CONTACT: Media Interviews (415) 975-4373 (415) 975-4403 General Information (415) 625-2270 Internet address: http://www.bls.gov/ro9/news.htm Fax on demand (415) 975-4567 -- Document 9545

BLS 05-87 FOR RELEASE: Thursday, December 22, 2005

Workers in the Richland–Kennewick–Pasco, WA metropolitan area averaged $21.22 per hour during August 2005, according to a new survey released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. Regional Commissioner Richard J. Holden reported that white collar workers averaged $26.15 per hour and accounted for 54 percent of the workers in the area. Blue collar employees averaged $17.82 per hour and represented 24 percent of the workforce, while the remaining employees worked in service occupations and earned $12.63 per hour.

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 115 firms representing 34,000 workers in the Richland–Kennewick–Pasco, WA metropolitan area, which consists of Benton and Franklin Counties. Within this survey, 72 percent of these employees worked in private industry.

In the Richland–Kennewick–Pasco, WA metropolitan area, average hourly wages were published for 20 detailed occupations. Among white collar workers, registered nurses averaged $28.11 per hour; receptionists $11.30; and cashiers $9.12. Blue collar occupations included electricians earning $30.15 per hour, and industrial truck and tractor equipment operators earning $13.14. In service occupations, firefighters averaged $21.60 per hour and maids and housemen earned $8.76.

The NCS also provides broad coverage of selected occupational characteristics. For example, full-time employees in the Richland–Kennewick–Pasco, WA area averaged $23.06 per hour and part-time employees averaged $9.81. Union workers averaged $21.99 per hour, while their nonunion counterparts made $20.64. Union workers in service jobs earned $19.40 per hour compared to nonunion workers who averaged $ 9.17. Private industry workers at establishments employing 50-99 workers averaged $11.67 per hour and those in establishments with 500 or more employees earned $31.83.

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 the 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 Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, WA National Compensation Survey August 2005 (Bulletin 3125-19). While supplies last, single copies of the bulletin are available from the San Francisco Information Office by calling 415-975-4350. 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. Select survey tables can also be obtained from the Bureau's fax-on-demand service in San Francisco by dialing 415-975-4567 and requesting document 9545.

For personal assistance or further information on the National Compensation Survey, as well as other Bureau programs, contact the San Francisco Information Office at 415-975-4350 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Pacific Time, Monday - Friday.

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.

This bulletin is available in its entirety in text or pdf format.

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Last Modified Date: December 22, 2005