Hawai'i's average weekly wage crept up slightly during the first three months of 2009, though it remained below the national average.

A report released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the state's average weekly wage increased 0.4 percent from a year earlier to $775.

That was still $107 below the national average of $882 a week, though there was some good news in that Hawai'i edged closer to the U.S. average.

The state had ranked 28th in average weekly wages during the first quarter of 2008.

During this year's first quarter, it ranked 25th.

The preliminary report is derived from reports submitted by employers to state and federal unemployment insurance programs. The reports cover both full- and part-time workers.

Andrew Kato of the University of Hawai'i Research Organization said Hawai'i's ranking in the average weekly wages study is relatively weak compared with some other measures of income, including the Bureau of Economic Analysis' per-capita personal income data.

He said the way wages are reported for unemployment insurance purposes can vary by state, with some including stock options, profit distributions and the cash value of meals and lodging in their computations.

Moreover, the data wouldn't include self-employed people who are a significant segment of the population, he said.

There may be other factors such as more people being employed part time or the number of tips and gratuities not being fully reported for unemployment insurance purposes.

The study showed that the District of Columbia had the highest average weekly wage at $1,461. Montana was the worst at $628.

The bureau also released data for counties that shows Neighbor Island wages are below those found on O'ahu:

• Honolulu's average weekly wage was $801, ranking it in the top half of the 334 large counties studied by the labor researchers.

• Maui and Kalawao counties had a combined average weekly wage of $718.

• Kaua'i's average was $698.

• Big Island wages average $693 a week.

Hawai'i's increase in average weekly wages compared to a 2.5 percent drop nationally. The state's 0.4 percent gain was the 11th-best nationally.