Census data shows rise in government workers
POSTED: Thursday, October 23, 2008
The number of state and county employees in Hawaii increased 2.7 percent between 2006 and 2007, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report on government employees.
Last year there were the equivalent of 71,506 state and county government full-time employees, with about half — about 35,602 — working in education.
The number of elementary and secondary school teachers and instructional employees jumped 8.8 percent last year to 20,830. There was a slight decrease in noninstructional positions to 5,754 from 5,884.
Public higher education also employed more people than in 2006 — the equivalent of 8,884 full-time jobs, a 4 percent increase — with most of the hiring increase in instructional positions, according to the report.
There were 398 fewer financial and government administration positions, which fell 11 percent to 3,154.
State hospitals and health workers are the second-largest group of employees, 7,064 full-time equivalent jobs.
The number of firefighters and police officers also increased slightly from 2006, while the number of people who take care of parks and recreation decreased by 6.8 percent to 2,047.
The payroll for those state and county employees was about $287.9 million in March 2007, up about 7.2 percent from 2006, according to the Census report.
Nationally, the number of state and local government employees increased to 16.4 million in 2007, up 1.7 percent from 2006.
Over a five-year period, the number of state and local government employees increased 4.5 percent nationally, while Hawaii saw a 1.4 percent rise.
State and Local Government workers
| 2006 | 2007 | |
| Full-time equivalent employees | 69,594 | 71,506 |
| March payroll | $268.6 million | $287.9 million |
| Police officers | 2,856 | 2,913 |
| Firefighters | 1,729 | 1,758 |
| Teachers and employees | 19,152 | 20,830 |
| Higher education | 8,512 | 8,884 |
| Financial and government administration | 3,552 | 3,154 |
