Transmission of material in this release is embargoed until	                       USDL-21-0227
8:30 a.m. (ET), Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Technical Information:	(202) 691-6555  *  cesinfo@bls.gov  *  www.bls.gov/ces
Media Contact:	        (202) 691-5902  *  PressOffice@bls.gov

REAL EARNINGS – JANUARY 2021

All employees

Real average hourly earnings for all employees were unchanged from December to January, seasonally 
adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This result stems from an increase of 0.2 
percent in average hourly earnings being offset by an increase of 0.3 percent in the Consumer Price 
Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U).

Real average weekly earnings increased 0.8 percent over the month due to the unchanged real average 
hourly earnings being combined with an increase of 0.9 percent in the average workweek.  

Real average hourly earnings increased 4.0 percent, seasonally adjusted, from January 2020 to January 
2021. The change in real average hourly earnings combined with an increase of 2.0 percent in the 
average workweek resulted in a 6.1-percent increase in real average weekly earnings over this period.


Production and nonsupervisory employees

Real average hourly earnings for production and nonsupervisory employees decreased 0.2 percent from 
December to January, seasonally adjusted. This result stems from a 0.1-percent increase in average 
hourly earnings being more than offset by an increase of 0.3 percent in the Consumer Price Index for 
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).

Real average weekly earnings increased 0.4 percent over the month due to the change in real average 
hourly earnings being more than offset by an increase of 0.6 percent in average weekly hours. 

From January 2020 to January 2021, real average hourly earnings increased 3.8 percent, seasonally 
adjusted. The change in real average hourly earnings combined with a 2.4-percent increase in the 
average workweek resulted in a 6.3-percent increase in real average weekly earnings over this period. 

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*              Coronavirus (COVID-19) Impact on January 2021 Establishment Survey Data		       *
*												       *
*  Earnings data from the establishment survey for January reflect the continued resumption of         *
*  economic activity that had been curtailed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and efforts    *
*  to contain it.  Question 1 of the “Frequently asked questions” at 				       *
*  www.bls.gov/covid19/employment-situation-covid19-faq-january-2021.htm addresses the                 *
*  impact of the pandemic on the establishment survey (Current Employment Statistics, or CES) for      *
*  January 2021.                                                                                       *    										      
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*                                  Revisions to Real Earnings Data                                     *
*                                                                                                      *
*  The seasonally adjusted constant dollar series have been revised to reflect new seasonal adjustment *
*  factors calculated for the CPI-U and CPI-W. This revision affects real earnings for both all        *
*  employees and production and nonsupervisory employees from January 2016 through December 2020.      *
*                                                                                                      *
*  The estimates of average weekly hours and average hourly and weekly earnings have been revised to   *
*  reflect new employment benchmarks and the updating of seasonal adjustment factors. Seasonally       *
*  adjusted hours and earnings series have been revised from January 2016 through December 2020.       *
*  Unadjusted data have been revised from April 2019 through December 2020.                            *
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Real Earnings for February 2021 is scheduled to be released on March 10, 2021 at 8:30 a.m. (ET).