Data shows average Spokane area worker makes $23.65 an hour, sixth highest wage in state

Kelsie Morgan by Kelsie Morgan

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released new employment data for the Spokane and Spokane Valley region on Wednesday.

The statistics show the average hourly wage, across all occupations, in Spokane-Spokane Valley in May 2018 (the most recent data available) was $23.65. According to the BLS, that’s about five percent below the nationwide average of $24.98/hr and nearly five dollars under Washington state’s average of $28.56/hr.

Across Washington state, the Spokane-Spokane Valley region had the sixth highest hourly wage of all metropolitan areas surveyed.

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue – $31.44/hr

Kennewick-Richland – $26.29

Bremerton-Silverdale – $26.22

Olympia-Tumwater – $25.99

Mount Vernon-Anacortes – $24.05

Spokane-Spokane Valley – $23.65

Longview – $23.64

Bellingham – $23.58

Walla Walla – $23.26

Wenatchee – $21.98

The average annual wage in the Spokane region was found to be $49,200. That compares to the statewide average wage of $65,301, according to Washington State Employment Security Department data released in June.

The most common job in the Spokane-Spokane Valley area was found to be retail salespersons, with 9,310 workers averaging $14.24/hr.

The highest paid job was found to be “management occupations,” at $51.83/hr, followed by healthcare practitioners and technical occupations at $39.86/hr.

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