In March 2025, inflation amounted to 2.4 percent, while wages grew by 4.3 percent. The inflation rate has not exceeded the rate of wage growth since January 2023. Inflation in 2022 The high rates of inflation in 2022 meant that the real terms value of American wages took a hit. Many Americans report feelings of concern over the economy and a worsening of their financial situation. The inflation situation in the United States is one that was experienced globally in 2022, mainly due to COVID-19 related supply chain constraints and disruption due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The monthly inflation rate for the U.S. reached a 40-year high in June 2022 at 9.1 percent, and annual inflation for 2022 reached eight percent. Without appropriate wage increases, Americans will continue to see a decline in their purchasing power. Wages in the U.S. Despite the level of wage growth reaching 6.7 percent in the summer of 2022, it has not been enough to curb the impact of even higher inflation rates. The federally mandated minimum wage in the United States has not increased since 2009, meaning that individuals working minimum wage jobs have taken a real terms pay cut for the last twelve years. There are discrepancies between states - the minimum wage in California can be as high as 15.50 U.S. dollars per hour, while a business in Oklahoma may be as low as two U.S. dollars per hour. However, even the higher wage rates in states like California and Washington may be lacking - one analysis found that if minimum wage had kept up with productivity, the minimum hourly wage in the U.S. should have been 22.88 dollars per hour in 2021. Additionally, the impact of decreased purchasing power due to inflation will impact different parts of society in different ways with stark contrast in average wages due to both gender and race.

Wages in the United States increased to 31.46 USD/Hour in August from 31.34 USD/Hour in July of 2025. This dataset provides - United States Average Hourly Wages - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The graph presents the median monthly salary in the United States from 2000 to 2025. The x-axis represents the years, labeled from '00 to '25*, while the y-axis shows the salary amounts in U.S. dollars per month. Throughout this twenty-five-year period, the median monthly salary consistently increased from $2491.67 in 2000 to $5195.67 in 2025. The data highlights a steady upward trend, with annual salaries rising each year without any declines. Notably, the salary grew by approximately $200 each year from 2000 to 2019, surged to $4265.08 in 2020, and continued to climb each subsequent year, reaching $5023.42 by 2024. This consistent growth reflects economic advancements and potential increases in workforce compensation over the decade. The information is depicted in a line graph format, effectively illustrating the continuous rise in median monthly salaries across the specified years.

During the first quarter of 2025, the real hourly compensation in the manufacturing sector in the United States increased by 2.1 percent from the previous quarter. The data are seasonally adjusted at annual rates. Labor compensation includes accrued wages and salaries, supplements, employer contributions to employee benefit plans, and taxes.

Hourly wages in the United States are broken into different percentiles to show the hourly earnings of White, Black, and Latino renters in the different percentiles. White workers in all earning percentiles had a higher wage than Black or Latino people. Considering that the housing wages for one- and two-bedroom housing were 28.17 and 33.63 U.S. dollars, respectively, not all earners in the 70th percentile and lower could afford housing. In fact, only white renters in the 60th could afford a one-bedroom apartment that year. Moreover, while only Black renters in the 70th percentile could afford one-bedroom housing, white renters were able to afford both. However, for a Latino worker making a wage at the 70th percentile, even a one-bedroom unit was not affordable.

Asian households measured the highest median household income among racial and ethnic groups in the United States. In 2024, Asian household incomes reached a median of 121,700 U.S. dollars. On the other hand, Black households had the lowest median income of 56,020 U.S. dollars. Overall, median household incomes in the United States stood at 83,730 U.S. dollars that year.Asian and Caucasian (white not Hispanic) households had relatively high median incomes, while the median income of Hispanic, African American, American Indian, and Alaskan Native households all came in lower than the national median. A number of related statistics illustrate further the current state of racial inequality in the United States. Unemployment is highest among Black or African American individuals in the U.S. nearing nine percent unemployed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2024. Hispanic individuals (of any race) were most likely to go without health insurance as of 2024.

This dataset provides values for WAGES IN MANUFACTURING reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Graph and download economic data for State Minimum Wage Rate for U.S. Virgin Islands (STTMINWGVI) from 1979 to 2025 about minimum wage, wages, rate, and USA.

This dataset provides values for WAGE GROWTH reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Graph and download economic data for Employed full time: Median usual weekly nominal earnings (second quartile): Wage and salary workers: 16 years and over: Black or African American: Women (LEU0252885100Q) from Q1 2000 to Q2 2025 about second quartile, African-American, full-time, females, salaries, workers, earnings, 16 years +, wages, median, employment, and USA.

A survey carried out in 2025 revealed that Mexico had the lowest score of gender wage equality for similar work among 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries surveyed. Mexico scored 0.51 points of a maximum of one, a grade that would represent perfect equality.The indicator is based on the perceptions of wage equality in each country. Respondents were asked to which extent, in a scale from one to seven, wages for women are equal to those of men. The answers were then converted into a females to males ratio, where zero represents the worst possible level of inequality and one, perfect equality. Based on the estimated earned income per capita, Guatemala had the worst gender pay gap in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Comprehensive dataset of minimum wage rates, overtime rules, and labor law exceptions for all U.S. states and territories for 2025.

This data package includes the underlying data to replicate the charts, tables, and calculations presented in US wage patterns during and after the pandemic: Insights from a novel data source, PIIE Working Paper 25-5.

If you use the data, please cite as:

Nezaj, Jeff, Nela Richardson, and Liv Wang. 2025. US wage patterns during and after the pandemic: Insights from a novel data source. PIIE Working Paper 25-5. Washington: Peterson Institute for International Economics.

. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides Average Weekly Earnings in USD. Monthly Earnings include Private Non Agricultural sector only.


Further information about United States Monthly Earnings

• In the latest reports, US Population reached 341 million people in Dec 2024
• Unemployment Rate of US increased to 4 % in Sep 2025
• The country's Labour Force Participation Rate remained the same rate at 62 % in Sep 2025

Actual value and historical data chart for North America Wage And Salary Workers Male Percent Of Males Employed

Graph and download economic data for Federal Minimum Wage Rate under the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (STTMINWGFG) from 1968 to 2025 about minimum wage, federal, wages, labor, rate, and USA.

This dataset provides values for LIVING WAGE FAMILY reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

In August 2025, the average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls in the United States stood at 36.53 U.S. dollars. The data have been seasonally adjusted. Employed persons are employees on nonfarm payrolls and consist of: persons who did any work for pay or profit during the survey reference week; persons who did at least 15 hours of unpaid work in a family-operated enterprise; and persons who were temporarily absent from their regular jobs because of illness, vacation, bad weather, industrial dispute, or various personal reasons.

Graph and download economic data for Employed full time: Wage and salary workers: 25 years and over: Black or African American (LEU0253204600Q) from Q1 2000 to Q2 2025 about African-American, 25 years +, full-time, salaries, workers, wages, employment, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Employment Cost Index: Wages and Salaries: Private Industry Workers (ECIWAG) from Q1 2001 to Q2 2025 about cost, ECI, salaries, workers, private industries, wages, private, employment, industry, inflation, indexes, and USA.