Median compensation costs in private industry were $26.88 per hour worked in March 2021

Total employer compensation costs for private industry workers averaged $36.64 per hour worked in March 2021. Wages and salaries averaged $25.80 per hour worked and accounted for 70.4 percent of employer costs. Benefit costs averaged $10.83 per hour worked and accounted for the remaining 29.6 percent. Median (50th wage percentile) employer costs per employee hour worked were $26.88 for total compensation, $18.91 for wages and salaries, and $7.97 for benefits.

State and local government worker compensation costs for employers averaged $53.68 per hour worked in March 2021. Wages and salaries averaged $33.20 and accounted for 61.9 percent of employer costs, while benefit costs averaged $20.47 and accounted for 38.1 percent. Total compensation costs for state and local government workers at the 50th (median) wage percentile were $50.21.

Total compensation costs for private industry workers ranged from $13.46 per hour worked at the 10th wage percentile to $71.99 at the 90th wage percentile. Wages and salaries were $10.94 per hour worked at the 10th wage percentile and $48.92 at the 90th wage percentile. Total benefit costs ranged from $2.52 per hour worked at the 10th wage percentile to $23.07 at the 90th wage percentile.

Total compensation costs for state and local government workers ranged from $22.69 per hour worked at the 10th wage percentile to $91.14 at the 90th wage percentile. Wages and salaries were $14.13 per hour worked at the 10th wage percentile and $57.17 at the 90th wage percentile. Total benefit costs ranged from $8.56 per hour worked at the 10th wage percentile to $33.97 at the 90th wage percentile.

These data are from the Employment Cost Trends program. To learn more, see "Employment Cost Index — March 2021." We also have more charts on Employer Costs for Employee Compensation. Private industry workers exclude employees of state and local government.