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News Release Information

17-1320-PHI
Thursday, September 21, 2017

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Occupational Employment and Wages for Teachers in Virginia’s Metropolitan Areas – May 2016

Among the 11 metropolitan areas in Virginia, only Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va., had wages significantly above the national average for secondary, middle, and elementary school teachers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that six metropolitan areas had wages that were significantly below the national average for the three selected occupations. Nationwide, the average (mean) wage for secondary school teachers was $61,420; for middle school teachers, $59,800; and for elementary school teachers, $59,020. (See table A. For comprehensive definitions of metropolitan areas in the Commonwealth of Virginia, please see the Technical Note.)

Table A. Average (mean) annual wages for secondary, middle, and elementary school teachers in the United States, Virginia, and metropolitan areas in Virginia, May 2016
Area Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education Elementary school teachers, except special education

United States

$61,420   $59,800   $59,020  

Virginia

68,070 * 65,430 * 66,700 *

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford

53,690 * 52,290 * 53,680 *

Charlottesville

63,880   66,100 * 65,430  

Harrisonburg

48,560 * 47,900 * 44,630 *

Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol

51,760 * 46,560 * 47,900 *

Lynchburg

51,240 * 49,330 * 50,960 *

Richmond

59,800   57,310   58,640  

Roanoke

48,870 * 48,530 * 47,920 *

Staunton-Waynesboro

52,910 * 48,130 * 46,680 *

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News

62,600   61,870   61,740  

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria

75,460 * 77,000 * 74,320 *

Winchester

--   --   55,150  

* The mean annual wage for this area is significantly different from the national average of all areas at the 90-percent confidence level.

-- Estimate not released.

Of the 10 metropolitan areas in the commonwealth for which complete data were available, the Washington area had the largest number of secondary, middle, and elementary teachers, with a combined employment of 58,690. The Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News and Richmond areas had a combined employment of 14,750 and 12,210, respectively. Employment levels in each of the remaining areas were less than 2,600 for the selected teaching occupations. (See table B.)

Table B. Employment for secondary, middle, and elementary school teachers in the United States, Virginia, and metropolitan areas in Virginia, May 2016
Area Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education Elementary school teachers, except special education

United States

1,003,250 626,310 1,392,660

Virginia

26,050 16,180 35,610

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford

370 250 540

Charlottesville

750 500 1,100

Harrisonburg

350 290 590

Lynchburg

800 310 1,450

Richmond

720 430 930

Roanoke

4,270 2,870 5,070

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News

780 340 1,050

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria

480 230 430

Winchester

4,360 3,340 7,050

Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol

19,560 12,160 26,970

Staunton-Waynesboro

-- -- 520
-- Estimate not released.

Wages for secondary school teachers in metropolitan areas in Virginia

Secondary school teachers in the Washington metropolitan area earned an average of $75,460 per year; this was the only metropolitan area in the state with a mean wage significantly above the U.S. average of $61,420 for this occupation. Wages were significantly below average for this occupation in 6 of the 11 metropolitan areas in Virginia: Harrisonburg ($48,560), Roanoke ($48,870), Lynchburg ($51,240), Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol ($51,760), Staunton-Waynesboro ($52,910), and Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford ($53,690).

Wages for middle school teachers in metropolitan areas in Virginia

Middle school teachers in the Washington ($77,000) and Charlottesville ($66,100) areas earned significantly above the U.S. average of $59,800. Six metropolitan areas had median wages significantly below the national average for middle school teachers: Kingsport ($46,560), Harrisonburg ($47,900), Staunton ($48,130), Roanoke ($48,530), Lynchburg ($49,330), and Blacksburg ($52,290).

Wages for elementary school teachers in metropolitan areas in Virginia

Elementary school teachers in the Washington area earned an average of $74,320 per year; this was the only metropolitan area in the state with a mean wage significantly above the U.S. average of $59,020 for this occupation. Six areas had mean wages for elementary school teachers significantly below the national average: Harrisonburg ($44,630), Staunton ($46,680), Kingsport ($47,900), Roanoke ($47,920), Lynchburg ($50,960), and Blacksburg ($53,680).

These statistics are from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, a federal-state cooperative program between BLS and State Workforce Agencies, in this case the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services; the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation; the North Carolina Employment Security Commission; the Virginia Employment Commission; and WorkForce West Virginia. The OES survey provides estimates of employment and hourly and annual wages for wage and salary workers in 22 major occupational groups and about 800 detailed occupations for the nation, states, metropolitan statistical areas, metropolitan divisions, and nonmetropolitan areas.

Note on Occupational Employment Statistics Data

A value that is statistically different from another does not necessarily mean that the difference has economic or practical significance. Statistical significance is concerned with the ability to make confident statements about a universe based on a sample. It is entirely possible that a large difference between two values is not significantly different statistically, while a small difference is, since both the size and heterogeneity of the sample affect the relative error of the data being tested.


Technical Note

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a semiannual mail survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. The OES program produces employment and wage estimates for over 800 occupations for all industries combined in the nation; the 50 states and the District of Columbia; 432 metropolitan areas and divisions; 167 nonmetropolitan areas; and Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. National estimates are also available by industry for NAICS sectors, 3-, 4-, and selected 5- and 6-digit industries; and by ownership across all industries and for schools and hospitals. OES data are available at www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm.

OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.2 million establishments. Forms are mailed to approximately 200,000 sampled establishments in May and November each year. The May 2016 estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected over a 3-year period: May 2016, November 2015, May 2015, November 2014, May 2014, and November 2013. The overall national response rate for the six panels, based on the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is 73 percent based on establishments and 69 percent based on weighted sampled employment. The unweighted employment of sampled establishments across all six semiannual panels represents approximately 58 percent of total national employment. For more information about OES concepts and methodology, go to www.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.

The May 2016 OES estimates are based on the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system and the 2012 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Information about the 2010 SOC is available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/soc and information about the 2012 NAICS is available at www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm.

Metropolitan area definitions

The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, Va. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, and Pulaski Counties and Radford city in Virginia. 

Charlottesville, Va. MSA includes Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, and Nelson Counties and Charlottesville city in Virginia.

Harrisonburg, Va. MSA includes Rockingham County and Harrisonburg city in Virginia.

Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, Tenn.-Va. MSA includes Hawkins and Sullivan Counties in Tennessee and Scott and Washington Counties and Bristol city in Virginia.

Lynchburg, Va. MSA includes Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell Counties and Bedford and Lynchburg cities in Virginia.

Richmond, Va. MSA includes Amelia, Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, King William, New Kent, Powhatan, Prince George, and Sussex Counties and Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg, and Richmond cities in Virginia.

Roanoke, Va. MSA includes Botetourt, Craig, Franklin, and Roanoke Counties and Roanoke and Salem cities in Virginia.

Staunton-Waynesboro, Va. MSA includes Augusta County and Staunton and Waynesboro cities in Virginia.

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, Va.-N.C. MSA includes Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, Mathews, Surry, and York Counties and Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg cities in Virginia and Currituck and Gates Counties in North Carolina.

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va. MSA includes the District of Columbia; Arlington, Clarke, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Rappahannock, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Warren Counties and Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Manassas Park cities in Virginia; Calvert, Charles, Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland; and Jefferson County in West Virginia.

Winchester, Va.-W.Va. MSA includes Frederick County and Winchester city in Virginia and Hampshire County in West Virginia.

Additional information

OES data are available on our regional web page at https://www.bls.gov/regions/mid-atlantic. Answers to frequently asked questions about the OES data are available at www.bls.gov/oes/oes_ques.htm. Detailed technical information about the OES survey is available in our Survey Methods and Reliability Statement on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/oes/current/methods_statement.pdf.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

 

Last Modified Date: Thursday, September 21, 2017