Table 3. Standard errors for defined benefit retirement plans: Employee contribution
requirement and method of contribution, State and local government workers, National Compensation Survey, March 2008

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

Characteristics

Employee
contribution
required

Fixed percent of earnings1

Employee
contibution
not
required

Total

Mean fixed
percent of
earnings

Median
fixed
percent of
earnings

All workers

2.0

2.0

0.1

0.0

2.0

Worker characteristics

Management, professional, and related

2.1

2.1

0.1

0.0

2.1

    Professional and related

2.0

2.0

0.1

0.0

2.0

        Teachers

2.1

2.1

0.1

0.1

2.1

            Primary, secondary, and special education
             school teachers

2.2

2.2

0.1

0.1

2.2

        Registered nurses

4.6

4.7

0.4

0.4

4.6

Service

2.1

2.2

0.1

0.4

2.1

    Protective service

2.9

3.0

0.1

0.3

2.9

Sales and office

2.6

2.7

0.1

0.2

2.6

    Office and administrative support

2.6

2.7

0.1

0.3

2.6

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance

3.1

3.2

0.2

0.4

3.1

Production, transportation, and material moving

3.0

3.3

0.2

0.4

3.0

Full time

2.0

2.1

0.1

0.1

2.0

Part time

2.1

2.6

0.2

0.1

2.1

Union

2.3

2.3

0.1

0.4

2.3

Nonunion

2.4

2.4

0.1

0.0

2.4

Average wage within the following percentiles:

    Less than 10

3.0

3.3

0.2

0.5

3.0

    10 to under 25

2.5

2.6

0.2

0.3

2.5

    25 to under 50

2.5

2.5

0.1

0.2

2.5

    50 to under 75

2.8

2.8

0.1

0.3

2.8

    75 to under 90

2.0

2.0

0.1

0.0

2.0

    90 or greater

1.8

2.0

0.1

0.2

1.8

Establishment characteristics

Service-providing industries

2.0

2.0

0.1

0.0

2.0

    Education and health services

1.9

1.9

0.1

0.0

1.9

        Educational services

1.9

2.0

0.1

0.0

1.9

            Elementary and secondary schools

2.0

2.1

0.1

0.0

2.0

            Junior colleges, colleges, and universities

3.3

3.5

0.2

0.3

3.3

        Health care and social assistance

4.5

4.4

0.4

0.5

4.5

            Hospitals

5.2

5.2

0.3

0.3

5.2

    Public administration

2.9

2.9

0.1

0.0

2.9

1 to 99 workers

3.2

3.2

0.3

0.1

3.2

    1 to 49 workers

2.9

3.1

0.3

0.3

2.9

    50 to 99 workers

4.8

5.0

0.5

0.4

4.8

100 workers or more

2.0

2.0

0.1

0.0

2.0

    100 to 499 workers

2.9

3.1

0.1

0.1

2.9

    500 workers or more

2.2

2.2

0.1

0.0

2.2

State government

3.6

3.4

0.2

0.0

3.6

Local government

1.8

1.8

0.1

0.0

1.8

Geographic areas

Middle Atlantic

1.3

1.3

0.2

0.0

1.3

East North Central

5.7

5.6

0.3

0.1

5.7

West North Central

2.8

2.8

0.4

0.6

2.8

South Atlantic

6.0

6.1

0.2

0.0

6.0

East South Central

2.4

2.4

0.4

1.8

2.4

Pacific

5.6

5.2

0.2

0.0

5.6

1The employee contributes a fixed percentage of his or her earnings to the retirement plan.

NOTE: Dash indicates no workers in this category or data did not meet publication criteria.