March 2019 Employment Cost Index

Historical release narrative reproduced from the official public-domain source. Statistical tables, standard technical appendices, administrative material and attendance rosters are omitted; formatting is adapted for reading. Figures retain the release's historical context and may have been revised. Consult the linked source for the complete document.

(NOTE: This news release was reissued on April 30, 2019. Tables A, 1, 2, and 3 were corrected to show revised seasonally adjusted data for previous quarters.)

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 0.7 percent, seasonally adjusted, for the 3-month period ending in March 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries (which make up about 70 percent of compensation costs) increased 0.7 percent and benefit costs (which make up the remaining 30 percent of compensation) also increased 0.7 percent from December 2018. (See tables A, 1, 2, and 3.)

Civilian Workers

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 2.8 percent for the 12-month period ending in March 2019 compared with a compensation costs increase of 2.7 percent in March 2018. Wages and salaries increased 2.9 percent for the 12- month period ending in March 2019 and increased 2.7 percent for the 12-month period ending in March 2018. Benefit costs increased 2.6 percent for the 12-month period ending in March 2019. In March 2018, the increase was also 2.6 percent. (See tables A, 4, 8, and 12.)

Private Industry Workers

Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 2.8 percent over the year, the same increase as in March 2018. Wages and salaries increased 3.0 percent for the 12-month period ending in March 2019 and increased 2.9 percent in March 2018. The cost of benefits rose 2.4 percent for the 12-month period ending in March 2019 and increased 2.5 percent in March 2018. (See tables A, 5, 9, and 12.)

Employer costs for health benefits increased 1.9 percent for the 12-month period ending in March 2019. (For further information, see chart 3 and www.bls.gov/web/eci/echealth.pdf.)

Among occupational groups, compensation cost increases for private industry workers for the 12-month period ending in March 2019 ranged from 2.3 percent for management, professional, and related occupations to 3.4 percent for service occupations. (See table 5.)

Among industry supersectors, compensation cost increases for private industry workers for the 12- month period ending in March 2019 ranged from 2.2 percent for manufacturing to 4.8 percent for information. (See table 5.)

State and Local Government Workers

Compensation costs for state and local government workers increased 3.0 percent for the 12-month period ending in March 2019. In March 2018, the increase was 2.2 percent. Wages and salaries increased 2.5 percent for the 12-month period ending in March 2019, compared with 1.8 percent a year ago. Benefit costs increased 3.6 percent for the 12-month period ending in March 2019. The prior year increase was 3.0 percent. (See tables A, 7, 11, and 12.)

The Employment Cost Index for June 2019 is scheduled for release on July 31, 2019, at 8:30 a.m. (EDT).

BLS news releases, including the Employment Cost Index, are available through an email subscription service at www.bls.gov/bls/list.htm.

Videos and information graphics explaining the Employment Cost Index and how it is used are available at www.bls.gov/eci/videos.htm.

Highlights of recent National Compensation Survey data are available in The Economics Daily at www.bls.gov/opub/ted/national-compensation-survey.htm.

An overview of available BLS compensation measures and an interactive guide on choosing among them, are available at the BLS Commissioner’s Corner on “Making it Easier to Find Data on Pay and Benefits” at blogs.bls.gov/blog/2018/10/24/making-it-easier-to-find-data-on-pay-and-benefits.

Detailed information on seasonal factors for the 2019 reference year and the revisions of historical seasonally adjusted data for the most recent 5 years can be found at www.bls.gov/ncs/ect/ ectsfact.htm.