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 4.78 percent in June 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 (LEU0252881600Q) from Q1 1979 to Q2 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.

Japan recorded the lowest growth rate in average wages of the three advanced major economies included here over recent years. After an increase in wage growth around June and July 2024, the wage growth of Japan fell by around ***** percent in January 2025.

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.

Wages in the United States increased to 31.24 USD/Hour in June from 31.15 USD/Hour in May of 2025. This dataset provides - United States Average Hourly Wages - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for 3-Month Moving Average of Unweighted Median Hourly Wage Growth: Overall (FRBATLWGT3MMAUMHWGO) from Mar 1997 to Jun 2025 about growth, moving average, 3-month, average, wages, median, and USA.

In October 2024, the average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls in the United States stood at 35.46 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.

Compared to the mid-20th century, wage increases in the United States' industrial sector did not change as drastically over the preceding 150 years. Industrial wages in the 1800s peaked in the final year of the American Civil War in 1865, and they were double the value of wages in 1830; yet wages did not exceed this value until the following century. Throughout the 1900s, however, the increase was much more pronounced; between 1943 and 1955 alone, industrial wages doubled, and quadrupled by 1972. In fact, wages in 1985 were over five times higher than they were in 1955, and ten times higher than in 1943. The only times during the 20th century when industrial wages fell was during the post-WWI recession in 1921, and again during the Great Depression in the 1930s.

Wages in China increased to 120698 CNY/Year in 2023 from 114029 CNY/Year in 2022. This dataset provides - China Average Yearly Wages - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Average Hourly Earnings in the United States increased 0.30 percent in July of 2025 over the previous month. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States Average Hourly Earnings - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The federally mandated minimum wage in the United States is 7.25 U.S. dollars per hour, although the minimum wage varies from state to state. As of January 1, 2025, the District of Columbia had the highest minimum wage in the U.S., at 17.5 U.S. dollars per hour. This was followed by Washington, which had 16.66 U.S. dollars per hour as the state minimum wage. Minimum wage workers Minimum wage jobs are traditionally seen as “starter jobs” in the U.S., or first jobs for teenagers and young adults, and the number of people working minimum wage jobs has decreased from almost four million in 1979 to about 247,000 in 2020. However, the number of workers earning less than minimum wage in 2020 was significantly higher, at about 865,000. Minimum wage jobs Minimum wage jobs are primarily found in food preparation and serving occupations, as well as sales jobs (primarily in retail). Because the minimum wage has not kept up with inflation, nor has it been increased since 2009, it is becoming harder and harder live off of a minimum wage wage job, and for those workers to afford essential things like rent.

The minimum wage per day guaranteed by law in Mexico was decreed to increase by approximately 12 percent between 2024 and 2025, reaching 278.8 Mexican pesos in 2025. The Northern Free Zone located near the northern border was the exception, where the minimum daily wage increased to 419.88 Mexican pesos. Education and income disparity The income distribution is entirely a new story than minimum wages, in fact, there are many factors that influence the level of salaries for Mexican workers. One of the main differences is by the number of schooling years, someone with more than 18 years of study earns on average double than employees with seven to nine years. Moreover, the area of study, while statistics and finance mean salaries, the highest wages by degree, are above 30,000 Mexican pesos per month, others such as performing arts and theology rank as the lowest paying degrees in Mexico.
Poverty still among the main problems
Despite one of the main reasons for minimum wage increases being moving people out from poverty conditions, poverty continues to be one of the main problems Mexican society faces. The number of people living under poverty conditions has decreased by 8.54 million inhabitants from 2014 to 2022, nonetheless, the figure is still higher than 46.5 million. The poverty rate varies among states, with Chiapas leading the ranking with 67.4 percent of the population under such conditions, while both Baja California and Baja California Sur recorded less than 14 percent.

United States - Employed full time: Median usual weekly real earnings: Wage and salary workers: 16 years and over was 373.00000 1982-84 CPI Adjusted $ in January of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Employed full time: Median usual weekly real earnings: Wage and salary workers: 16 years and over reached a record high of 393.00000 in April of 2020 and a record low of 309.00000 in July of 1981. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Employed full time: Median usual weekly real earnings: Wage and salary workers: 16 years and over - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Average Hourly Earnings of All Employees, Total Private (CEU0500000003) from Mar 2006 to Jul 2025 about earnings, average, establishment survey, hours, wages, private, employment, and USA.

Average Hourly Earnings YoY in the United States increased to 3.90 percent in July from 3.80 percent in June of 2025. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United States Average Hourly Earnings YoY.

Context:

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) and National Compensation Survey (NCS) programs have produced estimates by borrowing from the strength and breadth of each survey to provide more details on occupational wages than either program provides individually. Modeled wage estimates provide annual estimates of average hourly wages for occupations by selected job characteristics and within geographical location. The job characteristics include bargaining status (union and nonunion), part- and full-time work status, incentive- and time-based pay, and work levels by occupation.

Direct estimates are based on survey responses only from the particular geographic area to which the estimate refers. In contrast, modeled wage estimates use survey responses from larger areas to fill in information for smaller areas where the sample size is not sufficient to produce direct estimates. Modeled wage estimates require the assumption that the patterns to responses in the larger area hold in the smaller area.

The sample size for the NCS is not large enough to produce direct estimates by area, occupation, and job characteristic for all of the areas for which the OES publishes estimates by area and occupation. The NCS sample consists of 6 private industry panels with approximately 3,300 establishments sampled per panel, and 1,600 sampled state and local government units. The OES full six-panel sample consists of nearly 1.2 million establishments.

The sample establishments are classified in industry categories based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Within an establishment, specific job categories are selected to represent broader occupational definitions. Jobs are classified according to the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system.

Content:

Summary: Average hourly wage estimates for civilian workers in occupations by job characteristic and work levels. These data are available at the national, state, metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan area levels.

Frequency of Observations: Data are available on an annual basis, typically in May.

Data Characteristics: All hourly wages are published to the nearest cent.

Acknowledgements:

This dataset was taken directly from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and converted to CSV format.

Inspiration:

This dataset contains the estimated wages of civilian workers in the United States. Wage changes in certain industries may be indicators for growth or decline. Which industries have had the greatest increases in wages? Combine this dataset with the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index dataset and find out what kinds of jobs you would need to afford your snacks and instant coffee!

Average hourly and weekly wage rate, and median hourly and weekly wage rate by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), type of work, gender, and age group.

Graph and download economic data for 12-Month Moving Average of Unweighted Median Hourly Wage Growth for the New England Census Division (FRBATLWGT12MMUMHWGNECD) from Dec 1997 to Jun 2025 about New England Census Division, growth, moving average, 1-year, average, wages, median, and USA.