National Compensation Survey (NC) nc.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 7. Data Element Dictionary ======================================================================= Section 1 ======================================================================= The following is a definition of: National Compensation Survey (NC) 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 System 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. Future plans include providing data on a National level as well as 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/nc: nc.area - area codes mapping file nc.contacts - Contacts for NC survey nc.data.1.AllData - All data nc.mogocc - mogocc codes mapping file nc.level - level codes mapping file nc.occupation - occupation codes mapping file nc.series - All series and their beginning and end dates nc.state - state codes mapping file nc.starea - starea codes mapping file nc.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 nc.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 17 NCU0099570000000 2. state_code 2 00 3. area_code 4 9957 4. mog_code 2 00 5. occupation_code 3 000 6. level_code 2 00 7. footnote_codes 10 00 8. begin_year 4 1997 9. begin_period 3 M09 10. end_year 4 2000 11. end_period 3 M07 The series_id (NCU5306633300003) can be broken out into: Code Value survey abbreviation = NC seasonal (code) = U state_code = 53 starea_code = 0663 mog_code = 33 occupation_code = 000 level_code = 03 ======================================================================= 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 nc.data file is partitioned into two separate files: 1. nc.data.0.Current - All current year-to-date data 2. nc.data.1.AllData - All data Both of the above data files have the following format: Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. series_id 17 NC 2. year 4 1999 3. period 3 M01 4. value 12 0.238 5. footnote_codes 10 It varies The series_id (NCU5306633300003) can be broken out into: Code Value survey abbreviation = NC seasonal (code) = U state_code = 53 starea_code = 0663 mogocc_code = 33000 level_code = 03 ======================================================================= Section 6 ======================================================================= File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used to define each mapping file. Note that the field numbers are for reference only; they do not exist in the database. 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. File Name: nc.area Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. area_code 4 A100 2. area_name 80 Text File Name: nc.level Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. level_code 2 02 2. level_text 60 Text File Name: nc.mogocc Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. mogocc_code 5 01000 2. occupation_text 60 Text File Name: nc.period Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. period 3 M01 2. period_abbr 5 JAN 3. period_name 20 Text File Name: nc.starea Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. state_code 2 01 2. area_code 4 0096 3. area_text 60 Text File Name: nc.state Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. state_code 2 01 2. state_name 20 Text ======================================================================= Section 7 ======================================================================= National Compensation Survey (NC) DATABASE ELEMENTS Data Element Length Value(Example) Description area_code 4 Ex: 0096 Unique code used to identify a specific geographic area. area_name 80 Text Name for specific area. area_text 60 Text Description of area. begin_period 3 M02 Identifies first data observation Ex: M02=Feb within the first year for which (M=Monthly, M13= data is available for a given time Annual Avg) series. begin_year 4 YYYY Identifies first year for which Ex:1990 data is available for a given time series. footnote_codes 10 It varies Identifies footnotes for the data series. level_code 2 02 Level 00 - Level 15 level_text 60 Text Level specification mog_code 2 00 Major Group code mogocc_code 5 00100 Major Group / Occupation code occupation_text 60 Text Occupation name. period_abbr 5 JAN Abbreviation of period name. period 3 M01 Identifies period for which data Ex: M01=Jan is observed. (M=Monthly, M13= Annual Avg) period_name 20 Text Full name of period to which Ex: January the data observation refers. series_id 17 Code series Code identifying the Identifier specific series. Ex: NCU5306633300003 state_code 2 01 Code identifying the specific series. state_name 20 Text State name. value 12 Ex: $10.124 Hourly mean. year 4 YYYY Identifies year of Ex: 2000 observation.