Atlantic City construction workers' wages 27% higher than nation: Report

The average hourly wage of workers in Atlantic City lags behind the rest of the nation -- except in a few fields, like construction, which boasts pay that is 27 percent higher than other Americans in that same industry, according to a new report.

Workers throughout the Atlantic City-Hammonton metro region make an average of $21.23 per hour in May 2014, about 7 percent less than the national average of $22.71, according to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report released Thursday.

Atlantic City-area salesmen would benefit the most from relocating for work as they earned 17 percent less than the national average last May. They made an hourly wage of $15.46; nationwide they made $18.59 per hour, the BLS said.

The lower wages, however, did not affect everyone as eight of the 22 groups surveyed earned more in May 2014 than their counterparts in other parts of the country. Employees in construction and extraction took home an hourly rate of $28.52, a staggering $6.12 more than the $22.40 earned elsewhere, the report shows.

In the Shore resort town, other higher-paying occupations include the personal care and service sector, which paid $13.88 per hour compared with $12.01, and the education, training and library field, which had an hourly wage of $28.79, up from the national average of $25.10, according to the BLS.

Restaurant employees also fared well in the tourist destination, where 15.5 percent of the metro's workforce is in the food preparation and service industry. At an average hourly pay of $12.18, they make 15 percent more than the national average of $10.57.

To see the full report, click here.

Source: Philadelphia Business Journal