The results of the Survey of Exempt Compensation are in--and the slow growth in wages for exempt employees continues in 2007. Employers surveyed nationwide reported increases in exempt salaries for all of the 44 benchmark exempt positions surveyed. Salary increases for benchmarked jobs ranged
from a high of 4.66% to a low of 1.37%, with an average increase of 3%.
Nonexempt employees realized very little growth in their hourly wages over the
last year, according to Business & Legal Reports' 2007 Survey of Nonexempt
Compensation.
The results of BLR's 2008 Pay Budget Survey indicate that employers are hesitant to make any significant pay budget increases in the coming year, with projected average merit and general increases remaining below 4%. Survey results showed that the average planned merit increase is 3.48%, and the average general pay budget increase is 3.38%.
Nonexempt employees are less likely to see the benefits of the improving
economy this year, according to BLR's 2006 Survey of Nonexempt Compensation. Growth in nonexempt wages will continue in 2006, but at a slower rate than exempt salaries.
The results of the 2006 Survey of Exempt Compensation are in??and the positive
effects of an improving economy continue for exempt employees in 2006. Employers surveyed nationwide reported increases in exempt salaries for 43 of the 44 benchmark exempt positions surveyed.
The results of BLR's 2007 Pay Budget Survey indicate that employers are still unwilling to cross the 4% margin for budgeted merit or general increases in the coming year. Survey results showed that the planned increases for both
merit and general raises are holding steady for exempt,
nonexempt, and nonunion plant employees.
After 2 years of stagnant pay-increase budgets below 4%, the results of BLR's 2006 Pay Budget Survey indicate that employers are feeling somewhat more optimistic in their pay budgeting for the coming year.
A slowdown in exempt wage growth in 2005 may be one of the first indicators that the national economy is not recovering as rapidly as expected. According to Business & Legal Reports' 2005 Survey of Nonexempt Compensation, 28% of the positions surveyed reported at least a marginal decrease in hourly wages for 2005.
The reports of a slowly improving economy continue. According to BLR's 2005 Survey of Exempt Compensation, over 80% of all the exempt job titles surveyed reported at least a marginal pay increase for 2005. Increases ranged from .43% to an impressive 13.89%.
BLR's 2004 Survey of Nonexempt Compensation shows that national wage increases
were reported for 38 of the 45 jobs surveyed, while only seven positions suffered wage drops. Fourteen of the jobs surveyed
indicated wage increases of over 5%, while only one job reported a wage decrease of over 5%. More than 4,300 organizations
responded to this year?s survey, which was conducted in January and February of 2004.
