Chart: The only period of high pressure in the labor market since 1979 led to rapid wage gains: Average annual wage growth from 1996–2001 vs. all other years between 1979 and 2017 | Economic Policy Institute

Figure C

The only period of high pressure in the labor market since 1979 led to rapid wage gains: Average annual wage growth from 1996–2001 vs. all other years between 1979 and 2017

Wage percentile	All other post-1979 years	1996–2001
20th	-0.15%	1.75%
Median	-0.02%	1.66%
95th	1.01%	1.96%

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Note: Wage growth is inflation-adjusted.

Source: Authors’ calculations from data obtained from the State of Working America Data Library from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI 2018)

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The importance of locking in full employment for the long haul

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