| Internet: www.bls.gov/ro5/ | |
| GENERAL INFORMATION: (312) 353-1880 | FOR RELEASE: |
| MEDIA CONTACT: Paul LaPorte | Thursday, June 11, 2009 |
| (312) 353-1138 |
Workers in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha Combined Statistical Area earned an average of $20.77 per hour in October 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 Jay A. Mousa noted that wage data were reported for workers in a wide range of occupational groups, including average hourly earnings of $31.08 for computer and mathematical science occupations and $28.50 for healthcare practitioner and technical occupations. Another occupational group, office and administrative support occupations, had a mean hourly wage rate of $15.46. The NCS data available for the Milwaukee area include earnings for 20 major occupational groups with additional detail for selected occupations within those groups. (See table 1.)
Computer systems analysts, part of the computer and mathematical science occupational group, were paid $33.91 per hour. Within the healthcare practitioner and technical group, registered nurses averaged $29.65 per hour. Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive, an occupation within the office and administrative support occupational group, earned $15.35 per hour. (See table 1.)
Broad coverage of selected occupational characteristics is available from NCS for the local area. Full-time workers averaged $22.32 per hour while their part-time counterparts earned $11.60. Union workers earned $23.89 and non-union workers, $20.08. Workers in establishments with 1-99 workers averaged $18.83 per hour, those in establishments with 100-499 workers earned $19.13, and those in establishments with 500 or more employees earned $25.62.
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/home.htm.
The NCS data provided here covered 362 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 873,100 workers in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which is comprised of Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Washington, and Waukesha Counties in Wisconsin.
Survey Availability
Complete survey results are contained in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI National Compensation Survey October 2008. The bulletin is available on the Internet in both text and PDF formats at www.bls.gov/ncs/ocs/compub.htm.
For additional information, please contact the Bureau of Labor Statistics Midwest Information Office in Chicago at (312) 353-1880 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT.
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Bulletin tables - PDF format
- Text format
| 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 |
$20.77 | 3.4 | $22.32 | 3.4 | $11.60 | 3.9 |
Management occupations |
40.66 | 6.4 | 40.66 | 6.4 | – | – |
Marketing and sales managers |
51.91 | 6.5 | 51.91 | 6.5 | – | – |
Financial managers |
36.19 | 14.1 | 36.19 | 14.1 | – | – |
Industrial production managers |
45.12 | 12.0 | 45.12 | 12.0 | – | – |
Education administrators |
32.39 | 9.3 | 32.39 | 9.3 | – | – |
Business and financial operations occupations |
29.70 | 5.8 | 29.30 | 7.1 | – | – |
Buyers and purchasing agents |
29.35 | 13.4 | 29.35 | 13.4 | – | – |
Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products |
28.90 | 14.0 | 28.90 | 14.0 | – | – |
Accountants and auditors |
24.00 | 6.4 | 24.00 | 6.4 | – | – |
Computer and mathematical science occupations |
31.08 | 2.7 | 31.08 | 2.7 | – | – |
Computer programmers |
28.65 | 6.5 | 28.65 | 6.5 | – | – |
Computer software engineers |
32.85 | 2.7 | 32.85 | 2.7 | – | – |
Computer support specialists |
27.85 | 6.9 | 27.85 | 6.9 | – | – |
Computer systems analysts |
33.91 | 2.2 | 33.91 | 2.2 | – | – |
Network and computer systems administrators |
30.53 | 20.9 | 30.53 | 20.9 | – | – |
Architecture and engineering occupations |
30.69 | 1.4 | 30.69 | 1.4 | – | – |
Engineers |
32.56 | 3.5 | 32.56 | 3.5 | – | – |
Engineering technicians, except drafters |
26.05 | 8.2 | 26.05 | 8.2 | – | – |
Life, physical, and social science occupations |
28.59 | 4.8 | 28.59 | 4.8 | – | – |
Community and social services occupations |
21.61 | 10.3 | 21.61 | 10.3 | – | – |
Education, training, and library occupations |
32.53 | 3.1 | 33.50 | 3.1 | 14.55 | 7.2 |
Postsecondary teachers |
60.52 | 4.8 | 61.37 | 4.2 | – | – |
Arts, communications, and humanities teachers, postsecondary |
35.90 | 2.2 | 35.90 | 2.2 | – | – |
Primary, secondary, and special education school teachers |
32.65 | 9.0 | 32.64 | 9.1 | – | – |
Elementary and middle school teachers |
35.81 | 1.3 | 35.82 | 1.2 | – | – |
Elementary school teachers, except special education |
36.19 | 1.6 | 36.21 | 1.5 | – | – |
Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education |
34.81 | 2.5 | 34.81 | 2.5 | – | – |
Secondary school teachers |
37.11 | 0.0 | 37.11 | 0.0 | – | – |
Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education |
37.11 | 0.0 | 37.11 | 0.0 | – | – |
Other teachers and instructors |
18.35 | 30.5 | – | – | – | – |
Teacher assistants |
11.12 | 4.7 | 10.93 | 4.8 | 12.77 | 4.9 |
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations |
24.12 | 10.1 | 24.87 | 9.5 | – | – |
Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations |
28.50 | 2.9 | 28.21 | 4.2 | 29.52 | 5.0 |
Registered nurses |
29.65 | 2.4 | 28.74 | 2.2 | 31.14 | 5.1 |
Therapists |
33.46 | 13.8 | – | – | – | – |
Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians |
17.17 | 5.8 | 17.17 | 5.8 | – | – |
Healthcare support occupations |
11.77 | 7.0 | 13.01 | 6.3 | 10.38 | 3.0 |
Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides |
10.98 | 4.7 | 12.04 | 2.6 | 10.26 | 4.1 |
Home health aides |
10.16 | 4.8 | – | – | – | – |
Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants |
11.67 | 1.9 | 12.05 | 2.6 | 10.58 | 1.9 |
Miscellaneous healthcare support occupations |
13.61 | 9.9 | – | – | – | – |
Protective service occupations |
18.59 | 9.3 | 18.88 | 9.1 | 11.33 | 3.6 |
Police officers |
28.30 | 1.7 | 29.07 | 1.0 | – | – |
Police and sheriff's patrol officers |
28.30 | 1.7 | 29.07 | 1.0 | – | – |
Security guards and gaming surveillance officers |
14.41 | 10.7 | 14.57 | 10.7 | – | – |
Security guards |
14.41 | 10.7 | 14.57 | 10.7 | – | – |
Food preparation and serving related occupations |
7.23 | 11.0 | 7.64 | 12.5 | 6.87 | 9.4 |
Cooks |
10.89 | 6.0 | – | – | – | – |
Food service, tipped |
4.84 | 8.4 | 4.84 | 12.4 | 4.84 | 35.0 |
Waiters and waitresses |
3.56 | 24.9 | 3.17 | 12.3 | 4.03 | 43.0 |
Fast food and counter workers |
8.26 | 3.4 | – | – | 7.72 | 1.1 |
Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food |
8.15 | 3.2 | – | – | 7.57 | 2.3 |
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations |
13.57 | 6.5 | 14.77 | 5.1 | 10.51 | 14.8 |
Building cleaning workers |
13.29 | 6.6 | 14.36 | 4.3 | 10.62 | 16.8 |
Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners |
14.86 | 5.1 | 15.08 | 4.3 | 13.78 | 23.4 |
Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
9.08 | 4.3 | – | – | – | – |
Personal care and service occupations |
13.47 | 12.5 | – | – | 9.94 | 14.3 |
Recreation and fitness workers |
9.98 | 15.7 | – | – | – | – |
Sales and related occupations |
20.48 | 31.9 | 27.39 | 38.0 | 8.28 | 0.7 |
First-line supervisors/managers, sales workers |
20.02 | 19.8 | 20.02 | 19.8 | – | – |
First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers |
20.02 | 19.8 | 20.02 | 19.8 | – | – |
Retail sales workers |
9.72 | 0.9 | 11.47 | 7.1 | 8.23 | 0.5 |
Cashiers, all workers |
8.59 | 3.6 | – | – | 8.01 | 2.7 |
Cashiers |
8.59 | 3.6 | – | – | 8.01 | 2.7 |
Retail salespersons |
10.82 | 4.9 | 11.93 | 5.1 | 8.80 | 0.2 |
Office and administrative support occupations |
15.46 | 2.6 | 16.16 | 2.1 | 12.57 | 6.7 |
First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers |
22.13 | 10.9 | 22.13 | 10.9 | – | – |
Financial clerks |
16.22 | 6.3 | 16.62 | 5.1 | – | – |
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
16.81 | 8.2 | 16.83 | 8.3 | – | – |
Customer service representatives |
16.06 | 8.2 | 16.44 | 9.5 | 12.78 | 6.7 |
Receptionists and information clerks |
10.85 | 6.7 | – | – | – | – |
Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks |
9.88 | 6.6 | – | – | – | – |
Stock clerks and order fillers |
11.31 | 13.5 | 12.57 | 15.8 | – | – |
Secretaries and administrative assistants |
18.58 | 3.4 | 18.99 | 3.8 | 17.05 | 15.5 |
Executive secretaries and administrative assistants |
20.65 | 5.1 | 21.23 | 5.5 | – | – |
Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
15.35 | 4.0 | 16.56 | 3.3 | – | – |
Office clerks, general |
14.24 | 7.9 | 13.97 | 9.8 | 14.93 | 7.4 |
Construction and extraction occupations |
22.88 | 8.7 | 22.93 | 8.9 | – | – |
Electricians |
28.47 | 2.4 | 28.47 | 2.4 | – | – |
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations |
20.03 | 3.7 | 20.04 | 3.7 | – | – |
Automotive technicians and repairers |
22.35 | 5.1 | 22.35 | 5.1 | – | – |
Industrial machinery installation, repair, and maintenance workers |
21.60 | 8.5 | 21.66 | 8.4 | – | – |
Maintenance and repair workers, general |
21.31 | 12.9 | 21.31 | 12.9 | – | – |
Production occupations |
16.03 | 4.9 | 16.18 | 5.3 | 10.62 | 16.2 |
First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers |
25.66 | 4.5 | 25.66 | 4.5 | – | – |
Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators |
11.24 | 20.5 | – | – | – | – |
Computer control programmers and operators |
20.25 | 1.8 | 20.25 | 1.8 | – | – |
Machine tool cutting setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic |
15.41 | 5.8 | 16.71 | 0.9 | – | – |
Miscellaneous metalworkers and plastic workers |
18.16 | 0.0 | 18.16 | 0.0 | – | – |
Miscellaneous production workers |
12.50 | 23.4 | – | – | – | – |
Transportation and material moving occupations |
15.07 | 7.7 | 15.50 | 8.8 | 10.80 | 3.3 |
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers |
16.81 | 12.6 | 17.13 | 13.7 | – | – |
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
18.11 | 12.5 | 18.11 | 12.5 | – | – |
Truck drivers, light or delivery services |
13.37 | 21.7 | – | – | – | – |
Industrial truck and tractor operators |
16.42 | 21.4 | 16.42 | 21.4 | – | – |
Laborers and material movers, hand |
11.01 | 6.8 | 11.13 | 8.1 | 10.07 | 11.8 |
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
12.23 | 8.3 | 12.46 | 10.8 | 11.23 | 9.7 |
Packers and packagers, hand |
9.90 | 10.3 | – | – | – | – |
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.
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: June 11, 2009
