Private-sector workers in metro Denver earned an average wage of $23.95 an hour last year, according to a survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The survey showed a 10-cent increase from the 2009 level of $23.85.
Average wages ranged from a high of $61.66 an hour for engineering managers to a low of $4.99 for bartenders and restaurant servers, not including tips.
Fast-food workers earned an average of $8.79 an hour.
The National Compensation Survey is based on worker pay in the Denver-Aurora-Boulder combined statistical area.
The average wage for state and local government workers in the metro Denver region was $27.44 an hour.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the survey is useful for businesses to establish pay levels, make decisions on plant relocations and negotiate collective- bargaining agreements.
The survey showed average wages of $29.27 for police officers, $31.97 for registered nurses, $9.05 for maids and housekeepers, $19.12 for social workers, $51.92 for college teachers, and $35.26 for elementary and middle-school teachers.
Steve Raabe: 303-954-1948 or sraabe@denverpost.com
