Survey: Springfield workers average $16.63 an hour

The National Compensation Survey report, released July 11, tracked average wages for 72,200 workers in various occupations during September 2005.

Workers in the metropolitan area averaged $16.63 an hour, with white-collar workers representing 55 percent of the work force, blue-collar workers accounting for 32 percent and service employees representing 13 percent. The Springfield area’s average hourly wage was nearly $2 lower than the U.S. average of $18.62, reported in June 2005, the most recently completed survey.

Among white-collar workers, who on average earned $18.30 an hour, executive, administrative and managerial employees earned the most at an average of $30.08 an hour. Professional specialty and technical workers – including engineers, teachers and writers – averaged $24.35 an hour; sales workers earned $13.20 an hour; and administrative support employees averaged $12.39 an hour.

In blue-collar professions, where workers earned $16.55 an hour on average, precision production, craft and repair workers averaged $17.98 an hour. Machine operators, assemblers and inspectors earned $14.02 an hour; transportation and material moving employees averaged $20.52 an hour; and handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers and laborers made $12.79 an hour.

Small-business workers at companies employing between 50 and 99 workers made $14.61 an hour, while employees of businesses with 500 or more workers made $16.80.

Union workers in blue-collar jobs averaged $20.17 an hour, while their nonunion counterparts earned $14.32.

The survey looked at earnings for occupations at organizations employing 50 or more people in private industry and state or local governments. It excluded agricultural businesses, private households, self-employed workers and the federal government.[[In-content Ad]]