What do US employer costs per hour worked measure?

They measure what employers pay per hour worked, split into wages and salaries and into benefits such as paid leave, supplemental pay, insurance, retirement and legally required benefits.

Who publishes this data and how often?

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes it quarterly in the Employer Costs for Employee Compensation series, with data on this page from the first quarter of 2014.

What share of compensation is benefits rather than wages?

Benefits are roughly 30 percent of total compensation for civilian workers, a share that has been broadly stable while health insurance has grown within it.

How does this differ from the Employment Cost Index?

The ECI is an index measuring the rate of change in compensation with job mix held fixed. This series gives the dollar level per hour, so it answers what an hour of labour actually costs.

US Employer Costs per Hour Worked

Name: US Employer Costs per Hour Worked
Creator: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

What an hour of work costs the employer in the United States, quarterly: wages and salaries and each of the twenty-five benefit items — paid leave, insurance, retirement, legally required benefits — for all civilian workers, private industry and state and local government, and then private industry broken down by industry and by occupational group.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)Last updated: Sep 23, 2026, 18:31Curated by Bui Thanh PhucAbout this data ↓

Indicator	Q2-2026	Q1-2026	Q4-2025	Q3-2025	Q2-2025	Q1-2025	Q4-2024	Q3-2024	Q2-2024	Q1-2024	Q4-2023	Q3-2023	Q2-2023
All civilian workers1
Total compensation2	49.46	49.32	48.78	48.6	48.05	47.92	47.2	46.84	46.21	46.14	45.42	43.93	43.26
Wages and salaries	33.85	33.72	33.45	33.41	33.02	32.92	32.52	32.25	31.8	31.72	31.29	30.35	29.86
Total benefits5	15.61	15.6	15.33	15.18	15.03	15	14.68	14.59	14.41	14.41	14.13	13.58	13.39
Paid leave4	3.71	3.72	3.7	3.66	3.61	3.6	3.55	3.51	3.46	3.46	3.41	3.26	3.2
Vacation	1.77	1.77	1.76	1.77	1.75	1.74	1.72	1.71	1.69	1.69	1.67	1.59	1.57
Holiday	1.09	1.09	1.08	1.07	1.05	1.06	1.04	1.03	1.01	1.02	1	0.96	0.95
Sick leave	0.6	0.61	0.6	0.57	0.56	0.56	0.55	0.53	0.52	0.53	0.52	0.5	0.5
Personal leave	0.25	0.26	0.25	0.24	0.24	0.24	0.25	0.23	0.23	0.23	0.22	0.2	0.2
Supplemental pay3	1.73	1.74	1.71	1.7	1.69	1.71	1.68	1.62	1.61	1.62	1.56	1.42	1.41
Overtime and premium pay	0.44	0.42	0.42	0.43	0.42	0.41	0.41	0.42	0.41	0.41	0.4	0.38	0.38
Shift differentials	0.1	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.08	0.08	0.08	0.08	0.07	0.07
Nonproduction bonuses	1.2	1.22	1.2	1.18	1.18	1.21	1.18	1.12	1.12	1.13	1.08	0.97	0.96
Insurance4	4.23	4.18	4.04	3.99	3.95	3.89	3.75	3.76	3.72	3.7	3.61	3.52	3.48
Life insurance	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.05	0.05	0.05
Health insurance	4.02	3.98	3.84	3.78	3.75	3.68	3.54	3.55	3.52	3.5	3.42	3.33	3.3
Short-term disability	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.08	0.08
Long-term disability	0.06	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05
Retirement and savings2	2.53	2.56	2.52	2.49	2.46	2.49	2.45	2.44	2.39	2.42	2.37	2.26	2.21
Defined benefit	1.44	1.48	1.43	1.42	1.39	1.43	1.4	1.4	1.36	1.39	1.36	1.33	1.3
Defined contribution	1.09	1.09	1.09	1.07	1.06	1.05	1.04	1.04	1.02	1.02	1	0.93	0.91
Legally required benefits4	3.41	3.39	3.36	3.35	3.33	3.31	3.26	3.27	3.23	3.21	3.18	3.12	3.09
Social Security and Medicare	2.8	2.78	2.75	2.74	2.71	2.7	2.66	2.65	2.62	2.61	2.57	2.49	2.46
Federal unemployment insurance	0.03	0.03	0.02	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.02	0.03	0.02
State unemployment insurance	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13
Workers' compensation	0.46	0.45	0.45	0.46	0.46	0.45	0.44	0.46	0.46	0.45	0.45	0.47	0.47
Private industry1
Total compensation2	46.89	46.6	46.15	46.05	45.65	45.38	44.67	44.4	43.94	43.78	43.11	41.53	41.03
Wages and salaries	32.82	32.6	32.36	32.37	32.07	31.89	31.47	31.25	30.9	30.76	30.33	29.34	28.97
Total benefits5	14.07	14.01	13.79	13.68	13.58	13.49	13.2	13.15	13.04	13.02	12.77	12.19	12.06
Paid leave4	3.54	3.54	3.52	3.48	3.44	3.43	3.38	3.34	3.3	3.31	3.26	3.09	3.05
Vacation	1.76	1.77	1.75	1.77	1.75	1.74	1.71	1.71	1.69	1.69	1.67	1.59	1.56
Holiday	1.05	1.04	1.04	1.02	1.01	1.01	0.99	0.98	0.97	0.97	0.96	0.92	0.9
Sick leave	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.47	0.46	0.46	0.45	0.43	0.43	0.43	0.43	0.4	0.41
Personal leave	0.23	0.23	0.23	0.22	0.22	0.22	0.23	0.21	0.21	0.21	0.2	0.18	0.17
Supplemental pay3	1.88	1.9	1.87	1.85	1.84	1.89	1.84	1.76	1.76	1.77	1.71	1.55	1.53
Overtime and premium pay	0.45	0.44	0.43	0.44	0.44	0.43	0.43	0.44	0.43	0.43	0.43	0.4	0.4
Shift differentials	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.08	0.08	0.08	0.08	0.07	0.07
Nonproduction bonuses	1.33	1.37	1.34	1.31	1.31	1.36	1.32	1.24	1.24	1.26	1.2	1.07	1.06
Insurance4	3.69	3.62	3.51	3.46	3.44	3.34	3.22	3.25	3.24	3.2	3.14	3.04	3.02
Life insurance	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05
Health insurance	3.48	3.41	3.3	3.25	3.23	3.13	3.01	3.04	3.04	3	2.94	2.86	2.84
Short-term disability	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.09	0.09
Long-term disability	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05
Retirement and savings2	1.57	1.57	1.55	1.55	1.54	1.53	1.52	1.54	1.52	1.52	1.5	1.41	1.39
Defined benefit	0.4	0.4	0.39	0.41	0.4	0.4	0.41	0.43	0.42	0.43	0.42	0.43	0.43
Defined contribution	1.17	1.16	1.16	1.14	1.14	1.13	1.11	1.11	1.1	1.1	1.07	0.99	0.97
Legally required benefits4	3.4	3.38	3.34	3.34	3.31	3.29	3.24	3.25	3.22	3.21	3.17	3.11	3.08
Social Security and Medicare	2.79	2.78	2.75	2.73	2.71	2.7	2.66	2.65	2.62	2.61	2.57	2.48	2.45
Federal unemployment insurance	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03
State unemployment insurance	0.14	0.15	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.14	0.14	0.14	0.14
Workers' compensation	0.43	0.42	0.42	0.43	0.43	0.42	0.42	0.44	0.44	0.43	0.43	0.46	0.46
State and local government1
Total compensation2	66.45	66.41	65.68	65.28	63.94	64	63.46	62.92	61.37	61.27	60.56	59.9	58.25
Wages and salaries	40.67	40.82	40.49	40.24	39.31	39.42	39.22	38.86	37.8	37.9	37.53	37.09	35.9
Total benefits5	25.78	25.59	25.19	25.04	24.63	24.58	24.23	24.06	23.57	23.37	23.03	22.81	22.35
Paid leave4	4.9	4.86	4.84	4.82	4.71	4.68	4.66	4.62	4.51	4.46	4.43	4.38	4.27
Vacation	1.83	1.8	1.8	1.8	1.77	1.74	1.74	1.73	1.7	1.66	1.65	1.63	1.6
Holiday	1.42	1.41	1.4	1.39	1.36	1.36	1.36	1.34	1.3	1.29	1.28	1.27	1.23
Sick leave	1.25	1.25	1.24	1.24	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.18	1.15	1.16	1.14	1.13	1.09
Personal leave	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.37	0.37	0.37	0.37	0.36	0.36	0.35	0.35	0.34
Supplemental pay3	0.71	0.69	0.69	0.67	0.66	0.63	0.63	0.63	0.63	0.61	0.59	0.59	0.59
Overtime and premium pay	0.35	0.33	0.33	0.31	0.3	0.29	0.28	0.29	0.29	0.27	0.26	0.27	0.27
Shift differentials	0.07	0.07	0.07	0.07	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.05	0.06	0.06
Nonproduction bonuses	0.3	0.29	0.29	0.3	0.29	0.28	0.29	0.29	0.29	0.28	0.27	0.27	0.27
Insurance4	7.79	7.7	7.49	7.45	7.36	7.34	7.14	7.1	6.95	6.9	6.72	6.7	6.61
Life insurance	0.08	0.08	0.08	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09	0.09
Health insurance	7.61	7.52	7.31	7.26	7.17	7.15	6.95	6.91	6.77	6.73	6.55	6.52	6.43
Short-term disability	0.04	0.04	0.04	0.04	0.04	0.04	0.04	0.04	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03
Long-term disability	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.05	0.05	0.05
Retirement and savings2	8.85	8.83	8.69	8.63	8.5	8.54	8.42	8.35	8.19	8.14	8.07	7.93	7.73
Defined benefit	8.26	8.22	8.08	8.04	7.93	7.97	7.83	7.79	7.65	7.58	7.51	7.4	7.23
Defined contribution	0.59	0.6	0.61	0.58	0.56	0.57	0.59	0.56	0.54	0.56	0.55	0.53	0.51
Legally required benefits3	3.53	3.51	3.48	3.47	3.41	3.4	3.38	3.35	3.29	3.26	3.23	3.2	3.14
Social Security and Medicare	2.81	2.81	2.78	2.77	2.71	2.71	2.7	2.67	2.61	2.6	2.58	2.55	2.48
State unemployment insurance	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.06	0.07	0.07	0.07	0.07	0.07
Workers' compensation	0.65	0.63	0.64	0.64	0.64	0.62	0.62	0.62	0.62	0.59	0.58	0.58	0.59
BY INDUSTRY (private industry workers)1
All private industry workers2
Goods-producing	50	49.48	48.97	47.85	47.48	47	46.38	45.86	45.41	45.31	44.75	44.46	44.16
Service-providing9	46.27	46.03	45.59	45.69	45.28	45.06	44.33	44.11	43.65	43.47	42.78	40.95	40.42
Construction	51.96	51.23	50.93	49.53	49.05	48.58	47.85	47.54	47.29	47.2	46.5	45.17	44.75
Education and health services	50.61	50.06	49.42	49.82	49.19	48.85	47.94	48.14	47.28	47.04	46.28	44.54	43.57
Financial activities	66.05	65.93	64.76	64.62	64.39	63.96	62.71	59.46	59.19	58.51	58.15	58.01	57.58
Information	84.28	83.82	82.18	79.79	79.33	78.24	77.17	76.71	75.76	75.93	74.85	70.23	70.3
Leisure and hospitality	21.33	21.11	20.9	20.39	20.36	20.13	19.9	20.04	20.01	19.67	19.42	18.87	18.81
Manufacturing	48.62	48.27	47.64	46.6	46.3	45.85	45.29	44.75	44.17	44.16	43.68	44.04	43.79
Other services (except public administration)	37.95	38.01	37.77	38.67	38.13	37.85	37.66	39.91	39.79	39.68	38.94	36.95	36.38
Professional and business services	59.8	59.65	59.47	59.21	59.18	59.15	58.1	57.92	57.61	57.49	56.06	51.9	51.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities9	39.66	38.7	38.48	38.75	38.54	37.72	37.29	37.17	37.14	36.43	35.91	35.03	35.08
Accommodation and food services	20.03	19.92	19.71	19.21	19.14	19	18.77	18.31	18.26	18.03	17.81	17.71	17.62
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	34.94	34.61	34.81	35.33	35.02	34.76	34.33	34.4	34.11	33.83	33.26	31.09	30.63
Educational services	55.85	56.42	56.52	56.98	55.31	56.09	55.54	57.07	54.88	55.56	54.2	54.7	52.59
Finance and insurance	73.92	73.3	72.19	72.54	72.25	71.64	70.32	67.55	67.39	66.55	66.2	65.58	64.94
Health care and social assistance	49.93	49.16	48.43	48.87	48.39	47.81	46.85	46.91	46.26	45.83	45.16	43.12	42.33
Professional, scientific, and technical services	75.97	75.15	74.63	73.89	73.59	73.44	71.88	75.18	74.97	74.39	72.68	67.59	66.94
Real estate and rental and leasing	43.53	43.9	42.95	40.81	40.94	40.52	39.95	38.12	37.41	37.09	37.07	36.54	36.26
Transportation and warehousing	49.86	49.04	49.7	51.15	51.04	48.58	47.7	49.88	49.98	48.49	47.45	44.55	45.08
Utilities6	87.11	82.78	81.46	78.89	78.43	77.48	76.37	78.99	78.33	77.66	76.91	78.31	77.39
Credit intermediation	65.97	65.22	64.86	66.27	66.21	66.59	65.04	62.02	61.68	61.2	60.36	59.62	58.64
Hospitals	66.85	66.22	65.65	71.36	70.92	70.1	69.77	68.21	67.64	67.17	66.05	61.87	61.01
Insurance carriers	69.22	68.61	67.57	66.28	66.3	65.46	64.25	61.7	62.05	61.15	60.57	59.08	58.75
Nursing and residential care facilities	34.04	33.86	33.33	33.39	33.21	32.9	32.47	31.95	31.73	31.37	30.98	29.82	29.29
Retail trade	27.07	26.64	26.41	26.28	26.22	25.89	25.73	25.14	24.99	24.69	25.08	24.72	24.67
Wholesale trade2	54.96	53.97	53.03	53.2	52.72	52.24	51.66	50.06	50.29	49.95	48.43	47.42	47.66
Junior colleges, colleges, universities, and professional schools	72.15	71.24	70.5	74.23	73.14	72.71	71.52	74.68	72.88	72.59	70.84	71.06	69.51
Nursing care facilities1	35.95	35.77	35.29	35.38	35.32	34.96	34.51	33.79	33.8	33.43	33.02	33.04	32.47
Aircraft manufacturing	84.57	83.93	80.47	81.1	80.85	79.84	78.79	76.71	76.75	77.14	75.86	84.01	84.12
BY OCCUPATIONAL GROUP (private industry workers)1
All private industry workers5
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	49.01	48.79	48.32	47.89	47.23	46.77	46.49	47.02	46.55	46.21	45.82	43.51	42.98
Office and administrative support occupations	36.73	36.42	35.96	35.35	35.13	34.84	34.34	33.87	33.43	33.12	32.6	32.38	32.05
Production occupations	37.21	36.96	36.66	36.13	35.72	35.57	35.23	35.08	34.75	34.74	34.2	33.41	33.12
Sales and related occupations	35.85	35.29	35.01	35.68	35.72	35.2	34.6	32.74	32.73	32.78	31.94	31.74	31.65
Transportation and material moving occupations5	36.38	35.81	36.01	36.51	36.36	35.22	34.72	35.99	35.83	34.92	34.43	33.46	33.5
Management, professional and related occupations	78.88	78.1	77.22	77.26	76.58	75.86	74.73	74.01	73.61	72.99	72	69.75	69.08
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations	47.8	47.48	46.91	46.56	46	45.52	45.05	45.75	45.33	44.91	44.47	43.84	43.25
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations	36.7	36.26	36.26	36.36	36.12	35.35	34.91	35.65	35.43	34.85	34.34	33.44	33.35
Sales and office occupations	36.34	35.92	35.54	35.5	35.39	35	34.46	33.37	33.12	32.97	32.3	32.09	31.87
Service occupations3	23.73	23.63	23.39	22.8	22.59	22.49	22.16	22.22	22.02	21.78	21.55	20.98	20.67
Construction, and extraction, farming, fishing, and forestry occupations	46.65	46.21	45.53	45.36	44.87	44.36	43.72	44.57	44.19	43.67	43.19	44.14	43.5
Management, business, and financial occupations	88.63	87.69	86.61	88.87	88.48	87.7	86.31	84.25	83.93	83.3	81.72	81.66	80.96
Professional and related occupations	73.69	72.99	72.19	71.08	70.21	69.57	68.48	68.37	67.8	67.31	66.53	63	62.32

Latest reading

Total compensation stood at 46.89 USD per hour worked in Q2 2026. That is +0.6% from Q1 2026 and +2.7% from a year earlier. The series on this page is quarterly and runs from Q1 2014 to Q2 2026. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Latest: 46.89 USD per hour worked; Q2 2026
vs previous period: +0.6%; Q1 2026
vs a year earlier: +2.7%

About this data

Frequently asked questions

What do US employer costs per hour worked measure?: They measure what employers pay per hour worked, split into wages and salaries and into benefits such as paid leave, supplemental pay, insurance, retirement and legally required benefits.
Who publishes this data and how often?: The US Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes it quarterly in the Employer Costs for Employee Compensation series, with data on this page from the first quarter of 2014.
What share of compensation is benefits rather than wages?: Benefits are roughly 30 percent of total compensation for civilian workers, a share that has been broadly stable while health insurance has grown within it.
How does this differ from the Employment Cost Index?: The ECI is an index measuring the rate of change in compensation with job mix held fixed. This series gives the dollar level per hour, so it answers what an hour of labour actually costs.