September 16, 2008 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Variation in worker earnings by occupation, July 2007

Among the five major occupational groups, average hourly earnings in private industry ranged from $10.06 for service workers to $32.96 for management, professional, and related employees in July 2007.

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Average hourly earnings for sales and office workers were $15.97, while for natural resources, construction, and maintenance workers, the average was $20.15. The average hourly earnings for production, transportation, and material moving workers were $15.03.

Overall, earnings averaged $19.21 per hour in private industry in July 2007.

These data are from the BLS National Compensation Survey program. Learn more in National Compensation Survey: Occupational Earnings in the United States, 2007, BLS Bulletin 2704.