In March 2003, employer costs for employee compensation for civilian workers
in private industry and state and local government in the United States averaged
$23.93 per hour worked, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported yesterday. Wages and salaries, which averaged $17.17, accounted for
71.8 percent of these costs, while benefits, which averaged $6.76, accounted
for the remaining 28.2 percent.
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Get Your Report Now!Benefits, as a percentage of total compensation, have risen in the past three
years from 27.4 percent of total compensation in March 2000.
Legally required benefits averaged $1.89 per hour (7.9 percent of total compensation),
representing the largest non-wage employer cost.
Employer costs for paid leave benefits averaged $1.63 (6.8 percent), insurance
benefits averaged $1.77 (7.4 percent), and retirement and savings benefits averaged
85 cents (3.6 percent) per hour worked.
In March 2003, private industry employer compensation costs averaged $22.37
per hour worked. Wages and salaries averaged $16.15 per hour (72.2 percent),
while benefits averaged $6.22 (27.8 percent.)
Benefits, as a percentage of total compensation, have risen in the past three
years from 27.0 percent of total compensation in March 2000.
Employer costs for paid leave averaged $1.47 per hour worked (6.6 percent),
supplemental pay averaged 64 cents (2.9 percent), insurance benefits averaged
$1.52 (6.8 percent), retirement and savings averaged 67 cents (3.0 percent),
and legally required benefits averaged $1.89 (8.4 percent) per hour worked.
Private industry health benefit costs averaged $1.41 per hour or 6.3 percent
of total compensation in March 2003. In March 2000, employer costs for health
benefit costs averaged $1.09, or 5.5 percent of total compensation.