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Real average hourly earnings unchanged from January 2016 to January 2017
February 21, 2017
Real (adjusted for inflation) average hourly earnings were unchanged from January 2016 to January 2017. Before adjusting for inflation, average hourly earnings increased 2.5 percent over the 12 months ending in January 2017. Over the same period, the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U), which is used to adjust average hourly earnings for inflation, also increased 2.5 percent.
12-month percentage change in average hourly earnings, CPI-U, and real average hourly earnings, January 2008–January 2017
Month
Average hourly earnings
Consumer Price Index
for All Urban Consumers
(CPI-U)
Real average hourly earnings
Jan 2008
2.9
4.3
-1.4
Feb 2008
2.9
4.1
-1.3
Mar 2008
3.0
4.0
-0.9
Apr 2008
2.9
3.9
-1.0
May 2008
3.1
4.1
-1.0
Jun 2008
2.7
4.9
-2.1
Jul 2008
3.1
5.5
-2.4
Aug 2008
3.3
5.3
-1.9
Sep 2008
3.3
5.0
-1.6
Oct 2008
3.3
3.7
-0.4
Nov 2008
3.5
1.1
2.4
Dec 2008
3.6
0.0
3.6
Jan 2009
3.6
-0.1
3.7
Feb 2009
3.4
0.0
3.4
Mar 2009
3.3
-0.4
3.7
Apr 2009
3.4
-0.6
4.0
May 2009
2.9
-1.0
4.0
Jun 2009
2.9
-1.2
4.1
Jul 2009
2.7
-2.0
4.8
Aug 2009
2.4
-1.5
4.0
Sep 2009
2.4
-1.4
3.8
Oct 2009
2.5
-0.2
2.7
Nov 2009
2.1
1.9
0.2
Dec 2009
2.0
2.8
-0.9
Jan 2010
2.1
2.6
-0.5
Feb 2010
2.1
2.2
0.0
Mar 2010
1.8
2.3
-0.5
Apr 2010
1.8
2.2
-0.4
May 2010
1.9
2.0
-0.1
Jun 2010
1.8
1.1
0.6
Jul 2010
1.8
1.3
0.5
Aug 2010
1.8
1.2
0.6
Sep 2010
1.8
1.1
0.8
Oct 2010
1.9
1.2
0.8
Nov 2010
1.8
1.1
0.8
Dec 2010
1.7
1.4
0.3
Jan 2011
1.9
1.7
0.2
Feb 2011
1.8
2.1
-0.3
Mar 2011
1.8
2.6
-0.8
Apr 2011
1.9
3.1
-1.2
May 2011
2.0
3.5
-1.4
Jun 2011
2.1
3.5
-1.3
Jul 2011
2.3
3.6
-1.3
Aug 2011
1.9
3.8
-1.7
Sep 2011
1.9
3.8
-1.8
Oct 2011
2.1
3.5
-1.3
Nov 2011
2.0
3.5
-1.4
Dec 2011
2.1
3.1
-1.0
Jan 2012
1.8
3.0
-1.2
Feb 2012
1.8
2.9
-1.1
Mar 2012
2.1
2.6
-0.4
Apr 2012
2.1
2.3
-0.2
May 2012
1.7
1.7
0.0
Jun 2012
2.0
1.7
0.3
Jul 2012
1.7
1.4
0.3
Aug 2012
1.9
1.7
0.2
Sep 2012
2.0
1.9
0.0
Oct 2012
1.5
2.2
-0.7
Nov 2012
1.9
1.8
0.1
Dec 2012
2.1
1.8
0.4
Jan 2013
2.1
1.7
0.4
Feb 2013
2.2
2.0
0.1
Mar 2013
1.9
1.5
0.4
Apr 2013
2.0
1.1
0.8
May 2013
2.1
1.4
0.7
Jun 2013
2.2
1.7
0.5
Jul 2013
2.0
1.9
0.2
Aug 2013
2.3
1.5
0.7
Sep 2013
2.1
1.1
1.0
Oct 2013
2.2
0.9
1.4
Nov 2013
2.2
1.2
1.0
Dec 2013
2.0
1.5
0.5
Jan 2014
2.0
1.6
0.4
Feb 2014
2.2
1.2
1.1
Mar 2014
2.1
1.6
0.5
Apr 2014
2.0
2.0
0.0
May 2014
2.1
2.1
0.0
Jun 2014
2.0
2.0
0.0
Jul 2014
2.1
1.9
0.1
Aug 2014
2.2
1.7
0.6
Sep 2014
2.0
1.6
0.4
Oct 2014
2.0
1.6
0.4
Nov 2014
2.0
1.3
0.8
Dec 2014
1.9
0.7
1.2
Jan 2015
2.2
-0.2
2.4
Feb 2015
1.9
-0.1
2.0
Mar 2015
2.2
0.0
2.2
Apr 2015
2.3
-0.1
2.4
May 2015
2.3
0.0
2.3
Jun 2015
2.1
0.2
1.8
Jul 2015
2.2
0.2
2.0
Aug 2015
2.2
0.2
1.9
Sep 2015
2.3
0.0
2.3
Oct 2015
2.6
0.1
2.4
Nov 2015
2.4
0.4
1.9
Dec 2015
2.5
0.7
1.8
Jan 2016
2.5
1.4
1.0
Feb 2016
2.4
1.0
1.3
Mar 2016
2.5
0.9
1.5
Apr 2016
2.6
1.1
1.4
May 2016
2.5
1.0
1.4
Jun 2016
2.6
1.0
1.6
Jul 2016
2.8
0.9
1.9
Aug 2016
2.5
1.1
1.5
Sep 2016
2.7
1.5
1.2
Oct 2016
2.7
1.6
1.1
Nov 2016
2.7
1.7
0.9
Dec 2016
2.8
2.1
0.8
Jan 2017
2.5
2.5
0.0
Note: The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) is used to adjusted earnings for inflation. Earnings data for the most recent two months are preliminary. These data are seasonally adjusted.
Since 2009, the 12-month change in average hourly earnings ranged from 1.5 percent (in October 2012) to 3.6 percent (in December 2008 and January 2009). Over the same period, the 12-month change in the CPI-U ranged from −2.0 percent (in July 2009) to 5.5 percent (in July 2008). The 12-month change in real hourly earnings ranged from −2.4 (in July 2008) percent to 4.8 percent (in July 2009).
The 12-month changes in average hourly earnings and the CPI-U were equal in April, May, and June 2014. From that time until December 2016, the change in hourly earnings was greater than the change in the CPI-U, resulting in positive changes in real average hourly earnings.
These data are from the Current Employment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent 2 months are preliminary. For more information, see "Real Earnings — January 2017" (HTML) (PDF). The CPI-U comes from the Consumer Price Index program.
United States Department of Labor
