Wages of young college graduates today are just above their 2000 levels: Real hourly wages for employed young college graduates (ages 21–24) not enrolled in further schooling, 1989–2019 (2018$)
| Date | Wage |
|---|---|
| Dec-1989 | $18.21 |
| Jan-1990 | $18.23 |
| Feb-1990 | $18.20 |
| Mar-1990 | $18.27 |
| Apr-1990 | $18.41 |
| May-1990 | $18.62 |
| Jun-1990 | $18.64 |
| Jul-1990 | $18.51 |
| Aug-1990 | $18.51 |
| Sep-1990 | $18.58 |
| Oct-1990 | $18.50 |
| Nov-1990 | $18.48 |
| Dec-1990 | $18.42 |
| Jan-1991 | $18.46 |
| Feb-1991 | $18.42 |
| Mar-1991 | $18.27 |
| Apr-1991 | $18.15 |
| May-1991 | $18.04 |
| Jun-1991 | $17.92 |
| Jul-1991 | $18.11 |
| Aug-1991 | $18.00 |
| Sep-1991 | $17.82 |
| Oct-1991 | $17.78 |
| Nov-1991 | $17.79 |
| Dec-1991 | $17.73 |
| Jan-1992 | $17.67 |
| Feb-1992 | $17.63 |
| Mar-1992 | $17.62 |
| Apr-1992 | $17.61 |
| May-1992 | $17.40 |
| Jun-1992 | $17.45 |
| Jul-1992 | $17.36 |
| Aug-1992 | $17.28 |
| Sep-1992 | $17.30 |
| Oct-1992 | $17.36 |
| Nov-1992 | $17.28 |
| Dec-1992 | $17.10 |
| Jan-1993 | $17.17 |
| Feb-1993 | $17.14 |
| Mar-1993 | $17.22 |
| Apr-1993 | $17.09 |
| May-1993 | $17.18 |
| Jun-1993 | $17.25 |
| Jul-1993 | $17.06 |
| Aug-1993 | $17.07 |
| Sep-1993 | $16.98 |
| Oct-1993 | $17.11 |
| Nov-1993 | $17.08 |
| Dec-1993 | $17.18 |
| Jan-1994 | $17.24 |
| Feb-1994 | $17.37 |
| Mar-1994 | $17.35 |
| Apr-1994 | $17.32 |
| May-1994 | $17.27 |
| Jun-1994 | $17.16 |
| Jul-1994 | $17.14 |
| Aug-1994 | $17.08 |
| Sep-1994 | $17.12 |
| Oct-1994 | $17.09 |
| Nov-1994 | $17.17 |
| Dec-1994 | $17.15 |
| Jan-1995 | $17.04 |
| Feb-1995 | $16.94 |
| Mar-1995 | $16.81 |
| Apr-1995 | $16.87 |
| May-1995 | $16.84 |
| Jun-1995 | $16.85 |
| Jul-1995 | $16.96 |
| Aug-1995 | $16.92 |
| Sep-1995 | $16.87 |
| Oct-1995 | $16.67 |
| Nov-1995 | $16.63 |
| Dec-1995 | $16.64 |
| Jan-1996 | $16.59 |
| Feb-1996 | $16.53 |
| Mar-1996 | $16.73 |
| Apr-1996 | $16.70 |
| May-1996 | $16.65 |
| Jun-1996 | $16.56 |
| Jul-1996 | $16.50 |
| Aug-1996 | $16.87 |
| Sep-1996 | $16.89 |
| Oct-1996 | $16.88 |
| Nov-1996 | $16.85 |
| Dec-1996 | $16.85 |
| Jan-1997 | $16.88 |
| Feb-1997 | $16.79 |
| Mar-1997 | $16.95 |
| Apr-1997 | $17.04 |
| May-1997 | $17.13 |
| Jun-1997 | $17.27 |
| Jul-1997 | $17.38 |
| Aug-1997 | $17.19 |
| Sep-1997 | $17.36 |
| Oct-1997 | $17.44 |
| Nov-1997 | $17.49 |
| Dec-1997 | $17.56 |
| Jan-1998 | $17.64 |
| Feb-1998 | $17.88 |
| Mar-1998 | $17.82 |
| Apr-1998 | $18.00 |
| May-1998 | $18.24 |
| Jun-1998 | $18.28 |
| Jul-1998 | $18.27 |
| Aug-1998 | $18.69 |
| Sep-1998 | $18.81 |
| Oct-1998 | $18.96 |
| Nov-1998 | $19.19 |
| Dec-1998 | $19.30 |
| Jan-1999 | $19.51 |
| Feb-1999 | $19.52 |
| Mar-1999 | $19.50 |
| Apr-1999 | $19.30 |
| May-1999 | $19.23 |
| Jun-1999 | $19.35 |
| Jul-1999 | $19.66 |
| Aug-1999 | $19.37 |
| Sep-1999 | $19.27 |
| Oct-1999 | $19.40 |
| Nov-1999 | $19.33 |
| Dec-1999 | $19.61 |
| Jan-2000 | $19.61 |
| Feb-2000 | $19.61 |
| Mar-2000 | $19.66 |
| Apr-2000 | $19.76 |
| May-2000 | $19.69 |
| Jun-2000 | $19.84 |
| Jul-2000 | $19.71 |
| Aug-2000 | $19.77 |
| Sep-2000 | $19.92 |
| Oct-2000 | $19.94 |
| Nov-2000 | $19.90 |
| Dec-2000 | $19.85 |
| Jan-2001 | $19.70 |
| Feb-2001 | $19.75 |
| Mar-2001 | $19.96 |
| Apr-2001 | $20.00 |
| May-2001 | $20.27 |
| Jun-2001 | $20.11 |
| Jul-2001 | $20.17 |
| Aug-2001 | $20.15 |
| Sep-2001 | $20.29 |
| Oct-2001 | $20.23 |
| Nov-2001 | $20.25 |
| Dec-2001 | $20.05 |
| Jan-2002 | $20.22 |
| Feb-2002 | $20.37 |
| Mar-2002 | $20.05 |
| Apr-2002 | $20.00 |
| May-2002 | $19.79 |
| Jun-2002 | $19.82 |
| Jul-2002 | $19.64 |
| Aug-2002 | $19.60 |
| Sep-2002 | $19.63 |
| Oct-2002 | $19.66 |
| Nov-2002 | $19.81 |
| Dec-2002 | $19.83 |
| Jan-2003 | $19.84 |
| Feb-2003 | $19.59 |
| Mar-2003 | $19.60 |
| Apr-2003 | $19.61 |
| May-2003 | $19.64 |
| Jun-2003 | $19.62 |
| Jul-2003 | $19.48 |
| Aug-2003 | $19.44 |
| Sep-2003 | $19.24 |
| Oct-2003 | $19.32 |
| Nov-2003 | $19.15 |
| Dec-2003 | $19.12 |
| Jan-2004 | $18.94 |
| Feb-2004 | $19.02 |
| Mar-2004 | $19.11 |
| Apr-2004 | $19.35 |
| May-2004 | $19.42 |
| Jun-2004 | $19.28 |
| Jul-2004 | $19.54 |
| Aug-2004 | $19.50 |
| Sep-2004 | $19.55 |
| Oct-2004 | $19.49 |
| Nov-2004 | $19.45 |
| Dec-2004 | $19.45 |
| Jan-2005 | $19.57 |
| Feb-2005 | $19.45 |
| Mar-2005 | $19.33 |
| Apr-2005 | $19.14 |
| May-2005 | $19.18 |
| Jun-2005 | $19.35 |
| Jul-2005 | $19.25 |
| Aug-2005 | $19.39 |
| Sep-2005 | $19.26 |
| Oct-2005 | $19.14 |
| Nov-2005 | $19.20 |
| Dec-2005 | $19.09 |
| Jan-2006 | $18.94 |
| Feb-2006 | $19.25 |
| Mar-2006 | $19.34 |
| Apr-2006 | $19.30 |
| May-2006 | $19.11 |
| Jun-2006 | $18.99 |
| Jul-2006 | $19.20 |
| Aug-2006 | $18.97 |
| Sep-2006 | $19.03 |
| Oct-2006 | $19.18 |
| Nov-2006 | $19.21 |
| Dec-2006 | $19.31 |
| Jan-2007 | $19.38 |
| Feb-2007 | $19.47 |
| Mar-2007 | $19.48 |
| Apr-2007 | $19.54 |
| May-2007 | $19.55 |
| Jun-2007 | $19.61 |
| Jul-2007 | $19.41 |
| Aug-2007 | $19.59 |
| Sep-2007 | $19.76 |
| Oct-2007 | $19.71 |
| Nov-2007 | $19.73 |
| Dec-2007 | $19.68 |
| Jan-2008 | $19.57 |
| Feb-2008 | $19.30 |
| Mar-2008 | $19.41 |
| Apr-2008 | $19.41 |
| May-2008 | $19.44 |
| Jun-2008 | $19.51 |
| Jul-2008 | $19.41 |
| Aug-2008 | $19.43 |
| Sep-2008 | $19.23 |
| Oct-2008 | $19.20 |
| Nov-2008 | $19.16 |
| Dec-2008 | $19.31 |
| Jan-2009 | $19.44 |
| Feb-2009 | $19.40 |
| Mar-2009 | $19.34 |
| Apr-2009 | $19.33 |
| May-2009 | $19.34 |
| Jun-2009 | $19.45 |
| Jul-2009 | $19.87 |
| Aug-2009 | $19.82 |
| Sep-2009 | $19.88 |
| Oct-2009 | $19.71 |
| Nov-2009 | $20.04 |
| Dec-2009 | $19.86 |
| Jan-2010 | $19.83 |
| Feb-2010 | $19.76 |
| Mar-2010 | $19.84 |
| Apr-2010 | $19.98 |
| May-2010 | $19.73 |
| Jun-2010 | $19.50 |
| Jul-2010 | $19.01 |
| Aug-2010 | $19.08 |
| Sep-2010 | $18.98 |
| Oct-2010 | $19.18 |
| Nov-2010 | $18.76 |
| Dec-2010 | $18.76 |
| Jan-2011 | $18.61 |
| Feb-2011 | $18.70 |
| Mar-2011 | $18.84 |
| Apr-2011 | $18.57 |
| May-2011 | $18.71 |
| Jun-2011 | $18.67 |
| Jul-2011 | $18.87 |
| Aug-2011 | $18.84 |
| Sep-2011 | $18.81 |
| Oct-2011 | $18.67 |
| Nov-2011 | $18.75 |
| Dec-2011 | $18.87 |
| Jan-2012 | $18.75 |
| Feb-2012 | $18.50 |
| Mar-2012 | $17.97 |
| Apr-2012 | $17.96 |
| May-2012 | $17.98 |
| Jun-2012 | $18.04 |
| Jul-2012 | $18.02 |
| Aug-2012 | $17.91 |
| Sep-2012 | $18.01 |
| Oct-2012 | $18.00 |
| Nov-2012 | $18.09 |
| Dec-2012 | $18.22 |
| Jan-2013 | $18.33 |
| Feb-2013 | $18.44 |
| Mar-2013 | $18.61 |
| Apr-2013 | $18.57 |
| May-2013 | $18.60 |
| Jun-2013 | $18.53 |
| Jul-2013 | $18.36 |
| Aug-2013 | $18.53 |
| Sep-2013 | $18.49 |
| Oct-2013 | $18.63 |
| Nov-2013 | $18.58 |
| Dec-2013 | $18.37 |
| Jan-2014 | $18.38 |
| Feb-2014 | $18.35 |
| Mar-2014 | $18.33 |
| Apr-2014 | $18.46 |
| May-2014 | $18.41 |
| Jun-2014 | $18.50 |
| Jul-2014 | $18.69 |
| Aug-2014 | $18.67 |
| Sep-2014 | $18.69 |
| Oct-2014 | $18.66 |
| Nov-2014 | $18.74 |
| Dec-2014 | $18.94 |
| Jan-2015 | $18.88 |
| Feb-2015 | $19.04 |
| Mar-2015 | $19.02 |
| Apr-2015 | $19.11 |
| May-2015 | $19.21 |
| Jun-2015 | $19.28 |
| Jul-2015 | $19.54 |
| Aug-2015 | $19.42 |
| Sep-2015 | $19.46 |
| Oct-2015 | $19.56 |
| Nov-2015 | $19.47 |
| Dec-2015 | $19.51 |
| Jan-2016 | $19.61 |
| Feb-2016 | $19.57 |
| Mar-2016 | $19.81 |
| Apr-2016 | $19.97 |
| May-2016 | $19.94 |
| Jun-2016 | $19.78 |
| Jul-2016 | $19.31 |
| Aug-2016 | $19.36 |
| Sep-2016 | $19.50 |
| Oct-2016 | $19.49 |
| Nov-2016 | $19.63 |
| Dec-2016 | $19.64 |
| Jan-2017 | $19.92 |
| Feb-2017 | $20.09 |
| Mar-2017 | $20.17 |
| Apr-2017 | $19.96 |
| May-2017 | $19.98 |
| Jun-2017 | $20.13 |
| Jul-2017 | $20.54 |
| Aug-2017 | $20.73 |
| Sep-2017 | $20.88 |
| Oct-2017 | $20.85 |
| Nov-2017 | $20.78 |
| Dec-2017 | $20.66 |
| Jan-2018 | $20.62 |
| Feb-2018 | $20.52 |
| Mar-2018 | $20.38 |
| Apr-2018 | $20.55 |
| May-2018 | $20.57 |
| Jun-2018 | $20.65 |
| Jul-2018 | $20.42 |
| Aug-2018 | $20.32 |
| Sep-2018 | $20.20 |
| Oct-2018 | $20.26 |
| Nov-2018 | $20.43 |
| Dec-2018 | $20.67 |
| Jan-2019 | $20.58 |
| Feb-2019 | $20.70 |
| Mar-2019 | $20.74 |
Notes: The wage series is based on 12-month moving pools of data. The most recent data point uses pooled data from April 2018 through March 2019. Data sample includes only those working college graduates ages 21–24 who have not attained an advanced degree and who are not enrolled in further schooling. Dollar amounts are adjusted for inflation to 2018 dollars. Shaded areas indicate recessions.
Source: EPI analysis of Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Group microdata (EPI 2019a)