Hawai'i salary growth 2nd lowest in nation

Associated Press

Hawai'i workers are earning more than last year, but their salaries still lag the nation. Growth in income for the state was second lowest in the country, a new federal report says.

Annual pay in Hawai'i averaged $30,630 in 2000, a 2.8 percent increase over the previous year.

The figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show Massachusetts had the highest increase — 9.8 percent — while Louisiana had the lowest — 2.4 percent.

Hawai'i's average pay was lower than the national average of $35,296 and the average of the five states in the western region of $39,583.

Hawai'i had both the lowest average pay and the lowest increase in the region, the report said.

The bureau's figures show that the increase, low as it was, was led by higher pay for government workers.

Annual pay in the private sector, which makes up 75 percent of the state's work force, averaged $29,181 in 2000.

Annual pay in the Honolulu metropolitan area averaged $31,871, ranking the city 96th among 318 metropolitan areas nationwide.

The District of Columbia, with its large government work force, had the highest average pay, $53,018, followed by Connecticut at $45,445. Montana had the lowest at $24,264.