Union wage benefit in manufacturing by state in the South
| Geography | Mean hourly wage | Hourly union wage premium | Annual union wage premium | Estimated annual plant payroll impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South | $34.50 | $6.18 | $12,846 | $77,074,900 |
| Alabama | $29.52 | $5.28 | $10,989 | $65,936,100 |
| Arkansas | $28.57 | $5.11 | $10,638 | $63,825,200 |
| Delaware | $36.86 | $6.60 | $13,725 | $82,347,100 |
| District of Columbia | $83.93 | $15.02 | $31,248 | $187,486,600 |
| Florida | $35.46 | $6.35 | $13,201 | $79,208,600 |
| Georgia | $30.71 | $5.50 | $11,432 | $68,593,500 |
| Kentucky | $31.64 | $5.66 | $11,781 | $70,683,200 |
| Louisiana | $35.26 | $6.31 | $13,127 | $78,763,800 |
| Maryland | $45.89 | $8.21 | $17,086 | $102,513,700 |
| Mississippi | $27.33 | $4.89 | $10,174 | $61,042,300 |
| North Carolina | $33.23 | $5.95 | $12,374 | $74,242,300 |
| Oklahoma | $31.38 | $5.62 | $11,682 | $70,092,900 |
| South Carolina | $32.01 | $5.73 | $11,917 | $71,503,100 |
| Tennessee | $32.18 | $5.76 | $11,980 | $71,882,000 |
| Texas | $39.07 | $6.99 | $14,548 | $87,285,100 |
| Virginia | $39.57 | $7.08 | $14,734 | $88,402,900 |
| West Virginia | $30.32 | $5.43 | $11,287 | $67,724,300 |
Notes: Analysis uses the 17.9% manufacturing union wage premium calculated by Scott et al. (2022) and applies it to the hourly wage for nonunionized manufacturing workers in the South. The annual union premium is the additional pay for a full-time worker. The plant-wide premium assumes 6,000 workers based on estimates of the jobs created by the BlueOval manufacturing investment in Tennessee. Values in 2025 dollars.
Sources: EPI analysis of CPS Outgoing Rotation Group data, 2022–2025. Manufacturing premium from Scott et al. (2022). BlueOval job creation figures from TN Office of Governor (2023).