US Employment Cost Index by Industry
US quarterly employment cost index by industry and occupation from the BLS.
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total civilian labor - total3 | ||||||||||||||
| Total labor | +3.4% | +3.4% | +3.4% | +3.6% | +3.6% | +3.6% | +3.8% | +3.8% | +4.0% | +4.2% | +4.2% | +4.4% | +4.5% | |
| Wages and salaries | +3.1% | +3.3% | +3.4% | +3.6% | +3.6% | +3.4% | +3.7% | +3.7% | +4.0% | +4.3% | +4.3% | +4.5% | +4.6% | |
| Benefits | +3.8% | +3.6% | +3.4% | +3.5% | +3.4% | +3.6% | +3.3% | +3.3% | +3.5% | +3.5% | +3.6% | +3.9% | +3.9% | |
| Total civilian labor by sector2 | ||||||||||||||
| Goods-producing sector | +3.4% | +3.3% | +3.5% | +3.6% | +3.6% | +3.2% | +3.3% | +3.5% | +3.5% | +3.8% | +3.8% | +3.8% | +4.0% | |
| Services sector2 | +3.4% | +3.4% | +3.4% | +3.6% | +3.6% | +3.7% | +3.9% | +3.8% | +4.2% | +4.2% | +4.3% | +4.5% | +4.6% | |
| Education and health services2 | +3.8% | +3.8% | +3.8% | +3.7% | +4.1% | +4.1% | +4.2% | +4.3% | +4.4% | +4.4% | +4.5% | +4.9% | +5.0% | |
| Educational services2 | +3.7% | +3.6% | +3.5% | +3.4% | +3.6% | +3.9% | +4.1% | +4.4% | +4.5% | +4.3% | +4.4% | +4.6% | +4.8% | |
| Elementary and secondary schools | +3.7% | +3.5% | +3.4% | +3.4% | +3.6% | +3.8% | +3.9% | +4.0% | +4.2% | +4.2% | +4.4% | +4.6% | +5.0% | |
| Junior colleges, colleges, universities, and professional schools | +3.6% | +3.6% | +3.8% | +3.7% | +4.2% | +4.2% | +4.5% | +4.7% | +4.5% | +4.3% | +4.3% | +4.3% | +4.6% | |
| Health care and social assistance2 | +3.8% | +4.0% | +4.0% | +4.0% | +4.4% | +4.4% | +4.2% | +4.3% | +4.5% | +4.5% | +4.6% | +5.0% | +5.2% | |
| Hospitals | +3.2% | +3.1% | +3.5% | +3.6% | +4.1% | +4.1% | +4.4% | +4.4% | +4.6% | +4.7% | +4.6% | +4.9% | +5.1% | |
| Nursing and residential care facilities | +3.0% | +3.0% | +3.2% | +3.3% | +3.4% | +3.7% | +3.6% | +3.7% | +4.5% | +4.5% | +4.7% | +5.1% | +5.6% | |
| Public administration | +3.9% | +3.6% | +3.5% | +3.9% | +4.2% | +5.0% | +5.4% | +5.5% | +6.0% | +5.8% | +5.2% | +4.9% | +4.7% | |
| Private sector - total1 | ||||||||||||||
| Total labor | +3.3% | +3.4% | +3.4% | +3.5% | +3.5% | +3.4% | +3.6% | +3.6% | +3.8% | +4.1% | +4.1% | +4.4% | +4.5% | |
| Private sector by occupational group5 | ||||||||||||||
| Management, professional, and related2 | +3.5% | +3.5% | +3.3% | +3.4% | +3.4% | +3.3% | +3.4% | +3.3% | +3.6% | +3.9% | +4.0% | +4.4% | +4.3% | |
| Management, business, and financial | +3.2% | +3.0% | +2.8% | +3.1% | +3.1% | +3.1% | +3.3% | +2.9% | +3.3% | +3.7% | +3.7% | +4.2% | +3.7% | |
| Professional and related | +3.7% | +3.8% | +3.8% | +3.7% | +3.6% | +3.7% | +3.7% | +3.7% | +4.0% | +4.1% | +4.3% | +4.6% | +4.6% | |
| Sales and office2 | +2.7% | +3.3% | +3.3% | +3.7% | +3.7% | +2.8% | +3.1% | +3.1% | +3.3% | +4.1% | +3.9% | +4.2% | +4.6% | |
| Sales and related | +2.0% | +3.0% | +2.8% | +4.1% | +3.9% | +1.9% | +2.4% | +2.4% | +2.7% | +4.3% | +3.8% | +3.9% | +4.5% | |
| Office and administrative support | +3.4% | +3.7% | +3.7% | +3.4% | +3.5% | +3.5% | +3.7% | +3.8% | +3.9% | +3.9% | +3.9% | +4.4% | +4.7% | |
| Natural resources, construction, and maintenance2 | +3.7% | +3.8% | +3.7% | +3.8% | +3.7% | +3.5% | +3.7% | +3.9% | +4.0% | +4.2% | +4.4% | +4.2% | +4.1% | |
| Construction, extraction, farming, fishing, and forestry | +3.7% | +3.7% | +3.8% | +3.8% | +3.7% | +3.8% | +3.7% | +3.4% | +3.5% | +3.6% | +3.7% | +3.9% | +3.9% | |
| Installation, maintenance, and repair | +3.6% | +4.0% | +3.6% | +3.9% | +3.8% | +3.3% | +3.7% | +4.3% | +4.5% | +4.9% | +5.3% | +4.7% | +4.4% | |
| Production, transportation, and material moving2 | +3.2% | +3.3% | +3.4% | +3.5% | +3.5% | +3.9% | +4.2% | +5.1% | +5.1% | +4.7% | +4.7% | +3.9% | +4.3% | |
| Production | +3.2% | +3.0% | +3.4% | +3.3% | +3.4% | +3.6% | +4.1% | +4.4% | +4.3% | +4.2% | +4.2% | +4.1% | +4.6% | |
| Transportation and material moving | +3.2% | +3.4% | +3.4% | +3.5% | +3.6% | +4.1% | +4.3% | +5.6% | +5.8% | +5.1% | +5.0% | +3.8% | +4.1% | |
| Service occupations | +3.4% | +3.4% | +3.5% | +3.6% | +3.7% | +4.1% | +4.2% | +4.1% | +4.2% | +3.9% | +4.0% | +4.6% | +5.2% | |
| Private sector by sector2 | ||||||||||||||
| Goods-producing sector2 | +3.4% | +3.3% | +3.5% | +3.6% | +3.6% | +3.2% | +3.3% | +3.5% | +3.5% | +3.9% | +3.9% | +3.8% | +3.9% | |
| Construction | +3.5% | +3.2% | +4.0% | +3.8% | +3.8% | +2.8% | +2.4% | +2.8% | +2.8% | +3.8% | +4.2% | +4.1% | +4.1% | |
| Manufacturing1 | +3.3% | +3.4% | +3.1% | +3.4% | +3.3% | +3.2% | +3.6% | +3.7% | +3.8% | +3.8% | +3.7% | +3.7% | +3.9% | |
| Aircraft manufacturing | +4.9% | +5.6% | +2.7% | +5.1% | +4.7% | +3.5% | +3.8% | +2.1% | +2.0% | +2.8% | +2.6% | +2.9% | −3.3% | |
| Services sector7 | +3.3% | +3.5% | +3.4% | +3.5% | +3.5% | +3.5% | +3.7% | +3.7% | +3.9% | +4.1% | +4.1% | +4.4% | +4.5% | |
| Trade, transportation, and utilities4 | +3.5% | +3.6% | +3.3% | +3.4% | +3.2% | +3.2% | +3.3% | +4.1% | +4.3% | +4.4% | +4.7% | +4.3% | +4.3% | |
| Wholesale trade | +3.3% | +3.5% | +2.7% | +3.3% | +2.5% | +1.9% | +2.9% | +2.8% | +3.1% | +4.4% | +3.9% | +4.2% | +4.2% | |
| Retail trade | +3.6% | +3.3% | +3.2% | +3.2% | +3.1% | +3.4% | +2.9% | +2.9% | +3.1% | +2.8% | +4.2% | +4.5% | +4.7% | |
| Transportation and warehousing | +3.4% | +4.0% | +3.8% | +3.8% | +3.8% | +4.1% | +4.7% | +7.7% | +7.7% | +7.3% | +6.3% | +3.9% | +3.8% | |
| Utilities | +4.5% | +4.2% | +4.0% | +4.0% | +4.0% | +3.9% | +3.4% | +3.3% | +3.6% | +4.0% | +4.7% | +4.8% | +4.5% | |
| Information | +3.2% | +3.9% | +2.9% | +2.9% | +3.5% | +1.9% | +2.5% | +3.1% | +2.0% | +3.2% | +3.4% | +3.8% | +4.8% | |
| Financial activities2 | +3.5% | +3.6% | +3.6% | +4.2% | +4.2% | +4.4% | +3.4% | +2.5% | +3.1% | +3.4% | +3.4% | +4.1% | +3.5% | |
| Finance and insurance2 | +3.6% | +3.6% | +3.6% | +4.4% | +4.1% | +4.4% | +3.4% | +2.4% | +3.1% | +3.5% | +3.4% | +4.1% | +3.4% | |
| Credit intermediation and related activities | +2.9% | +1.6% | +2.7% | +3.8% | +3.6% | +5.0% | +4.3% | +3.2% | +4.4% | +4.3% | +4.1% | +4.5% | +2.6% | |
| Insurance carriers and related activities | +2.7% | +2.9% | +3.7% | +3.7% | +3.4% | +3.8% | +2.9% | +2.2% | +3.1% | +2.7% | +3.1% | +4.0% | +4.3% | |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | +2.7% | +3.9% | +3.5% | +2.8% | +5.0% | +3.9% | +3.4% | +3.0% | +2.8% | +3.0% | +3.3% | +4.2% | +3.8% | |
| Professional and business services2 | +2.7% | +2.8% | +2.9% | +3.2% | +3.0% | +2.8% | +3.7% | +3.2% | +3.9% | +4.1% | +3.8% | +4.2% | +4.5% | |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | +3.0% | +2.8% | +3.3% | +3.5% | +3.1% | +3.1% | +3.4% | +2.9% | +3.7% | +3.7% | +3.7% | +4.0% | +4.4% | |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | +2.6% | +2.6% | +2.4% | +3.2% | +3.3% | +3.1% | +3.9% | +3.5% | +3.8% | +3.8% | +4.0% | +4.4% | +4.4% | |
| Education and health services2 | +3.9% | +4.1% | +4.2% | +3.9% | +4.2% | +4.2% | +4.1% | +4.4% | +4.4% | +4.5% | +4.5% | +4.9% | +4.9% | |
| Educational services1 | +4.3% | +4.0% | +4.2% | +2.9% | +3.2% | +3.3% | +3.9% | +4.7% | +4.6% | +4.5% | +4.2% | +4.4% | +4.3% | |
| Junior colleges, colleges, universities, and professional schools | +3.7% | +3.6% | +3.9% | +3.3% | +4.0% | +3.9% | +4.3% | +4.4% | +4.0% | +4.0% | +3.8% | +3.9% | +3.8% | |
| Health care and social assistance2 | +3.8% | +4.0% | +4.1% | +4.1% | +4.4% | +4.3% | +4.1% | +4.3% | +4.4% | +4.5% | +4.6% | +5.0% | +5.1% | |
| Hospitals | +3.1% | +2.9% | +3.6% | +3.6% | +4.0% | +4.1% | +4.2% | +4.4% | +4.5% | +4.7% | +4.6% | +5.0% | +5.2% | |
| Nursing and residential care facilities | +3.0% | +3.0% | +3.2% | +3.2% | +3.3% | +3.6% | +3.5% | +3.7% | +4.4% | +4.4% | +4.7% | +5.0% | +5.5% | |
| Leisure and hospitality1 | +2.6% | +2.6% | +2.7% | +2.8% | +2.8% | +3.8% | +3.6% | +3.4% | +3.6% | +3.2% | +4.0% | +4.4% | +5.4% | |
| Accommodation and food service | +2.4% | +2.4% | +2.7% | +2.8% | +2.9% | +3.9% | +3.5% | +3.5% | +3.4% | +3.1% | +4.1% | +4.3% | +5.5% | |
| Other services (except public administration) | +3.8% | +4.1% | +4.2% | +3.7% | +3.0% | +3.3% | +4.6% | +4.5% | +5.1% | +5.3% | +5.2% | +4.9% | +4.8% | |
| State and local government - total1 | ||||||||||||||
| Total labor | +3.7% | +3.5% | +3.4% | +3.6% | +4.0% | +4.4% | +4.7% | +4.7% | +5.0% | +4.8% | +4.6% | +4.7% | +4.9% | |
| State and local government by sector2 | ||||||||||||||
| Education and health services2 | +3.6% | +3.5% | +3.3% | +3.5% | +3.8% | +4.0% | +4.3% | +4.3% | +4.5% | +4.4% | +4.3% | +4.7% | +4.9% | |
| Educational services1 | +3.6% | +3.5% | +3.3% | +3.5% | +3.8% | +4.0% | +4.2% | +4.2% | +4.4% | +4.3% | +4.4% | +4.6% | +5.0% | |
| Schools1 | +3.6% | +3.5% | +3.3% | +3.4% | +3.8% | +4.0% | +4.2% | +4.3% | +4.3% | +4.3% | +4.4% | +4.6% | +5.0% | |
| Elementary and secondary schools | +3.6% | +3.4% | +3.3% | +3.3% | +3.6% | +3.9% | +4.0% | +4.1% | +4.2% | +4.1% | +4.3% | +4.6% | +4.9% | |
| Health care and social assistance1 | +3.7% | +3.7% | +3.3% | +3.6% | +4.2% | +4.2% | +5.0% | +4.5% | +5.0% | +4.9% | +4.4% | +5.0% | +5.3% | |
| Hospitals | +3.7% | +3.8% | +3.4% | +3.7% | +4.3% | +4.2% | +4.9% | +4.3% | +4.9% | +4.7% | +4.3% | +5.0% | +5.1% | |
| Public administration | +3.9% | +3.6% | +3.5% | +3.9% | +4.2% | +5.0% | +5.4% | +5.5% | +6.0% | +5.8% | +5.2% | +4.9% | +4.7% |
Latest reading
Total labor stood at 177.18 in Q2 2026. That is +0.9% from Q1 2026 and +3.4% from a year earlier. The series on this page is quarterly and runs from Q1 2001 to Q2 2026. Source: FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis).
- vs a year earlier
- +3.4%
- Q2 2026
- vs previous period
- +0.9%
- Q1 2026
- Latest
- 177.18
- Q2 2026
About this data
US quarterly employment cost index by industry and occupation from the BLS. The table covers total civilian workers, the private sector by occupational group, and state and local government. Series go back to 2001 on a quarterly basis from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED. It measures labor compensation changes adjusted for employment shifts.
Frequently asked questions
- What does the US Employment Cost Index by Industry measure?
- It measures the rate of change in employee compensation, including wages, salaries, and employer-provided benefits, across various industries and occupations in the United States.
- How often is the US Employment Cost Index updated and how far back does it go?
- The data is published on a quarterly basis by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED and historical series extend back to 2001.
- What breakdowns are included in this table?
- The table provides breakdowns for total civilian workers, the private sector by industry and occupational group, and state and local government sectors.
- How does the Employment Cost Index differ from average hourly earnings?
- The United States Employment Cost Index is adjusted for employment shifts across industries and occupations, providing a cleaner measure of underlying wage pressures than average hourly earnings.
