According to its recently released December 2006 figures, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that wages and salaries for private employers averaged $18.11 per hour (70.5 percent of compensation), while benefits averaged $7.57 (29.5 percent). Legally required benefits—Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, and workers compensation—averaged $2.20 per hour. Factoring in state and local government workers, the employer cost for compensation grew to $27.54 per hour worked, with benefits averaging $8.30 (30.1 percent) per hour. With the release of the December 2006 figures, BLS has added nursing care facilities and farming, fishing, and forestry occupations to its report for private sector workers by industry. See Employer Costs for Employee Compensation—December 2006 for the full report. Private Sector Compensation Costs Average $25.67 Per Hour
According to its recently released December 2006 figures, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that wages and salaries for private employers averaged $18.11 per hour (70.5 percent of compensation), while benefits averaged $7.57 (29.5 percent). Legally required benefits—Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, and workers compensation—averaged $2.20 per hour. Factoring in state and local government workers, the employer cost for compensation grew to $27.54 per hour worked, with benefits averaging $8.30 (30.1 percent) per hour. With the release of the December 2006 figures, BLS has added nursing care facilities and farming, fishing, and forestry occupations to its report for private sector workers by industry. See Employer Costs for Employee Compensation—December 2006 for the full report.