Employment Cost Index Summary

F.P. Report

WASHINGTON: Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 1.0 percent, seasonally adjusted, for the 3-month period ending in December 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries increased 1.1 percent and benefit costs increased 0.9 percent from September 2021. (See tables A, 1, 2, and 3.)

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 4.0 percent for the 12-month period ending in December 2021 and increased 2.5 percent in December 2020. Wages and salaries increased 4.5 percent for the 12-month period ending in December 2021 and increased 2.6 percent for the 12-month period ending in December 2020. Benefit costs increased 2.8 percent over the year and increased 2.3 percent for the 12-month period ending in December 2020. (See tables A, 4, 8, and 12.)

Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 4.4 percent over the year. In December 2020, the increase was 2.6 percent. Wages and salaries increased 5.0 percent for the 12-month period ending in December 2021 and increased 2.8 percent in December 2020. The cost of benefits increased 2.9 percent for the 12-month period ending in December 2021 and increased 2.1 percent in December 2020. Inflation-adjusted (constant dollar) private wages and salaries declined 1.9 percent for the 12 months ending December 2021. Inflation-adjusted benefit costs in the private sector declined 3.8 percent. (See tables A, 5, 9, 12 and www.bls.gov/web/eci/eci-constant-real-dollar.pdf.)

Among private industry occupational groups, compensation cost increases for the 12-month period ending in December 2021 ranged from 3.5 percent for management, professional, and related occupations to 7.1 percent for service occupations. Within industry supersectors, compensation cost increases ranged from 3.3 percent for financial activities to 8.0 percent for leisure and hospitality. (See table 5.)

Compensation costs for state and local government workers increased 2.6 percent for the 12-month period ending in December 2021, compared with an increase of 2.3 percent in December 2020. Wages and salaries increased 2.7 percent for the 12-month period ending in December 2021 and 1.8 percent a year ago. Benefit costs increased 2.5 percent for the 12-month period ending in December 2021.

The prior year increase was 3.1 percent. (See tables A, 7, 11, and 12.)

Category3-month,
seasonally adjusted
12-month, not seasonally adjusted
Sep.
2021
Dec.
2021
Dec.
2020
Mar.
2021
Jun.
2021
Sep.
2021
Dec.
2021
Civilian workers(1)
Compensation(2)1.31.02.52.62.93.74.0
Wages and salaries1.51.12.62.73.24.24.5
Benefits0.90.92.32.52.22.52.8
Private industry
Compensation(2)1.41.22.62.83.14.14.4
Wages and salaries1.61.22.83.03.54.65.0
Benefits1.11.02.12.52.02.62.9
State and local government
Compensation(2)0.80.72.32.02.02.32.6
Wages and salaries1.00.71.81.61.62.42.7
Benefits0.41.03.12.62.62.12.5
Footnotes
(1) Includes private industry and state and local government.
(2) Includes wages and salaries and benefits.