Weekly Earnings Are Strong

Mom-0-nomics
	Tax Hike New rules quietly slice money from your paycheck. TheTTheiIIn 2012 the amount could exceed your yearly supply of laundry detergent.
	More Money The average American saw her earnings rise more than prices. TheTTheiIFind out here if you're average.
	Drink Wine And four other important steps to out-smart high prices. TheTTheiIBeat the stores!
	Teach New thinking says economic education should be taught in grades K-12 and way beyond. TheTTheiIDon't be left behind.
	Win People lose money in the market but if laws were broken, you could be reunited with your cash. TheTTheiIDid you invest here???
	Saftey Your guide to car seats, booster seats and back seats TheTTheList of laws.
	Shhhh Other people's surprising shopping plans and their economic effects. TheTTheLook what's on the list
	Buy It Sept. and Oct. are months to buy a new car. WheWhy dealers are desperate.
	Move Shopping for a new place to live is a big economic decision. WheSee the most expensive cities.

Written by The Home Economist

Wednesday, 18 March 2009 16:47

Paychecks in some industries have gotten larger since last year. By Brett Graff

Economic hardship is the recurring theme but for those who managed to keep their jobs in business services and finance, it's a whole different story. Workers - not bosses, just employees - in the professional and business service industries saw their paychecks rise by 10 percent from last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And finance pros of the same stature saw their paychecks rise by 6.1 percent. Utility folk are feeling little pain with paychecks amounting to an average of $1,277 a week - a 4.7 percent jump amid the economic rubble.

Then, there's the mess over in manufacturing - where employees saw their weekly incomes drop by 0.7 percent. And over in retail, where business has slowed, paychecks are barely pushing on - rising by only 0.7 percent.

See for yourself:


		Average weekly earnings
	___________	___________	___________	_____________

				Percent
Industry	Feb.	Jan.	Feb.	change:
	2008	2009*	2009*	Feb. 2008-
				Feb. 2009
_____________________________\|	___________	___________	___________	_____________

Total private:(2)
Current dollars..........	$597	$608	$618	3.6 percent

Professional and business
services:
Current dollars..........	$717	$762	$789	10 percent

Financial activities:
Current dollars..........	$714	$735	$758	6.1 percent

Utilities:
Current dollars..........	$1,220	$1,232	$1,277	4.7 percent

Private service-providing:
Current dollars..........	$565	$579	$591	4.7 percent

Information:
Current dollars..........	$884	$918	$923	4.5 percent

Other services:
Current dollars..........	$483	$497	$501	3.8 percent

Education and health
services:
Current dollars..........	$604	$622	$624	3.3 percent

Wholesale trade:
Current dollars..........	$760	$771	$784	3.2 percent

Construction:
Current dollars..........	$801	$828	$821	2.6 percent

Mining and logging:
Current dollars..........	$987	$1,025	$1,008	2.1 percent

Leisure and hospitality:
Current dollars..........	$271	$264	$276	2 percent

Trade, transportation, and
utilities:
Current dollars..........	$528	$531	$538	1.9 percent

Transportation and
warehousing:
Current dollars..........	$656	$664	$666	1.6 percent

Retail trade:
Current dollars..........	$380	$377	$383	0.8 percent

Goods-producing:
Current dollars..........	$755	$762	$760	0.7 percent

Manufacturing:
Current dollars..........	$715	$712	$710	down 0.7 percent

* preliminary