Online ERI Survey Forecasts Wage Increases, Decreases for 2006

August 18, 2006 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Protective service workers, public relations managers and purchasing managers and workers in the Northwest region are slated to see the highest pay increases this year, while door-to-door sales worker and coach and scout wages are expected to shrink, according to a recent online survey.

According to a survey by Washington-based ERI Economic Research Institute, which conducts salary and cost of living research, mining and consulting services are expected to see the highest increases of all US industries this year, with a 4.3% gain, followed by public government, with a 4.2% rise. The air transportation industry, which has been hit by rising fuel costs, and the paper/wood products industries will see the lowest average salary increases, according to a release on the survey.

For specific jobs, the survey ranked the following in order of expected pay increases:

  • Protective Service Workers, 8.5%
  • PR Managers, 7.8%
  • Purchasing Managers, 7.8%
  • Business Operations Specialists, 7.7%
  • Psychiatrists, 7.7%
  • Chief Executives, 7.1%
  • Marketing Managers, 7.1%
  • Anesthesiologists, 6.9%
  • Locomotive Engineers, 6.9%

However, the ERI survey made some projections on the jobs that will likely see wage decreases during the year, with door-to-door sales expected to take the steepest pay plunge, falling 3.8%, followed by coaches and scouts, suffering a 2.6% dip in wages; product demonstrators, a 2% fall, and nuclear technicians, a 0.9% wage downturn.

A different online study conducted by ERI also found executive pay rising 8.7% from 2005 to 2006 to an average $108,710. Middle management wages increases at the lower rate of 5.6% to $70,826. Professional and clerical worker pay showed even lower rates of increases, with 4% and 2.3%, respectively.

A recent survey released by The Conference Board recorded a less aggressive increase in executive pay of 3.8% (See Report: Salary Increases Stay Below 4% for Fourth Consecutive Year ). A Mercer Human Resource Consulting survey found that direct compensation for company board members saw a 6.1% increase in 2005 to $164,637, a sharp contrast to the 17.8% jump in overall director pay between 2003 and 2004 (See Director Pay Increases Modestly in 2005 ).

The complete 2006 Salary Survey can be purchased here .

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