Figure A
Bottom wage growth is too low!: Cumulative percent change in real annual wages, by wage group, 1979–2020
| Year | Bottom 90% | 90th–95th | 95th–99th | Top 1% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 1980 | -2.20% | -1.30% | -0.20% | 3.40% |
| 1981 | -2.60% | -1.10% | -0.10% | 3.10% |
| 1982 | -3.90% | -0.90% | 2.20% | 9.50% |
| 1983 | -3.70% | 0.70% | 3.60% | 13.60% |
| 1984 | -1.80% | 2.50% | 6.00% | 20.70% |
| 1985 | -1.00% | 4.00% | 8.10% | 23.00% |
| 1986 | 1.10% | 6.40% | 12.50% | 32.60% |
| 1987 | 2.10% | 7.40% | 15.00% | 53.50% |
| 1988 | 2.20% | 8.20% | 18.40% | 68.70% |
| 1989 | 1.80% | 8.10% | 18.20% | 63.30% |
| 1990 | 1.10% | 7.10% | 16.50% | 64.80% |
| 1991 | 0.00% | 6.90% | 15.50% | 53.60% |
| 1992 | 1.50% | 9.00% | 19.20% | 74.30% |
| 1993 | 0.90% | 9.20% | 20.60% | 67.90% |
| 1994 | 2.00% | 11.20% | 21.00% | 63.40% |
| 1995 | 2.80% | 12.20% | 24.10% | 70.20% |
| 1996 | 4.10% | 13.60% | 27.00% | 79.00% |
| 1997 | 7.00% | 16.90% | 32.30% | 100.60% |
| 1998 | 11.00% | 21.30% | 38.20% | 113.10% |
| 1999 | 13.20% | 25.00% | 42.90% | 129.70% |
| 2000 | 15.30% | 26.80% | 48.00% | 144.80% |
| 2001 | 15.70% | 29.00% | 46.40% | 130.40% |
| 2002 | 15.60% | 29.00% | 43.20% | 109.30% |
| 2003 | 15.70% | 30.30% | 44.90% | 113.90% |
| 2004 | 15.60% | 30.80% | 47.10% | 127.20% |
| 2005 | 11.00% | 26.20% | 43.50% | 127.10% |
| 2006 | 11.60% | 27.80% | 46.70% | 134.80% |
| 2007 | 16.7% | 34.1% | 55.4% | 156.2% |
| 2008 | 11.90% | 29.40% | 48.30% | 129.00% |
| 2009 | 16.00% | 35.30% | 53.50% | 116.20% |
| 2010 | 15.20% | 35.70% | 55.70% | 130.80% |
| 2011 | 14.50% | 36.20% | 56.90% | 134.00% |
| 2012 | 14.60% | 36.30% | 58.30% | 148.30% |
| 2013 | 15.10% | 37.10% | 59.40% | 137.50% |
| 2014 | 16.60% | 38.70% | 62.30% | 149.00% |
| 2015 | 20.50% | 43.10% | 67.90% | 156.20% |
| 2016 | 21.00% | 43.50% | 68.10% | 148.10% |
| 2017 | 22.20% | 44.20% | 69.30% | 157.30% |
| 2018 | 23.90% | 45.70% | 71.30% | 157.80% |
| 2019 | 26.00% | 51.80% | 75.10% | 160.30% |
| 2020 | 28.20% | 53.90% | 83.10% | 179.30% |
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