September 14, 2006 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Variation in worker earnings, June 2005

Average hourly earnings of white-collar workers were $22.96 in June 2005, while earnings of blue-collar workers averaged $15.87. Hourly earnings of workers in service occupations were $10.89 per hour.

[Chart data—TXT]

Mean hourly earnings of full-time workers were $19.70, compared with $10.52 for part-time workers.

Union workers earned $22.65 per hour, compared with the $17.77 earned by nonunion workers.

Overall, earnings averaged $18.62 per hour in June 2005.

These data are from the BLS National Compensation Survey program. Wage data in this article are for workers in private industry and in State and local government. Learn more in National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, June 2005, BLS Bulletin 2581 (PDF).