Business Costs

The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics has a variety of numbers that can be used to gauge movements in business costs. Some of them measure labor costs, while others measure the prices of goods and services.

Webpages on this Topic

Producer Price Indexes (PPI)
Latest numbers, tables, news releases, frequently asked questions, and other information about the PPI.

Compensation Cost Trends
Quarterly indexes measuring change over time in labor costs (also called "employment costs" or "compensation costs") and annual data measuring the level of costs per hour worked.

National Compensation Survey Benefits
Information on the share of workers who participate in specified benefits, such as health care, retirement plans, and paid vacations. The data also show the details of those benefits, such as deductible amounts, retirement ages, and amounts of paid leave.

Import/Export Price Indexes
Monthly data on changes in the prices of goods traded between the U.S. and the rest of the world.

Productivity and Costs
Output per hour and unit labor costs for U.S. business sector, nonfarm business sector, and manufacturing sector. In addition, output per hour and unit labor costs are available for specific industries.