Table 1

Growth in work hours and real wages, by gender and wage group, 1979–2007

Change, 1979–2007
 Share of total Annual hours*  Annual hours*  Weeks worked  Weekly hours Real wages
1979 2007 Annual Hourly
All by wage group**
All 100% 1,687 1,868 10.7% 8.1% 2.4% 26.9% 17.5%
Bottom fifth 20 1,248 1,523 22.0 20.4 1.4 32.7 7.7
Second fifth 20 1,588 1,829 15.2 11.5 3.3 29.3 13.1
Middle fifth 20 1,787 1,983 10.9 7.5 3.2 27.2 15.8
Fourth fifth 20 1,917 2,032 6.0 4.1 1.8 22.3 16.2
80–95% 15 1,952 2,036 4.3 1.9 2.4 28.9 23.8
Top 5% 5 1,784 1,919 7.6 2.6 4.8 40.8 30.2
Men by wage group**
All 100% 1,915 2,000 4.4% 4.0% 0.4% 12.1% 6.4%
Bottom fifth 17 1,450 1,622 11.8 16.6 -4.1 24.8 10.2
Second fifth 18 1,757 1,940 10.4 10.7 -0.3 23.7 12.5
Middle fifth 19 1,957 2,088 6.7 5.9 0.7 22.3 15.1
Fourth fifth 21 2,048 2,131 4.0 2.4 1.5 20.0 15.6
80–95% 18 2,059 2,159 4.9 1.2 3.7 30.2 23.9
Top 5% 7 1,979 2,116 6.9 1.5 5.4 40.7 30.1
Women by wage group**
All 100% 1,438 1,729 20.3% 13.6% 5.8% 66.0% 39.2%
Bottom fifth 24 1,148 1,447 26.0 22.3 3.1 35.3 6.5
Second fifth 22 1,495 1,731 15.8 11.8 3.5 30.2 13.5
Middle fifth 20 1,636 1,878 14.8 8.9 5.4 32.0 16.4
Fourth fifth 18 1,673 1,911 14.3 7.9 5.9 32.9 17.8
80–95% 12 1,465 1,847 26.1 11.7 12.8 54.5 25.3
Top 5% 3 855 1,546 80.9 31.7 37.4 129.9 24.9

* Annual hours based on weeks worked multiplied by usual weekly hours
** Based on hourly wage distribution of all workers 18–64 years old

Source: Author's analysis of Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement microdata

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