Decomposing productivity-median hourly compensation gap : Growth of productivity, real average compensation (consumer and producer), and real median compensation, 1973--2019
| Year | Net productivity @IPD of net GDP | Net productivity @consumer prices | Real Average compensation @consumer prices | Real median hourly compensation @consumer prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980 | -0.60% | -2.70% | -0.50% | -0.30% |
| 1981 | 1.10% | -0.90% | -0.20% | -0.90% |
| 1982 | 0.10% | -1.80% | 1.70% | -0.90% |
| 1983 | 3.10% | 1.20% | 2.00% | -0.30% |
| 1984 | 5.80% | 3.70% | 2.50% | 0.00% |
| 1985 | 7.50% | 5.30% | 4.60% | 1.70% |
| 1986 | 9.70% | 7.80% | 8.00% | 2.60% |
| 1987 | 9.90% | 7.20% | 8.50% | 3.30% |
| 1988 | 11.50% | 8.70% | 10.30% | 1.90% |
| 1989 | 12.50% | 9.40% | 9.30% | 2.10% |
| 1990 | 13.90% | 9.80% | 9.80% | 2.10% |
| 1991 | 14.60% | 10.50% | 11.60% | 1.60% |
| 1992 | 18.90% | 14.80% | 14.90% | 3.30% |
| 1993 | 19.40% | 15.30% | 14.50% | 5.10% |
| 1994 | 20.40% | 16.40% | 14.40% | 3.60% |
| 1995 | 20.90% | 16.50% | 13.90% | 1.20% |
| 1996 | 23.10% | 17.90% | 15.10% | -1.00% |
| 1997 | 25.30% | 19.80% | 16.50% | 0.40% |
| 1998 | 27.90% | 22.20% | 20.50% | 3.70% |
| 1999 | 31.40% | 24.90% | 23.20% | 6.20% |
| 2000 | 34.30% | 26.40% | 26.80% | 6.90% |
| 2001 | 36.30% | 27.90% | 28.90% | 9.00% |
| 2002 | 40.10% | 31.70% | 30.00% | 11.50% |
| 2003 | 44.70% | 36.00% | 32.30% | 12.20% |
| 2004 | 48.60% | 39.70% | 34.50% | 13.70% |
| 2005 | 51.50% | 41.80% | 34.90% | 12.20% |
| 2006 | 52.60% | 42.60% | 35.70% | 12.00% |
| 2007 | 53.70% | 43.60% | 37.80% | 11.80% |
| 2008 | 54.50% | 41.80% | 37.30% | 11.10% |
| 2009 | 58.00% | 47.00% | 39.80% | 14.10% |
| 2010 | 62.70% | 51.10% | 40.10% | 13.60% |
| 2011 | 62.60% | 49.60% | 38.60% | 10.60% |
| 2012 | 63.30% | 50.00% | 38.70% | 8.80% |
| 2013 | 64.00% | 51.20% | 38.80% | 9.80% |
| 2014 | 64.80% | 52.10% | 40.10% | 9.50% |
| 2015 | 66.40% | 54.90% | 43.80% | 10.90% |
| 2016 | 66.80% | 55.10% | 43.80% | 12.60% |
| 2017 | 68.30% | 56.20% | 45.30% | 13.50% |
| 2018 | 70.00% | 58.00% | 46.40% | 15.50% |
| 2019 | 72.00% | 59.70% | 48.40% | 16.30% |
Notes: Data are for all workers. Net productivity is the growth of output of goods and services minus depreciation, per hour worked. “Compensation” refers to total compensation, including wages and benefits.
Source: Author’s analysis of EPI Current Population Survey Extracts, Version 1.0 (2020), https://microdata.epi.org; unpublished Total Economy Productivity data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Labor Productivity and Costs program; and Bureau of Economic Analysis National Income and Product Accounts. For more detailed information, see the appendix of Bivens and Mishel, Understanding the Historic Divergence Between Productivity and a Typical Worker’s Pay (2015).