High-wage earners pull away while the vast majority only saw real wage gains in the late 1990s: Cumulative percent change in real hourly wages, by wage percentile, 1979–2016
| Year | 10th | 30th | 50th | 70th | 90th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1980 | -5.6% | -1.9% | -0.5% | -2.1% | -1.1% | -1.2% |
| 1981 | -7.4% | -3.2% | -3.1% | -2.4% | -0.9% | -1.6% |
| 1982 | -10.5% | -4.0% | -2.5% | -2.5% | -0.2% | 0.9% |
| 1983 | -13.2% | -6.6% | -2.8% | -1.3% | 1.1% | 3.5% |
| 1984 | -14.7% | -8.1% | -2.8% | -1.8% | 3.1% | 5.0% |
| 1985 | -15.3% | -6.0% | -2.2% | -3.4% | 1.8% | 6.6% |
| 1986 | -14.3% | -3.7% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 5.4% | 8.0% |
| 1987 | -14.6% | -2.7% | -0.2% | 0.4% | 7.1% | 7.9% |
| 1988 | -15.1% | -3.8% | -0.3% | 0.7% | 7.5% | 10.7% |
| 1989 | -15.1% | -4.7% | -0.6% | 0.4% | 6.2% | 8.1% |
| 1990 | -14.3% | -5.2% | -1.9% | -0.8% | 7.0% | 9.7% |
| 1991 | -13.3% | -3.8% | -1.3% | -1.7% | 7.6% | 10.7% |
| 1992 | -11.8% | -5.0% | -1.0% | -1.7% | 5.6% | 8.5% |
| 1993 | -12.7% | -5.8% | -0.6% | -0.1% | 7.5% | 6.6% |
| 1994 | -13.7% | -6.7% | -2.2% | 0.0% | 10.0% | 12.4% |
| 1995 | -14.5% | -5.5% | -3.5% | 0.4% | 9.7% | 12.9% |
| 1996 | -15.0% | -5.4% | -3.1% | 0.2% | 10.0% | 13.2% |
| 1997 | -11.4% | -3.5% | -0.7% | 0.4% | 12.0% | 14.9% |
| 1998 | -6.1% | -1.0% | 2.1% | 3.9% | 15.2% | 18.7% |
| 1999 | -5.7% | 2.7% | 5.1% | 6.0% | 17.5% | 21.9% |
| 2000 | -4.0% | 2.6% | 4.2% | 6.6% | 19.0% | 25.0% |
| 2001 | -1.2% | 5.6% | 6.9% | 8.8% | 22.3% | 27.2% |
| 2002 | -0.1% | 7.4% | 6.9% | 10.4% | 25.0% | 32.3% |
| 2003 | -1.2% | 5.9% | 8.7% | 11.7% | 25.2% | 30.1% |
| 2004 | -2.9% | 3.7% | 8.6% | 9.9% | 25.0% | 31.4% |
| 2005 | -4.6% | 1.0% | 7.7% | 9.6% | 25.0% | 32.0% |
| 2006 | -3.7% | 2.9% | 8.4% | 8.2% | 26.5% | 32.9% |
| 2007 | -1.7% | 3.7% | 6.5% | 10.3% | 27.2% | 35.7% |
| 2008 | -3.6% | 4.2% | 7.1% | 10.1% | 27.7% | 36.5% |
| 2009 | -2.9% | 5.2% | 9.2% | 13.2% | 31.5% | 38.9% |
| 2010 | -3.9% | 3.6% | 7.7% | 12.8% | 31.8% | 37.5% |
| 2011 | -6.3% | 1.7% | 4.8% | 9.8% | 28.8% | 36.4% |
| 2012 | -7.3% | 1.1% | 4.2% | 9.9% | 29.8% | 38.3% |
| 2013 | -6.3% | 0.1% | 5.0% | 10.3% | 30.7% | 40.2% |
| 2014 | -5.6% | -0.8% | 4.6% | 9.1% | 29.4% | 39.1% |
| 2015 | -2.0% | 1.9% | 5.9% | 12.8% | 34.5% | 47.1% |
| 2016 | 0.9% | 4.8% | 9.2% | 12.3% | 37.6% | 49.6% |
Note: Sample based on all workers age 18–64. 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
Previous chart: « ‘Whole-child’ case study initiatives, by service area
Next chart: Payroll employment growth in perspective: Monthly employment growth under various scenarios, July 2017 »