Welcome to the Business Journal Archives
Search for articles below, or continue to the all new BusinessJournalDaily.com now.
Search
Mahoning Valley Wages Show Gains
CHICAGO -- Average annual wages in the Youngstown-Warren metropolitan area rose 3.5% from 2001 to 2002, according to the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. The report, released Wednesday, put the annual average wage for the area at $29,799 in 2002, up from $28,789 in 2001.Annual wages in the Great Lakes states -- Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin -- averaged $36,095 in 2002, representing a 2.2% increase from a year earlier, according to the bureau. Jay Mousa, regional commissioner of the bureau in Chicago, noted that four of the five Great Lakes states experienced wage gains exceeding the national average of 1.5% in 2002. Among the five Great Lakes states, Wisconsin registered the largest over-the-year wage growth at 2.9%, followed closely by Ohio at 2.8%, Indiana at 2.6%, and Michigan at 2.0%. Illinois wage growth matched the national average and was the only state in the region where wages grew at a slower pace in 2002 than in 2001.Wage levels exceeded the nationwide average in Illinois ($39,688), and Michigan ($38,135). Wages trailed the national average in Ohio, ($34,214), Indiana ($32,603) and Wisconsin ($32,464). Average annual wages in the Great Lakes states were just below the national average of $36,764. Nationally, 14 states and the District of Columbia posted annual wages surpassing the U.S. average in 2002.Among the 53 metropolitan areas across the Great Lakes states, four recorded wage levels above the national metropolitan area average of $38,423 - Chicago, Detroit, Kokomo, Ind., and Ann Arbor. Chicago posted the highest wage level in the region at $43,239, followed closely by Detroit at $43,224. Among all 318 metropolitan areas in the nation, Chicago and Detroit ranked 17th and 18th highest in wages. Terre Haute, Ind., at $28,415 recorded the lowest average annual wage within the five Great Lakes states and ranked 249th in the nation. There were 38 areas in the U.S. with wages above the average for all metropolitan areas: San Jose, Calif., recorded the highest wage level at $63,056 and Jacksonville, N.C., the lowest, $22,269.Forty-seven metropolitan areas in the 5-state region experienced wage growth at or above the 1.4% gain for all metropolitan areas in 2002. Wages in Elkhart-Goshen, Ind., grew the fastest, rising 5.3% over the year. Of the six areas in the Great Lakes with slower than average growth, only Decatur, Ill., experienced a wage decline (-0.4%), joining 14 other metropolitan areas nationwide with negative growth.Wage levels vary widely by industry. The highest-paid industry in the five Great Lakes states was management of companies and enterprises. Wage levels in this industry ranged from $84,394 in Illinois to $61,724 in Indiana. Nationally, management of companies and enterprises was also the highest paying at $69,277.The accommodation and food service industry, which has a large percentage of part time workers, was the lowest-paid industry in each state in the region, mirroring its position at the national level. Wages in accommodation and food service were below the U.S. average of $13,669 in each of the Great Lakes states, with Wisconsin reporting a regional low of $10,010.Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics at www.bls.gov"