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.

In 2023, the usual median hourly rate of a worker's wage in the United States was 19.24 U.S. dollars, a decrease from the previous year. Dollar value is based on 2023 U.S. dollars. In 1979, the median hourly earnings in the U.S. was 17.48 dollars.

Average weekly earnings for the whole economy, for total and regular pay, in real terms (adjusted for consumer price inflation), UK, monthly, seasonally adjusted.

Wages in the United States increased 4.72 percent in May of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States Wages and Salaries Growth - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Graph and download economic data for Employed full time: Median usual weekly real earnings: Wage and salary workers: 16 years and over (LES1252881600Q) from Q1 1979 to Q1 2025 about full-time, salaries, workers, earnings, 16 years +, wages, median, real, employment, and USA.

When adjusted for inflation, the 2024 federal minimum wage in the United States is over 40 percent lower than the minimum wage in 1970. Although the real dollar minimum wage in 1970 was only 1.60 U.S. dollars, when expressed in nominal 2024 dollars this increases to 13.05 U.S. dollars. This is a significant difference from the federal minimum wage in 2024 of 7.25 U.S. dollars.

Graph and download economic data for Consumer Price Index for All Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers: Medical Care Services in U.S. City Average (CWUR0000SAM2) from Mar 1935 to May 2025 about clerical workers, medical, urban, wages, services, CPI, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

In 2023, the usual median hourly rate of a male worker's wage in the U.S. was 20.16 U.S. dollars. Dollar value is based on 2023 U.S. dollars. This is a decrease from the previous year, when men's median hourly wage was 20.52 2023 U.S. dollars. The median hourly earnings of men in the U.S. not adjusted for inflation can be found here.

In the three months to April 2025, average weekly earnings in the United Kingdom grew by 5.2 percent, while pay including bonuses grew by 5.3 percent, when compared with the same period leading to April 2024. In the same month, the inflation rate for the Consumer Price Index was 3.5 percent, indicating that wages were rising faster than prices that month. Average salaries in the UK In 2024, the average salary for full-time workers in the UK was 37,430 British pounds a year, up from 34,963 in the previous year. In London, the average annual salary was far higher than the rest of the country, at 47,455 pounds per year, compared with just 32,960 in North East England. There also still exists a noticeable gender pay gap in the UK, which was seven percent for full-time workers in 2024, down from 7.5 percent in 2023. Lastly, the monthly earnings of the top one percent in the UK was 15,887 pounds as of November 2024, far higher than even that of the average for the top five percent, who earned 7,641 pounds per month, while pay for the lowest 10 percent of earners was just 805 pounds per month. Waves of industrial action in the UK One of the main consequences of high inflation and low wage growth throughout 2022 and 2023 was an increase in industrial action in the UK. In December 2022, for example, there were approximately 830,000 working days lost due to labor disputes. Throughout this month, workers across various industry sectors were involved in industrial disputes, such as nurses, train drivers, and driving instructors. Many of the workers who took part in strikes were part of the UK's public sector, which saw far weaker wage growth than that of the private sector throughout 2022. Widespread industrial action continued into 2023, with approximately 303,000 workers involved in industrial disputes in March 2023. There was far less industrial action by 2024, however, due to settlements in many of the disputes, although some are ongoing as of 2025.

In 2023, the median usual weekly earnings of a white full-time employee in the United States amounted to 1,138 U.S. dollars. Dollar value is based on 2023 U.S. dollars. Unadjusted median wages for white workers in the U.S. can be found here.

In 2023, the median usual weekly earnings of an African American full-time employee in the United States amounted to 920 U.S. dollars. Dollar value is based on 2023 U.S. dollars. In 1979, the median weekly earnings of African American full-time employees was 783 constant 2023 U.S. dollars. Median weekly earnings of Black and African Americans not adjusted for inflation can be found here.

Wages In the Euro Area increased 3.40 percent in March of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Euro Area Wage Growth - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Graph and download economic data for Consumer Price Index for All Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers: Miscellaneous Personal Services in U.S. City Average (CWSR0000SEGD) from Jan 1990 to May 2025 about clerical workers, miscellaneous, urban, wages, services, CPI, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

Wages in Germany increased 2.50 percent in December of 2024 over the same month in the previous year. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Germany Wage Growth - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

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.

In 2023, the median weekly earnings of a full-time employee in the United States of America was ***** U.S. dollars, an increase from 2022. Dollar value is based on constant 2023 U.S. dollars. In 1979, the median weekly earnings of a full-time employee was *** constant 2023 U.S. dollars. Median weekly earnings not adjusted for inflation can be found here.

Wages in Hungary increased 9.80 percent in April of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. This dataset provides - Hungary Wage Growth- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Real wage development refers to the inflation-adjusted growth in wages, indicating the amount of goods and services individuals can purchase compared to the previous year. Over the observed period, the highest growth rate of real wages in Hungary was recorded in 2024, marking a 7.3 percent increase compared to the preceding year. Changes in consumer prices  Hungary has recorded peaking inflation rates over the past years, surpassing all EU countries. The change in consumer prices affected different commodity groups to a varying extent. As of August 2023, electricity, gas, and other fuels, as well as other goods such as motor fuels and lubricants, recorded the highest inflation rates, reaching a year-over-year price increase of 35 percent and 20 percent, respectively. Over the same period, food prices increased by 19.5 percent in the country. How large is the gender pay gap in Hungary?  The gender wage gap is the difference between the average gross hourly earnings of men and women across all sectors. Despite the significant steps taken toward achieving gender equality, there is still a major difference between the hourly earnings of Hungarian men and women. In 2022, men earned 17.5 percent more than women working in Hungary, which represented a significantly larger gender pay gap than the average of the European Union.

In 2023, the usual median hourly rate of a female worker's wage in the United States was 18.11 U.S. dollars. Dollar value is based on 2023 U.S. dollars. This is a slight increase from the previous year, when women's median hourly wage was 17.9 constant 2023 U.S. dollars. The median hourly earnings of women in the U.S. not adjusted for inflation can be accessed here.

Wages for regular pay in the United Kingdom grew by approximately 5.2 percent in April 2025, although when adjusted for inflation, wages for regular pay only grew in real terms by 1.4 percent. Twenty months of inflation outpacing wages Between November 2021 and June 2023 inflation was higher than wage growth in the UK, resulting in falling real terms earnings throughout this 20-month period. While UK inflation peaked at 11.1 percent in October 2022, it was not until April 2023 that it fell below double figures, and not until May 2024 that it reached the Bank of England's target of two percent. Forecasts from the Autumn 2024 budget predict that the annual UK inflation will for 2024 will be 2.5 percent, down from 7.3 percent in 2023 and 9.1 percent in 2022. Due to high inflation, the UK's minimum wage also rose quite significantly during this period, with the "main" rate increasing from 8.91 pounds per hour in 2021 to 12.21 pounds per hour in 2025. Average earnings and gender pay gap For full-time workers in the United Kingdom, the median average annual earnings was 37,430 British pounds in 2024, compared with 34,663 pounds in 2023. In London, average earnings were significantly higher than the rest of the country, at 47,455 pounds. Just two other areas of the United Kingdom, the South East and Scotland, had annual salaries above the UK average. North East England had the lowest average salary, at 32,960 pounds. As of 2024, the gender pay gap for median gross hourly earnings in the UK was 13.1 percent for all workers, falling to seven percent for full-time workers and -3 percent for part-time workers. Compared with 1997, when the gender pay gap was 27.5 percent for all workers, there has been a degree of progress, although, at current trends, it will be some time before the gap is closed entirely.