New data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows the average compensation per job for 2008. Overall, average compensation increased 2.6 percent from 2007 to 2008, and 80 percent of counties had an increase in compensation. However, over this same year, inflation increased 3.3 percent.
The analysis by BEA also shows compensation by industry sector, and divides counties into three groups based on the size of total compensation in the county.
Large counties have total compensation over $10 billion. These counties (all metropolitan) represent just 5 percent of all counties, but represent nearly two-thirds of total compensation. Among these counties, the professional, scientific, and technical services sector accounts for the largest share of total compensation.
Among medium counties (compensation between $1 billion and $10 billion), the health care and social assistance sector accounts for the largest share of total compensation. And among small counties (compensation under $1 billion) the local government sector is the largest sector in terms of compensation.
Click here to view the BEA news release, which includes a U.S. county map showing percent change in compensation from 2007 to 2008.
