Hourly Wages Rise 2.1 Percent Over Last Year

Real average hourly earnings for all employees increased 0.2 percent from December to January, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.

This result stems from a 0.1-percent increase in average hourly earnings combined with no change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U).

Real average weekly earnings increased 0.1 percent over the month due to the change in real average hourly earnings combined with no change in the average workweek. 

Real average hourly earnings increased 1.7 percent, seasonally adjusted, from January 2018 to January 2019. The change in real average hourly earnings combined with a 0.3-percent increase in the average workweek resulted in a 1.9-percent increase in real average weekly earnings over this period.

Production and nonsupervisory employees

Real average hourly earnings for production and nonsupervisory employees increased 0.2 percent from December to January, seasonally adjusted.

This result stems from a 0.1-percent increase in average hourly earnings combined with a 0.1-percent decrease in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).

Real average weekly earnings increased 0.2 percent over the month due to the change in real average hourly earnings combined with no change in average weekly hours.

From January 2018 to January 2019, real average hourly earnings increased 2.1 percent, seasonally adjusted.

Combining the change in real average hourly earnings with a 0.3-percent increase in the average workweek resulted in a 2.4-percent increase in real average weekly earnings over this period.