Using publicly available pay and productivity data obscures rising inequality: Nonfarm business productivity and hourly compensation, 1948–2022
| Year | NFB productivity | Average hourly compensation, NFB (index) |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 46.70 | 49.82 |
| 1949 | 48.18 | 51.90 |
| 1950 | 51.41 | 54.33 |
| 1951 | 52.72 | 54.74 |
| 1952 | 53.73 | 56.67 |
| 1953 | 55.05 | 59.38 |
| 1954 | 56.12 | 60.80 |
| 1955 | 58.52 | 63.27 |
| 1956 | 58.18 | 66.13 |
| 1957 | 59.67 | 67.72 |
| 1958 | 61.05 | 68.43 |
| 1959 | 63.21 | 70.60 |
| 1960 | 63.94 | 72.38 |
| 1961 | 66.04 | 74.04 |
| 1962 | 69.03 | 76.23 |
| 1963 | 71.38 | 77.81 |
| 1964 | 73.25 | 78.98 |
| 1965 | 75.59 | 80.32 |
| 1966 | 78.31 | 82.72 |
| 1967 | 79.77 | 84.91 |
| 1968 | 82.55 | 87.63 |
| 1969 | 82.69 | 88.77 |
| 1970 | 83.87 | 89.76 |
| 1971 | 87.16 | 91.25 |
| 1972 | 90.18 | 94.18 |
| 1973 | 92.95 | 95.43 |
| 1974 | 91.40 | 94.04 |
| 1975 | 93.86 | 95.18 |
| 1976 | 97.12 | 96.99 |
| 1977 | 98.80 | 98.55 |
| 1978 | 100.22 | 99.98 |
| 1979 | 100.00 | 100.00 |
| 1980 | 99.96 | 99.57 |
| 1981 | 101.41 | 99.71 |
| 1982 | 100.58 | 100.88 |
| 1983 | 104.71 | 101.07 |
| 1984 | 107.05 | 101.21 |
| 1985 | 108.90 | 102.67 |
| 1986 | 112.14 | 106.78 |
| 1987 | 112.75 | 107.17 |
| 1988 | 114.60 | 108.68 |
| 1989 | 115.62 | 107.19 |
| 1990 | 117.58 | 108.26 |
| 1991 | 119.50 | 109.42 |
| 1992 | 124.84 | 113.39 |
| 1993 | 124.98 | 111.95 |
| 1994 | 125.84 | 110.73 |
| 1995 | 127.20 | 110.80 |
| 1996 | 129.86 | 111.64 |
| 1997 | 132.37 | 113.53 |
| 1998 | 136.81 | 118.49 |
| 1999 | 142.16 | 121.44 |
| 2000 | 146.41 | 125.69 |
| 2001 | 150.18 | 127.51 |
| 2002 | 156.61 | 128.41 |
| 2003 | 162.40 | 130.24 |
| 2004 | 167.22 | 132.63 |
| 2005 | 170.87 | 132.95 |
| 2006 | 172.58 | 133.73 |
| 2007 | 175.29 | 135.65 |
| 2008 | 178.03 | 134.80 |
| 2009 | 184.99 | 136.99 |
| 2010 | 191.23 | 137.29 |
| 2011 | 190.86 | 135.63 |
| 2012 | 192.26 | 135.97 |
| 2013 | 193.85 | 135.63 |
| 2014 | 195.50 | 136.92 |
| 2015 | 198.26 | 140.92 |
| 2016 | 199.64 | 140.99 |
| 2017 | 202.23 | 142.78 |
| 2018 | 205.01 | 144.07 |
| 2019 | 209.67 | 147.02 |
| 2020 | 220.50 | 156.94 |
| 2021 | 224.18 | 156.97 |
| 2022 | 220.03 | 150.53 |
Note: Both lines are indices set to 100 in 1979.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics nonfarm business sector productivity and costs data.