High-wage earners have continued to pull away from everyone else since 2000: Cumulative percent change in real hourly wages, by wage percentile, 2000–2018
| year | 10th | 50th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2001 | 3.1% | 1.5% | 1.7% |
| 2002 | 6.3% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| 2003 | 5.9% | 3.1% | 4.5% |
| 2004 | 4.0% | 4.3% | 5.5% |
| 2005 | 1.5% | 2.7% | 5.7% |
| 2006 | 0.9% | 3.1% | 6.7% |
| 2007 | 2.6% | 3.3% | 8.5% |
| 2008 | 3.8% | 2.5% | 9.1% |
| 2009 | 4.7% | 4.8% | 11.6% |
| 2010 | 3.8% | 4.2% | 11.0% |
| 2011 | 1.1% | 1.6% | 10.0% |
| 2012 | -0.6% | 0.3% | 11.3% |
| 2013 | 0.0% | 0.8% | 13.2% |
| 2014 | 0.9% | 0.9% | 11.6% |
| 2015 | 5.7% | 2.5% | 18.8% |
| 2016 | 6.6% | 4.4% | 20.0% |
| 2017 | 11.0% | 5.3% | 21.7% |
| 2018 | 11.6% | 7.0% | 25.1% |
Notes: Sample based on all workers ages 16 and older. The xth-percentile wage is the wage at which x% of wage earners earn less and (100−x)% earn more.
Source: EPI analysis of Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Group microdata from the U.S. Census Bureau