FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:                                                  FOR RELEASE:
Cheryl Abbot, Regional Economist                                          October 1, 2008
(214) 767-6970                                              
http://www.bls.gov/ro6/
		

                               HIGHLIGHTS OF AUSTIN-ROUND ROCK, TX
                              NATIONAL COMPENSATION SURVEY MAY 2008

     Workers in the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area earned an average of $19.92 per hour 
in May 2008, according to new survey results from the National Compensation Survey (NCS) 
released by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Regional 
Commissioner Stanley W. Suchman noted that wage data were reported for workers in a wide 
range of occupational groups, including average hourly earnings of $35.96 for computer and 
mathematical science occupations and $28.35 for healthcare practitioner and technical 
occupations.  Another occupational group, office and administrative support, had a mean 
hourly wage rate of $15.12.  The NCS data available for the Austin-Round Rock area include 
earnings for 21 major occupational groups with additional detail for selected occupations 
within those groups.  (See table 1.)

     Computer and software engineers, part of the computer and mathematical science 
occupational group, earned $43.06 per hour.  Within the healthcare practitioner and technical 
occupational group, registered nurses averaged $26.55 per hour and health diagnosing and 
treating practitioner support technicians, $16.48.  Secretaries and administrative 
assistants, an occupation within the office and administrative support group, registered an 
average hourly rate of $18.12, and data entry and information processing workers earned 
$11.59 per hour.  (See table 1.)

     Broad coverage of selected occupational characteristics is available from NCS for the 
local area.  Full-time workers averaged $21.38 per hour while their part-time counterparts 
earned $10.01.  Union workers earned $23.51 and non-union workers, $19.86.  Workers in 
establishments with 1-99 workers averaged $16.04 per hour, those in establishments with 100-
499 workers earned $18.66, and those in establishments with 500 or more employees earned 
$26.82.

     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 reported here covered 277 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 728,000 workers in the Austin-Round Rock 
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) which is comprised of Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, 
and Williamson Counties in Texas.


Survey Availability
     Complete survey results are contained in the Austin-Round Rock, TX National Compensation 
Survey May 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 Southwest Information Office by calling (214) 767-6970 
from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. CT. 



Table 1. Civilian workers: Mean hourly earnings(1) for full-time and part-time workers(2), 
Austin-Round Rock, TX, May 2008
===========================================================================================================
                                        |                     |                     |                      
                                        |        Total        |  Full-time workers  |  Part-time workers   
                                        |---------------------|---------------------|----------------------
            Occupation(3)               |          | Relative |          | Relative |          | Relative  
                                        |          |  error(4)|          |  error(4)|          |  error(4) 
                                        |   Mean   | (percent)|   Mean   | (percent)|   Mean   | (percent) 
===========================================================================================================
                                                                     
All workers.............................   $19.92       4.2      $21.38       4.6      $10.01       3.0   
                                                                                                                                        
  Management occupations................    44.93      10.3       44.92      10.3         –          –    
    Financial managers..................    47.07      13.9       47.07      13.9         –          –    
    Engineering managers................    81.29      13.2       81.29      13.2         –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Business and financial operations 
        occupations.....................    25.81       2.8       25.81       2.8         –          –    
    Human resources, training, and 
        labor relations specialists.....    24.85       4.4       24.85       4.4         –          –    
    Management analysts.................    27.24       7.4       27.24       7.4         –          –    
    Accountants and auditors............    26.99       6.3       26.99       6.3         –          –    
    Financial analysts and advisors.....    26.56      10.5       26.56      10.5         –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Computer and mathematical science 
        occupations.....................    35.96       5.8       35.83       6.2         –          –    
    Computer software engineers.........    43.06       3.5       43.06       3.5         –          –    
      Computer software engineers, 
        applications....................    43.40       5.2       43.40       5.2         –          –    
      Computer software engineers, 
        systems software................    42.90       3.8       42.90       3.8         –          –    
    Computer support specialists........    22.66      18.0       22.66      18.0         –          –    
    Computer systems analysts...........    37.15      12.2       37.15      12.2         –          –    
    Network and computer systems 
        administrators..................    30.46      13.2       31.96      12.7         –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Architecture and engineering 
        occupations.....................    30.57       6.0       30.57       6.0         –          –    
    Engineers...........................    41.96       5.2       41.96       5.2         –          –    
      Computer hardware engineers.......    47.07       8.5       47.07       8.5         –          –    
      Electrical and electronics 
        engineers.......................    34.51      14.8       34.51      14.8         –          –    
    Engineering technicians, except 
        drafters........................    22.67       8.0       22.67       8.0         –          –    
      Electrical and electronic 
        engineering technicians.........    23.08       8.2       23.08       8.2         –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Life, physical, and social science 
        occupations.....................    22.25       7.9       24.80       8.1         –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Community and social services 
        occupations.....................    17.64      11.4       17.64      11.4         –          –    
    Counselors..........................    22.43      14.4       22.43      14.4         –          –    
    Miscellaneous community and social 
        service specialists.............    15.40      23.2       15.40      23.2         –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Legal occupations.....................    43.72       5.8       44.04       5.4         –          –    
    Lawyers.............................    53.72      15.4       53.72      15.4         –          –    
    Paralegals and legal assistants.....    24.53       2.9       24.53       2.9         –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Education, training, and library 
        occupations.....................    28.47       4.0       30.46       4.1       15.86      12.2   
    Postsecondary teachers..............    39.58       3.8       47.96       7.1         –          –    
    Primary, secondary, and special 
        education school teachers.......    29.63       3.2       30.39       1.1         –          –    
      Elementary and middle school 
        teachers........................    30.38       1.3       30.14        .6         –          –    
        Elementary school teachers, 
        except special education........    29.87        .9       29.87        .9         –          –    
        Middle school teachers, except 
        special & vocationaleducation...    31.24       3.6       30.60       2.1         –          –    
      Secondary school teachers.........    31.49       2.9       31.49       2.9         –          –    
    Other teachers and instructors......    15.61      10.4         –          –          –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Arts, design, entertainment, sports, 
        and media occupations...........    20.71      11.3       22.25       8.7         –          –    
    Writers and editors.................    18.80       8.5       18.80       8.5         –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Healthcare practitioner and technical 
        occupations.....................    28.35      10.0       28.55      11.6       27.04       8.1   
    Registered nurses...................    26.55       2.3       26.07       2.7         –          –    
    Therapists..........................    29.88       7.8         –          –          –          –    
    Health diagnosing and treating 
        practitioner support 
        technicians.....................    16.48       3.5         –          –          –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Healthcare support occupations........    10.04       9.7       11.33      14.4         –          –    
    Nursing, psychiatric, and home 
        health aides....................     8.35       5.2        9.35       9.4         –          –    
      Home health aides.................     7.15       3.6         –          –          –          –    
      Nursing aides, orderlies, and 
        attendants......................    11.69       3.5       11.72       3.5         –          –    
    Miscellaneous healthcare support 
        occupations.....................    15.42       9.9         –          –          –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Protective service occupations........    17.32      29.2       17.44      29.6         –          –    
    Security guards and gaming 
        surveillance officers...........    10.77        .7         –          –          –          –    
      Security guards...................    10.77        .7         –          –          –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Food preparation and serving related 
        occupations.....................     8.06      11.9        8.70      23.4        6.91       3.5   
    Cooks...............................     9.68       3.2       10.11       6.2         –          –    
      Cooks, restaurant.................    10.13       1.2       10.34       2.9         –          –    
    Food service, tipped................     3.36       6.8        2.76       2.7        4.32      31.5   
      Waiters and waitresses............     2.25       2.5         –          –          –          –    
      Dining room and cafeteria 
        attendants & bartender helpers..     7.31       7.0         –          –          –          –    
    Fast food and counter workers.......     8.61       8.8         –          –         7.58       2.9   
      Combined food preparation and 
        serving workers, including fast                                                                     
        food............................     8.69       9.2         –          –          –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Building and grounds cleaning and 
        maintenance occupations.........     9.84      10.2       10.88       9.8         –          –    
    Building cleaning workers...........     8.27       7.6        8.85       8.1         –          –    
      Janitors and cleaners, except 
        maids & housekeeping cleaners...     8.58       8.9         –          –          –          –    
    Grounds maintenance workers.........    13.19       1.8         –          –          –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Personal care & service occupations...    11.57       3.2       12.34       4.1        8.72       9.9   
                                                                                                                                        
  Sales and related occupations.........    15.99      21.5       18.21      23.4        9.17       5.4   
    First-line supervisors/managers, 
        sales workers...................    28.79      32.8       28.79      32.8         –          –    
      First-line supervisors/managers 
        of retail sales workers.........    15.26      20.9       15.26      20.9         –          –    
    Retail sales workers................    10.40      10.3       11.09      13.1        9.05       4.5   
      Cashiers, all workers.............     9.43       3.3        9.47       3.9        9.36       2.9   
        Cashiers........................     9.43       3.3        9.47       3.9        9.36       2.9   
      Counter and rental clerks and 
        parts salespersons..............    11.70       9.3         –          –          –          –    
        Counter and rental clerks.......    10.11      20.8         –          –          –          –    
      Retail salespersons...............    10.99      23.4       11.65      24.3        8.74      15.1   
                                                                                                                                        
  Office and administrative support 
        occupations.....................    15.12       2.2       15.81       2.6       10.50       5.2   
    First-line supervisors/managers of
        office and administrative                                                                        
        support workers.................    25.64       6.5       25.64       6.5         –          –    
    Financial clerks....................    15.28       5.8       15.80       5.6         –          –    
      Bookkeeping, accounting, and 
        auditing clerks.................    15.66       6.8       15.74       7.5         –          –    
    Customer service representatives....    11.90       6.2         –          –          –          –    
    Receptionists & information clerks..    11.39       4.4       11.83       1.8         –          –    
    Stock clerks and order fillers......    10.48       6.5       11.61       7.6         –          –    
    Secretaries and administrative 
        assistants......................    18.12       3.3       18.12       3.3         –          –    
      Executive secretaries and 
        administrative assistants.......    18.62       5.7       18.62       5.7         –          –    
      Legal secretaries.................    16.02      17.3       16.02      17.3         –          –    
      Secretaries, except legal, 
        medical, and executive..........    17.95       4.4       17.95       4.4         –          –    
    Data entry and information 
        processing workers..............    11.59       4.9         –          –          –          –    
    Office clerks, general..............    14.06       8.1       14.23       8.2         –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Construction and extraction 
        occupations.....................    14.82       3.8       14.82       3.8         –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Installation, maintenance, and repair 
        occupations.....................    18.04       2.9       18.04       2.9         –          –    
    Automotive technicians & repairers..    16.40       3.5       16.40       3.5         –          –    
      Automotive service technicians 
        and mechanics...................    14.22       8.5       14.22       8.5         –          –    
    Industrial machinery installation, 
        repair, & maintenance workers...    17.57       5.0       17.57       5.0         –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Production occupations................    12.12       2.7       12.26       2.8         –          –    
    Electrical, electronics, and 
        electromechanical assemblers....     9.69      10.1         –          –          –          –    
      Electrical and electronic 
        equipment assemblers............     9.69      10.1         –          –          –          –    
                                                                                                                                        
  Transportation and material moving 
        occupations.....................    10.39       4.3       10.88       4.8        9.18      10.7   
    Laborers and material movers, hand..    10.07       8.1       10.43       9.0        9.30      10.3   
      Cleaners of vehicles & equipment..     8.31       8.2         –          –          –          –    
      Laborers and freight, stock, and 
        material movers, hand...........    10.86      10.9       11.27      12.7       10.04      13.5   
===========================================================================================================

(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. For more information see Bulletin 3140-18.  
(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.   

NOTE: Dashes indicate that no data were reported or that data did not meet publication criteria. 
      Overall occupational groups may include data for categories not shown separately.  

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey.    



 

Last Modified Date: October 1, 2008