The results of the 2011 CASE Compensation Survey provide insights on trends since the last in-depth analysis in 2008. This article explores in great detail the 2011 findings and provides a snapshot of what's changed--and what hasn't--in three years. (Contains 34 figures.)

The U.S. automotive industry has always been a cyclical business, but its near-collapse in 2008-09 and the subsequent bankruptcy of two of the three largest domestic automakers was more than a cyclical downturn. As light vehicle sales and production slowly recover, the industry has started to hire again, though with caution. In an industry known…