Average pay was 19% above the national average for civilian workers in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland metropolitan area in 2008, according to a report released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The area's pay difference was the highest among 77 metropolitan areas studied.

The New York-Newark-Bridgeport area ranked next with pay 14% above the national average.

The Brownsville-Harlingen area in Texas posted the lowest average pay in 2008. Its workers earned 77 cents for every dollar earned by workers nationwide.

The BLS' calculation of pay comparisons seeks to account for differences in occupational composition and characteristics among areas. It also takes into consideration that data for the areas are collected at different times during the year.