The gap between what wages are, and what they would be in a healthy economy, is growing: Cumulative nominal average hourly earnings, actual and hypothetical had they grown 3.5% annually since the recession began, 2007–2015
| Average hourly earnings of all private employees | Hypothetical, assuming 3.5% growth* | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan-2007 | $20.6000 | |
| Feb-2007 | $20.6800 | |
| Mar-2007 | $20.7700 | |
| Apr-2007 | $20.8200 | |
| May-2007 | $20.8800 | |
| Jun-2007 | $21.0000 | |
| Jul-2007 | $21.0000 | |
| Aug-2007 | $21.0300 | |
| Sep-2007 | $21.0800 | |
| Oct-2007 | $21.1100 | |
| Nov-2007 | $21.1500 | |
| Dec-2007 | $21.2200 | $21.2200 |
| Jan-2008 | $21.2400 | $21.2809 |
| Feb-2008 | $21.3200 | $21.3420 |
| Mar-2008 | $21.4100 | $21.4033 |
| Apr-2008 | $21.4200 | $21.4647 |
| May-2008 | $21.5100 | $21.5264 |
| Jun-2008 | $21.5600 | $21.5882 |
| Jul-2008 | $21.6300 | $21.6501 |
| Aug-2008 | $21.7300 | $21.7123 |
| Sep-2008 | $21.7600 | $21.7746 |
| Oct-2008 | $21.8100 | $21.8371 |
| Nov-2008 | $21.9200 | $21.8998 |
| Dec-2008 | $21.9800 | $21.9627 |
| Jan-2009 | $22.0000 | $22.0258 |
| Feb-2009 | $22.0100 | $22.0890 |
| Mar-2009 | $22.0800 | $22.1524 |
| Apr-2009 | $22.1100 | $22.2160 |
| May-2009 | $22.1200 | $22.2798 |
| Jun-2009 | $22.1600 | $22.3437 |
| Jul-2009 | $22.1900 | $22.4079 |
| Aug-2009 | $22.2500 | $22.4722 |
| Sep-2009 | $22.2700 | $22.5367 |
| Oct-2009 | $22.3200 | $22.6014 |
| Nov-2009 | $22.3700 | $22.6663 |
| Dec-2009 | $22.3800 | $22.7314 |
| Jan-2010 | $22.4300 | $22.7967 |
| Feb-2010 | $22.4500 | $22.8621 |
| Mar-2010 | $22.4700 | $22.9277 |
| Apr-2010 | $22.5100 | $22.9936 |
| May-2010 | $22.5500 | $23.0596 |
| Jun-2010 | $22.5400 | $23.1258 |
| Jul-2010 | $22.6000 | $23.1922 |
| Aug-2010 | $22.6400 | $23.2587 |
| Sep-2010 | $22.6800 | $23.3255 |
| Oct-2010 | $22.7400 | $23.3925 |
| Nov-2010 | $22.7400 | $23.4596 |
| Dec-2010 | $22.7700 | $23.5270 |
| Jan-2011 | $22.8600 | $23.5945 |
| Feb-2011 | $22.8700 | $23.6623 |
| Mar-2011 | $22.8900 | $23.7302 |
| Apr-2011 | $22.9400 | $23.7983 |
| May-2011 | $23.0000 | $23.8667 |
| Jun-2011 | $23.0200 | $23.9352 |
| Jul-2011 | $23.1100 | $24.0039 |
| Aug-2011 | $23.0700 | $24.0728 |
| Sep-2011 | $23.1200 | $24.1419 |
| Oct-2011 | $23.2200 | $24.2112 |
| Nov-2011 | $23.2000 | $24.2807 |
| Dec-2011 | $23.2200 | $24.3504 |
| Jan-2012 | $23.2600 | $24.4203 |
| Feb-2012 | $23.3000 | $24.4905 |
| Mar-2012 | $23.3700 | $24.5608 |
| Apr-2012 | $23.4000 | $24.6313 |
| May-2012 | $23.4200 | $24.7020 |
| Jun-2012 | $23.4700 | $24.7729 |
| Jul-2012 | $23.5200 | $24.8440 |
| Aug-2012 | $23.4900 | $24.9154 |
| Sep-2012 | $23.5800 | $24.9869 |
| Oct-2012 | $23.5700 | $25.0586 |
| Nov-2012 | $23.6400 | $25.1306 |
| Dec-2012 | $23.7300 | $25.2027 |
| Jan-2013 | $23.7600 | $25.2751 |
| Feb-2013 | $23.7900 | $25.3476 |
| Mar-2013 | $23.8200 | $25.4204 |
| Apr-2013 | $23.8700 | $25.4934 |
| May-2013 | $23.8900 | $25.5666 |
| Jun-2013 | $23.9700 | $25.6400 |
| Jul-2013 | $23.9700 | $25.7136 |
| Aug-2013 | $24.0200 | $25.7874 |
| Sep-2013 | $24.0600 | $25.8614 |
| Oct-2013 | $24.1000 | $25.9357 |
| Nov-2013 | $24.1700 | $26.0101 |
| Dec-2013 | $24.1800 | $26.0848 |
| Jan-2014 | $24.2200 | $26.1597 |
| Feb-2014 | $24.3000 | $26.2348 |
| Mar-2014 | $24.3400 | $26.3101 |
| Apr-2014 | $24.3400 | $26.3856 |
| May-2014 | $24.4000 | $26.4614 |
| Jun-2014 | $24.4600 | $26.5374 |
| Jul-2014 | $24.4700 | $26.6135 |
| Aug-2014 | $24.5500 | $26.6899 |
| Sep-2014 | $24.5500 | $26.7666 |
| Oct-2014 | $24.5900 | $26.8434 |
| Nov-2014 | $24.6800 | $26.9205 |
| Dec-2014 | $24.6200 | $26.9978 |
| Jan-2015 | $24.7600 | $27.0753 |
| Feb-2015 | $24.7800 | $27.1530 |
| Mar-2015 | $24.8500 | $27.2310 |
| Apr-2015 | $24.8900 | $27.3091 |
| May-2015 | $24.9500 | $27.3875 |
| Jun-2015 | $24.9500 | $27.4662 |
| Jul-2015 | $25.0100 | $27.5450 |
| Aug-2015 | $25.1000 | $27.6241 |
| Sep-2015 | $25.1200 | $27.7034 |
| Oct-2015 | $25.2100 | $27.7829 |
| Nov-2015 | $25.2500 | $27.8627 |
* Nominal wage growth consistent with the Federal Reserve Board's 2 percent inflation target, 1.5 percent productivity growth, and a stable labor share of income
Source: Adapted from EPI's "Nominal Wage Tracker"