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QUESTION:  How is salary survey data weighted?

 

ERI evaluates each wage and salary survey individually and weighs survey data in our analyses according to a variety of factors which include:  survey methodology, job matching (how closely the position descriptions match), number of incumbents, area matching (regional scope, metro area versus city data, etc.), and ERI's confidence in the survey.  Each city is analyzed separately, and available survey data varies by area.  There is a basic ERI methodology used to derive the 13,000+ structures, but each area and structure's individual methodology is dictated by the availability of survey data and ERI's specific methodology.  In most cases, ERI utilizes a "rate of error" to assist in determining this weighting mathematically.  "Rates of Error" may be either ERI calculated standard deviations or standard errors or government reported "relative standard errors."

 

To learn more about how data from multiple salary surveys are combined in the Assessor Series, see Assessor Series FAQ #31.