All workers’ wages—regardless of gender or race—have failed to rise in tandem with productivity: Hourly median wage growth by gender and race, compared with economy-wide productivity growth, 1979–2015
| Year | White men | White women | Black men | Black women | Productivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1980 | -2.8% | -0.7% | -1.5% | -2.1% | -0.8% |
| 1981 | -4.4% | -2.3% | -1.9% | -0.2% | 1.4% |
| 1982 | -3.4% | -0.5% | -5.4% | -1.1% | -0.1% |
| 1983 | -4.9% | 0.7% | -6.2% | -2.7% | 2.9% |
| 1984 | -6.2% | 1.5% | -4.9% | -1.3% | 5.6% |
| 1985 | -2.2% | 2.2% | -7.4% | 1.4% | 7.3% |
| 1986 | -2.8% | 5.3% | -3.4% | 3.2% | 9.5% |
| 1987 | -5.2% | 7.7% | -5.2% | 2.9% | 10.1% |
| 1988 | -4.7% | 9.0% | -3.9% | 3.9% | 11.4% |
| 1989 | -5.1% | 8.0% | -7.8% | 6.1% | 12.3% |
| 1990 | -7.1% | 8.7% | -9.8% | 4.1% | 13.9% |
| 1991 | -7.0% | 9.3% | -10.0% | 5.5% | 14.8% |
| 1992 | -7.1% | 11.0% | -10.5% | 5.0% | 18.9% |
| 1993 | -8.5% | 12.1% | -10.2% | 7.2% | 19.3% |
| 1994 | -9.9% | 11.4% | -10.8% | 5.4% | 20.5% |
| 1995 | -9.1% | 11.7% | -11.4% | 3.9% | 20.5% |
| 1996 | -8.7% | 13.3% | -11.9% | 3.4% | 23.4% |
| 1997 | -6.6% | 14.0% | -9.0% | 5.9% | 25.2% |
| 1998 | -4.0% | 17.4% | -7.2% | 10.5% | 27.7% |
| 1999 | -1.0% | 20.8% | -1.9% | 10.8% | 30.7% |
| 2000 | -1.4% | 21.8% | -3.4% | 15.4% | 33.8% |
| 2001 | 0.6% | 24.7% | 0.6% | 13.5% | 35.9% |
| 2002 | 0.6% | 28.0% | 0.0% | 17.5% | 39.7% |
| 2003 | 1.8% | 29.1% | -0.9% | 20.0% | 44.2% |
| 2004 | 0.8% | 28.7% | 1.2% | 21.8% | 48.1% |
| 2005 | -1.0% | 29.4% | -4.2% | 14.7% | 50.7% |
| 2006 | -0.5% | 28.7% | -1.8% | 18.7% | 51.6% |
| 2007 | 1.1% | 29.1% | -2.6% | 16.4% | 52.6% |
| 2008 | 0.0% | 28.3% | -2.7% | 15.1% | 52.9% |
| 2009 | 3.5% | 31.1% | 0.6% | 20.2% | 56.0% |
| 2010 | 1.8% | 30.6% | -1.1% | 18.9% | 60.6% |
| 2011 | -1.8% | 29.7% | -5.4% | 15.6% | 60.8% |
| 2012 | -2.6% | 28.1% | -6.0% | 12.8% | 61.7% |
| 2013 | -3.8% | 29.5% | -4.1% | 15.4% | 62.2% |
| 2014 | -3.6% | 28.9% | -7.6% | 12.1% | 63.0% |
| 2015 | -1.0% | 31.6% | -5.7% | 15.2% | 63.9% |
Note: Race/ethnicity categories are mutually exclusive (i.e., white non-Hispanic, black non-Hispanic, and Hispanic any race).
Source: EPI analysis of unpublished Total Economy Productivity data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Labor Productivity and Costs program, and Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Group microdata