The table below lists some jobs whose nonunion average earnings are less than $19.83, the hourly wage a worker needs to earn to bring a family of four above 200 percent of the poverty line. The average union earnings for the jobs listed below bring workers in these jobs above 200 percent of the poverty line.
For example, nonunion carpet, floor and tile installers and finishers earned an average of $15.25 per hour in 2006. At this hourly wage, a full-time, year round nonunion worker would earn $9,510 less than the annual earnings needed to surpass 200 percent of the poverty line for a family of four. Meanwhile, union carpet, floor and tile installers and finishers earned an average hourly wage of $28.71 – 88.3 percent more than the average wage for nonunion workers in that occupation. At this hourly wage, a full-time, year round union worker would earn $18,487 more than 200 percent of the poverty line for a family of four.
Average Hourly Earnings of Selected Occupations, 2006
Union
Nonunion
Hourly Wage ($)
Annualized Earnings ($)
Amount Above 200% of the Poverty Line ($)
Hourly Wage ($)
Annualized Earnings ($)
Amount Below 200% of the Poverty Line ($)
Union Wage Advantage (%)
Athletes, Coaches, Umpires and Related Workers
$31.54
$65,603
$24,373
$15.73
$32,718
-$8,512
100.5%
Bailiffs, Correctional Officers, and Jailers
$22.24
$46,259
$5,029
$14.67
$30,514
-$10,716
51.6%
Brickmasons, Blockmasons, and Stonemasons
$21.98
$45,718
$4,488
$13.62
$28,330
-$12,900
61.4%
Carpenters
$26.41
$54,933
$13,703
$14.68
$30,534
-$10,696
79.9%
Carpet, Floor and Tile Installers and Finishers
$28.71
$59,717
$18,487
$15.25
$31,720
-$9,510
88.3%
Cement Masons, Concrete Finishers, and Terrazzo Workers
$24.90
$51,792
$10,562
$14.72
$30,618
-$10,612
69.2%
Computer Operators
$23.66
$49,213
$7,983
$16.34
$33,987
-$7,243
44.8%
Construction Laborers
$22.57
$46,946
$5,716
$12.60
$26,208
-$15,022
79.1%
Counselors
$25.64
$53,331
$12,101
$17.18
$35,734
-$5,496
49.2%
Couriers and Messengers
$22.16
$46,093
$4,863
$13.81
$28,725
-$12,505
60.5%
Crane and Tower Operators
$24.44
$50,835
$9,605
$17.46
$36,317
-$4,913
40.0%
Dietitians and Nutritionists
$25.25
$52,520
$11,290
$16.26
$33,821
-$7,409
55.3%
Dispatchers
$22.44
$46,675
$5,445
$14.72
$30,618
-$10,612
52.4%
Dredge, Excavating and Loading Machine Operators
$22.65
$47,112
$5,882
$14.83
$30,846
-$10,384
52.7%
Driver/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers
$20.55
$42,744
$1,514
$14.48
$30,118
-$11,112
41.9%
Drywall Installers, Ceiling Tile Installers, and Tapers
$23.70
$49,296
$8,066
$12.89
$26,811
-$14,419
83.9%
Electrical Powerline Installers and Repairers
$30.39
$63,211
$21,981
$19.61
$40,789
-$441
55.0%
Electricians
$26.68
$55,494
$14,264
$17.61
$36,629
-$4,601
51.5%
Elementary and Middle School Teachers
$24.03
$49,982
$8,752
$16.99
$35,339
-$5,891
41.4%
Gaming Services Workers
$20.74
$43,139
$1,909
$14.91
$31,013
-$10,217
39.1%
Heating, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
$24.77
$51,522
$10,292
$17.40
$36,192
-$5,038
42.4%
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
$21.35
$44,408
$3,178
$15.78
$32,822
-$8,408
35.3%
Machinists
$23.16
$48,173
$6,943
$17.35
$36,088
-$5,142
33.5%
Maintenance Workers, Machinery
$24.80
$51,584
$10,354
$16.99
$35,339
-$5,891
46.0%
Meter readers, utilities
$22.61
$47,029
$5,799
$13.49
$28,059
-$13,171
67.6%
Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other
$23.52
$48,922
$7,692
$16.68
$34,694
-$6,536
41.0%
Operating Engineers and other Construction Equipment Operators
$25.94
$53,955
$12,725
$16.58
$34,486
-$6,744
56.5%
Painters, Construction and Maintenance
$21.50
$44,720
$3,490
$12.41
$25,813
-$15,417
73.2%
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
$21.51
$44,741
$3,511
$17.86
$37,149
-$4,081
20.4%
Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters and Steamfitters
$26.56
$55,245
$14,015
$16.77
$34,882
-$6,348
58.4%
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, Machine Operators
$20.78
$43,222
$1,992
$16.34
$33,987
-$7,243
27.2%
Preschool and Kindergarten Teachers
$23.41
$48,693
$7,463
$12.25
$25,480
-$15,750
91.1%
Printing Machine Operators
$22.67
$47,154
$5,924
$16.84
$35,027
-$6,203
34.6%
Roofers
$20.54
$42,723
$1,493
$12.76
$26,541
-$14,689
61.0%
Sheet Metal Workers
$24.99
$51,979
$10,749
$16.25
$33,800
-$7,430
53.8%
Special Education Teachers
$25.13
$52,270
$11,040
$18.14
$37,731
-$3,499
38.5%
Structural and Reinforcing Iron and Steel Workers
$25.85
$53,768
$12,538
$17.05
$35,464
-$5,766
51.6%
Water and Liquid Waste Treatment Plant and System Operators
$23.06
$47,965
$6,735
$16.19
$33,675
-$7,555
42.4%
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Workers
$22.93
$47,694
$6,464
$15.10
$31,408
-$9,822
51.9%
* The poverty line in 2006 for a family of four was $20,615. 200 percent of the poverty line for a family of four in 2006 was $41,230. To surpass 200 percent of the poverty line for a family of four, a worker needs to earn an hourly wage of at least $19.83 (full-time, year round).
Sources: Barry T. Hirsch and David A. MacPherson, Union Membership and Earnings Data Book, BNA, 2007, forthcoming; U.S. Census Bureau, Preliminary Estimates of Weighted Average Poverty Thresholds for 2006, January 24, 2007.
