Management related, n.e.c................................... 25.29 11.2 – – – –
Sales............................................................. 12.55 12.6 12.55 12.9 – –
Cashiers.................................................... 8.01 7.1 7.50 4.1 – –
Administrative support, including clerical........................ 13.95 4.8 13.13 5.3 16.95 6.1
Secretaries................................................. 16.94 1.9 15.44 5.4 18.21 2.6
Typists..................................................... 14.57 7.5 – – – –
Bookkeepers, accounting and auditing clerks................. 13.62 5.4 13.13 6.2 – –
General office clerks....................................... 13.82 4.1 14.19 6.4 13.12 1.2
Administrative support, n.e.c............................... 11.61 9.7 11.45 9.9 – –
Blue collar......................................................... 18.09 2.9 18.23 3.3 17.13 3.0
Precision production, craft, and repair........................... 21.41 4.9 22.04 5.6 18.38 2.3
Automobile mechanics........................................ 18.15 1.4 – – – –
Industrial machinery repairers.............................. 22.51 22.2 22.51 22.2 – –
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors..................... 18.50 2.1 18.48 2.1 – –
Miscellaneous machine operators, n.e.c...................... 17.86 8.3 17.63 8.6 – –
Welders and cutters......................................... 20.46 21.0 20.46 21.0 – –
Assemblers.................................................. 20.85 9.3 20.85 9.3 – –
Production inspectors, checkers and examiners............... 18.31 9.2 18.31 9.2 – –
Transportation and material moving................................ 17.89 2.9 18.25 3.8 16.88 1.0
Truck drivers............................................... 19.17 2.3 20.08 3.8 – –
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers............... 12.14 8.3 11.73 9.8 14.79 12.4
Stock handlers and baggers.................................. 10.78 13.5 10.78 13.5 – –
Freight, stock, and material handlers, n.e.c................ 13.05 24.3 13.05 24.3 – –
Laborers, except construction, n.e.c........................ 10.94 20.7 – – – –
Service............................................................. 14.09 7.1 10.08 4.2 20.75 3.1
Protective service............................................ 24.76 2.7 – – 24.98 2.6
Food service.................................................. 9.14 12.3 9.14 12.3 – –
Waiters, waitresses, and bartenders.......................... 6.27 23.5 6.27 23.5 – –
Waiters and waitresses...................................... 6.44 24.6 6.44 24.6 – –
Other food service........................................... 10.84 8.0 10.84 8.0 – –
Health service................................................ 11.26 5.5 10.43 2.9 14.84 5.8
Nursing aides, orderlies and attendants..................... 11.23 5.4 10.43 2.9 14.79 6.0
Cleaning and building service................................. 12.15 4.8 11.08 3.4 13.78 2.8
Janitors and cleaners....................................... 12.20 5.2 11.11 3.9 13.84 2.9
Personal service.............................................. 13.43 5.7 9.40 13.8 – –
1 Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living adjustments,
and hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by
totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.
2 All workers include full-time and part-time workers.
3 A classification system including about 480 individual occupations is used to cover all workers in the civilian economy.
4 The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a
"confidence interval" around a sample estimate.
NOTE: Dashes indicate that no data were reported or that data did not meet publication criteria, and n.e.c. means "not elsewhere
classified." Overall occupational groups may include data for categories not shown separately.
Table 2. Selected worker characteristics: Mean hourly earnings(1) by occupational group,(2) National Compensation Survey,
Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY, July 2005
Private industry and State and local government
Occupational group
Full-time Part-time Nonunion- Incen-
workers(- workers(- Union(4) (4) Time(5) tive(5)
3) 3)
Mean
All occupations....................................................... $20.14 $11.17 $22.20 $16.87 $19.31 $18.01
All excluding sales............................................. 20.39 12.00 22.41 17.30 19.79 17.68
White collar........................................................ 22.42 12.57 27.88 18.37 21.90 16.24
White-collar excluding sales.................................... 23.14 15.31 28.71 19.35 23.18 –
Professional specialty and technical.............................. 31.10 22.87 34.64 25.76 30.51 –
Professional specialty.......................................... 33.50 24.02 36.42 27.57 32.79 –
Technical....................................................... 20.89 15.68 19.53 21.05 20.59 –
Executive, administrative, and managerial......................... 30.63 – 27.72 30.98 32.02 –
Sales............................................................. 14.91 7.86 – 12.85 10.89 19.56
Administrative support, including clerical........................ 14.36 9.91 18.01 12.72 14.20 –
Blue collar......................................................... 18.49 10.30 20.64 15.36 17.77 –
Precision production, craft, and repair........................... 21.42 – 23.36 19.40 21.41 –
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors..................... 18.50 – 23.13 13.25 18.50 –
Transportation and material moving................................ 18.72 – 18.86 17.01 15.98 –
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers............... 12.75 8.14 13.66 10.16 12.22 –
Service............................................................. 15.38 9.06 15.84 9.70 14.13 –
Full-time Part-time Nonunion- Incen-
Occupational group workers(- workers(- Union(4) (4) Time(5) tive(5)
3) 3)
Relative error(6) (percent)
All occupations....................................................... 3.2 7.1 5.1 4.4 3.1 8.1
All excluding sales............................................. 3.0 8.8 5.2 3.7 3.0 7.9
White collar........................................................ 3.4 11.0 4.1 5.1 3.3 8.3
White-collar excluding sales.................................... 2.9 18.1 3.7 4.4 2.8 –
Professional specialty and technical.............................. 3.7 10.2 4.6 4.4 3.5 –
Professional specialty.......................................... 4.6 8.4 3.9 6.2 4.3 –
Technical....................................................... 6.6 1.3 8.2 8.6 6.6 –
Executive, administrative, and managerial......................... 8.1 – 8.5 9.0 8.0 –
Sales............................................................. 15.0 3.8 – 14.1 9.3 19.8
Administrative support, including clerical........................ 4.8 4.7 6.2 5.0 5.2 –
Blue collar......................................................... 3.1 11.8 5.2 5.3 3.0 –
Precision production, craft, and repair........................... 4.9 – 6.0 5.3 4.9 –
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors..................... 2.1 – 5.2 7.6 2.1 –
Transportation and material moving................................ 3.0 – 13.4 11.2 3.9 –
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers............... 8.3 6.3 10.8 9.7 8.1 –
Service............................................................. 9.2 4.1 10.5 10.4 7.1 –
1 Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay, cost-of-living
adjustments, and hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction bonuses, and tips. The
mean is computed by totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers, weighted by hours.
2 A classification system including about 480 individual occupations is used to cover all workers in the civilian economy.
3 Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each
establishment. Therefore, a worker with a 35-hour-per-week schedule might be considered a full-time employee in one
establishment, but classified as part-time in another firm, where a 40-hour week is the minimum full-time schedule.
4 Union workers are those whose wages are determined through collective bargaining.
5 Time workers' wages are based solely on an hourly rate or salary; incentive workers are those whose wages are at least
partially based on productivity payments such as piece rates, commissions, and production bonuses.
6 The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to calculate a
"confidence interval" around a sample estimate.
NOTE: Dashes indicate that no data were reported or that data did not meet publication criteria.
Table 3. Establishment employment size: Mean hourly earnings(1) by occupational group,(2) private industry, National
Compensation Survey, Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY, July 2005
Full-time and part-time workers
100 workers or more
Occupational group All 50 - 99
private workers(-
industry 3) 100 - 499 500
workers Total workers workers
or more
Mean
All occupations....................................................... $17.51 $14.39 $18.50 $16.66 $22.20
All excluding sales............................................. 17.94 14.73 18.83 17.07 22.15
White collar........................................................ 18.80 15.96 19.41 18.34 21.92
White-collar excluding sales.................................... 19.95 18.64 20.12 19.32 21.81
Professional specialty and technical.............................. 26.20 – 26.57 27.45 25.43
Professional specialty.......................................... 28.14 – 28.35 30.60 26.09
Technical....................................................... 20.93 – 21.44 21.30 21.84
Executive, administrative, and managerial......................... 31.28 – 29.23 30.96 26.36
Sales............................................................. 12.55 12.72 12.37 – –
Administrative support, including clerical........................ 13.13 11.46 13.41 12.85 15.28
Blue collar......................................................... 18.23 14.92 19.72 16.12 24.73
Precision production, craft, and repair........................... 22.04 18.49 23.18 19.17 28.24
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors..................... 18.48 13.66 19.39 13.60 25.47
Transportation and material moving................................ 18.25 17.73 18.66 – –
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers............... 11.73 11.18 12.69 13.31 –
Service............................................................. 10.08 8.88 10.59 10.46 10.99
B
Full-time and part-time workers
100 workers or more
Occupational group All 50 - 99
private workers(-
industry 3) 100 - 499 500
workers Total workers workers
or more
Relative error(4) (percent)
All occupations....................................................... 3.9 11.7 4.6 5.8 5.9
All excluding sales............................................. 3.7 10.3 3.9 4.9 5.4
White collar........................................................ 4.8 23.3 5.6 7.0 10.5
White-collar excluding sales.................................... 4.4 26.1 3.4 3.8 9.5
Professional specialty and technical.............................. 4.0 – 4.1 4.8 7.3
Professional specialty.......................................... 5.3 – 5.3 5.7 8.8
Technical....................................................... 7.2 – 7.6 10.7 4.6
Executive, administrative, and managerial......................... 9.3 – 9.3 12.5 8.2
Sales............................................................. 12.9 24.0 23.7 – –
Administrative support, including clerical........................ 5.3 11.6 5.6 6.3 12.1
Blue collar......................................................... 3.3 8.2 3.6 6.4 4.1
Precision production, craft, and repair........................... 5.6 8.9 6.3 5.7 3.7
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors..................... 2.1 4.3 3.2 7.2 3.8
Transportation and material moving................................ 3.8 15.6 12.0 – –
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers............... 9.8 10.2 9.7 8.6 –
Service............................................................. 4.2 10.3 2.3 3.6 2.4
1 Earnings are the straight-time hourly wages or salaries paid to employees. They include incentive pay,
cost-of-living adjustments, and hazard pay. Excluded are premium pay for overtime, vacations, holidays, nonproduction
bonuses, and tips. The mean is computed by totaling the pay of all workers and dividing by the number of workers,
weighted by hours.
2 A classification system including about 480 individual occupations is used to cover all workers in the civilian
economy.
3 Establishments classified with 50-99 workers may contain establishments with fewer than 50 due to staff reductions
between survey sampling and collection.
4 The relative standard error (RSE) is the standard error expressed as a percent of the estimate. It can be used to
calculate a "confidence interval" around a sample estimate.
NOTE: Dashes indicate that no data were reported or that data did not meet publication criteria.
Last Modified Date: May 9, 2006
