Report: For U.S. Manufacturers, Employee Compensation Costs Average $40 an Hour

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that total employee compensation costs — across all private sector industries — averaged $34.77 an hour as of September 2019. Total compensation costs for U.S. manufacturers were considerably higher, averaging $40.01 per hour. That includes $26.19 for wages and salaries, and $13.81 for benefits. 1/14/2020