We use the term "wages" to refer to net compensation. Raw average wage data are presented in the table below. Note that an average wage is an average per worker, not an average per job. A change in the latest such average wage over the previous one is multiplied by the last AWI to produce the next AWI. A table showing average and median wage growth is available. |
Year | AWI series a | SSA raw data | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AWI | Increase | Prior year average amount |
Current year | |||
Average amount | Number of workers | Aggregate wages | ||||
1984 | [see data for prior years] | $15,250.75 | 112,666 | $1,718,239 | ||
1985 | 16,822.51 | 4.26% | $15,250.75 | 15,900.51 | 114,922 | 1,827,321 |
1986 | 17,321.82 | 2.97% | 15,900.51 | 16,372.45 | 115,135 | 1,885,046 |
1987 | 18,426.51 | 6.38% | 16,372.45 | 17,416.59 | 119,557 | 2,082,269 |
1988 | 19,334.04 | 4.93% | 17,416.59 | 18,274.38 | 122,797 | 2,244,036 |
1989 | 20,099.55 | 3.96% | 18,274.38 | 18,997.93 | 126,909 | 2,411,003 |
1990 | 21,027.98 | 4.62% | 18,997.93 | 19,875.47 | 127,554 | 2,535,192 |
1991b | 21,811.60 | 3.73% | 20,172.11 | 20,923.84 | 126,208 | 2,640,753 |
1992 | 22,935.42 | 5.15% | 20,923.84 | 22,001.92 | 127,106 | 2,796,569 |
1993 | 23,132.67 | 0.86% | 22,001.92 | 22,191.14 | 128,728 | 2,856,628 |
1994 | 23,753.53 | 2.68% | 22,191.14 | 22,786.73 | 130,571 | 2,975,294 |
1995 | 24,705.66 | 4.01% | 22,786.73 | 23,700.11 | 134,212 | 3,180,838 |
1996 | 25,913.90 | 4.89% | 23,700.11 | 24,859.17 | 136,561 | 3,394,789 |
1997 | 27,426.00 | 5.84% | 24,859.17 | 26,309.73 | 139,349 | 3,666,228 |
1998 | 28,861.44 | 5.23% | 26,309.73 | 27,686.75 | 141,760 | 3,924,866 |
1999 | 30,469.84 | 5.57% | 27,686.75 | 29,229.69 | 145,061 | 4,240,084 |
2000 | 32,154.82 | 5.53% | 29,229.69 | 30,846.09 | 148,114 | 4,568,731 |
2001 | 32,921.92 | 2.39% | 30,846.09 | 31,581.97 | 148,282 | 4,683,048 |
2002 | 33,252.09 | 1.00% | 31,581.97 | 31,898.70 | 148,069 | 4,723,210 |
2003 | 34,064.95 | 2.44% | 31,898.70 | 32,678.48 | 147,722 | 4,827,338 |
2004 | 35,648.55 | 4.65% | 32,678.48 | 34,197.63 | 149,439 | 5,110,451 |
2005 | 36,952.94 | 3.66% | 34,197.63 | 35,448.93 | 151,603 | 5,374,177 |
2006 | 38,651.41 | 4.60% | 35,448.93 | 37,078.27 | 153,853 | 5,704,593 |
2007 | 40,405.48 | 4.54% | 37,078.27 | 38,760.95 | 155,570 | 6,030,057 |
2008 | 41,334.97 | 2.30% | 38,760.95 | 39,652.61 | 155,435 | 6,163,387 |
2009 | 40,711.61 | -1.51% | 39,652.61 | 39,054.62 | 150,918 | 5,894,035 |
2010b | 41,673.83 | 2.36% | 39,036.67 | 39,959.30 | 150,399 | 6,009,831 |
2011 | 42,979.61 | 3.13% | 39,959.30 | 41,211.36 | 151,381 | 6,238,607 |
2012 | 44,321.67 | 3.12% | 41,211.36 | 42,498.21 | 153,632 | 6,529,098 |
2013 | 44,888.16 | 1.28% | 42,498.21 | 43,041.39 | 155,772 | 6,704,658 |
2014 | 46,481.52 | 3.55% | 43,041.39 | 44,569.20 | 158,187 | 7,050,259 |
2015 | 48,098.63 | 3.48% | 44,569.20 | 46,119.78 | 160,795 | 7,415,816 |
2016 | 48,642.15 | 1.13% | 46,119.78 | 46,640.94 | 163,521 | 7,626,754 |
2017 | 50,321.89 | 3.45% | 46,640.94 | 48,251.57 | 165,438 | 7,982,655 |
2018 | 52,145.80 | 3.62% | 48,251.57 | 50,000.44 | 167,669 | 8,383,541 |
2019b | 54,099.99 | 3.75% | 50,040.96 | 51,916.27 | 169,329 | 8,790,917 |
2020 | 55,628.60 | 2.83% | 51,916.27 | 53,383.18 | 167,594 | 8,946,699 |
2021 | 60,575.07 | 8.89% | 53,383.18 | 58,129.99 | 168,133 | 9,773,580 |
2022 | 63,795.13 | 5.32% | 58,129.99 | 61,220.07 | 172,031 | 10,531,745 |
2023 | 66,621.80 | 4.43% | 61,220.07 | 63,932.64 | 173,671 | 11,103,241 |
a See
Actuarial Note 103
for the development of the AWI series prior to 1978 and
Actuarial Note 133
for further detail on average wages for 1985-90. b In years where changes are made to the definition of net compensation, we calculate the increase in raw average wages (from prior year to current year) on the same basis (both years including the change) and thus provide a smooth transition in the AWI series. Such years and changes are listed below: - 1991: Contributions to deferred compensation plans are included. - 2010: Improved data edits are used. - 2019: Contributions to additional types of deferred compensation plans are included. |