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Real average hourly earnings down 1.9 percent from November 2020 to November 2021

December 16, 2021

For the year ended November 2021, real average hourly earnings decreased 1.9 percent. The change in real average hourly earnings combined with no change in the average workweek resulted in a 1.9-percent decrease in real average weekly earnings over this period.

12-month percent change in average weekly hours and real average earnings, private sector employees, January 2008–November 2021
Month Average weekly hours, all employees Average hourly earnings, all employees Average weekly earnings, all employees Average weekly hours, production and nonsupervisory employees Average hourly earnings, production and nonsupervisory employees Average weekly earnings, production and nonsupervisory employees

Jan 2008

0.3% -1.4% -1.1% -0.3% -0.8% -1.2%

Feb 2008

0.3 -1.3 -1.0 0.0 -0.7 -0.7

Mar 2008

0.3 -0.8 -0.6 -0.3 -0.3 -0.7

Apr 2008

0.0 -1.1 -1.0 -0.3 -0.5 -0.7

May 2008

0.0 -1.0 -1.0 -0.3 -0.6 -0.9

Jun 2008

-0.3 -2.1 -2.4 -0.6 -1.9 -2.4

Jul 2008

-0.3 -2.4 -2.6 -0.6 -2.3 -2.8

Aug 2008

-0.3 -1.9 -2.2 -0.3 -1.9 -2.1

Sep 2008

-0.6 -1.7 -2.2 -0.6 -1.7 -2.3

Oct 2008

-0.3 -0.4 -0.7 -0.9 -0.1 -1.0

Nov 2008

-0.9 2.4 1.6 -1.2 3.0 1.9

Dec 2008

-1.5 3.6 2.1 -1.5 4.6 3.0

Jan 2009

-1.2 3.8 2.6 -1.5 4.5 3.0

Feb 2009

-1.2 3.4 2.2 -1.2 4.2 2.9

Mar 2009

-2.0 3.7 1.6 -2.1 4.6 2.4

Apr 2009

-1.5 4.0 2.4 -1.8 4.6 2.7

May 2009

-1.7 3.9 2.2 -2.1 4.7 2.5

Jun 2009

-2.0 4.0 2.0 -2.1 4.7 2.6

Jul 2009

-1.5 4.8 3.3 -1.5 5.4 3.8

Aug 2009

-1.5 4.0 2.5 -1.8 4.7 2.8

Sep 2009

-0.9 3.9 3.0 -1.5 4.6 3.0

Oct 2009

-1.2 2.7 1.5 -1.5 3.0 1.5

Nov 2009

-0.6 0.3 -0.3 -0.3 0.3 0.0

Dec 2009

0.0 -0.9 -0.9 -0.3 -1.0 -1.3

Jan 2010

0.3 -0.7 -0.3 0.3 -0.7 -0.4

Feb 2010

-0.6 -0.1 -0.6 -0.6 -0.3 -0.9

Mar 2010

0.6 -0.5 0.1 0.6 -0.8 -0.1

Apr 2010

0.9 -0.5 0.5 0.9 -0.4 0.4

May 2010

0.9 0.0 0.8 1.2 0.0 1.2

Jun 2010

1.2 0.7 1.9 0.9 1.0 2.0

Jul 2010

1.2 0.5 1.7 0.9 0.8 1.7

Aug 2010

1.2 0.6 1.8 1.2 0.9 2.2

Sep 2010

1.2 0.8 1.9 1.2 0.8 2.0

Oct 2010

1.5 0.8 2.3 1.5 1.0 2.5

Nov 2010

0.9 0.6 1.5 0.6 0.9 1.5

Dec 2010

1.2 0.3 1.5 0.9 0.3 1.3

Jan 2011

0.3 0.3 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.7

Feb 2011

1.5 -0.2 1.2 1.2 -0.2 0.9

Mar 2011

0.9 -0.8 0.1 0.6 -0.8 -0.2

Apr 2011

0.9 -1.1 -0.3 0.6 -1.3 -0.8

May 2011

0.6 -1.4 -0.8 0.6 -1.8 -1.2

Jun 2011

0.6 -1.3 -0.7 0.9 -1.9 -1.0

Jul 2011

0.6 -1.3 -0.7 0.9 -1.7 -0.8

Aug 2011

0.3 -1.7 -1.4 0.0 -2.2 -2.2

Sep 2011

0.3 -1.8 -1.5 0.3 -2.2 -2.0

Oct 2011

0.3 -1.4 -1.2 0.6 -2.0 -1.4

Nov 2011

0.6 -1.4 -0.8 0.3 -2.0 -1.7

Dec 2011

0.3 -1.1 -0.8 0.6 -1.5 -0.9

Jan 2012

0.9 -1.3 -0.4 1.2 -1.7 -0.6

Feb 2012

0.6 -1.2 -0.5 0.6 -1.7 -1.1

Mar 2012

0.3 -0.4 -0.1 0.6 -1.1 -0.5

Apr 2012

0.3 -0.2 0.1 0.3 -0.7 -0.4

May 2012

0.3 0.0 0.3 0.0 -0.3 -0.3

Jun 2012

0.3 0.3 0.6 0.3 0.0 0.3

Jul 2012

0.0 0.3 0.4 0.0 0.1 0.1

Aug 2012

0.3 0.2 0.4 0.3 -0.2 0.0

Sep 2012

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 -0.3 -0.1

Oct 2012

0.0 -0.6 -0.6 -0.3 -1.0 -1.3

Nov 2012

0.0 0.2 0.1 0.0 -0.2 -0.3

Dec 2012

0.3 0.5 0.8 0.3 0.0 0.3

Jan 2013

-0.3 0.6 0.3 -0.6 0.1 -0.4

Feb 2013

0.0 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.1 0.3

Mar 2013

0.3 0.4 0.7 0.3 0.6 0.8

Apr 2013

-0.3 0.9 0.6 0.0 0.8 0.9

May 2013

0.3 0.7 1.0 0.3 0.6 0.9

Jun 2013

0.3 0.4 0.7 0.0 0.3 0.3

Jul 2013

0.0 0.2 0.1 -0.6 0.1 -0.5

Aug 2013

0.3 0.7 1.0 0.0 0.7 0.7

Sep 2013

0.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 1.3 1.4

Oct 2013

0.0 1.4 1.4 0.0 1.7 1.6

Nov 2013

0.3 1.0 1.3 0.3 1.3 1.5

Dec 2013

-0.3 0.4 0.0 -0.6 0.7 0.1

Jan 2014

0.0 0.3 0.3 -0.3 0.7 0.4

Feb 2014

-0.6 1.2 0.6 -1.2 1.5 0.4

Mar 2014

0.0 0.5 0.5 -0.3 0.8 0.6

Apr 2014

0.3 -0.1 0.2 0.0 0.5 0.4

May 2014

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.3

Jun 2014

0.0 0.0 -0.1 0.0 0.2 0.2

Jul 2014

0.3 0.1 0.4 0.6 0.3 1.0

Aug 2014

0.3 0.5 0.8 0.3 0.8 1.2

Sep 2014

0.3 0.4 0.7 0.0 0.6 0.6

Oct 2014

0.6 0.4 1.0 0.3 0.8 1.1

Nov 2014

0.3 0.8 1.1 0.3 1.2 1.5

Dec 2014

0.6 1.3 1.9 0.6 1.6 2.2

Jan 2015

0.3 2.3 2.7 0.9 3.0 3.9

Feb 2015

0.9 2.0 2.9 1.2 2.1 3.4

Mar 2015

0.0 2.2 2.2 0.0 2.5 2.5

Apr 2015

0.0 2.4 2.4 -0.3 2.6 2.3

May 2015

0.0 2.2 2.3 -0.3 2.7 2.4

Jun 2015

0.0 1.9 2.0 0.0 2.5 2.4

Jul 2015

0.0 1.9 1.9 0.0 2.3 2.3

Aug 2015

-0.3 1.9 1.7 0.0 2.3 2.2

Sep 2015

0.0 2.2 2.2 0.0 2.8 2.7

Oct 2015

0.0 2.4 2.4 0.0 2.7 2.8

Nov 2015

-0.3 1.9 1.7 -0.3 2.1 1.9

Dec 2015

-0.3 1.9 1.6 0.0 2.3 2.3

Jan 2016

0.3 1.3 1.6 -0.3 1.4 1.1

Feb 2016

-0.6 1.6 1.0 -0.6 2.2 1.5

Mar 2016

-0.3 1.5 1.3 -0.3 2.0 1.6

Apr 2016

-0.3 1.3 1.1 0.0 1.7 1.7

May 2016

-0.3 1.3 1.1 0.0 1.5 1.5

Jun 2016

-0.3 1.5 1.2 -0.3 1.7 1.4

Jul 2016

-0.3 1.8 1.5 -0.3 2.2 1.8

Aug 2016

-0.6 1.4 0.8 -0.3 1.8 1.5

Sep 2016

-0.3 1.1 0.8 -0.3 1.1 0.9

Oct 2016

-0.6 1.0 0.4 -0.3 1.0 0.6

Nov 2016

-0.3 1.0 0.7 -0.3 0.9 0.6

Dec 2016

-0.3 0.6 0.3 -0.9 0.5 -0.4

Jan 2017

-0.6 0.1 -0.5 -0.6 -0.1 -0.7

Feb 2017

-0.3 -0.1 -0.3 0.0 -0.4 -0.4

Mar 2017

-0.3 0.2 -0.1 -0.3 -0.1 -0.4

Apr 2017

0.0 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.3

May 2017

-0.3 0.7 0.4 0.0 0.4 0.5

Jun 2017

0.0 0.8 0.8 0.3 0.8 1.0

Jul 2017

0.0 0.8 0.9 0.0 0.7 0.7

Aug 2017

0.3 0.7 0.9 0.0 0.4 0.4

Sep 2017

0.0 0.6 0.6 0.0 0.3 0.3

Oct 2017

0.0 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.4

Nov 2017

0.3 0.2 0.5 0.6 0.0 0.6

Dec 2017

0.3 0.6 0.9 0.6 0.2 0.8

Jan 2018

0.0 0.6 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.6

Feb 2018

0.6 0.4 0.9 0.6 0.1 0.7

Mar 2018

0.6 0.4 1.0 0.6 0.2 0.9

Apr 2018

0.3 0.3 0.6 0.3 0.2 0.5

May 2018

0.6 0.2 0.8 0.6 0.0 0.6

Jun 2018

0.3 0.1 0.4 0.3 -0.1 0.2

Jul 2018

0.3 0.0 0.3 0.6 -0.2 0.4

Aug 2018

0.3 0.5 0.8 0.6 0.2 0.9

Sep 2018

0.0 0.7 0.8 0.3 0.5 0.9

Oct 2018

0.3 0.7 1.1 0.0 0.5 0.5

Nov 2018

-0.3 1.1 0.8 -0.3 1.3 1.0

Dec 2018

0.0 1.5 1.5 0.0 1.8 1.8

Jan 2019

0.3 1.8 2.0 0.6 2.1 2.7

Feb 2019

-0.3 2.0 1.7 -0.6 2.3 1.6

Mar 2019

0.0 1.6 1.6 0.0 1.7 1.8

Apr 2019

-0.3 1.3 1.0 -0.3 1.5 1.2

May 2019

-0.3 1.5 1.1 -0.6 2.0 1.3

Jun 2019

-0.3 1.7 1.4 -0.6 2.1 1.4

Jul 2019

-0.6 1.6 1.0 -0.6 1.9 1.3

Aug 2019

-0.3 1.7 1.4 -0.6 2.2 1.6

Sep 2019

0.0 1.3 1.3 -0.3 2.2 1.8

Oct 2019

-0.3 1.4 1.1 -0.3 2.2 1.9

Nov 2019

-0.3 1.2 0.9 -0.6 1.6 1.0

Dec 2019

-0.6 0.6 0.1 -0.6 0.9 0.3

Jan 2020

-0.6 0.5 0.0 -0.6 0.7 0.1

Feb 2020

0.0 0.7 0.7 0.3 1.0 1.3

Mar 2020

-1.2 2.0 0.8 -0.9 2.3 1.4

Apr 2020

-0.6 7.8 7.2 -0.6 7.7 7.1

May 2020

0.9 6.4 7.4 1.5 6.7 8.4

Jun 2020

0.6 4.2 4.8 0.9 4.9 5.8

Jul 2020

0.9 3.6 4.6 1.2 3.7 5.0

Aug 2020

0.9 3.4 4.2 1.2 3.5 4.7

Sep 2020

1.2 3.4 4.5 1.5 3.1 4.6

Oct 2020

1.2 3.3 4.5 1.8 3.2 5.0

Nov 2020

1.5 3.4 4.8 2.1 3.4 5.6

Dec 2020

1.2 4.2 5.3 2.1 4.0 6.2

Jan 2021

2.0 3.8 5.9 2.4 3.7 6.2

Feb 2021

0.6 3.4 4.1 0.9 3.3 4.1

Mar 2021

2.3 1.6 4.0 3.0 1.6 4.6

Apr 2021

2.0 -3.7 -1.7 2.4 -3.4 -1.1

May 2021

0.3 -2.8 -2.6 0.6 -3.0 -2.5

Jun 2021

0.3 -1.6 -1.2 0.6 -2.1 -1.5

Jul 2021

0.3 -1.2 -0.9 0.6 -1.0 -0.4

Aug 2021

-0.3 -1.1 -1.4 0.3 -0.9 -0.6

Sep 2021

0.0 -0.8 -0.8 0.3 -0.4 -0.1

Oct 2021

-0.3 -1.3 -1.6 -0.3 -1.0 -1.3

Nov 2021

0.0 -1.9 -1.9 -0.3 -1.6 -1.9

Real average hourly earnings for production and nonsupervisory employees decreased 1.6 percent from November 2020 to November 2021. The change in real average hourly earnings combined with a 0.3-percent decrease in the average workweek resulted in a 1.9-percent decrease in real average weekly earnings over this period.

Nominal (not adjusted for inflation) average hourly earnings increased from $30.95 in October 2021 to $31.03 in November 2021.

Earnings of private sector employees, January 2008–November 2021
Month Average hourly earnings Real average hourly earnings, 1982–84 dollars

Jan 2008

$21.19 $9.99

Feb 2008

21.26 10.00

Mar 2008

21.36 10.01

Apr 2008

21.38 9.99

May 2008

21.47 9.98

Jun 2008

21.52 9.90

Jul 2008

21.59 9.86

Aug 2008

21.70 9.92

Sep 2008

21.72 9.92

Oct 2008

21.76 10.03

Nov 2008

21.88 10.26

Dec 2008

21.94 10.38

Jan 2009

21.97 10.37

Feb 2009

21.99 10.34

Mar 2009

22.06 10.38

Apr 2009

22.09 10.39

May 2009

22.10 10.37

Jun 2009

22.13 10.30

Jul 2009

22.18 10.33

Aug 2009

22.23 10.32

Sep 2009

22.26 10.31

Oct 2009

22.30 10.30

Nov 2009

22.36 10.29

Dec 2009

22.36 10.29

Jan 2010

22.41 10.30

Feb 2010

22.45 10.33

Mar 2010

22.45 10.33

Apr 2010

22.49 10.34

May 2010

22.53 10.37

Jun 2010

22.53 10.37

Jul 2010

22.59 10.38

Aug 2010

22.62 10.38

Sep 2010

22.67 10.39

Oct 2010

22.74 10.38

Nov 2010

22.73 10.35

Dec 2010

22.76 10.32

Jan 2011

22.85 10.33

Feb 2011

22.87 10.31

Mar 2011

22.87 10.25

Apr 2011

22.92 10.23

May 2011

22.99 10.23

Jun 2011

23.01 10.24

Jul 2011

23.10 10.25

Aug 2011

23.07 10.20

Sep 2011

23.11 10.20

Oct 2011

23.20 10.23

Nov 2011

23.18 10.20

Dec 2011

23.21 10.21

Jan 2012

23.24 10.20

Feb 2012

23.27 10.19

Mar 2012

23.36 10.21

Apr 2012

23.39 10.21

May 2012

23.39 10.23

Jun 2012

23.46 10.27

Jul 2012

23.51 10.28

Aug 2012

23.49 10.22

Sep 2012

23.57 10.20

Oct 2012

23.56 10.17

Nov 2012

23.63 10.22

Dec 2012

23.73 10.26

Jan 2013

23.76 10.26

Feb 2013

23.77 10.20

Mar 2013

23.81 10.25

Apr 2013

23.87 10.30

May 2013

23.89 10.30

Jun 2013

23.97 10.31

Jul 2013

23.98 10.30

Aug 2013

24.03 10.29

Sep 2013

24.06 10.30

Oct 2013

24.09 10.31

Nov 2013

24.16 10.32

Dec 2013

24.17 10.30

Jan 2014

24.21 10.29

Feb 2014

24.32 10.32

Mar 2014

24.31 10.30

Apr 2014

24.34 10.29

May 2014

24.40 10.30

Jun 2014

24.45 10.31

Jul 2014

24.48 10.31

Aug 2014

24.56 10.34

Sep 2014

24.56 10.34

Oct 2014

24.58 10.35

Nov 2014

24.65 10.40

Dec 2014

24.65 10.43

Jan 2015

24.73 10.53

Feb 2015

24.78 10.53

Mar 2015

24.84 10.53

Apr 2015

24.89 10.54

May 2015

24.96 10.53

Jun 2015

24.98 10.51

Jul 2015

25.01 10.51

Aug 2015

25.10 10.54

Sep 2015

25.11 10.57

Oct 2015

25.20 10.60

Nov 2015

25.24 10.60

Dec 2015

25.27 10.63

Jan 2016

25.36 10.67

Feb 2016

25.39 10.70

Mar 2016

25.45 10.69

Apr 2016

25.53 10.68

May 2016

25.57 10.67

Jun 2016

25.63 10.67

Jul 2016

25.69 10.70

Aug 2016

25.72 10.69

Sep 2016

25.77 10.69

Oct 2016

25.88 10.71

Nov 2016

25.91 10.71

Dec 2016

25.94 10.69

Jan 2017

26.02 10.68

Feb 2017

26.08 10.69

Mar 2017

26.10 10.71

Apr 2017

26.18 10.72

May 2017

26.22 10.74

Jun 2017

26.27 10.76

Jul 2017

26.36 10.79

Aug 2017

26.38 10.76

Sep 2017

26.50 10.75

Oct 2017

26.48 10.74

Nov 2017

26.54 10.73

Dec 2017

26.64 10.75

Jan 2018

26.72 10.74

Feb 2018

26.75 10.73

Mar 2018

26.83 10.75

Apr 2018

26.91 10.75

May 2018

26.99 10.76

Jun 2018

27.04 10.77

Jul 2018

27.12 10.79

Aug 2018

27.22 10.81

Sep 2018

27.31 10.83

Oct 2018

27.36 10.82

Nov 2018

27.43 10.85

Dec 2018

27.55 10.91

Jan 2019

27.59 10.93

Feb 2019

27.68 10.94

Mar 2019

27.76 10.92

Apr 2019

27.80 10.89

May 2019

27.88 10.92

Jun 2019

27.96 10.95

Jul 2019

28.04 10.96

Aug 2019

28.16 10.99

Sep 2019

28.15 10.97

Oct 2019

28.24 10.97

Nov 2019

28.33 10.98

Dec 2019

28.36 10.98

Jan 2020

28.43 10.99

Feb 2020

28.51 11.02

Mar 2020

28.74 11.14

Apr 2020

30.07 11.74

May 2020

29.74 11.62

Jun 2020

29.35 11.41

Jul 2020

29.37 11.36

Aug 2020

29.47 11.36

Sep 2020

29.50 11.34

Oct 2020

29.52 11.33

Nov 2020

29.61 11.35

Dec 2020

29.91 11.44

Jan 2021

29.92 11.41

Feb 2021

30.00 11.40

Mar 2021

29.97 11.32

Apr 2021

30.17 11.31

May 2021

30.31 11.29

Jun 2021

30.44 11.23

Jul 2021

30.55 11.22

Aug 2021

30.67 11.23

Sep 2021

30.84 11.25

Oct 2021

30.95 11.18

Nov 2021

31.03 11.13

Real average hourly earnings decreased to $11.13 in November 2021, the lowest since February 2020.

These data are from the Current Employment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. Earnings data for the most recent 2 months are preliminary. For more information, see "Real Earnings — November 2021." The Consumer Price Index is used to adjust earnings for inflation.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Real average hourly earnings down 1.9 percent from November 2020 to November 2021 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2021/real-average-hourly-earnings-down-1-9-percent-from-november-2020-to-november-2021.htm (visited April 16, 2024).

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