Wage earner sample, hourly wage lower and upper limits, 1973–2019
| Year | CPI-U-RS, extended | Lower limit ($) | Upper limit ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 73.0 | 0.19 | 38.71 |
| 1974 | 80.3 | 0.21 | 42.58 |
| 1975 | 86.9 | 0.23 | 46.08 |
| 1976 | 91.9 | 0.24 | 48.73 |
| 1977 | 97.7 | 0.26 | 51.80 |
| 1978 | 104.4 | 0.28 | 55.36 |
| 1979 | 114.3 | 0.30 | 60.60 |
| 1980 | 127.1 | 0.34 | 67.39 |
| 1981 | 139.1 | 0.37 | 73.75 |
| 1982 | 147.5 | 0.39 | 78.21 |
| 1983 | 153.8 | 0.41 | 81.55 |
| 1984 | 160.2 | 0.42 | 84.94 |
| 1985 | 165.7 | 0.44 | 87.86 |
| 1986 | 168.6 | 0.45 | 89.40 |
| 1987 | 174.4 | 0.46 | 92.47 |
| 1988 | 180.7 | 0.48 | 95.81 |
| 1989 | 188.6 | 0.50 | 100.00 |
| 1990 | 197.9 | 0.52 | 104.93 |
| 1991 | 205.1 | 0.54 | 108.75 |
| 1992 | 210.2 | 0.56 | 111.45 |
| 1993 | 215.5 | 0.57 | 114.26 |
| 1994 | 220.0 | 0.58 | 116.65 |
| 1995 | 225.3 | 0.60 | 119.46 |
| 1996 | 231.3 | 0.61 | 122.64 |
| 1997 | 236.3 | 0.63 | 125.29 |
| 1998 | 239.5 | 0.63 | 126.99 |
| 1999 | 244.6 | 0.65 | 129.69 |
| 2000 | 252.9 | 0.67 | 134.09 |
| 2001 | 260.1 | 0.69 | 137.91 |
| 2002 | 264.2 | 0.70 | 140.08 |
| 2003 | 270.2 | 0.72 | 143.27 |
| 2004 | 277.5 | 0.74 | 147.14 |
| 2005 | 286.9 | 0.76 | 152.12 |
| 2006 | 296.2 | 0.79 | 157.05 |
| 2007 | 304.6 | 0.81 | 161.51 |
| 2008 | 316.3 | 0.84 | 167.71 |
| 2009 | 315.2 | 0.84 | 167.13 |
| 2010 | 320.4 | 0.85 | 169.88 |
| 2011 | 330.5 | 0.88 | 175.24 |
| 2012 | 337.5 | 0.89 | 178.95 |
| 2013 | 342.5 | 0.91 | 181.60 |
| 2014 | 348.3 | 0.92 | 184.68 |
| 2015 | 348.9 | 0.92 | 184.99 |
| 2016 | 353.4 | 0.94 | 187.38 |
| 2017 | 361.0 | 0.96 | 191.41 |
| 2018 | 369.8 | 0.98 | 196.08 |
| 2019 | 378.8 | 1.00 | 200.85 |
Source: EPI analysis of Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Group microdata