Average weekly earnings in the private sector rose 4.2 percent for the Utica-Rome region between April 2011 and April of this year, according to new federal data.The average gross earnings of $635.52 were up from $610.15 for employees on private nonfarm payrolls, said a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report. Average hourly earnings of $19.86 were up 5.1 percent from $18.89.

The local increase, for the region encompassing Oneida and Herkimer counties, matched a statewide trend that saw a 4.1 percent rise in weekly earnings for the April-to-April period. However, the local dollar amounts are on a lesser scale compared to the statewide average weekly earnings of $932.62.

Utica-Rome had the second-lowest weekly earnings among 12 state metropolitan statistical areas in the federal report, trailed only by Elmira at $598.75 which was up by 7.6 percent.

The only region whose weekly earnings declined was Syracuse, which dropped by 3 percent to $784.98. Among job categories statewide, the largest weekly earnings increase was in financial activities, up 8.5 percent, said Martin Kohli, a labor bureau regional economist. The manufacturing, information and professional and business services categories all had wage growth of over 4 percent, he added. The only major sector to decline was leisure and hospitality, down 1.6 percent.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics periodically issues regional wage and employment reports. A February 2011 report on the state’s 17 largest counties cited an average weekly gross wage of $695 for Oneida County, including private-sector as well as various government-related jobs.