Pay for most nonunion workers has stagnated: Cumulative change in annual median wages of nonunion workers in the private sector, by gender, 1979–2013
Men
| Year | All nonunion | High school diploma or less | Non–college graduate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1980 | -6.62 | -3.80 | -3.83 |
| 1981 | -8.09 | -2.30 | -6.63 |
| 1982 | -9.07 | -5.21 | -7.13 |
| 1983 | -10.04 | -8.11 | -7.63 |
| 1984 | -8.65 | -6.54 | -5.79 |
| 1985 | -5.60 | -7.99 | -7.99 |
| 1986 | -5.15 | -5.15 | -6.66 |
| 1987 | -5.69 | -6.44 | -6.86 |
| 1988 | -5.29 | -9.20 | -8.80 |
| 1989 | -3.01 | -7.63 | -8.40 |
| 1990 | -7.70 | -10.72 | -10.27 |
| 1991 | -10.93 | -9.87 | -10.93 |
| 1992 | -13.11 | -12.07 | -13.11 |
| 1993 | -10.93 | -11.64 | -11.64 |
| 1994 | -8.68 | -9.41 | -10.77 |
| 1995 | -6.43 | -7.18 | -9.90 |
| 1996 | -7.11 | -10.59 | -12.16 |
| 1997 | -7.05 | -7.93 | -9.77 |
| 1998 | -4.71 | -9.25 | -6.83 |
| 1999 | -0.97 | -6.57 | -4.18 |
| 2000 | 0.82 | -7.46 | -3.58 |
| 2001 | 1.52 | -5.83 | -2.34 |
| 2002 | 3.17 | -5.23 | -3.86 |
| 2003 | 1.47 | -5.38 | -4.95 |
| 2004 | -1.16 | -5.87 | -4.82 |
| 2005 | -1.16 | -8.29 | -4.34 |
| 2006 | -1.27 | -8.17 | -5.06 |
| 2007 | -1.29 | -9.34 | -3.93 |
| 2008 | -1.68 | -9.80 | -6.82 |
| 2009 | -0.44 | -9.76 | -6.52 |
| 2010 | -3.44 | -12.07 | -8.50 |
| 2011 | -4.26 | -14.38 | -11.35 |
| 2012 | -2.44 | -11.28 | -9.67 |
| 2013 | -3.81 | -12.52 | -10.93 |
Women
| Year | All nonunion | High school diploma or less | Non–college graduate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1980 | 0.01 | -3.03 | 0.42 |
| 1981 | 0.76 | -2.62 | -0.12 |
| 1982 | 1.58 | -1.83 | -1.23 |
| 1983 | 2.41 | -1.04 | -2.34 |
| 1984 | 1.63 | -4.84 | -1.40 |
| 1985 | 4.82 | -5.23 | 2.15 |
| 1986 | 7.20 | -0.64 | 6.08 |
| 1987 | 6.53 | -1.76 | 3.41 |
| 1988 | 8.69 | 1.02 | 3.85 |
| 1989 | 7.42 | -3.01 | 3.69 |
| 1990 | 9.53 | -3.86 | 3.99 |
| 1991 | 7.11 | -3.51 | 3.64 |
| 1992 | 9.99 | -2.24 | 7.19 |
| 1993 | 9.05 | -1.04 | 4.64 |
| 1994 | 10.66 | -1.79 | 5.67 |
| 1995 | 12.27 | -2.53 | 6.70 |
| 1996 | 12.58 | -1.97 | 4.02 |
| 1997 | 12.82 | -3.33 | 5.58 |
| 1998 | 15.98 | 1.65 | 9.34 |
| 1999 | 18.26 | 0.61 | 10.64 |
| 2000 | 20.14 | 2.44 | 12.99 |
| 2001 | 22.83 | 3.13 | 15.65 |
| 2002 | 25.96 | 6.14 | 13.85 |
| 2003 | 28.44 | 7.11 | 16.82 |
| 2004 | 25.31 | 5.60 | 16.51 |
| 2005 | 26.13 | 5.22 | 15.37 |
| 2006 | 24.49 | 2.85 | 14.18 |
| 2007 | 23.51 | 0.07 | 13.95 |
| 2008 | 28.12 | 1.21 | 14.15 |
| 2009 | 28.53 | 2.28 | 14.70 |
| 2010 | 27.38 | -0.09 | 12.69 |
| 2011 | 26.25 | 1.07 | 10.64 |
| 2012 | 24.35 | -3.44 | 9.65 |
| 2013 | 26.84 | -2.03 | 9.87 |
Notes: Sample restricted to nonunion full-time workers in the private sector ages 16 to 64. Wages are measured in 2013 dollars. See the text and Methodological Appendix for details on the analysis.
Source: Authors’ compilations from the Current Population Survey (CPS) May Supplement microdata and CPS Outgoing Rotation Group microdata.