Internet: www.bls.gov/ro3/ PLS – 4465
FOR RELEASE:
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2008
INFORMATION: Michael Dickie
(215) 597-3282
MEDIA CONTACT: Gerald Perrins
(215) 861-5600

Highlights of Pittsburgh-New Castle National Compensation Survey February 2008 (PDF)

Workers in the Pittsburgh-New Castle metropolitan area earned an average of $18.95 per hour in February 2008, according to new survey results from the National Compensation Survey (NCS) released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that wage data were reported for workers in a wide range of occupational groups, including average hourly earnings of $33.94 for computer and mathematical science occupations and $19.05 for construction and extraction occupations. Another occupational group, healthcare support, had a mean hourly wage rate of $11.47. The NCS data available for the Pittsburgh area include earnings for 21 major occupational groups with additional detail for selected occupations within those groups. (See table 1.)

Within the computer and mathematical science occupational group, computer software engineers, applications earned $38.95 per hour. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, part of the construction and extraction occupational group, averaged $23.40 per hour. Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants, within the healthcare support occupational group, earned an average hourly rate of $11.78. (See table 1.)

Broad coverage of selected occupational characteristics is available from NCS for the local area. Full-time workers averaged $20.75 per hour while their part-time counterparts earned $10.06. Union workers earned $20.96 and non-union workers, $18.33. Workers in establishments with 1-99 workers averaged $15.70 per hour, those in establishments with 100-499 workers earned $18.53, and those in establishments with 500 or more employees earned $24.46.

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 www.bls.gov/ncs.

The NCS data reported here covered 491 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 1,102,200 workers in the Pittsburgh-New Castle Combined Statistical Area which is comprised of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties in Pennsylvania.

Survey Availability

Complete survey results are contained in the Pittsburgh-New Castle, PA National Compensation Survey February 2008 which is available on the Internet in both text and PDF formats at www.bls.gov/ncs/ocs/compub.htm.

For personal assistance or further information on the National Compensation Survey data, as well as other Bureau data, contact the Mid-Atlantic Information Office by calling (215) 597-3282 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET.

Table 1. Civilian workers: Mean hourly earnings(1) for full-time and part-time workers(2), Pittsburgh-New Castle, PA CSA, February 2008
Occupation(3) Total Full-time workers Part-time workers
Mean Relative error(4) (percent) Mean Relative error(4) (percent) Mean Relative error(4) (percent)

All workers

 $18.95 2.4 $20.75 2.7 $10.06 3.5

Management occupations

 33.31 5.5 33.19 5.7 – –

General and operations managers

 29.49 5.4 29.49 5.4 – –

Financial managers

 32.39 7.4 32.39 7.4 – –

Education administrators

 31.94 12.6 31.94 12.6 – –

Business and financial operations occupations

 26.53 3.3 26.52 3.2 – –

Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products

 27.14 11.1 27.14 11.1 – –

Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists

 24.38 7.5 24.97 7.9 – –

Accountants and auditors

 24.81 12.3 24.26 14.8 – –

Computer and mathematical science occupations

 33.94 5.6 33.98 5.6 – –

Computer software engineers

 35.35 8.9 35.46 9.1 – –

Computer software engineers, applications

 38.95 2.7 39.29 2.6 – –

Computer support specialists

 27.95 41.9 27.95 41.9 – –

Computer systems analysts

 28.23 10.1 28.23 10.1 – –

Network and computer systems administrators

 34.01 21.0 – – – –

Architecture and engineering occupations

 29.01 2.5 29.04 2.6 – –

Engineers

 36.09 3.8 36.07 3.7 – –

Electrical and electronics engineers

 39.69 7.2 39.69 7.2 – –

Electrical engineers

 39.69 7.2 39.69 7.2 – –

Drafters

 20.09 9.1 20.20 10.0 – –

Architectural and civil drafters

 19.22 27.2 – – – –

Life, physical, and social science occupations

 20.79 11.0 20.79 11.0 – –

Community and social services occupations

 14.80 5.3 14.80 5.3 – –

Social workers

 14.96 4.4 14.96 4.4 – –

Legal occupations

 51.44 12.1 51.44 12.1 – –

Lawyers

 52.32 15.0 52.32 15.0 – –

Education, training, and library occupations

 33.07 11.3 34.56 12.8 11.25 7.3

Postsecondary teachers

 57.21 14.1 57.81 13.7 – –

Primary, secondary, and special education school teachers

 34.04 6.8 35.61 9.6 10.58 10.3

Preschool and kindergarten teachers

 12.28 6.4 – – – –

Elementary and middle school teachers

 38.38 2.0 40.17 2.7 – –

Elementary school teachers, except special education

 38.04 2.6 40.49 3.3 – –

Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education

 39.34 4.5 39.34 4.5 – –

Secondary school teachers

 36.70 7.0 37.08 8.0 – –

Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education

 36.70 7.0 37.08 8.0 – –

Special education teachers

 42.58 8.6 42.58 8.6 – –

Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school

 43.55 8.2 43.55 8.2 – –

Teacher assistants

 10.44 12.3 10.51 13.2 – –

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations

 20.38 12.9 23.58 7.4 14.55 30.0

Athletes, coaches, umpires, and related workers

 21.81 5.1 – – – –

Coaches and scouts

 21.81 5.1 – – – –

Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations

 24.24 3.0 24.81 2.0 22.04 7.9

Pharmacists

 42.01 4.6 – – 40.27 7.4

Registered nurses

 27.95 4.7 28.69 3.9 25.69 6.6

Therapists

 24.92 22.1 26.54 18.3 – –

Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians

 – – 18.94 11.0 – –

Medical and clinical laboratory technologists

 22.34 9.5 22.34 9.5 – –

Diagnostic related technologists and technicians

 20.43 17.7 20.43 17.7 – –

Radiologic technologists and technicians

 23.46 7.5 23.46 7.5 – –

Health diagnosing and treating practitioner support technicians

 14.09 7.6 14.09 7.6 – –

Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

 17.33 3.6 17.23 3.8 – –

Healthcare support occupations

 11.47 5.0 11.91 4.2 8.99 9.6

Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides

 11.53 1.4 11.51 1.6 11.76 2.8

Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants

 11.78 0.9 11.77 1.1 – –

Miscellaneous healthcare support occupations

 11.30 15.8 13.01 14.7 7.91 4.5

Protective service occupations

 15.32 17.1 15.94 17.7 10.70 16.4

Security guards and gaming surveillance officers

 9.85 5.2 10.04 5.7 – –

Security guards

 9.85 5.2 10.04 5.7 – –

Food preparation and serving related occupations

 8.21 6.4 9.16 10.9 7.09 2.9

First-line supervisors/managers, food preparation and serving workers

 14.64 2.0 14.64 2.0 – –

First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers

 14.64 2.0 14.64 2.0 – –

Cooks

 10.02 5.4 10.05 4.5 9.93 16.6

Cooks, institution and cafeteria

 11.10 8.1 11.10 8.1 – –

Cooks, restaurant

 9.69 10.4 9.15 1.8 – –

Food preparation workers

 8.13 5.1 – – 8.61 1.3

Food service, tipped

 4.65 3.9 4.49 6.3 4.83 7.6

Bartenders

 5.69 11.4 – – – –

Waiters and waitresses

 3.55 12.6 3.52 14.4 3.58 10.2

Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

 8.41 5.9 – – 8.35 5.0

Fast food and counter workers

 8.20 5.6 10.13 6.8 7.73 4.9

Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food

 8.33 4.9 10.13 6.8 7.83 3.9

Food servers, nonrestaurant

 6.39 10.7 – – – –

Dishwashers

 8.74 7.2 – – – –

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations

 11.99 8.4 12.70 9.8 9.09 5.9

Building cleaning workers

 11.42 7.6 12.08 9.1 8.97 6.7

Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners

 11.71 10.2 12.45 12.1 8.00 2.8

Maids and housekeeping cleaners

 10.55 4.4 10.65 4.8 – –

Personal care and service occupations

 13.57 11.6 18.07 15.3 8.26 6.9

Child care workers

 9.93 10.6 – – – –

Personal and home care aides

 10.98 7.2 – – – –

Sales and related occupations

 13.09 7.2 15.77 8.6 8.04 4.0

First-line supervisors/managers, sales workers

 15.51 22.6 15.51 22.6 – –

First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers

 12.92 21.5 12.92 21.5 – –

Retail sales workers

 10.11 12.5 12.96 20.6 7.77 1.9

Cashiers, all workers

 8.42 2.6 – – 7.75 3.6

Cashiers

 8.42 2.6 – – 7.75 3.6

Counter and rental clerks and parts salespersons

 8.66 6.6 – – – –

Counter and rental clerks

 7.37 2.9 – – – –

Retail salespersons

 11.58 16.6 15.07 23.0 7.86 1.8

Telemarketers

 13.80 28.4 – – – –

Office and administrative support occupations

 14.46 3.1 15.13 3.3 10.62 4.9

First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers

 19.17 5.5 19.17 5.5 – –

Financial clerks

 14.33 2.8 14.39 2.7 13.63 9.5

Billing and posting clerks and machine operators

 13.55 4.7 12.97 4.9 – –

Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks

 14.43 3.4 14.43 3.4 – –

Customer service representatives

 18.21 9.9 18.63 10.3 – –

File clerks

 11.47 7.6 12.19 5.1 – –

Interviewers, except eligibility and loan

 14.79 8.1 – – – –

Library assistants, clerical

 10.08 19.9 – – – –

Order clerks

 14.18 7.9 14.18 7.9 – –

Receptionists and information clerks

 11.29 4.7 12.54 3.2 9.53 4.7

Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks

 12.24 10.4 12.24 10.4 – –

Stock clerks and order fillers

 10.99 6.3 12.82 7.3 8.77 7.6

Secretaries and administrative assistants

 16.36 5.6 16.43 5.6 15.86 8.4

Executive secretaries and administrative assistants

 19.46 5.3 19.83 5.6 – –

Legal secretaries

 17.91 20.6 – – – –

Medical secretaries

 12.96 9.6 12.58 8.3 – –

Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive

 14.70 3.4 14.68 3.8 – –

Data entry and information processing workers

 13.13 2.7 13.15 2.7 – –

Insurance claims and policy processing clerks

 13.57 1.3 13.57 1.3 – –

Office clerks, general

 12.87 4.7 13.66 4.6 10.85 4.7

Construction and extraction occupations

 19.05 9.6 19.28 9.6 – –

First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers

 23.77 17.2 23.77 17.2 – –

Carpenters

 18.91 5.4 18.91 5.4 – –

Construction laborers

 14.68 34.9 – – – –

Pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

 23.40 6.2 23.40 6.2 – –

Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

 23.40 6.2 23.40 6.2 – –

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

 19.21 3.7 19.69 4.1 – –

Automotive technicians and repairers

 16.91 2.6 18.63 7.6 – –

Industrial machinery installation, repair, and maintenance workers

 18.00 3.3 18.03 3.3 – –

Industrial machinery mechanics

 18.84 5.3 18.84 5.3 – –

Maintenance and repair workers, general

 16.91 6.9 16.96 6.9 – –

Miscellaneous installation, maintenance, and repair workers

 13.00 13.3 13.23 12.6 – –

Production occupations

 16.33 6.0 17.36 6.1 8.18 5.6

Electrical, electronics, and electromechanical assemblers

 18.49 10.5 18.49 10.5 – –

Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators

 12.23 16.3 15.60 14.4 – –

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

 20.46 15.9 20.46 15.9 – –

Machinists

 19.10 10.2 19.10 10.2 – –

Welding, soldering, and brazing workers

 15.91 13.1 15.91 13.1 – –

Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

 15.91 13.1 15.91 13.1 – –

Miscellaneous metalworkers and plastic workers

 15.83 13.0 15.83 13.0 – –

Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

 18.99 8.5 18.99 8.5 – –

Miscellaneous production workers

 9.12 13.5 – – – –

Transportation and material moving occupations

 16.81 11.8 18.83 13.6 10.08 7.1

Driver/sales workers and truck drivers

 15.14 4.8 15.74 5.1 – –

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer

 16.22 4.7 16.26 4.8 – –

Truck drivers, light or delivery services

 13.71 8.5 14.27 8.5 – –

Crane and tower operators

 20.12 7.5 20.12 7.5 – –

Industrial truck and tractor operators

 16.10 3.5 – – – –

Laborers and material movers, hand

 12.15 3.4 14.32 2.7 9.01 7.3

Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand

 11.66 6.8 14.33 6.2 9.27 7.1

Packers and packagers, hand

 11.78 14.5 – – – –

Footnotes:
(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) 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.
(3) Workers are classified by occupation using the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system.
(4) 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.

Last Modified Date: November 5, 2008