Table 4. Defined contribution retirement plans: Selected attributes, private
industry workers, National Compensation Survey, March 2008

(All workers participating in defined contribution plans = 100 percent)

Characteristics

Employee contribution

Employee contribution
option

Required

Not
required

Pretax

Not pretax

All workers

66

34

79

21

Worker characteristics

Management, professional, and related

69

31

82

18

    Management, business, and financial

72

28

84

16

    Professional and related

68

32

82

18

Service

63

37

82

18

Sales and office

62

38

74

26

    Sales and related

57

43

64

36

    Office and administrative support

65

35

79

21

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance

68

32

81

19

    Construction, extraction, farming, fishing, and
     forestry

56

44

74

26

    Installation, maintenance, and repair

77

23

86

14

Production, transportation, and material moving

65

35

78

22

    Production

68

32

81

19

    Transportation and material moving

60

40

74

26

Full time

66

34

79

21

Part time

58

42

77

23

Union

60

40

79

21

Nonunion

66

34

79

21

Average wage within the following percentiles:1

    Less than 10

63

37

85

15

    10 to under 25

58

42

71

29

    25 to under 50

61

39

75

25

    50 to under 75

68

32

81

19

    75 to under 90

70

30

82

18

    90 or greater

68

32

81

19

Establishment characteristics

Goods-producing industries

68

32

80

20

    Construction

57

43

73

27

    Manufacturing

71

29

83

17

Service-providing industries

65

35

78

22

    Trade, transportation, and utilities

58

42

69

31

        Wholesale trade

70

30

83

17

        Retail trade

50

50

60

40

        Transportation and warehousing

57

43

70

30

        Utilities

91

9

97

3

    Information

90

10

93

7

    Financial activities

72

28

82

18

        Finance and insurance

72

28

83

17

            Credit intermediation and related activities

74

26

84

16

            Insurance carriers and related activities

75

25

86

14

        Real estate and rental and leasing

73

27

76

24

    Professional and business services

66

34

81

19

        Professional and technical services

62

38

82

18

        Administrative and waste services

68

32

76

24

    Education and health services

61

39

80

20

        Educational services

60

40

83

17

            Junior colleges, colleges, and universities

58

42

83

17

        Health care and social assistance

61

39

80

20

    Leisure and hospitality

78

22

88

12

    Other services

66

34

89

11

1 to 99 workers

66

34

81

19

    1 to 49 workers

66

34

81

19

    50 to 99 workers

65

35

80

20

100 workers or more

65

35

77

23

    100 to 499 workers

60

40

75

25

    500 workers or more

71

29

81

19

Geographic areas

Metropolitan areas

66

34

79

21

Nonmetropolitan areas

66

34

78

22

New England

68

32

76

24

Middle Atlantic

62

38

82

18

East North Central

60

40

76

24

West North Central

64

36

79

21

South Atlantic

67

33

79

21

East South Central

71

29

80

20

West South Central

66

34

76

24

Mountain

67

33

77

23

Pacific

73

27

83

17

1The percentile groupings are based on the average wage for each occupation surveyed, which may include workers both above and below the threshold. The percentile values are based on the estimates published in the "National Compensation Survey: Occupational Earnings in the United States, 2007." See Technical Note for more details.

NOTE: Because of rounding, sums of individual items may not equal totals. Dash indicates no workers in this category or data did not meet publication criteria.