Full text of 1998 : Text File, USDL 99-374
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Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information: (202) 691-6567 USDL 99-374
Media contact: 691-5902 For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Thursday, December 30, 1999
AVERAGE ANNUAL PAY LEVELS IN METROPOLITAN AREAS, 1998
Average annual pay of employees within the nation's 315 metropolitan
areas increased by 5.2 percent from 1997 to 1998, according to preliminary
data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.
The over-the-year gain was the largest since 1992, when average annual pay
increased by 5.4 percent. (See chart 1.) Annual pay in metropolitan areas
averaged $33,381 in 1998, up from $31,734 in 1997. (New Jersey data were
not available for the third and fourth quarters of 1998 and therefore are
not shown in this release. Totals for the United States were calculated
using estimated data for New Jersey.)
Average annual pay for the entire nation, metropolitan and nonmetropolitan
areas combined, was $31,908 in 1998, a 5.1 percent increase from 1997.
(Average annual pay by state and industry for 1998 was issued on
Dec. 15, 1999, in USDL 99-357.)
Average annual pay data are compiled from reports submitted by employers
subject to state and federal unemployment insurance (UI) laws covering
124.2 million full- and part-time workers. Average annual pay is computed
by dividing the total annual payrolls of employees covered by UI programs
by the average monthly number of these employees. (See Technical Note.)
Pay differences between areas reflect the varying composition of employment
by occupation, industry, and hours of work, as well as other factors.
Similarly, over-the-year pay changes may reflect shifts in these charac-
teristics, as well as changes in the level of average pay. Table 1 of this
release contains pay data for the Metropolitan and Primary Metropolitan
Statistical Areas within the United States and Puerto Rico; table 2 includes
averages and rankings for the areas designated as Consolidated Metropolitan
Statistical Areas. (See Technical Note for definitions.) The data for the
metropolitan areas within Puerto Rico are not included in the averages for
all metropolitan areas.
Metropolitan and Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas
San Jose, Calif., the hub of Silicon Valley, led the nation with an
average annual pay level of $51,409 in 1998. (See table 1.) New York,
N.Y., had the second highest average annual pay level ($50,395), followed
by San Francisco, Calif. ($45,670), New Haven-Bridgeport-Stamford-Waterbury-
Danbury, Conn. ($44,853), and Washington, D.C.-Md.-Va.-W.Va. ($40,695).
Average pay levels in these five metropolitan areas ranged from 22 to 54
percent above the average for all metropolitan areas in the nation. Of the
306 metropolitan areas in the nation, excluding those with New Jersey com-
ponents, 29 reported average annual pay levels above the national metropolitan
pay average of $33,381. (The nation's metropolitan average annual pay was
calculated using estimated New Jersey data.)
Excluding MSAs within Puerto Rico, Jacksonville, N.C., continued to
record the lowest average annual pay among metropolitan areas in 1998
($19,815). The second lowest pay occurred in Yuma, Ariz. ($19,891),
followed by McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Tex. ($20,717), Myrtle Beach, S.C.
($20,762), and Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito, Tex. ($20,962).
The largest percentage increase in average annual pay from 1997 to 1998
occurred in Austin-San Marcos, Tex. (14.3 percent). The second largest
increase was in Boulder-Longmont, Colo. (13.9 percent), followed by St.
Cloud, Minn. (11.4 percent), Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash. (9.7 percent),
and Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula, Miss. (8.8 percent). Growth in average
annual pay for the Boulder-Longmont, Colo., MSA was partially the result of
large bonuses paid in the service sector. From 1997 to 1998, none of the
metropolitan areas reported a decline in average annual pay. Six metro-
politan areas experienced pay growth of less than 1.0 percent.
- 2 -
Comparison of Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Areas
Average annual pay within the nation's nonmetropolitan areas rose
4.8 percent in 1998, compared with 5.2 percent in metropolitan areas.
(See chart 2.) Average annual pay in nonmetropolitan areas in 1998 was
$24,997, up from $23,854 in 1997. In 1998, nonmetropolitan average annual
pay was $8,383 less than metropolitan average annual pay, a difference of
25 percent; in 1997, the percentage difference was the same. The difference
between nonmetropolitan and metropolitan pay has gradually widened over the
years. In 1980, the difference between the two pay levels amounted to
approximately 16 percent, and a difference of 22 percent was reported in 1988.
With the exception of 1993 and 1994, growth in total metropolitan
average annual pay has outpaced that of nonmetropolitan average annual pay
over the last 10 years. (MSA historical data are not directly comparable
due to revisions of metropolitan area definitions.) Metropolitan pay grew
faster than nonmetropolitan pay in both the private and public sectors in
1998. In the private sector, metropolitan average annual pay grew at a
rate of 5.6 percent, while nonmetropolitan pay increased 5.3 percent.
Within the public sector, metropolitan average annual pay increased
3.2 percent, versus 3.1 percent for nonmetropolitan pay.
Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas
Average annual pay for the nation's 18 consolidated metropolitan
statistical areas (CMSAs) rose by 5.4 percent from 1997 to 1998, from
$35,844 to $37,790. (See table 2.) This was the largest percentage
increase since 1992.
The San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Calif., consolidated metropolitan
area had the highest pay level, $43,143. The second highest pay level was
recorded in Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, Mich. ($38,624), followed by Boston-
Worcester-Lawrence-Lowell-Brockton, Mass.-N.H. ($38,357), Washington-
Baltimore, D.C.-Md.-Va.-W.Va. ($38,016), and Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton,
Wash. ($37,179). (New Jersey data were not available for this release;
therefore, data for the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-
Conn.-Pa., and Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md.,
CMSAs are not included in this release.)
Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Fla., had the lowest average annual pay level
($30,477) of the consolidated metropolitan areas in the nation for the
fifth consecutive year. Portland-Salem, Ore.-Wash., had the second lowest
($31,919), followed by Cincinnati-Hamilton, Ohio-Ky.-Ind. ($31,937),
Cleveland-Akron, Ohio ($32,011), and Milwaukee-Racine, Wis. ($32,069).
The highest percentage increase in average annual pay from 1997 to 1998,
8.8 percent, was reported in Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, Wash. The next
largest increases were in Denver-Boulder-Greeley, Colo. (7.6 percent),
Dallas-Fort Worth, Tex. (6.3 percent), Sacramento-Yolo, Calif. (6.2 percent),
and San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Calif. (6.1 percent).
None of the consolidated metropolitan areas reported a decline in
average annual pay in 1998. The smallest increase occurred in Portland-
Salem, Ore.-Wash. (4.0 percent), followed by Cleveland-Akron, Ohio
(4.4 percent), and Milwaukee-Racine, Wis. (4.6 percent). Both Los Angeles-
Riverside-Orange County, Calif., and Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Fla., reported
increases of 5.0 percent, followed by Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, Tex.
(5.1 percent).
Technical Note
These data are the product of a federal-state cooperative program known
as Covered Employment and Wages, or the ES-202 program. The data are derived
from summaries of employment and total pay of workers covered by unemployment
insurance (UI) legislation and provided by State Employment Security Agencies
(SESAs). The summaries are a by-product of the administration of state
unemployment insurance programs that require most employers to pay quarterly
taxes based on the employment and wages of workers covered by UI. Data for
1998 are preliminary and subject to revision. Effective with third-quarter
1997 processing, employment and wage totals were generated using new systems
in each of the states and at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In some cases,
this transition to new systems resulted in larger differences between pre-
liminary and final 1997 levels. This is the second year that BLS has
published annual pay data for metropolitan areas within Puerto Rico in this
release.
Coverage
Employment and wage data for workers covered by state UI laws and for
federal civilian workers covered by the Unemployment Compensation for
Federal Employees (UCFE) program are compiled from quarterly contribution
reports submitted to the SESAs by employers. In addition to the quarterly
contribution reports, employers who operate multiple establishments within
a state complete a questionnaire, called the "Multiple Worksite Report,"
which provides detailed information on the location and industry of each of
their establishments. Average annual pay data included in this release are
derived from microdata summaries of nearly 7.7 million employer reports of
employment and wages submitted by states to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
These reports are based on place of employment rather than place of
residence.
UI and UCFE coverage is broad and basically comparable from state to
state. In 1998, UI and UCFE programs covered workers in 124.2 million
jobs. The estimated 119.0 million workers in these jobs (after adjustment
for multiple jobholders), represented 98.4 percent of wage and salary
civilian employment. Multiple jobholder estimates are produced by the
Current Population Survey (CPS). Covered workers received $3.961 trillion
in pay, representing 95.5 percent of the wage and salary component of
personal income and 46.5 percent of the gross domestic product. About
82 percent of all covered workers were employed in metropolitan areas.
Total wages of workers in metropolitan areas comprised approximately
86 percent of all covered wages in the United States.
Major exclusions from UI coverage during 1998 included most agricultural
workers on small farms, all members of the Armed Forces, elected officials
in most states, most employees of railroads, some domestic workers, most
student workers at schools, and employees of certain small nonprofit
organizations.
Concepts and methodology
Average annual pay was computed by dividing total annual pay of
employees covered by UI programs by the average monthly number of these
employees. Included in the annual payroll data are bonuses, the cash value
of meals and lodging when supplied, tips and other gratuities, and, in some
states, employer contributions to certain deferred compensation plans, such
as 401(k) plans, and stock options. Monthly employment is based on the number
of workers who worked during or received pay for the pay period including the
12th of the month. With few exceptions, all employees of covered firms are
reported, including production and sales workers, corporation officials,
executives, supervisory personnel, and clerical workers. Workers on paid
vacation and part-time workers are also included. Percent changes in average
annual pay were computed using final 1997 data as the base. These final 1997
data may differ from the preliminary 1997 data previously published.
- 2 -
Average annual pay is affected by the ratio of full-time to part-time
workers as well as the number of individuals in high-paying and low-paying
occupations. When comparing average annual pay levels among metropolitan
areas, these factors should be taken into consideration. Annual pay data
only approximate annual earnings because an individual may not be employed
by the same employer all year or may work for more than one employer. Also,
year-to-year changes in average annual pay can result from a change in the
proportion of employment in high- and low-wage jobs, as well as from changes
in the level of average annual pay.
In order to insure the highest possible quality of data, SESAs verify
with employers and update, if necessary, the industry, location, and
ownership classifications of all establishments on a 3-year cycle. Changes
in establishment classification codes resulting from the verification
process are introduced with the data reported for the first quarter of the
year. Changes resulting from improved employer reporting are also
introduced in the first quarter. For these reasons, some data, especially
at more detailed geographic levels, may not be strictly comparable with
earlier years. In 1997, effective with first quarter, improved Department
of Defense civilian employment and wages were centrally collected from a
new data source.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines metropolitan areas for
use in federal statistical activities and updates these definitions as
needed each summer. Data in this release use metropolitan area criteria
established by OMB in definitions issued June 30, 1996 (OMB Bulletin
No. 96-08). These definitions reflect information obtained from the 1990
Decennial Census and the 1992 and 1994 Bureau of the Census population
estimates. Metropolitan statistical area definitions are typically
redefined on a yearly basis. Over the past 11 years, changes to
metropolitan area definitions have occurred in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990,
1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996. A complete list of metropolitan area
definitions is available from the National Technical Information Service
(NTIS), Document Sales, 5205 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Va. 22161,
telephone 1-800-553-6847.
Generally speaking, a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is a free-
standing urban area that meets a specified size criteria. Primary
Metropolitan Statistical Areas (PMSAs) are free-standing areas within very
large MSAs. Once an area is identified as a PMSA, the term MSA no longer
is used to describe the area. The large metropolitan area that is the sum
of the PMSAs is called a Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA).
The set of areas known as MSAs, PMSAs, and CMSAs are collectively
designated and referred to as metropolitan areas. Non-metropolitan areas
include counties which do not fall within defined metropolitan areas.
Covered employment and wage data include establishments classified as
foreign locations, out-of-state locations, and unknown locations in
nonmetropolitan areas.
Current metropolitan area definitions are based on standards published
in the Federal Register on March 30, 1990 (55 FR12154-12160). Under the
1990 standards, an area qualifies for recognition as an MSA in one of two
ways: (1) if it includes a city of at least 50,000 population, or (2) if
it includes a Bureau of the Census-defined urbanized area (of at least
50,000 population) and has a total metropolitan population of at least
100,000 (75,000 in New England). In addition to the county(ies) containing
the main city or urbanized area, an MSA may include additional counties
that have strong economic and social ties to the central county(ies) and
meet other specified requirements of metropolitan character. The ties are
determined chiefly by census data on commuting to work. An MSA may contain
more than one city of 50,000 population and may cross state lines.
- 3 -
An area that meets these requirements for recognition as an MSA but also
has a total population of one million or more may be recognized as a CMSA
if: (1) separate component areas can be identified within the entire area
by meeting specified statistical criteria, and (2) local opinion indicates
there is support for the component areas. If recognized, the component
areas are designated PMSAs, and the entire area becomes a CMSA. If no PMSAs
are recognized, the entire area is an MSA.
OMB defines metropolitan areas in terms of entire counties, except in
the six New England states where they are defined in terms of cities and
towns. New England data in this news release, however, are based on a
county concept defined by OMB as New England County Metropolitan Areas
(NECMAs) because county-level data are the most detailed available from the
Covered Employment and Wages program. NECMAs are county-based alternatives
to the city- and town-based metropolitan areas in New England. The NECMA
for an MSA or CMSA includes: (1) the county containing the first-named
city in that MSA/CMSA title (this county may include the first-named cities
of other MSAs/CMSAs), and (2) each additional county having at least half
its population in the MSA(s)/CMSA(s) whose first-named cities are in the
county identified in step 1.
Additional statistics and other information
Average annual employment and pay data by state and county are available
upon request from the Division of Occupational and Administrative Statistics,
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, DC 20212,
telephone 202-691-6567 (e-mail: 202_info@bls.gov). BLS now issues three
other reports which provide data from state UI and UCFE programs. The 1998
news release for average annual pay by state and industry was issued on
Dec. 15, 1999 (USDL 99-357), and employment and average annual average pay
for large counties is scheduled to be issued in early 2000. The large county
report was published for the first time in November 1998 with 1996 data. Also
published from this program is the comprehensive bulletin, Employment and
Wages, which features information by detailed industry on establishments,
employment, and wages for the nation and all states. Employment and Wages
Annual Averages, 1998 is available for sale from the BLS Publications Sales
Center, P.O. Box 2145, Chicago, Illinois 60690.
This news release, along with other BLS statistics and information,
is available via the Internet at the BLS Internet site
(http://stats.bls.gov.newsrels.htm). Information in this release will be
made available to sensory-impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone:
202-606-5886; TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-877-8339.
Table 1. Average annual pay for 1997 and 1998 for all covered workers(1) by metropolitan area
Average annual pay Ranking of
areas
Metropolitan area(2)
Percent By level of
1997 1998(3) change, average annual
1997-1998(4) pay for 1998
Metropolitan areas(5)............................... $31,734 $33,381 5.2 -
Abilene, TX........................................... 21,944 22,283 1.5 295
Aguadilla, PR......................................... 15,361 16,044 4.4 309
Akron, OH............................................. 29,101 30,697 5.5 66
Albany, GA............................................ 25,409 26,179 3.0 189
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY........................... 29,724 31,086 4.6 62
Albuquerque, NM....................................... 27,011 28,185 4.3 128
Alexandria, LA........................................ 22,710 23,881 5.2 263
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA........................ 29,706 30,685 3.3 67
Altoona, PA........................................... 23,440 24,435 4.2 252
Amarillo, TX.......................................... 24,013 24,926 3.8 238
Anchorage, AK......................................... 34,787 35,441 1.9 23
Ann Arbor, MI......................................... 32,606 34,350 5.3 27
Anniston, AL.......................................... 22,860 23,851 4.3 266
Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah, WI........................... 28,395 29,398 3.5 98
Arecibo, PR........................................... 14,146 15,022 6.2 312
Asheville, NC......................................... 24,633 25,766 4.6 206
Athens, GA............................................ 24,374 25,776 5.8 205
Atlanta, GA........................................... 33,254 35,433 6.6 24
Atlantic-Cape May, NJ................................. 27,934 (6) (6) (6)
Augusta-Aiken, GA-SC.................................. 26,944 27,957 3.8 132
Austin-San Marcos, TX................................. 31,061 35,488 14.3 22
Bakersfield, CA....................................... 25,343 26,281 3.7 186
Baltimore, MD......................................... 31,317 32,752 4.6 36
Bangor, ME............................................ 24,642 25,374 3.0 220
Barnstable-Yarmouth, MA............................... 25,121 26,965 7.3 161
Baton Rouge, LA....................................... 26,975 28,335 5.0 124
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX.............................. 28,704 30,236 5.3 80
Bellingham, WA........................................ 23,908 24,792 3.7 243
Benton Harbor, MI..................................... 27,678 27,872 0.7 133
Bergen-Passaic, NJ.................................... 38,513 (6) (6) (6)
Billings, MT.......................................... 24,519 24,802 1.2 242
Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula, MS........................ 24,196 26,328 8.8 185
Binghamton, NY........................................ 27,742 28,441 2.5 119
Birmingham, AL........................................ 29,636 30,604 3.3 72
Bismarck, ND.......................................... 23,286 24,233 4.1 257
Bloomington, IN....................................... 24,221 25,836 6.7 203
Bloomington-Normal, IL................................ 30,584 31,410 2.7 51
Boise City, ID........................................ 27,129 28,028 3.3 131
Boston-Worcester-Lawrence-Lowell-Brockton, MA-NH...... 36,218 38,357 5.9 10
Boulder-Longmont, CO.................................. 33,199 37,821 13.9 11
Brazoria, TX.......................................... 32,206 32,901 2.2 33
Bremerton, WA......................................... 27,550 28,377 3.0 121
Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito, TX.................. 20,009 20,962 4.8 302
Bryan-College Station, TX............................. 21,581 22,358 3.6 294
Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY............................. 28,359 29,659 4.6 91
Burlington, VT........................................ 28,957 30,489 5.3 76
Caguas, PR............................................ 16,287 17,039 4.6 308
Canton-Massillon, OH.................................. 26,084 27,396 5.0 148
Casper, WY............................................ 24,139 25,144 4.2 229
Cedar Rapids, IA...................................... 29,005 31,394 8.2 52
Champaign-Urbana, IL.................................. 25,829 26,941 4.3 163
Charleston-North Charleston, SC....................... 24,102 25,233 4.7 226
Charleston, WV........................................ 27,484 28,448 3.5 118
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC................... 30,834 32,884 6.6 34
Charlottesville, VA................................... 26,591 28,559 7.4 115
Chattanooga, TN-GA.................................... 26,783 27,328 2.0 149
Cheyenne, WY.......................................... 23,024 24,314 5.6 255
Chicago, IL........................................... 35,892 37,752 5.2 12
Chico-Paradise, CA.................................... 22,164 23,205 4.7 278
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.................................. 30,484 32,220 5.7 43
Clarksville-Hopkinsville, TN-KY....................... 22,207 23,054 3.8 283
Cleveland-Lorain-Elyria, OH........................... 31,086 32,375 4.1 39
Colorado Springs, CO.................................. 27,299 29,407 7.7 96
Columbia, MO.......................................... 24,411 25,623 5.0 212
Columbia, SC.......................................... 25,473 26,798 5.2 167
Columbus, GA-AL....................................... 24,216 25,046 3.4 234
Columbus, OH.......................................... 29,488 31,180 5.7 60
Corpus Christi, TX.................................... 25,635 26,557 3.6 176
Cumberland, MD-WV..................................... 23,439 23,696 1.1 269
Dallas, TX............................................ 35,015 37,323 6.6 14
Danville, VA.......................................... 23,196 23,852 2.8 265
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL................... 28,462 29,298 2.9 99
Dayton-Springfield, OH................................ 30,304 31,210 3.0 58
Daytona Beach, FL..................................... 21,932 22,730 3.6 289
Decatur, AL........................................... 26,872 27,676 3.0 141
Decatur, IL........................................... 29,533 31,234 5.8 57
Denver, CO............................................ 33,359 35,628 6.8 20
Des Moines, IA........................................ 29,167 30,627 5.0 71
Detroit, MI........................................... 37,164 39,520 6.3 7
Dothan, AL............................................ 24,218 25,371 4.8 221
Dover, DE............................................. 24,824 25,972 4.6 201
Dubuque, IA........................................... 25,446 26,457 4.0 180
Duluth-Superior, MN-WI................................ 24,888 26,156 5.1 191
Dutchess County, NY................................... 31,136 33,581 7.9 29
Eau Claire, WI........................................ 23,171 24,615 6.2 247
El Paso, TX........................................... 22,743 23,697 4.2 268
Elkhart-Goshen, IN.................................... 27,203 28,724 5.6 111
Elmira, NY............................................ 24,968 25,830 3.5 204
Enid, OK.............................................. 21,557 21,765 1.0 300
Erie, PA.............................................. 26,799 27,488 2.6 146
Eugene-Springfield, OR................................ 25,108 26,132 4.1 193
Evansville-Henderson, IN-KY........................... 26,692 28,419 6.5 120
Fargo-Moorhead, ND-MN................................. 23,818 25,072 5.3 233
Fayetteville, NC...................................... 23,545 24,500 4.1 251
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR.................... 24,351 26,115 7.2 194
Flagstaff, AZ-UT...................................... 22,151 23,409 5.7 276
Flint, MI............................................. 33,654 34,612 2.8 25
Florence, AL.......................................... 23,545 23,599 0.2 271
Florence, SC.......................................... 24,243 25,269 4.2 224
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO............................. 27,410 29,159 6.4 103
Fort Lauderdale, FL................................... 28,502 29,939 5.0 82
Fort Myers-Cape Coral, FL............................. 24,197 25,267 4.4 225
Fort Pierce-Port St. Lucie, FL........................ 24,810 25,507 2.8 215
Fort Smith, AR-OK..................................... 22,921 23,901 4.3 262
Fort Walton Beach, FL................................. 22,108 23,352 5.6 277
Fort Wayne, IN........................................ 27,592 28,836 4.5 109
Fort Worth-Arlington, TX.............................. 30,054 31,660 5.3 49
Fresno, CA............................................ 22,626 23,822 5.3 267
Gadsden, AL........................................... 24,028 24,422 1.6 253
Gainesville, FL....................................... 23,612 24,956 5.7 236
Galveston-Texas City, TX.............................. 26,926 28,238 4.9 126
Gary, IN.............................................. 29,067 30,514 5.0 75
Glens Falls, NY....................................... 25,165 26,064 3.6 196
Goldsboro, NC......................................... 22,069 23,088 4.6 282
Grand Forks, ND-MN.................................... 22,132 22,825 3.1 288
Grand Junction, CO.................................... 23,608 24,555 4.0 249
Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, MI..................... 29,627 31,178 5.2 61
Great Falls, MT....................................... 21,782 22,509 3.3 292
Greeley, CO........................................... 25,294 26,408 4.4 182
Green Bay, WI......................................... 28,920 29,799 3.0 89
Greensboro--Winston-Salem--High Point, NC............. 27,201 28,628 5.2 113
Greenville, NC........................................ 24,835 25,477 2.6 216
Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC................... 26,473 27,692 4.6 139
Hagerstown, MD........................................ 25,499 26,527 4.0 177
Hamilton-Middletown, OH............................... 28,789 29,896 3.8 84
Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carlisle, PA....................... 28,827 30,413 5.5 78
Hartford, CT.......................................... 36,662 38,504 5.0 9
Hattiesburg, MS....................................... 22,645 22,884 1.1 286
Hickory-Morganton-Lenoir, NC.......................... 23,576 24,992 6.0 235
Honolulu, HI.......................................... 29,512 30,248 2.5 79
Houma, LA............................................. 25,994 27,142 4.4 153
Houston, TX........................................... 34,938 36,732 5.1 16
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.......................... 24,797 25,107 1.3 231
Huntsville, AL........................................ 32,588 33,798 3.7 28
Indianapolis, IN...................................... 30,514 32,495 6.5 38
Iowa City, IA......................................... 26,431 27,263 3.1 151
Jackson, MI........................................... 28,604 29,492 3.1 94
Jackson, MS........................................... 26,143 27,086 3.6 155
Jackson, TN........................................... 25,631 26,782 4.5 168
Jacksonville, FL...................................... 27,959 29,937 7.1 83
Jacksonville, NC...................................... 18,977 19,815 4.4 306
Jamestown, NY......................................... 23,567 24,660 4.6 246
Janesville-Beloit, WI................................. 29,462 29,877 1.4 85
Jersey City, NJ....................................... 38,459 (6) (6) (6)
Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA................. 24,881 25,661 3.1 210
Johnstown, PA......................................... 22,403 23,166 3.4 280
Jonesboro, AR......................................... 22,981 23,647 2.9 270
Joplin, MO............................................ 22,912 23,424 2.2 275
Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, MI............................ 29,400 30,628 4.2 70
Kankakee, IL.......................................... 26,242 26,381 0.5 183
Kansas City, MO-KS.................................... 29,809 31,278 4.9 56
Kenosha, WI........................................... 27,270 28,916 6.0 105
Killeen-Temple, TX.................................... 22,491 23,185 3.1 279
Knoxville, TN......................................... 26,415 27,673 4.8 142
Kokomo, IN............................................ 35,880 37,517 4.6 13
La Crosse, WI-MN...................................... 23,968 24,944 4.1 237
Lafayette, LA......................................... 25,684 26,514 3.2 178
Lafayette, IN......................................... 27,461 28,742 4.7 110
Lake Charles, LA...................................... 27,064 27,751 2.5 135
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL............................. 25,036 26,189 4.6 188
Lancaster, PA......................................... 27,272 28,515 4.6 116
Lansing-East Lansing, MI.............................. 30,672 30,943 0.9 63
Laredo, TX............................................ 21,470 22,003 2.5 298
Las Cruces, NM........................................ 21,477 22,705 5.7 290
Las Vegas, NV-AZ...................................... 28,198 29,801 5.7 88
Lawrence, KS.......................................... 21,913 22,833 4.2 287
Lawton, OK............................................ 21,504 23,042 7.2 284
Lewiston-Auburn, ME................................... 23,460 24,368 3.9 254
Lexington, KY......................................... 27,053 28,159 4.1 130
Lima, OH.............................................. 25,817 27,239 5.5 152
Lincoln, NE........................................... 25,180 26,608 5.7 174
Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR..................... 26,438 27,703 4.8 137
Longview-Marshall, TX................................. 24,797 25,396 2.4 219
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA............................ 34,958 36,608 4.7 17
Louisville, KY-IN..................................... 27,609 29,162 5.6 102
Lubbock, TX........................................... 23,439 24,597 4.9 248
Lynchburg, VA......................................... 25,030 26,037 4.0 197
Macon, GA............................................. 26,441 27,701 4.8 138
Madison, WI........................................... 28,470 29,872 4.9 86
Mansfield, OH......................................... 25,713 26,656 3.7 173
Mayaguez, PR.......................................... 14,502 15,510 7.0 311
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.......................... 19,785 20,717 4.7 304
Medford-Ashland, OR................................... 23,309 24,291 4.2 256
Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay, FL..................... 28,366 29,462 3.9 95
Memphis, TN-AR-MS..................................... 29,278 31,301 6.9 55
Merced, CA............................................ 21,656 22,386 3.4 293
Miami-Dade, FL........................................ 29,385 30,828 4.9 64
Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ...................... 41,794 (6) (6) (6)
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI................................ 30,689 32,136 4.7 44
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI........................... 33,581 35,626 6.1 21
Mobile, AL............................................ 25,166 25,842 2.7 202
Modesto, CA........................................... 24,971 26,036 4.3 198
Monmouth-Ocean, NJ.................................... 31,510 (6) (6) (6)
Monroe, LA............................................ 24,065 24,525 1.9 250
Montgomery, AL........................................ 25,315 26,148 3.3 192
Muncie, IN............................................ 26,399 26,485 0.3 179
Myrtle Beach, SC...................................... 19,521 20,762 6.4 303
Naples, FL............................................ (7) 26,739 (7) 171
Nashville, TN......................................... 29,904 30,685 2.6 68
Nassau-Suffolk, NY.................................... 34,338 35,752 4.1 18
New Haven-Bridgeport-Stamford-Waterbury-Danbury, CT... 42,551 44,853 5.4 4
New London-Norwich, CT................................ 33,053 34,612 4.7 26
New Orleans, LA....................................... 27,560 28,983 5.2 104
New York, NY.......................................... 47,378 50,395 6.4 2
Newark, NJ............................................ 40,413 (6) (6) (6)
Newburgh, NY-PA....................................... 25,851 26,874 4.0 165
Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News, VA-NC............ (8) 26,160 (8) 190
Oakland, CA........................................... 36,410 38,535 5.8 8
Ocala, FL............................................. 22,420 23,570 5.1 273
Odessa-Midland, TX.................................... 27,523 28,350 3.0 123
Oklahoma City, OK..................................... 25,093 25,980 3.5 200
Olympia, WA........................................... 27,374 28,460 4.0 117
Omaha, NE-IA.......................................... 27,591 28,584 3.6 114
Orange County, CA..................................... 33,750 35,714 5.8 19
Orlando, FL........................................... (7) 27,759 (7) 134
Owensboro, KY......................................... 23,519 24,073 2.4 259
Panama City, FL....................................... 22,569 23,873 5.8 264
Parkersburg-Marietta, WV-OH........................... 25,679 26,410 2.8 181
Pensacola, FL......................................... 23,830 24,854 4.3 241
Peoria-Pekin, IL...................................... 29,423 30,769 4.6 65
Philadelphia, PA-NJ................................... 34,367 (6) (6) (6)
Phoenix-Mesa, AZ...................................... 29,306 31,190 6.4 59
Pine Bluff, AR........................................ 23,822 24,768 4.0 244
Pittsburgh, PA........................................ 30,366 31,379 3.3 53
Pittsfield, MA........................................ 27,942 28,842 3.2 108
Pocatello, ID......................................... 22,028 22,663 2.9 291
Ponce, PR............................................. 14,880 15,690 5.4 310
Portland, ME.......................................... 27,541 28,897 4.9 106
Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA............................. 31,590 32,846 4.0 35
Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket, RI...................... 28,606 30,088 5.2 81
Provo-Orem, UT........................................ 24,175 25,301 4.7 223
Pueblo, CO............................................ 23,091 23,953 3.7 261
Punta Gorda, FL....................................... 22,199 23,102 4.1 281
Racine, WI............................................ 30,346 31,371 3.4 54
Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC........................ 30,923 32,332 4.6 40
Rapid City, SD........................................ 21,447 22,208 3.5 297
Reading, PA........................................... 29,431 30,547 3.8 74
Redding, CA........................................... 24,697 25,417 2.9 218
Reno, NV.............................................. 28,439 29,827 4.9 87
Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, WA.......................... 28,317 29,521 4.3 93
Richmond-Petersburg, VA............................... 29,986 31,442 4.9 50
Riverside-San Bernardino, CA.......................... 26,161 27,505 5.1 145
Roanoke, VA........................................... 25,689 26,780 4.2 169
Rochester, MN......................................... 31,551 33,142 5.0 31
Rochester, NY......................................... 31,345 32,087 2.4 45
Rockford, IL.......................................... 29,304 30,600 4.4 73
Rocky Mount, NC....................................... 24,823 25,722 3.6 209
Sacramento, CA........................................ 31,003 33,001 6.4 32
Saginaw-Bay City-Midland, MI.......................... 32,063 33,274 3.8 30
St. Cloud, MN......................................... 23,570 26,247 11.4 187
St. Joseph, MO........................................ 24,050 25,105 4.4 232
St. Louis, MO-IL...................................... 30,989 32,263 4.1 41
Salem, OR............................................. 24,734 25,744 4.1 207
Salinas, CA........................................... 26,091 27,294 4.6 150
Salt Lake City-Ogden, UT.............................. 27,140 28,365 4.5 122
San Angelo, TX........................................ 22,237 23,444 5.4 274
San Antonio, TX....................................... 25,514 26,984 5.8 158
San Diego, CA......................................... 30,357 32,221 6.1 42
San Francisco, CA..................................... 42,698 45,670 7.0 3
San Jose, CA.......................................... 48,655 51,409 5.7 1
San Juan-Bayamon, PR.................................. 18,089 19,042 5.3 307
San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles, CA............ 24,703 25,733 4.2 208
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc, CA.................. 27,745 29,277 5.5 101
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA............................ 27,160 28,862 6.3 107
Santa Fe, NM.......................................... 25,542 26,900 5.3 164
Santa Rosa, CA........................................ 28,771 30,653 6.5 69
Sarasota-Bradenton, FL................................ 23,588 25,208 6.9 227
Savannah, GA.......................................... 25,822 27,733 7.4 136
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre-Hazleton, PA.................... 25,087 26,071 3.9 195
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA.......................... 36,315 39,848 9.7 6
Sharon, PA............................................ 24,342 24,870 2.2 240
Sheboygan, WI......................................... 27,123 28,171 3.9 129
Sherman-Denison, TX................................... 25,431 27,025 6.3 156
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA........................... 24,517 25,566 4.3 213
Sioux City, IA-NE..................................... 23,603 24,909 5.5 239
Sioux Falls, SD....................................... 24,568 25,993 5.8 199
South Bend, IN........................................ 26,571 27,683 4.2 140
Spokane, WA........................................... 25,527 26,568 4.1 175
Springfield, IL....................................... 31,175 32,608 4.6 37
Springfield, MO....................................... 23,640 24,743 4.7 245
Springfield, MA....................................... 28,359 29,406 3.7 97
State College, PA..................................... 26,080 26,967 3.4 160
Steubenville-Weirton, OH-WV........................... 25,438 26,337 3.5 184
Stockton-Lodi, CA..................................... 26,143 26,972 3.2 159
Sumter, SC............................................ 21,772 22,212 2.0 296
Syracuse, NY.......................................... 28,677 29,595 3.2 92
Tacoma, WA............................................ 26,462 27,507 3.9 144
Tallahassee, FL....................................... 25,064 26,803 6.9 166
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL................... 26,831 28,220 5.2 127
Terre Haute, IN....................................... 24,141 25,516 5.7 214
Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR........................... 23,999 24,225 0.9 258
Toledo, OH............................................ 29,052 29,733 2.3 90
Topeka, KS............................................ 26,120 27,479 5.2 147
Trenton, NJ........................................... 39,834 (6) (6) (6)
Tucson, AZ............................................ 25,504 26,773 5.0 170
Tulsa, OK............................................. 27,464 28,673 4.4 112
Tuscaloosa, AL........................................ 25,961 26,997 4.0 157
Tyler, TX............................................. 26,109 27,572 5.6 143
Utica-Rome, NY........................................ 24,660 25,189 2.1 228
Vallejo-Fairfield-Napa, CA............................ 27,076 28,309 4.6 125
Ventura, CA........................................... 30,489 31,962 4.8 47
Victoria, TX.......................................... 24,104 25,339 5.1 222
Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ...................... 28,952 (6) (6) (6)
Visalia-Tulare-Porterville, CA........................ 20,795 21,812 4.9 299
Waco, TX.............................................. 24,383 25,470 4.5 217
Washington, DC-MD-VA-WV............................... 38,461 40,695 5.8 5
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA.............................. 26,432 26,728 1.1 172
Wausau, WI............................................ 26,266 26,956 2.6 162
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL........................ 29,808 31,735 6.5 48
Wheeling, WV-OH....................................... 22,828 23,599 3.4 272
Wichita, KS........................................... 29,211 30,474 4.3 77
Wichita Falls, TX..................................... 22,429 22,999 2.5 285
Williamsport, PA...................................... 24,117 25,144 4.3 230
Wilmington-Newark, DE-MD.............................. 34,843 36,758 5.5 15
Wilmington, NC........................................ 24,767 25,645 3.5 211
Yakima, WA............................................ 20,715 21,483 3.7 301
Yolo, CA.............................................. 30,868 32,024 3.7 46
York, PA.............................................. 28,116 29,280 4.1 100
Youngstown-Warren, OH................................. 26,855 27,123 1.0 154
Yuba City, CA......................................... 22,521 24,052 6.8 260
Yuma, AZ.............................................. 19,466 19,891 2.2 305
1 Includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal
Employees (UCFE) programs.
2 Includes data for Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas as of June
1998. In the New England areas, the New England County Metropolitan Area (NECMA) definitions were used. See
Technical Note.
3 Data are preliminary.
4 Percent changes were computed from unrounded average annual pay data and may differ from those computed
using data rounded to the nearest dollar.
5 Totals were calculated using estimated data for New Jersey for the third and fourth quarters in 1998 and
do not include the six MSAs within Puerto Rico.
6 MSAs containing New Jersey data are not available for 1998. Please see text for more information.
7 Data are not available for release.
8 Data do not meet BLS or State agency disclosure standards.
Table 2. Average annual pay for 1997 and 1998 for all covered workers(1) by Consolidated Metropolitan
Statistical Area
Average annual pay Ranking of
areas
Consolidated metropolitan
statistical area(2)
Percent By level of
1997 1998(3) change, average annual
1997-1998(4) pay for 1998
Consolidated metropolitan statistical areas(5)........ $35,844 $37,790 5.4 -
Boston-Worcester-Lawrence-Lowell-Brockton, MA-NH........ 36,218 38,357 5.9 3
Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI.......................... 35,284 37,105 5.2 6
Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN........................... 30,278 31,937 5.5 14
Cleveland-Akron, OH..................................... 30,654 32,011 4.4 13
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX................................... 33,610 35,732 6.3 8
Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO.............................. 32,941 35,440 7.6 9
Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI............................. 36,430 38,624 6.0 2
Houston-Galveston-Brazoria,TX........................... 34,497 36,242 5.1 7
Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA................. 33,321 34,974 5.0 10
Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL............................... 29,038 30,477 5.0 16
Milwaukee-Racine, WI.................................... 30,658 32,069 4.6 12
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA... 42,142 (6) (6) (6)
Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-DE-MD...... 33,889 (6) (6) (6)
Portland-Salem, OR-WA................................... 30,689 31,919 4.0 15
Sacramento-Yolo, CA..................................... 30,988 32,897 6.2 11
San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA...................... 40,649 43,143 6.1 1
San Juan-Caguas-Arecibo, PR............................. 17,741 18,677 5.3 17
Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA............................ 34,165 37,179 8.8 5
Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV....................... 36,034 38,016 5.5 4
1 Includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal
Employees (UCFE) programs.
2 Includes data for Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas as of June 1998. In the New England
areas, the New England County Metropolitan Area (NECMA) definitions were used. See Technical Note.
3 Data are preliminary.
4 Percent changes were computed from unrounded average annual pay data and may differ from those
computed using data rounded to the nearest dollar.
5 Totals were calculated using estimated data for New Jersey for the third and fourth quarters in 1998
and do not include the six MSAs within Puerto Rico.
6 CMSAs containing New Jersey data are not available for 1998. Please see text for more information.