Figure A
The worker at the heart of the US labor market earns $18.95 an hour : Real median hourly wage, 1973–2018
| Date | Median (2018$) |
|---|---|
| 1973 | $17.58 |
| 1974 | $17.19 |
| 1975 | $17.14 |
| 1976 | $17.11 |
| 1977 | $17.17 |
| 1978 | $17.33 |
| 1979 | $17.12 |
| 1980 | $17.04 |
| 1981 | $16.58 |
| 1982 | $16.68 |
| 1983 | $16.66 |
| 1984 | $16.64 |
| 1985 | $16.74 |
| 1986 | $17.22 |
| 1987 | $17.07 |
| 1988 | $17.06 |
| 1989 | $17.01 |
| 1990 | $16.79 |
| 1991 | $16.88 |
| 1992 | $16.93 |
| 1993 | $17.01 |
| 1994 | $16.74 |
| 1995 | $16.50 |
| 1996 | $16.59 |
| 1997 | $17.01 |
| 1998 | $17.47 |
| 1999 | $17.99 |
| 2000 | $17.84 |
| 2001 | $18.31 |
| 2002 | $18.31 |
| 2003 | $18.59 |
| 2004 | $18.59 |
| 2005 | $18.43 |
| 2006 | $18.55 |
| 2007 | $18.24 |
| 2008 | $18.34 |
| 2009 | $18.70 |
| 2010 | $18.43 |
| 2011 | $17.93 |
| 2012 | $17.83 |
| 2013 | $17.97 |
| 2014 | $17.90 |
| 2015 | $18.13 |
| 2016 | $18.69 |
| 2017 | $18.73 |
| 2018 | $18.95 |
Note: 2018 median wage is projected based on data from first 10 months of 2018.
Source: EPI analysis of Current Population Survey data
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