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Benefits September 14, 2006
Mercer Research Shows Geographic Pay Differences
September 14, 2006 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Not
surprisingly, a new Mercer study has found that pay for the
same career positions differs by geographic
location.
Reported by Rebecca Moore
In a press release, Mercer said its 2006 Geographic Salary Differentials study found a job with a national median salary of $30,000 could pay $27,840 in Birmingham, Alabama versus $37,680 in San Francisco, California. This represents almost a 33 percentage point spread – from 7.2% below the national median to 25.6% above.
According to the study, geographic pay variations decrease some at higher pay levels. A job with a national median salary of $60,000 could pay $55,080 in Baton Rouge, LA or a high of $72,000 in San Jose, California. This represents a 28 percentage point spread.
At the national median salary of $90,000, pay ranges from lows of $84,510 in Little Rock, Arkansas, and $86,580 in Omaha, Nebraska to highs in New York and San Jose of $102,060 and $104,040, respectively.
Mercer’s study compares local pay rates for more than 200 cities to national medians at different pay levels. The study can be purchased by contacting Mercer at www.imercer.com or 800-333-3070.