Wage growth has been most stunted for the lowest-wage workers: Cumulative change in real hourly wages of workers, by wage percentile, 1979–2019
| Year | 10th | 50th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.0% |
| 1980 | -6.70% | -0.60% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | -8.10% | -1.70% | 0.8% |
| 1982 | -11.80% | -2.10% | 0.7% |
| 1983 | -14.70% | -1.90% | 2.4% |
| 1984 | -16.40% | -1.40% | 5.0% |
| 1985 | -17.50% | 0.10% | 2.9% |
| 1986 | -17.20% | 0.80% | 6.9% |
| 1987 | -17.30% | 1.90% | 8.6% |
| 1988 | -16.50% | 0.50% | 9.5% |
| 1989 | -17.10% | 0.30% | 7.7% |
| 1990 | -16.50% | 0.20% | 8.0% |
| 1991 | -15.10% | -0.60% | 9.7% |
| 1992 | -14.40% | 0.40% | 7.7% |
| 1993 | -13.10% | 1.90% | 8.5% |
| 1994 | -13.80% | 0.80% | 11.6% |
| 1995 | -14.70% | -0.60% | 10.8% |
| 1996 | -15.70% | -2.30% | 12.0% |
| 1997 | -13.20% | -0.30% | 13.6% |
| 1998 | -7.80% | 3.30% | 17.4% |
| 1999 | -6.10% | 5.90% | 18.9% |
| 2000 | -6.70% | 6.50% | 20.5% |
| 2001 | -3.80% | 8.20% | 24.6% |
| 2002 | -0.80% | 9.80% | 26.0% |
| 2003 | -1.20% | 9.90% | 25.9% |
| 2004 | -3.00% | 11.10% | 27.3% |
| 2005 | -5.30% | 9.50% | 26.4% |
| 2006 | -5.90% | 9.90% | 28.7% |
| 2007 | -4.30% | 10.10% | 29.6% |
| 2008 | -3.20% | 9.30% | 29.5% |
| 2009 | -2.40% | 11.70% | 33.7% |
| 2010 | -3.20% | 11.00% | 34.2% |
| 2011 | -5.70% | 8.20% | 31.6% |
| 2012 | -7.30% | 6.90% | 32.4% |
| 2013 | -6.70% | 7.40% | 33.4% |
| 2014 | -5.90% | 7.50% | 32.0% |
| 2015 | -1.40% | 9.30% | 37.4% |
| 2016 | -0.60% | 11.20% | 39.9% |
| 2017 | 3.50% | 12.20% | 42.9% |
| 2018 | 4.10% | 14.00% | 45.1% |
| 2019 | 3.30% | 15.10% | 44.3% |
Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. The xth-percentile wage is the wage at which x% of wage earners earn less and (100−x)% earn more.
Source: Economic Policy Institute Current Population Survey Extracts, Version 1.0.15 (2021), https://microdata.epi.org. Adapted from Figure A in Elise Gould and Jori Kandra, Wages Grew in 2020 Because the Bottom Fell Out of the Low-Wage Labor Market, Economic Policy Institute, February 2021.