General Information:   (617) 565-2327              USDL-07-297   

Media Contact:          Walter Marshall              For release: Thursday, October 18, 2007
                              (617) 565-2324


HIGHLIGHTS OF PROVIDENCE-NEW BEDFORD-FALL RIVER, RI-MA NATIONAL COMPENSATION SURVEY, JANUARY 2007

Workers in the Providence-New Bedford-Fall River metropolitan area averaged $20.18 per hour during January 2007, according to new survey results from the National Compensation Survey (NCS) released by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Regional Commissioner Denis M. McSweeney reported average hourly earnings of $34.54 for management, professional, and related workers and $21.00 for natural resources, construction, and maintenance workers. Production, transportation, and material moving workers averaged $14.81 an hour; sales and office workers, $14.50; and service workers, $12.56. [See table 1. Note: Occupational aggregations are now based on the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system.]

In the Providence area, sales and office workers along with management, professional, and related workers made up the largest occupational groups with each accounting for 28 percent of the workforce. They were followed by service (25 percent) and production, transportation, and material moving workers (13 percent). Natural resources, construction, and maintenance represented the smallest group in the survey at six percent.

The NCS provides straight-time earnings for occupations in establishments employing with one or more workers in private industry and State and local governments. This NCS survey covered 264 establishments representing 532,600 workers in the Providence-New Bedford-Fall River Metropolitan Statistical Area which is comprised of Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, and Washington Counties in Rhode Island and Bristol County in Massachusetts. Agricultural establishments, private households, the self-employed, and the Federal government were excluded from the survey.

In the Providence area, average hourly wages were published for full-time workers in a number of detailed occupations. Within the management, professional, and related occupations, engineers averaged $39.16 per hour and registered nurses, $28.78. Secretaries and administrative assistants, part of the sales and office occupational group, earned $15.72. In the service occupations, building cleaning workers earned $14.06. (See table 2.)

The NCS also provides broad coverage of selected occupational characteristics. Establishments in the Providence area with 1-99 workers averaged $15.63 and those in establishments with 100-499 workers earned $18.62; workers in establishments with 500 or more employees earned $29.40. Full-time workers averaged $21.88 per hour while their part-time counterparts earned $11.15. (See table 1.)

The NCS provides comprehensive measures of occupational earnings, compensation cost trends, benefit incidence, and detailed plan provisions. In addition to the locality occupational earnings shown in this release, the Employment Cost Index (ECI) component measures changes in labor costs at the national and regional levels. Similarly, average employer costs for employee compensation are available from the Employer Cost for Employee Compensation (ECEC) series and details on benefits incidences and provisions are available from the Employee Benefits Survey (EBS). The occupational wage data 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. Details on the NCS are available at http://www.bls.gov/ncs/.

Survey Availability

Complete survey results are contained in the Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA National Compensation Survey January 2007 (Bulletin 3140-14). While supplies last, single copies of the bulletin are available from the New England Information Office by calling 617-565-2327. 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.

For personal assistance or further information on the National Compensation Survey, as well as other Bureau programs, contact the New England Information Office at 617-565-2327 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.

Table 1. Summary: Mean hourly earnings(1) and weekly hours for selected worker and establishment characteristics, Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA, January 2007
Worker and establishment characteristics Civilian workers Private industry workers State and local government workers
Hourly earnings Hourly earnings Hourly earnings
Mean Relative error (2) percent Mean weekly hours (3) Mean Relative error (2) percent Mean weekly hours (3) Mean Relative error (2) percent Mean weekly hours (3)

All workers

 $20.18 4.9 33.8 $18.92 5.9 33.8 $28.44 4.0 33.8
Worker characteristics(4)(5)

Management, professional, and related

 34.54 5.0 35.9 33.86 6.6 37.4 36.71 5.2 32.0

Management, business, and financial

 37.26 10.6 38.6 38.14 11.5 39.4 30.90 9.6 33.4

Professional and related

 32.95 4.0 34.5 30.64 5.3 36.0 38.05 6.5 31.7

Service

 12.56 3.9 30.6 11.27 3.2 30.2 20.78 3.4 34.1

Sales and office

 14.50 4.6 32.8 14.06 5.2 32.5 19.01 5.7 36.8

Sales and related

 13.15 10.3 29.1 13.15 10.3 29.1 – – –

Office and administrative support

 15.29 2.9 35.5 14.67 3.0 35.3 19.01 5.7 36.8

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance

 21.00 4.7 38.7 21.05 4.8 38.7 – – –

Construction and extraction

 21.17 4.2 38.0 21.27 4.3 38.0 – – –

Installation, maintenance, and repair

 20.73 7.9 39.7 20.73 7.9 39.7 – – –

Production, transportation, and material moving

 14.81 5.3 35.4 14.61 5.4 35.2 – – –

Production

 15.02 8.6 37.5 15.02 8.6 37.5 – – –

Transportation and material moving

 14.39 7.1 32.1 13.68 8.3 31.0 – – –

Full time

 21.88 5.1 39.1 20.60 6.2 39.5 29.26 4.4 36.6

Part time

 11.15 6.2 19.7 10.89 6.7 20.0 15.85 7.3 15.5

Union

 24.50 5.7 34.0 18.45 10.9 31.2 28.94 4.4 36.3

Nonunion

 19.10 6.1 33.7 18.97 6.3 34.1 24.97 10.0 22.8

Time

 20.00 5.0 33.7 18.66 6.0 33.7 28.44 4.0 33.8

Incentive

 27.05 19.5 36.3 27.05 19.5 36.3 – – –
Establishment characteristics

Goods producing

 -6 -6 -6 - - - -6 -6 -6

Service providing

 -6 -6 -6 18.93 7.4 33.0 -6 -6 -6

1-99 workers

 15.63 6.0 32.4 15.28 6.3 32.2 – – –

100-499 workers

 18.62 7.0 34.4 17.47 7.5 34.9 32.23 10.2 29.9

500 workers or more

 29.40 7.4 35.5 30.01 10.6 36.3 28.26 4.5 34.0

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 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.

3 Mean weekly hours are the hours an employee is scheduled to work in a week, exclusive of overtime.

4 Employees are classified as working either a full-time or a part-time schedule based on the definition used by each establishment. Union workers are those whose wages are determined through collective bargaining. Wages of time workers are based solely on 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.

5 Workers are classified by occupation using the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system.

6 Classification of establishments into goods-producing and service-providing industries applies to private industry only. Industries are determined by the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

NOTE: Dashes indicate that no data were reported or that data did not meet publication criteria.



Table 2. Full-time(1) civilian workers: Mean and median hourly, weekly, and annual earnings and mean weekly and annual hours, Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA, January 2007
Occupation (2) Hourly earnings (3) Weekly earnings (4) Mean weekly hours Annual earnings (5) Mean annual hours
Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median

All workers

 $21.88 $17.30 $855 $692 39.1 $43,157 $35,880 1,972

Management occupations

 40.15 31.95 1,610 1,222 40.1 83,743 63,554 2,086

Marketing and sales managers

 65.99 51.66 2,633 2,066 39.9 136,914 107,453 2,075

Financial managers

 47.67 33.65 1,884 1,346 39.5 97,969 70,000 2,055

Education administrators

 32.40 30.56 1,226 1,222 37.8 63,741 63,554 1,967

Business and financial operations occupations

 29.24 27.94 1,110 1,055 38.0 57,739 54,858 1,975

Computer and mathematical science occupations

 35.49 33.36 1,370 1,334 38.6 71,264 69,378 2,008

Architecture and engineering occupations

 28.10 25.02 1,112 1,001 39.6 57,803 52,050 2,057

Engineers

 39.16 42.38 1,566 1,695 40.0 81,444 88,150 2,080

Engineering technicians, except drafters

 23.14 23.59 911 916 39.4 47,348 47,628 2,046

Life, physical, and social science occupations

 30.14 33.64 1,166 1,128 38.7 60,653 58,640 2,013

Community and social services occupations

 24.06 23.31 921 874 38.3 47,360 45,456 1,968

Social workers

 22.30 21.55 849 833 38.1 44,144 43,310 1,979

Education, training, and library occupations

 46.67 49.09 1,566 1,632 33.6 57,193 60,165 1,226

Postsecondary teachers

 68.53 80.92 2,551 2,990 37.2 91,219 95,680 1,331

Primary, secondary, and special education school teachers

 47.33 50.10 1,569 1,662 33.1 57,258 61,041 1,210

Elementary and middle school teachers

 45.37 47.21 1,510 1,629 33.3 55,120 60,138 1,215

Elementary school teachers, except special education

 46.94 49.31 1,554 1,662 33.1 56,871 61,159 1,212

Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education

 43.45 44.28 1,455 1,493 33.5 52,967 54,481 1,219

Secondary school teachers

 49.97 50.66 1,638 1,672 32.8 59,644 61,192 1,194

Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education

 51.71 53.24 1,691 1,810 32.7 61,502 66,243 1,189

Teacher assistants

 16.01 16.97 500 509 31.2 18,092 18,324 1,130

Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations.

 30.83 27.35 1,198 1,047 38.9 61,480 54,469 1,994

Registered nurses

 28.78 28.56 1,111 1,093 38.6 57,112 55,965 1,985

Therapists

 39.21 33.82 1,440 1,379 36.7 66,254 66,234 1,690

Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

 23.86 23.37 950 935 39.8 49,395 48,610 2,070

Healthcare support occupations

 15.21 15.88 591 634 38.9 30,733 32,947 2,021

Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides

 13.18 12.71 507 508 38.5 26,388 26,437 2,003

Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants

 13.47 13.48 524 524 38.9 27,256 27,225 2,023

Miscellaneous healthcare support occupations

 17.33 17.70 680 694 39.2 35,351 36,075 2,039

Protective service occupations

 19.72 21.40 775 809 39.3 40,282 42,051 2,042

Food preparation and serving related occupations

 11.96 11.22 478 449 39.9 24,839 23,338 2,076

Cooks

 14.54 13.75 579 550 39.8 30,128 28,600 2,072

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations

 14.08 12.67 561 507 39.8 29,173 26,349 2,072

Building cleaning workers

 14.06 13.03 561 521 39.9 29,152 27,102 2,073

Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners

 14.94 14.91 594 593 39.7 30,862 30,811 2,066

Maids and housekeeping cleaners

 13.18 12.26 527 491 40.0 27,417 25,509 2,080

Personal care and service occupations

 12.31 11.45 486 458 39.5 25,125 23,816 2,041

Sales and related occupations

 15.51 12.75 615 500 39.7 31,648 25,480 2,040

First-line supervisors/managers, sales workers

 14.95 15.50 618 597 41.3 32,139 31,054 2,149

Retail sales workers

 10.95 10.50 429 411 39.2 21,877 21,370 1,998

Cashiers, all workers

 10.07 9.78 396 391 39.3 20,587 20,342 2,045

Cashiers

 10.07 9.78 396 391 39.3 20,587 20,342 2,045

Retail salespersons

 11.68 11.50 456 440 39.0 23,701 22,859 2,029

Office and administrative support occupations

 15.65 14.63 611 577 39.0 31,747 30,001 2,028

Financial clerks

 14.89 14.25 582 569 39.1 30,268 29,576 2,033

Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks

 17.67 12.98 660 600 37.3 34,306 31,195 1,942

Customer service representatives

 18.10 17.50 717 700 39.6 37,275 36,400 2,060

Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks

 12.25 11.40 490 456 40.0 25,479 23,712 2,080

Secretaries and administrative assistants

 15.72 13.80 619 552 39.4 32,211 28,700 2,049

Executive secretaries and administrative assistants

 18.38 20.61 714 802 38.9 37,132 41,678 2,020

Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive

 13.80 12.98 548 519 39.7 28,507 26,998 2,066

Office clerks, general

 14.36 14.36 568 548 39.6 29,552 28,499 2,059

Construction and extraction occupations

 21.38 18.50 861 740 40.3 44,795 38,480 2,095

Pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

 29.36 29.50 1,174 1,180 40.0 61,065 61,360 2,080

Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

 29.36 29.50 1,174 1,180 40.0 61,065 61,360 2,080

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

 20.73 17.84 824 714 39.7 41,700 36,400 2,011

Industrial machinery installation, repair, and maintenance workers

 16.92 17.25 667 690 39.4 32,601 34,216 1,927

Line installers and repairers

 28.66 31.31 1,146 1,252 40.0 59,605 65,119 2,080

Production occupations

 15.20 13.41 602 536 39.6 31,303 27,889 2,059

First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers

 23.18 23.80 892 952 38.5 46,392 49,500 2,001

Electrical, electronics, and electromechanical assemblers

 11.99 11.85 480 474 40.0 24,943 24,648 2,080

Machine tool cutting setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

 15.70 17.44 628 698 40.0 32,650 36,275 2,080

Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

 11.57 11.12 463 445 40.0 24,070 23,123 2,080

Miscellaneous production workers

 12.74 11.00 509 440 40.0 26,494 22,880 2,080

Transportation and material moving occupations

 15.25 14.34 610 574 40.0 28,730 29,245 1,884

Driver/sales workers and truck drivers

 15.97 15.00 639 600 40.0 26,591 24,960 1,666

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer

 19.28 22.19 771 888 40.0 40,101 46,155 2,080

Laborers and material movers, hand

 11.06 9.83 442 393 40.0 20,929 19,240 1,892

Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand

 11.52 10.50 461 420 40.0 23,959 21,840 2,080

Packers and packagers, hand

 9.75 9.53 390 381 40.0 14,632 17,264 1,501

1 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.

2 Workers are classified by occupation using the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system.

3 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.

4 Mean weekly earnings are the straight-time weekly wages or salaries paid to employees. Median weekly earnings designates position - one-half of the hours are paid the same as or more than the rate shown. Mean weekly hours are the hours an employee is scheduled to work in a week, exclusive of overtime.

5 Mean annual earnings are the straight-time annual wages or salaries paid to employees. Median annual earnings designates position - one-half of the hours are paid the same as or more than the rate shown. Mean annual hours are the hours an employee is scheduled to work in a year, exclusive of overtime.

NOTE: Dashes indicate that no data were reported or that data did not meet publication criteria. Overall occupational groups may include data for categories not shown separately.

 

Last Modified Date: November 8, 2007