Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) data for early 2022 released

Number of workers up 21,402 from pre-pandemic levels two years prior

Columbia, S.C. – The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has released the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) for the first quarter of 2022, which provides data on firms, payroll, and wages at the county level as well as for detailed industry categories. This information is released quarterly five to six months after the end of the period in question and is derived from data in the State Unemployment Insurance Tax System (SUITS) housed at the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce.

Overall, there were 2,133,909 jobs statewide in Q1 2022, up modestly from the pre-pandemic figure of 2,112,507 in Q1 2020. Average weekly wage for all workers increased by 13 percent, from $921 to $1,042. Recovery was propelled in large measure by small businesses; the number of establishments statewide shot up 15 percent over two years, from 142,721 to 164,390.

While this represents a complete count of payroll for entities that pay unemployment insurance taxes to the state, there are several types of workers that may not show up in QCEW data, including individuals who are self-employed, contract workers (i.e., “gig economy” workers or people receiving a 1099 form), federal employees, or those employed in other exempt industries.

This data set essentially serves as a second draft of previously announced payroll figures, with monthly Current Employment Statistics (CES) data providing a timelier but more approximate result. QCEW is wholly distinct from both CES, an employer survey, and the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) data derived from a household survey and other sources.

Among the 20 economic sectors reported, 10 saw jobs increase and 10 saw jobs decrease since the same period two years ago. The strongest sectors for growth were Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (+11,194) and Transportation and Warehousing (+10,052). On the flip side, the weakest was Accommodation and Food Services (-7,307), which has struggled to hire the necessary workers to return to pre-pandemic operations. Every sector experienced a wage increase and all but one (Other Services) saw the total number of businesses increase.

Among the state’s 46 counties, 17 have more workers than two years ago, while 29 have fewer. The counties with the largest increases in employment during that time were Greenville (+4,886), and Lexington (+3,914), while the largest decline was seen in Richland (-3,487). Every county experienced a wage increase and all but two (Marion and Marlboro) saw the total number of businesses increase.

“These new figures confirm that the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic has been uneven but robust,” said Dr. Bryan Grady, Labor Market Information (LMI) Director at the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce. “While prior recessions required years of recovery to regain the jobs lost, both in South Carolina and nationally, that has not the case this time.”

“Employers are hiring South Carolinians at a rapid pace, but we know that, as a state, we can always do better,” said Dan Ellzey, Executive Director at the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce. “September is Workforce Development Month, and we have hundreds of activities like job fairs, webinars, and other events to shine a spotlight on the role of the workforce and to help employers and employees connect.”

For more information, interested parties can review the attached tables and contact communications@dew.sc.gov with any press inquiries or interview requests for the LMI Division. The full data set is available on our website at https://jobs.scworks.org/qcew. For questions about these data and more, feel free to email lmicustomerservice@dew.sc.gov. The monthly Employment Situation will be released on Friday, September 16, detailing August workforce data.

Establishments, Employment, and Average Weekly Wage (AWW) by Industry

Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Establishments, Employment, and Average Weekly Wage (AWW) by County

Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics