The first three years of the 21st century were rough sledding for New York State’s economy, which lost 270,000 private sector jobs between 2000 through 2003. But the government sector — and the most heavily tax-subsidized private employers — didn’t feel much pain, according to the latest state employment data.

During this period, as shown in the table below, the average government wage increased twice as fast (8 percent) as the average private sector wage (4 percent), and total government employment actually rose. This trend is especially remarkable considering that 2000-03 also featured a round of government early retirement programs, in which agencies shed some of their most experienced and highly paid employees.

Countering the trend in most private-sector industries, employment also rose in the health and social services sector, and the average wage in the sector rose a healthy 12 percent. Manufacturing wages rose, too, by 13 percent. But the state was losing 135,000 manufacturing jobs at the same time.

Wages and Employment in New York State
2000 2003
Annual Average Employment Total Wages (000,000) Annual Average Wages Annual Average Employment Total Wages (000,000) Annual Average Wages Change in Annual Average Wages, 2000-2003
Total, Private 7,073,055 $326,950 $46,225 6,801,127 $325,959 $47,927 4%
Agriculture 21,238 $441 $20,751 21,285 $494 $23,199 12%
Mining 4,366 $189 $43,287 4,380 $205 $46,903 8%
Utilities 41,277 $2,936 $71,136 40,928 $3,232 $78,970 11%
Construction 325,325 $14,374 $44,175 316,553 $15,435 $48,761 10%
Manufacturing 745,585 $31,995 $42,913 610,059 $29,519 $48,387 13%
Wholesale Trade 380,976 $20,638 $54,171 350,441 $20,260 $57,812 7%
Retail Trade 876,762 $20,520 $23,404 852,040 $21,888 $25,690 10%
Transportation and Warehousing 235,347 $8,090 $34,375 214,948 $8,019 $37,306 9%
Information 324,232 $21,216 $65,435 275,284 $19,368 $70,355 8%
Finance and Insurance 560,983 $73,734 $131,437 513,759 $64,012 $124,595 -5%
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 182,241 $7,275 $39,920 178,479 $7,668 $42,962 8%
Prof and Tech Services 548,414 $36,786 $67,077 505,888 $35,540 $70,252 5%
Management 116,031 $12,488 $107,628 120,332 $12,953 $107,646 0%
Administrative and Waste Services 447,326 $13,116 $29,321 410,584 $13,309 $32,414 11%
Educational Services 230,568 $7,707 $33,427 257,284 $9,477 $36,833 10%
Health Care and Social Assistance 1,071,807 $34,444 $32,136 1,133,299 $40,781 $35,985 12%
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation 121,009 $4,310 $35,617 125,315 $4,799 $38,297 8%
Accommodation and Food Services 512,903 $8,772 $17,102 517,438 $9,204 $17,788 4%
Other Services 310,504 $7,457 $24,016 310,715 $8,417 $27,090 13%
Total, All Government 1,398,223 $57,289 $40,973 1,421,443 $62,685 $44,099 8%
Federal Government 147,024 $6,557 $44,601 135,204 $6,942 $51,343 15%
State Government 238,193 $10,479 $43,992 236,576 $11,099 $46,915 7%
Local Government 1,013,006 $40,253 $39,736 1,049,663 $44,644 $42,532 7%
Unclassified 15,248 $445 $29,171 42,118 $1,380 $32,754 12%
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About the Author

Tim Hoefer

Tim Hoefer is president & CEO of the Empire Center for Public Policy.

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