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Real average weekly earnings up 0.8 percent from July 2018 to July 2019

August 16, 2019

Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased 3.2 percent from July 2018 to July 2019. This increase, combined with a −0.6-percent change in the average workweek and a 1.8-percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U), resulted in a 0.8-percent increase in real average weekly earnings over the year.

12-month percent change in earnings and average weekly hours for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls and the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers, January 2018–July 2019
Month Real average weekly earnings Average hourly earnings Average weekly hours     CPI-U    

Jan 2018

0.7% 2.8% 0.0% 2.1%

Feb 2018

0.9 2.6 0.6 2.2

Mar 2018

1.0 2.8 0.6 2.4

Apr 2018

0.7 2.8 0.3 2.4

May 2018

0.5 2.9 0.3 2.7

Jun 2018

0.4 2.9 0.3 2.8

Jul 2018

0.2 2.8 0.3 2.9

Aug 2018

0.8 3.2 0.3 2.7

Sep 2018

1.3 3.0 0.6 2.3

Oct 2018

1.1 3.3 0.3 2.5

Nov 2018

0.8 3.3 -0.3 2.2

Dec 2018

1.4 3.3 0.0 1.9

Jan 2019

1.9 3.2 0.3 1.5

Feb 2019

1.6 3.4 -0.3 1.5

Mar 2019

1.4 3.2 0.0 1.9

Apr 2019

0.8 3.2 -0.3 2.0

May 2019

1.0 3.1 -0.3 1.8

Jun 2019

1.2 3.1 -0.3 1.7

Jul 2019

0.8 3.2 -0.6 1.8

Note: The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) is used to deflate the earnings series for all employees. Data for the most recent 2 months are preliminary.

From July 2017 to July 2018, real average weekly earnings increased 0.2 percent, as average hourly earnings increased 2.8 percent, while average weekly hours increased by 0.3 percent and the CPI-U increased by 2.9 percent.

Since January 2018, the 12-month change in real average weekly earnings has ranged from 0.2 percent to 1.9 percent.

These data are from the Current Employment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. For more information, see "Real Earnings — July 2019." The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, from the Consumer Price Index program, is used to adjust earnings for inflation. Data for the most recent 2 months are preliminary.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Real average weekly earnings up 0.8 percent from July 2018 to July 2019 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2019/real-average-weekly-earnings-up-0-point-8-percent-from-july-2018-to-july-2019.htm (visited March 18, 2024).

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