Consistent positive wage growth has occurred in only 10 of the last 40 years: Cumulative change in real median wages, 1979–2019, and annualized change over specified periods
| 50th percentile | 50th percentile | 50th percentile | 50th percentile | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0.00% | |||
| 1980 | -0.60% | |||
| 1981 | -1.70% | |||
| 1982 | -2.10% | |||
| 1983 | -1.90% | |||
| 1984 | -1.40% | |||
| 1985 | 0.10% | |||
| 1986 | 0.80% | |||
| 1987 | 1.90% | |||
| 1988 | 0.50% | |||
| 1989 | 0.30% | |||
| 1990 | 0.20% | |||
| 1991 | -0.60% | |||
| 1992 | 0.40% | |||
| 1993 | 1.90% | |||
| 1994 | 0.80% | |||
| 1995 | -0.60% | |||
| 1996 | -2.30% | -2.30% | ||
| 1997 | -0.30% | |||
| 1998 | 3.30% | |||
| 1999 | 5.90% | |||
| 2000 | 6.50% | |||
| 2001 | 8.20% | 8.20% | ||
| 2002 | 9.80% | |||
| 2003 | 9.90% | |||
| 2004 | 11.10% | |||
| 2005 | 9.50% | |||
| 2006 | 9.90% | |||
| 2007 | 10.10% | |||
| 2008 | 9.30% | |||
| 2009 | 11.70% | |||
| 2010 | 11.00% | |||
| 2011 | 8.20% | |||
| 2012 | 6.90% | |||
| 2013 | 7.40% | |||
| 2014 | 7.50% | 7.50% | ||
| 2015 | 9.30% | |||
| 2016 | 11.20% | |||
| 2017 | 12.20% | |||
| 2018 | 14.0% | |||
| 2019 | 15.1% |
| Years | Real median hourly wage growth |
|---|---|
| 1979-1996 | -0.1% |
| 1996-2001 | 2.0% |
| 2001-2014 | 0.0% |
| 2014-2019 | 1.4% |
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: Author’s analysis of EPI Current Population Survey Extracts, Version 1.0 (2020), https://microdata.epi.org