Cumulative change in real hourly wages of all workers, by wage percentile,* 1979–2013

YEAR 95th percentile 70th percentile 50th percentile 30th percentile 10th percentile
1979/01/01 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
1980/01/01 -1.90% -2.50% -1.00% -2.10% -5.50%
1981/01/01 -1.70% -3.00% -3.60% -2.70% -4.00%
1982/01/01 0.20% -1.90% -2.20% -4.00% -7.70%
1983/01/01 3.40% -0.90% -2.70% -5.90% -10.50%
1984/01/01 4.20% -1.70% -2.20% -6.60% -12.70%
1985/01/01 6.00% -2.30% -1.30% -6.00% -14.10%
1986/01/01 7.60% 0.70% 0.50% -3.30% -14.30%
1987/01/01 7.40% 0.50% 0.60% -2.90% -14.50%
1988/01/01 10.10% 0.90% 0.00% -3.50% -14.50%
1989/01/01 7.50% 0.80% -0.60% -4.70% -14.60%
1990/01/01 9.60% -0.30% -0.60% -3.70% -13.10%
1991/01/01 10.30% -0.70% 0.00% -3.30% -11.50%
1992/01/01 8.50% -0.50% 0.80% -4.00% -11.70%
1993/01/01 7.60% 0.60% 0.10% -4.00% -12.00%
1994/01/01 13.10% 0.40% -1.60% -5.60% -12.90%
1995/01/01 13.20% 0.50% -2.40% -5.20% -13.10%
1996/01/01 13.80% 0.80% -2.80% -4.20% -13.50%
1997/01/01 15.20% 1.10% -0.50% -3.00% -10.60%
1998/01/01 18.00% 4.40% 2.30% -0.50% -5.70%
1999/01/01 21.50% 6.50% 5.40% 3.00% -4.30%
2000/01/01 25.20% 7.60% 5.10% 3.70% -3.40%
2001/01/01 27.70% 9.20% 7.40% 6.90% -0.40%
2002/01/01 32.00% 10.80% 8.30% 7.80% 0.70%
2003/01/01 30.30% 11.20% 9.60% 7.00% 0.30%
2004/01/01 31.60% 9.80% 9.60% 5.10% -1.10%
2005/01/01 32.50% 9.80% 8.30% 2.90% -2.80%
2006/01/01 33.20% 8.40% 8.70% 4.30% -2.20%
2007/01/01 36.10% 10.80% 7.80% 4.70% -1.00%
2008/01/01 37.60% 10.90% 8.30% 5.40% -1.90%
2009/01/01 39.00% 14.10% 10.10% 6.70% -1.10%
2010/01/01 38.70% 12.90% 8.60% 4.90% -1.90%
2011/01/01 37.10% 10.30% 5.70% 2.70% -4.30%
2012/01/01 39.00% 10.50% 5.00% 1.40% -5.90%
2013/01/01 40.60% 10.70% 6.10% 0.90% -5.30%

* The xth-percentile wage is the wage at which x% of wage earners earn less and (100-x)% earn more.

Note: Shaded areas denote recessions.

Source: EPI analysis of Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Group microdata

View the underlying data on epi.org.