US Average Hourly Earnings
The FLSA requires nonexempt to employees be paid at least 1.5 times their hourly pay for any time worked beyond 40 hours in a week (colloquially called “time-and-a-half”). It doesn’t mandate overtime pay for holidays or other off-shifts as long as those are included in the 40-hour work week, but many employers offer additional pay for these shifts. They don’t include other types of compensation or benefits that might be available for the employee such as health insurance or retirement.
The West comes next with an average salary of $60,579, followed by the Midwest at $56,114 and the South at $54,718. These regional differences highlight the economic diversity across the country and underscore the influence of local industries and cost of living on average salaries. According to data from ZipRecruiter,3 New York offers the highest average salary for lawyers in the country at $124,309—significantly above the national average lawyer’s salary of $105,797. This number reflects the state’s rich legal landscape, with firms ranging from prestigious “blue chip” firms to international and mid-tier boutique firms. From the highest to the lowest, these figures will give you the full picture of salaries from state to state, by occupation and by gender. And if you’re an employer, processing accurate payroll that falls in line with these averages is key—our reviews of the best payroll services can help you do just that.
Simply copy the HTML code that is shown for the relevant statistic in order to integrate it. Our standard is 660 pixels, but you can customize how the statistic is displayed to suit your site by setting the width and the display size. Please note that the code must be integrated into the HTML code (not only the text) for WordPress pages and other CMS sites. Average Hourly Earnings is the average dollars that a private employee makes per hour in the US. This metric is a part of one of the most important releases every month which includes unemployment numbers as well. The causes underlying this gap are complex and multifaceted, encompassing factors such as discrimination, age, the types of jobs held by women and men, and societal expectations around parenthood.
Maryland comes in second, with women in the state earning a median salary of $62,190. Similarly to Masschusetts, however, a look at the median salary for men in the state—$71,995—reveals a pay gap between women and men of $9,805. These statistics serve to shine further light on the challenge of achieving pay equality, even in regions where women’s median earnings are at their highest. Our examination of salaries across the U.S. paints a complex picture, influenced by factors such as state, occupation and gender. While strides have been made to improve earnings, the persistent gender pay gap shows there’s still work to be done.
But this figure is overshadowed by the median salary of men in Massachusetts, which stands at $77,636—revealing a disparity of over $11,000. Income is taxed at the same rate and in the same way regardless of how compensation is structured. An employer processes payroll taxes based on the amount of wages on a paycheck, whether they’re figured hourly or as part of a salary.
Recommended statistics
From the highest earners to the lowest, here are the insights you need to put the U.S. earnings landscape into perspective. Using data from a number of sources, we’ve mapped out the landscape of average salaries across the United States. An employer can’t https://www.currency-trading.org/ dock pay for a salaried employee for any week in which the employee worked or was available and willing to work, regardless of how many hours they put in. Salaried employees tend to also be entitled to paid time off, such as vacation and sick leave.
- This chart shows average hourly wages for production and nonsupervisory employees in the U.S. in current and in constant May 2019 dollars.
- Employees must be paid a minimum of $684 per week to qualify as salaried, which also excludes them from being eligible for overtime pay.
- She spends her spare moments testing out the latest productivity apps and plotting her latest novel.
- A salary is a set amount an employee is paid for work, usually based on a yearly time frame.
Decide which compensation type makes the most sense for each role based on the responsibilities and experience required. Each structure has pros and cons, so consider both before deciding on a plan for each role. Women in Massachusetts earn a median salary of $66,536, the highest among women in the U.S.
Key insights
As we navigate towards a more equitable future, addressing continuing disparities must remain at the center of discourse and decision making. New Yorkplaces a close second, with an average annual salary of $74,870, and California rounds out the top three list with an average salary of $73,220. The high average salaries in these states reflect not only the states’ economic strength, but also add to their allure as top destinations for career growth and opportunities. Shifting the focus to regional averages, we find the Northeast emerging as the leader, with an average salary of $65,383.
Prior to joining the team at Forbes Advisor, Cassie was a Content Operations Manager and Copywriting Manager at Fit Small Business. The BLS is committed to providing data promptly and according to established schedules. Automated retrieval programs (commonly called “robots” or “bots”) can cause delays and interfere with other customers’ timely access to information. Therefore, bot activity that doesn’t conform to BLS usage policy is prohibited.
This chart shows average hourly wages for production and nonsupervisory employees in the U.S. in current and in constant May 2019 dollars. Whether you compensate a role with an hourly wage vs. a salary depends on a lot of factors in your business and the job market. Consider the norms for the type of role you’re hiring and the industry you’re in.
Employee compensation fluctuates with the amount of work they do, so you can adjust your costs based on revenue. Hourly employees can also be employed part-time, which https://www.topforexnews.org/ may mean they don’t expect benefits, such as health insurance and retirement plans. Norms exist in many industries to dictate whether a role is salaried or hourly.
Average Salary by State in the U.S.
Arkansas isn’t too far ahead at $48,570, while West Virginia comes in at a slightly higher $49,170. While these three states offer the lowest average salaries, it’s worth noting that cost of living often aligns https://www.forexbox.info/ with local income levels, which may counter the drawbacks of a lower salary. We’ve crunched numbers from Bureau of Labor Statistics1 data to bring you a detailed overview of average salaries across the nation.
Average Salary By State In 2024
Think about which structure makes fiscal sense based on your business’s cash flow and revenue. A salary is a set amount an employee is paid for work, usually based on a yearly time frame. Employers pay on a weekly, biweekly or semimonthly schedule and base paychecks on a fraction of the annual salary. Employees must be paid a minimum of $684 per week to qualify as salaried, which also excludes them from being eligible for overtime pay. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics1 shows that California, with a median salary of $124,000 for nurses, stands out as a state that understands the value of this critical healthcare profession. Mississippi, Arkansas and West Virginia sit at the other end of the salary spectrum, with Mississippi reporting the lowest average salary across the U.S. at $45,180.
Pros and Cons of Paying Employees a Salary
Addressing this gap is not only a matter of fairness but also an important step towards ensuring women’s financial stability. This higher compensation amount likely reflects the demanding nature of police work in Alaska, where officers face a high rate of on-duty assaults and serve in some of the most remote communities in the nation. Cassie is a deputy editor, collaborating with teams around the world while living in the beautiful hills of Kentucky. She is passionate about economic development and is on the board of two non-profit organizations seeking to revitalize her former railroad town.
They’ll get paid normally for that time off, even if they don’t work at all within a workweek. By contrast, in many roles classified as knowledge work, the employee’s contribution isn’t about time but about outcomes or deliverables. The outcomes are often scalable, so revenue doesn’t correlate with hours worked, and workers may be more likely to seek full-time roles with steady paychecks and benefits. The greatest benefit of paying employees a salary is attracting more senior workers, who tend to expect a stable paycheck and benefits. Having mostly or exclusively salaried workers also stabilizes your payroll, so costs will remain the same regardless of how much or how little business you do. You can hire a mix of employees with some paid hourly and some paid salary.