Workforce

Among the region's strong assets is the Central Texas workforce, representing one of the most educated talent pools in the country. Over 38% of adults have at least a bachelor's degree compared to 28% nationally, putting Austin in the top 10 among the largest metros. The region benefits from over 60 colleges and universities and 360,000 enrolled students within a 100-mile radius. Our growing workforce is young and eager, with a median age that is four years younger than that of the rest of the nation.

Labor Force, Employment & Unemployment

Labor Force, Employment & Unemployment, 2010

  Labor force Employment Unemployment
Number Rate
Austin MSA
908,205
843,413
64,792
7.1%
Bastrop Co.
35,184
32,236
2,948
8.4%
Caldwell Co.
16,139
14,748
1,391
8.6%
Hays Co.
81,115
75,390
5,725
7.1%
Travis Co.
560,967
522,170
38,797
6.9%
Williamson Co.
214,801
198,870
15,931
7.4%

Unemployment Rates

 
2007
2008
2009
2010
Austin MSA
3.7%
4.4%
6.9%
7.1%
Texas
4.4%
4.9%
7.6%
8.2%
U.S.
4.6%
5.8%
9.3%
9.6%

Employment, Austin MSA

Austin Real Estate Building

Employment Growth

Austin Real Estate Building

Note: Time series of annual and monthly numbers for these and additional workforce indicators are updated monthly on the Chamber's Economic Indicators page.
Source: Texas Workforce Commission.

Employment by Industry

Employment by Industry, Austin MSA

 
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Total non-farm
723,200
757,500
775,800
759,100
766,500
Construction, natural
resources, & mining
44,600
49,000
47,400
40,800
39,000
Manufacturing
58,900
59,700
57,200
48,500
47,300
Wholesale trade
38,500
41,300
41,500
37,700
39,600
Retail trade
76,300
81,400
84,300
82,200
81,800
Transportation, warehousing,
& utilities
12,600
13,300
13,400
12,800
12,800
Information
21,800
21,900
21,000
19,700
19,400
Financial activities
43,300
44,700
45,100
43,600
42,300
Professional & business services
99,600
106,000
111,000
107,100
109,200
Educational & health Services
73,800
77,200
80,800
83,300
87,300
Leisure & hospitality
74,300
78,300
81,400
83,000
83,800
Other services
27,700
28,200
30,800
33,300
33,500
Government
152,000
156,600
162,100
166,900
170,500

Employment by Industry 2010

Austin Real Estate Building

Note: Time series of annual and monthly numbers for these and additional workforce indicators are updated monthly on the Chamber's Economic Indicators page.
Source: Texas Workforce Commission.

Employment by Occupation

Employment by Occupation, Austin MSA

  2009
Total, all occupations
875,137
Management, professional & related occupations
368,848
....Management occupations
102,927
....Business & financial operations
47,031
....Professional & related occupations
218,890
.........Computer & mathematical
41,671
.........Architecture & engineering
23,458
.........Life, physical, & social science
8,742
.........Community & social services
12,855
.........Legal
13,027
.........Education, training, & library
55,611
.........Arts, design, entertainment, sports & media
23,974
.........Healthcare practitioners & technical
39,552
Service occupations
141,330
....Healthcare support
14,045
....Protective service
14,151
....Food preparation & serving related
53,383
....Building and grounds cleaning & maintenance
31,892
....Personal care & service
27,859
Sales & related occupations
109,167
Office & administrative support
111,762
Farming, fishing, & forestry occupations
1,782
Construction & extraction
58,931
Installation, maintenance & repair
23,995
Production
27,963
Transportation & material moving
31,359

Employment by Occupation 2009

Austin Real Estate Building

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census.

Average Occupational Wages & Salaries

Average Occupational Hourly Wages & Annual Salaries 2010

Austin MSA United States Austin/
U.S.
Wage Salary Wage Salary
All occupations
$22.18
$46,130
$21.35
$44,410
104
Management
52.04
108,250
50.69
105,440
103
Business & financial operations
31.67
65,870
32.54
67,690
97
Computer & mathematical
39.88
82,960
37.13
77,230
107
Architecture & engineering
35.19
73,200
36.32
75,550
97
Life, physical, & social science
27.43
57,060
31.92
66,390
86
Community & social services
19.98
41,560
20.76
43,180
96
Legal
38.38
79,830
46.60
96,940
82
Education, training, & library
26.43
54,970
24.25
50,440
109
Arts, design, entertainment, sports & media
25.26
52,540
25.14
52,290
100
Healthcare practitioners & technical
32.05
66,650
34.27
71,280
94
Healthcare support
12.74
26,500
12.94
26,920
98
Protective service
19.92
41,440
20.43
42,490
98
Food preparation & serving related
9.55
19,870
10.21
21,240
94
Building & grounds cleaning & maintenance
11.03
22,950
12.16
25,300
91
Personal care & service
11.99
24,950
11.82
24,590
101
Sales & related
18.38
38,240
17.69
36,790
104
Office & administrative support
16.92
35,200
16.09
33,470
105
Farming, fishing & forestry
13.02
27,090
11.70
24,330
111
Construction & extraction
16.55
34,420
21.09
43,870
78
Installation, maintenance & repair
19.35
40,250
20.58
42,810
94
Production
15.14
31,490
16.24
33,770
93
Transportation & material moving
13.62
28,330
15.70
32,660
87

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) .
Note: Wage and salary estimates for detailed occupations are also available from the OES wage survey. (Nearly 500 unique occupations are reported for Austin.) The BLS also publishes an alternative occupational wage survey, called the National Compensation Survey, for Austin and other metropolitan areas that provides additional types of compensation measures.

Union Membership

  Employed workers who are union members Employed workers who are covered by a collective bargaining agreement
Austin MSA Texas U.S. Austin MSA Texas U.S.
2010
Total
5.0%
5.4%
11.9%
5.6%
6.7%
13.1%
Private
2.1%
3.2%
6.9%
2.6%
4.0%
7.7%
Priv, Mfg
NA
7.6%
10.7%
NA
8.4%
11.6%
Public
20.7%
16.9%
36.2%
21.6%
21.0%
40.0%
2000
Total
3.0%
5.8%
13.5%
3.2%
7.4%
14.9%
Private
1.3%
3.8%
9.0%
1.3%
4.7%
9.8%
Priv, Mfg
NA
8.5%
14.8%
NA
9.8%
15.6%
Public
10.2%
16.3%
37.5%
11.3%
21.6%
42.0%

Source: Barry T. Hirsch & David A. Macpherson, Union Membership & Coverage Database from the Current Population Survey.

Workers' Compensation & Unemployment Insurance Costs

  Avg WC benefits per $100 of covered wages, 2006 Avg UI employer tax rate as a % of total wages, 2007 Avg UI employer tax rate as a % of taxable wages, 2007
Arizona 0.60% 0.34% 1.51%
California 1.38% 0.73% 4.17%
Colorado 0.93% 0.47% 1.77%
Georgia 0.79% 0.37% 1.54%
Illinois 0.96% 0.96% 3.74%
Massachusetts 0.57% 1.04% 3.56%
New York 0.72% 0.55% 3.48%
North Carolina 0.96% 0.81% 1.88%
Texas 0.44% 0.45% 1.91%
Utah 0.63% 0.52% 0.90%
Washington 1.63% 1.12% 1.97%
United States 0.99% 0.66% 2.44%

Sources: National Academy of Social Insurance and U.S. Employment and Training Administration.

Texas has been able to tie the two together - people and businesses, and provide a great climate for both. 
Clint Greenleaf, CEO, Greenleaf Book Group, on CNBC

The Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Programs provides incentives for film, animation, television, video games, and post-production.  Qualifying projects can receive rebates on qualifying Texas production expenses, up to 29% for film and 7.5% for video game development.