National Compensation Survey (NW) NW.txt Section Listing 1. Survey Definition 2. FTP files listed in the survey directory 3. Time series, series file, data file, & mapping file definitions and relationships. 4. Series file format and field definitions 5. Data file format and field definitions 6. Mapping file formats and field definitions ======================================================================= Section 1 ======================================================================= The following is a definition of: National Compensation Survey (NW) Survey Description: The National Compensation Survey (NCS) program produces information on wages by occupation for many metropolitan areas and also for the Nation as a whole. Wage rates for different work levels within occupation groups also are published. Data are available for private industry, State and local governments, full-time workers, part-time workers, and other workforce characteristics. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) selects a sample of establishments in both the private sector and State and local governments in over 150 metropolitan areas and non-metropolitan counties throughout the United States. Data are collected from all establishments in a specified area over a period of a few months. NCS data are used by both private companies and government agencies to help set pay and to compare their wages with those of other employers. The data are a major component of the pay-setting process for Federal Government employees. Economic and academic researchers also are interested in the findings. Summary Data Available: The NCS Wage query presents mean hourly wage data for all workers in an occupation (private industry and State and local government combined). Currently, data may be obtained for over 85 geographical areas, on a National level, and by the 9 census divisions as they are defined by BLS. Data Characteristics: Hourly wages are stored to two decimal places. ======================================================================= Section 2 ======================================================================= The following National Compensation Survey files are on the BLS internet in the sub-directory pub/time.series/NW: nw.contacts - Contacts for NW survey nw.data.1.AllData - All data nw.series - All series and their nw.starea - starea codes mapping file nw.ownership - ownership codes mapping file nw.estimate_id - estimate identification codes mapping file nw.industry - industry codes mapping file nw.occupation - occupation codes mapping file nw.subcell_id - characteristic group codes mapping file nw.datatype_id - characteristic group codes mapping file nw.level - level codes mapping file nw.txt - General information ======================================================================= Section 3 ======================================================================= The definition of a time series, its relationship to and the interrelationship among series, data and mapping files is detailed below: A time series refers to a set of data observed over an extended period of time over consistent time intervals (i.e. monthly, quarterly, semi- annually, annually). BLS time series data are typically produced at monthly intervals and represent data ranging from a specific consumer item in a specific geographical area whose price is gathered monthly to a category of worker in a specific industry whose employment rate is being recorded monthly, etc. The FTP files are organized such that data users are provided with the following set of files to use in their efforts to interpret data files: a) a series file (only one series file per survey) b) mapping files c) data files The series file contains a set of codes which, together, compose a series identification code that serves to uniquely identify a single time series. Additionally, the series file also contains the following series-level information: a) the period and year corresponding to the first data observation b) the period and year corresponding to the most recent data observation. The mapping files are definition files that contain explanatory text descriptions that correspond to each of the various codes contained within each series identification code. The data file contains one line of data for each observation period pertaining to a specific time series. Each line contains a reference to the following: a) a series identification code b) year in which data is observed c) period for which data is observed (M13, Q05, and S03 indicate annual averages) d) value e) footnote code (if available) ======================================================================= Section 4 ======================================================================= File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used to define nw.series. Note the Field Numbers are for reference only; they do not exist in the database. Data files are in ASCII text format. Data elements are separated by spaces; the first record of each file contains the column headers for the data elements stored in each field. Each record ends with a new line character. Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. series_id 30 NWU371674020200000000002505000 2. state_code 2 37 3. area_code 5 16740 4. ownership_code 1 2 5. Estimate ID Code 2 02 6. Industry Code 4 0000 7. Occupation Code 6 000000 8. Subcell ID Code 2 25 9. Data Type Code 2 05 10. Work Level/Supervisory Code 2 00 11. Filler Codeseasonal (code) 1 0 12. Footnote_codes 10 00 13. Begin_year 4 2004 14. Begin_period 3 M09 15. End_year 4 2008 16. End_period 3 M07 The series_id (NWU371674020200000000002505000) can be broken out into: Code Value survey abbreviation = NW State Code = 37 Area Code = 16740 Ownership Code = 2 Estimate ID Code = 02 Industry Code = 0000 Occupation Code = 000000 Subcell ID Code = 25 Data Type Code = 05 Work Level/Supervisory Code = 00 Filler Codeseasonal (code) = 0 ======================================================================= Section 5 ======================================================================= File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used to define each data file. Note that the field numbers are for reference only; they do not exist in the database. Data files are in ASCII text format. Data elements are separated by spaces; the first record of each file contains the column headers for the data elements stored in each field. Each record ends with a new line character. The NW.data file is partitioned into two separate files: 1. NW.data.0.Current - All current year-to-date data 2. NW.data.1.AllData - All data Both of the above data files have the following format: Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. series_id 30 NW 2. reference year 4 2005 3. reference period 3 M06 4. estimate value 12 22.67 5. published 1 P 6. footnote_codes 10 varies The series_id (NWU371674020200000000002505000) can be broken out into: Code Value survey abbreviation = NW State Code = 37 Area Code = 16740 Ownership Code = 2 Estimate ID Code = 02 Industry Code = 0000 Occupation Code = 000000 Subcell ID Code = 25 Data Type Code = 05 Work Level/Supervisory Code = 00 Filler Codeseasonal (code) = 0 ======================================================================= Section 6 ======================================================================= File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used to define each mapping file. Mapping files are in ASCII text format. Data elements are separated by tabs; the first record of each file contains the column headers for the data elements stored in each field. Each record ends with a new line character. Note: The field numbers are for reference only; they do not exist in the database. File Contents: state codes, area codes, and area titles. File Name: nw.starea Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. State_code 2 00 2. Area_code 5 99999 3. Area_text 100 All United States File Contents: sector of the economy = Ownership File Name: nw.ownership Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. Ownership_code 1 3 2. Ownership_text 100 Government File Contents: estimate identification field File Name: nw.estimate_id Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. Estimate_code 2 13 2. Estimate_text 100 Individual Benefits File Contents: major industry group File Name: nw.industry Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. Industry_code 6 100000 2. Industry_text 100 All Industries File Contents: Standard Occupation Classification codes and titles File Name: nw.occupation Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. Occupation_code 6 100000 2. Occupation_text 100 All Occupations 3. Detailed_occupation 1 ? File Contents: major characteristics group File Name: nw.subcell_id Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. Subcell_code 2 13 2. Subcell_text 100 Union File Contents: major characteristics group File Name: nw.datatype_id Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. Datatype_code 2 20 2. Datatype_text 100 Percent Participation (duplicated totals) File Contents: Level/supervisory group File Name: nw.level Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. Worklevel_supervisory_code 2 20 2. Worklevel_supervisory_text 100 Level 11 not supervisory File Contents: footnote text File Name: nw.footnote Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. Footnote_code 2 p 2. Footnote_text 200 Preliminary The format of the footnote mapping file is simple. It is the footnote symbol followed by a tab, then the footnote text. Where the footnote text is especially lengthy, a hyperlink shall be provided in the footnote text which links to a special HTM file providing the full text of the footnote.