Using publicly available pay and productivity data obscures rising inequality: Nonfarm business productivity and hourly compensation, 1948–2019
| Year | Average hourly compensation, NFB (index) | NFB productivity |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 49.72 | 46.45 |
| 1949 | 51.69 | 47.94 |
| 1950 | 54.13 | 51.11 |
| 1951 | 54.53 | 52.45 |
| 1952 | 56.25 | 53.44 |
| 1953 | 58.95 | 54.75 |
| 1954 | 60.62 | 55.83 |
| 1955 | 62.98 | 58.21 |
| 1956 | 65.85 | 57.88 |
| 1957 | 67.40 | 59.37 |
| 1958 | 68.20 | 60.74 |
| 1959 | 70.17 | 62.88 |
| 1960 | 72.13 | 63.63 |
| 1961 | 73.73 | 65.71 |
| 1962 | 75.79 | 68.70 |
| 1963 | 77.41 | 71.04 |
| 1964 | 78.73 | 73.05 |
| 1965 | 80.08 | 75.38 |
| 1966 | 82.35 | 78.10 |
| 1967 | 84.79 | 79.58 |
| 1968 | 87.46 | 82.37 |
| 1969 | 88.63 | 82.53 |
| 1970 | 89.56 | 83.75 |
| 1971 | 91.18 | 87.04 |
| 1972 | 94.03 | 90.07 |
| 1973 | 95.25 | 92.84 |
| 1974 | 93.95 | 91.32 |
| 1975 | 95.11 | 93.83 |
| 1976 | 96.89 | 97.11 |
| 1977 | 98.45 | 98.78 |
| 1978 | 99.90 | 100.14 |
| 1979 | 100.00 | 100.00 |
| 1980 | 99.70 | 99.98 |
| 1981 | 99.77 | 101.46 |
| 1982 | 101.01 | 100.68 |
| 1983 | 101.23 | 104.76 |
| 1984 | 101.30 | 107.11 |
| 1985 | 102.76 | 108.99 |
| 1986 | 106.75 | 112.25 |
| 1987 | 107.22 | 112.89 |
| 1988 | 108.75 | 114.74 |
| 1989 | 107.28 | 115.79 |
| 1990 | 108.36 | 117.77 |
| 1991 | 109.58 | 119.70 |
| 1992 | 113.51 | 125.07 |
| 1993 | 112.12 | 125.21 |
| 1994 | 110.89 | 126.09 |
| 1995 | 110.98 | 127.47 |
| 1996 | 111.81 | 130.16 |
| 1997 | 113.70 | 132.68 |
| 1998 | 118.68 | 136.76 |
| 1999 | 121.65 | 141.97 |
| 2000 | 125.91 | 146.70 |
| 2001 | 127.81 | 150.70 |
| 2002 | 128.70 | 157.23 |
| 2003 | 130.51 | 163.21 |
| 2004 | 132.89 | 167.91 |
| 2005 | 133.26 | 171.59 |
| 2006 | 134.05 | 173.44 |
| 2007 | 135.99 | 176.48 |
| 2008 | 134.76 | 178.51 |
| 2009 | 136.43 | 184.82 |
| 2010 | 136.75 | 191.12 |
| 2011 | 135.53 | 191.12 |
| 2012 | 136.24 | 192.74 |
| 2013 | 135.94 | 193.71 |
| 2014 | 137.47 | 195.36 |
| 2015 | 141.53 | 198.41 |
| 2016 | 141.24 | 199.15 |
| 2017 | 143.14 | 201.58 |
| 2018 | 144.41 | 204.50 |
| 2019 | 147.04 | 208.09 |
Note: Both lines are indices set to 100 in 1979.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics nonfarm business sector productivity and costs data.