CONTACT: Media Interviews (415) 625-2270 Internet address: www.bls.gov/ro9/news.htm

BLS 08-105 FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Workers in the Kennewick-Richland-Pasco metropolitan area earned an average of $21.60 per hour in August 2008, according to new survey results from the National Compensation Survey (NCS) released by the U.S. Department of Labors Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Regional Commissioner Richard J. Holden reported wage data for workers in a wide range of occupational groups, including average hourly earnings of $41.26 for architecture and engineering occupations and $14.65 for office and administrative support occupations. Another occupational group, food preparation and serving related, had a mean hourly wage rate of $9.48. The NCS data available for the Kennewick area include earnings for 17 major occupational groups with additional detail for selected occupations within those groups. (See table 1.)

Engineers, part of the architecture and engineering occupational group, earned $42.40 per hour. Within the office and administrative support occupational group, financial clerks averaged $14.86 per hour and receptionists and information clerks $12.24. Cooks, an occupation within the food preparation and serving related group, registered an average hourly rate of $11.95, and fast food and counter workers earned $8.51 per hour.

Broad coverage of selected occupational characteristics is available from NCS for the local area. Full-time workers averaged $23.66 per hour while their part-time counterparts earned $11.74. Union workers earned $23.74 and non-union workers, $20.58. Workers in establishments with 1-99 workers averaged $16.10 per hour, those in establishments with 100-499 workers earned $18.81, and those in establishments with 500 or more employees earned $33.28.

The occupational wage data available from NCS 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. NCS results also include the work level and respective earnings for occupations determined by a point factor leveling process. The four occupational leveling factors are: knowledge, job controls and complexity, contacts, and physical environment. Details on the NCS are available at http://www.bls.gov/ncs/home.htm

The NCS data provided in the detailed bulletin covered 142 establishments with one or more workers in private industry and State and local governments. Agricultural establishments, private households, the self-employed, and the Federal Government were excluded from the survey. This sample of establishments represented 86,900 workers in the Kennewick-Richland-Pasco Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) which is comprised of Benton and Franklin Counties in Washington.

Complete survey results are contained in the Kennewick-Richland-Pasco, WA National Compensation Survey August 2008 which is 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 data, contact the Western Information Office by calling (415) 625-2270 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. PT.

Please click here for a text formatted copy of the table issued with this release.

 

Last Modified Date: December 31, 2008