Are We Still Stuck in the Middle?: An Updated Analysis of Wages in Metro Atlanta For more information: mcarnathan@atlantaregional.com
In Sum… Nationally, metro Atlanta has fairly high wages , especially when considering its low cost-of- • living. But overall wage growth has stagnated since 2010… • … especially in middle-wage jobs. • In fact, when compared to a set of peer metro areas, growth in middle-wage occupations in • metro Atlanta is lagging significantly . But, over the past year, metro Atlanta has experienced growth in both wages and jobs in these • middle-wage occupations .
How does metro Atlanta earnings compare to other U.S. metros? Average Hourly Earnings for All Employees, 2016 In terms of average hourly earnings, metro Atlanta is in the top 25 when compared to the top 100 U.S. metros. The Atlanta MSA has-as of 2016- average hourly earnings of $26.83. Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, via Neighborhood Nexus
How have metro Atlanta earnings changed since 2012 ? Change in Average Hourly Earnings, 2012-2016 When compared to the top U.S. Metros, Atlanta records one of the largest positive changes in average hourly earnings since 2012, increasing by 2.8 percent. Hourly earnings have increased by about $0.70 (in constant dollars) between 2012 and 2016. Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, via Neighborhood Nexus
Cost of Living Index 227.4 New York (Manhattan) NY We can’t discuss wages in San Francisco CA 176.4 each metro area without also 146.8 Washington DC discussing cost of living. This 144.8 San Diego CA 144.3 Boston MA chart ranks the cost of living Seattle WA 140.3 index in large U.S. cities. Cities 140.3 Los Angeles CA with the largest index are the 129.5 Portland OR most expensive, while cities Philadelphia PA 119.5 with the lowest are the least Chicago IL 116.2 expensive. So, as mentioned 112.8 Baltimore MD before, Atlanta ranks 112.3 Miami FL relatively well in terms of Denver CO 109.6 average hourly earnings, and 108.2 Minneapolis MN it also has a fairly low cost of 99.9 Atlanta GA Pittsburgh PA 98.6 living, when compared to the Orlando FL 98.2 25 largest metro areas. 98.2 Houston TX Conversely, while New York 96.4 Charlotte NC and San Francisco have the Dallas TX 96.1 highest wages, they also 95.9 Phoenix AZ have the highest cost of 95.3 Detroit MI living. 92.5 St. Louis MO-IL Tampa FL 91.6 87.3 San Antonio TX 0.0 50.0 100.0 150.0 200.0 250.0 Source: C2ER, Cost of Living Index, 2015 Annual Average
Total Employment by Major Occupation Groupings, 2015 High-Wage Mid-Wage Total Employment in 2015 Low-Wage 450,000 400,000 350,000 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 0 This chart looks at total employment among the major occupational groupings in metro Atlanta for 2015. The bars are color-coded based on whether they are low-, middle- or high-wage occupations, as we classify them. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Job Growth in Middle-Wage Occupations Lagging in ATL Low, Middle, and High Income EMPLOYMENT CHANGE, 2010-2015 Employment Change by Wage Levels, 2010-2015 25.0% 20.2% 20.0% 19.3% 18.7% 20.0% 17.4% 17.2% 15.4% 13.8% 13.4% 13.3% 12.9% 15.0% 10.5% 10.0% 7.6% 7.3% 3.6% 2.7% 5.0% 2.9% 0.0% -5.0% -5.7% -10.0% Atlanta Chicago Dallas Houston Minneapolis US Low Mid High Across these selected metro areas, jobs in low- and high-wage occupations have increased significantly, with Chicago being the exception. In the middle-wage occupations, however, all metro areas have experienced slower employment growth. Atlanta has among the slowest growth rates, while Chicago has seen a decline in middle-wage jobs since 2010. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Job Change by Occupation Grouping, 2010-2015 Job Change, 2010-2015 Median Annual Wage, 2015 This chart once again splits Management out all occupations into Legal either high-wage, middle- Computer and Mathematical wage or low-wage jobs. Architecture and Engineering While the groupings are Business and Financial Operations somewhat arbitrary, the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical chart shows that jobs for Life, Physical, and Social Science the seven occupations in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Education, Training, and Library the middle wage Installation, Maintenance, and Repair category have grown Construction and Extraction relatively slowly since 2010, Protective Service especially when Office and Administrative Support compared to job growth in Production the lower-wage and Transportation and Material Moving higher-wage occupations. Sales and Related Healthcare Support Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Personal Care and Service Food Preparation and Serving Related $0 $50,000 $100,000 $150,000 -20,000 -10,000 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Job Change by Occupation Grouping, 2014-2015 Job Change, 2014-2015 Median Annual Wage, 2015 So, the seven occupations Management in the middle have seen Legal very little growth during Computer and Mathematical the 2010-2015 period. But Architecture and Engineering in the year between 2014- Business and Financial Operations Healthcare Practitioners and Technical 2015, the rate of job Life, Physical, and Social Science growth among these Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media middle-wage occupations Education, Training, and Library increased, approaching Installation, Maintenance, and Repair the growth rates of high- Construction and Extraction wage occupations. Protective Service Office and Administrative Support Production Transportation and Material Moving Sales and Related Healthcare Support Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Personal Care and Service Food Preparation and Serving Related $0 $50,000 $100,000 $150,000 -2,000 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Wage Change by Major Occupations, 2010-2015 Median Annual Wage, 2015 Wage Change, 2010-2015 ($2015) Shifting from Management change in the Legal number of jobs to Computer and Mathematical change in real Architecture and Engineering wages, this graph Business and Financial Operations shows that the only Healthcare Practitioners and Technical occupations to Life, Physical, and Social Science experience any Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media significant increase Education, Training, and Library Installation, Maintenance, and Repair in wages since 2010 Construction and Extraction are those in the Protective Service high-wage Office and Administrative Support category. During Production that same time, Transportation and Material Moving wages in the Sales and Related middle- and low- Healthcare Support wage occupations Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance experienced Personal Care and Service dramatic declines. Food Preparation and Serving Related $(8,000) $(6,000) $(4,000) $(2,000) $- $2,000 $4,000 $6,000 $0 $20,000 $40,000 $60,000 $80,000 $100,000 $120,000 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Wage Change by Major Occupations, 2014-2015 Median Annual Wage, 2015 Wage Change, 2014-2015 ($2015) But when we look at Management real wage change Legal between over the Computer and Mathematical single year of 2014- Architecture and Engineering 2015, we do see Business and Financial Operations some moderate Healthcare Practitioners and Technical wage growth in both Life, Physical, and Social Science the middle- and Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media lower-wage Education, Training, and Library occupations. Still, Installation, Maintenance, and Repair inflation-adjusted Construction and Extraction wage growth can Protective Service characterized as Office and Administrative Support Production sluggish for both Transportation and Material Moving middle-wage and Sales and Related lower-wage Healthcare Support occupations. Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Personal Care and Service Food Preparation and Serving Related -$3,000 -$2,000 -$1,000 $0 $1,000 $2,000 $3,000 $4,000 $5,000 $0 $20,000 $40,000 $60,000 $80,000 $100,000 $120,000 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Recommend
More recommend
