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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