I'd like the following numbers for 2003 (or 2002 if that is
the most recent you can get): 1. Average salary in the US.
2. The states with the highest and lowest average salary.
3. Average total compensation for a CEO of a US public company.
(There are about 5000 public companies, so a survey of just
200 or 300 big companies' CEOs is not going to get it.  If
you can't get the average for all 5000, I'd consider smaller
subsets.)

Note that there are a lot of bogus numbers on the Web about
these topics, which is why I'm counting on you to sift through
the evidence.

---

Request for Question Clarification by scriptor-ga on 09 Feb 2004 14:12 PST

Dear bugbear,

I have successfully found official data on average wages for 2002,
both nationwide and by state.

However, locating reliable hard data on public company CEO
compensations has proven to be impossible, despite extensive research.
How would you like me to proceed? Maybe you would like to adjust the
fee to a lower amount and then allow me to give you the figures I have
found?

Regards,
Scriptor

---

Clarification of Question by bugbear-ga on 09 Feb 2004 16:05 PST

Ok, will adjust.  Give me what you've got.

Dear bugbear,

Here are the most recent official figures I could find anywhere. They
have been calculated and published by the U.S. Department of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Statistics and reflect payment rates for the year
2002. Please note that the Bureau of Labor Statistics has abandoned
differentiating between wages and salaries, and uses the term "wage"
for all kinds of occupations and periods of working time payment
relates to. In case you need it, you will find detailed wage
statistics for the USA and each state by following the links listed as
sources.


1.
In 2002, the mean annual wage in the United States was: $35,560. This
equals a mean hourly wage of $17.10.


2.
a) The state with the lowest mean annual wage was Mississippi
($27,150). This equals a mean hourly wage of $13.06.

b) The state with the highest mean annual salary was Connecticut
($42,050). This equals a mean hourly wage of $20.22.

Please note that in the District of Columbia, which is not a state,
the 2002 mean annual wage was $52,740. This equals a mean hourly wage
of $25.36.


Sources:

For 1.:
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: 2002 National
Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates - All Occupations
http://www.bls.gov/oes/2002/oes_00Al.htm

For 2.:
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: 2002 National
Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates - Data by State
http://www.bls.gov/oes/2002/oessrcst.htm

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: 2002 National
Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates - District of Columbia
http://www.bls.gov/oes/2002/oes_dc.htm

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: 2002 National
Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates - Mississippi
http://www.bls.gov/oes/2002/oes_ms.htm

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: 2002 National
Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates - Connecticut
http://www.bls.gov/oes/2002/oes_ct.htm


I hope that this data is useful for you!
Best regards,
Scriptor

---

Request for Answer Clarification by bugbear-ga on 09 Feb 2004 17:03 PST

I thought I was going to get some data about CEOs' incomes too
(though not of the 5000 public companies)...

---

Clarification of Answer by scriptor-ga on 10 Feb 2004 05:00 PST

Dear bugbear,

Now I am a bit confused. I have provided exactly the information I
offered to you in my Request for Clarification.

However, if you like, I can try to find something, though odds are
very bad. Unfortunately, reliable data on public company CEO
compensations are as rare as ice cubes in the Sahara; this is
especially true for data based not only on "the largest" or "the most
important" companies, but on surveys including smaller enterprises.

Alternatively, I can provide you information how to easily request a
full refund. Google Answers will not let you pay for information you
are dissatisfied with.

In case you prefer getting a full refund, please let me know and do
not leave a rating.

Regards,
Scriptor

---

Request for Answer Clarification by bugbear-ga on 10 Feb 2004 09:24 PST

I thought "the figures I have found" meant such CEO data as you
had found.  How about giving me what you can find, reliable or
not, and I'll gladly pay for it.

---

Clarification of Answer by scriptor-ga on 10 Feb 2004 11:22 PST

Dear bugbear,

I have spent the last few hours searching for sources on public
company CEO compensation. I tried to find realistic figures, after I
noticed that many of the "$11 million" or even "$36 million" figures
presented as "average compensation" of CEOs are either based upon the
earnings of a few extremely well paid executives or simply ridiculous
estimates. The CEO compensations of the many small public companies
would certainly spoil such figures. Finally, I found corresponding
information indicating that average compensation is around $2 million.
Here are sources, with links that give you the possibilities to read
the details and to conduct further investigation, should you desire to
do so:

 -- --

"Among the 1,019 public companies studied, the median bonus for chief
executives in their posts in both 2001 and 2002 increased about 9
percent, to $451,000. Long-term incentive payouts, meanwhile, nearly
doubled, from a median value of around $500,000 in 2001 to over
$900,000 in 2002, according to the study, conducted by the Corporate
Library, an independent research group, for release today.
Total cash compensation in 2002, including salary, bonus and other
direct payments, rose nearly 17 percent, to a median of about $1.2
million, in 2002. The median figure represents the point at which
there are an equal number of chief executives above and below."

Source: The Washington Post, 18 June 2003 - "Excellent Year for Executives"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A11103-2003Jun18&notFound=true

 -- --

Average cash pay, salary and annual bonus for CEOs of large public
companies nationwide:
2001 - $2.05 million
2002 - $2.12 million

Source: Securities and Exchange Commission; Equilar Inc. survey of pay
data for 356 CEOs, quoted by American Medical News, 26 May 2003 - "CEO
compensation: Accomplishments translate into healthy paychecks"
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2003/05/26/bisa0526.htm

 -- --

"Executive compensation practices in 350 of the largest public
companies in the USA. (...) Among the companies studied, median net
income rose 14.8 percent in 2002, corresponding to a median 15.0
percent increase in CEO bonuses to $918,000. (...) CEO salaries
increased a median 2.2 percent to $925,000 in 2002. (...) Total annual
compensation (base salary and annual bonus) for CEOs rose a median
10.0 percent in 2002 to $1.8 million"

Source: Mercer Government Human Services Consulting - US Wall Street
Journal/Mercer CEO compensation survey - 2002, 9 May 2003
http://mercerghsc.com/summary.jhtml/dynamic/idContent/1089750

 -- --

"According to 2002 figures issued by Towers Perrin, the average total
compensation for a CEO of publicly traded company in the U.S.,
including performance bonuses, is approximately $1.9 million."

Source: RSM EquiCo - "U.S. Middle Market Proves Attractive Hunting
Ground for European Acquirers", January 2003
http://www.rsmequico.com/news/newsrelease01012003.aspx



I hope that this data will prove useful!
Very best regards,
Scriptor

Good work.  You found several sources I hadn't.

Hi DSandberg:
I found on your website that you have a link to BLS's Year 2002
occupational employment & wage data.  This out-of-date link is at
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=305053

You might want to fix this. BLS has released subsequent data.  I
recommend using the address www.SalarySurvey.org.  That URL is set up
to always return BLS's most recent OES dataset.

Hope this helps you.

Regards, 
Todd Graham

___________________________________

 TODD GRAHAM
 Regional Analysis and Outreach Manager
 Department of Employment & Economic Development
 State of Minnesota