Find data on how selected labor force characteristics change over time. Labor force and earnings data are presented by sex, age, race and Hispanic origin, and parental status when available.

Median annual earnings by sex, race and Hispanic ethnicity

 

Median annual earnings by sex, race and Hispanic ethnicity
Year All Women All Men White, non-Hispanic Women White, non-Hispanic Men Black Women Black Men Asian Women Asian Men Hispanic Women Hispanic Men
1960 23,657 38,991 - - - - - - - -
1961 23,839 40,235 - - - - - - - -
1962 24,295 40,970 - - - - - - - -
1963 24,757 42,000 - - - - - - - -
1964 25,422 42,980 - - - - - - - -
1965 26,123 43,593 - - - - - - - -
1966 26,186 45,497 - - - - - - - -
1967 26,705 46,216 - - 20,553 30,740 - - - -
1968 27,598 47,456 - - 21,592 32,905 - - - -
1969 29,502 48,768 - - 23,764 34,855 - - - -
1970 30,072 50,653 - - 25,123 35,976 - - - -
1971 30,271 50,870 - - 27,137 36,095 - - - -
1972 31,019 53,609 - - 27,046 38,365 - - - -
1973 31,328 55,317 - - 27,134 38,968 - - - -
1974 31,335 53,332 - - 29,505 39,193 - - 26,637 39,944
1975 31,173 52,999 - - 30,064 40,325 - - 26,716 39,103
1976 31,814 52,854 - - 30,051 39,722 - - 27,411 40,331
1977 31,843 54,043 - - 29,918 38,594 - - 27,772 39,865
1978 32,331 54,392 - - 30,502 42,684 - - 27,922 40,578
1979 32,060 53,736 - - 29,764 39,915 - - 26,666 39,100
1980 31,803 52,863 - - 30,312 38,477 - - 27,491 38,509
1981 31,146 52,580 - - 29,064 38,220 - - 27,844 38,202
1982 31,851 51,585 - - 29,693 37,943 - - 27,196 37,647
1983 32,661 51,359 - - 29,786 37,914 - - 27,378 37,952
1984 33,306 52,320 - - 30,917 37,488 - - 28,269 38,173
1985 34,039 52,712 - - 31,172 38,080 - - 28,466 37,148
1986 34,755 54,077 - - 31,548 39,267 - - 29,625 36,004
1987 35,005 53,707 35,727 56,249 32,604 39,584 - - 30,066 36,088
1988 35,173 53,253 36,188 56,451 33,039 40,697 38,653 54,182 29,657 35,662
1989 35,926 52,314 36,829 57,362 33,284 39,097 40,889 53,884 29,979 35,139
1990 36,158 50,489 37,134 54,967 32,908 38,515 38,898 48,823 28,588 34,907
1991 36,176 51,784 37,128 54,646 32,949 38,855 37,269 53,083 28,591 34,799
1992 36,710 51,861 37,601 54,478 33,943 38,465 39,159 52,419 29,344 33,560
1993 36,430 50,937 37,495 53,557 33,195 38,561 40,782 51,768 28,073 33,753
1994 36,436 50,629 38,063 53,558 32,671 38,958 40,124 52,609 28,829 33,333
1995 36,047 50,466 37,914 55,123 33,112 39,141 39,861 50,591 27,524 32,653
1996 37,005 50,169 38,847 55,316 33,514 41,210 39,885 53,771 29,131 32,863
1997 38,152 51,444 39,591 55,910 33,663 40,381 42,442 52,984 28,985 33,022
1998 38,982 53,276 40,515 56,878 34,137 40,773 40,801 52,496 28,972 33,590
1999 38,839 53,709 40,488 59,693 35,755 43,891 42,167 54,448 28,610 33,086
2000 39,200 53,175 42,591 58,879 35,813 42,967 43,501 57,891 29,490 33,942
2001 40,548 53,123 42,750 57,850 36,912 43,513 42,589 58,089 29,831 34,813
2002 41,269 53,875 42,907 58,041 36,731 42,928 42,950 57,224 29,938 35,486
2003 41,049 54,334 42,828 59,797 36,027 43,076 43,538 60,894 29,878 34,848
2004 40,640 53,072 42,313 59,244 36,079 40,703 46,832 59,832 30,539 34,677
2005 40,086 52,075 42,925 58,431 37,336 41,620 45,414 60,484 30,468 33,683
2006 39,628 51,506 43,552 59,013 36,992 42,377 47,914 62,691 30,711 35,419
2007 41,602 53,466 43,549 59,649 36,751 42,746 47,850 60,100 31,540 35,789
2008 40,797 52,920 42,673 58,486 35,939 42,583 48,181 58,597 30,640 35,333
2009 41,549 53,975 44,132 58,874 36,448 42,944 48,482 59,281 31,131 35,955
2010 41,562 54,027 45,392 58,544 36,396 41,513 46,515 58,268 31,753 35,579
2011 40,543 52,650 44,057 57,146 36,593 43,127 44,655 60,163 31,698 34,782
2012 40,422 52,838 43,761 56,193 36,244 41,197 48,760 62,803 30,403 34,488
2013 41,272 52,736 43,634 56,377 35,930 43,069 44,622 60,745 31,841 34,067
2013* 40,888 52,717 43,463 58,123 34,207 41,251 47,789 60,418 32,319 33,818
2014 41,066 52,220 43,347 57,493 34,756 42,204 48,023 59,018 31,398 35,794
2015 42,155 52,988 44,556 59,188 37,459 42,530 50,152 64,136 32,188 36,910
2016 42,448 52,751 46,725 59,171 37,006 42,181 51,703 67,014 32,200 38,157
2017 41,977 52,146 46,513 60,388 36,735 42,076 51,378 67,673 32,002 38,876

Earnings are based on median annual earnings of full-time, year-round workers, 15 years old and over beginning in March, 1980, and age 14 years old and over as of March of the following year for previous years. Before 1989 earnings are for civilian workers only. Blacks and Asians include people of Hispanic ethnicity. People of two or more races are not included beginning 2002. Data for Asians from 1988 until 2001 included Pacific Islanders. Hispanics may be of any race. The comparability of historical data has been affected at various times by methodological and other changes in the Current Population Survey. The 2014 CPS ASEC included redesigned questions for income and health insurance coverage for a subsample of the 98,000 addresses using a probability split panel design. Approximately 68,000 addresses were eligible to receive a set of income questions similar to those used in the 2013 CPS ASEC and the remaining 30,000 addresses were eligible to receive the redesigned income questions, resulting in two estimates for 2013. Estimates based on the portion of the sample that received the redesigned income questions are the most appropriate for comparing estimates from ASEC 2014 with ASEC 2015 and beyond.
Earnings are in 2017 CPI-U-RS adjusted dollars.
Source: 1961-2018 Annual Social and Economic Supplements, Current Population Survey, U.S. Census Bureau.

Gender earnings ratio by race and Hispanic ethnicity

 

Gender earnings ratio by race and Hispanic ethnicity
Year Total White, non-Hispanic Black Asian Hispanic
1960 60.7 - - - -
1961 59.2 - - - -
1962 59.3 - - - -
1963 58.9 - - - -
1964 59.1 - - - -
1965 59.9 - - - -
1966 57.6 - - - -
1967 57.8 - - - -
1968 58.2 - 65.6 - -
1969 58.9 - 68.2 - -
1970 59.4 - 69.8 - -
1971 59.5 - 75.2 - -
1972 57.9 - 70.5 - -
1973 56.6 - 69.6 - -
1974 58.8 - 75.3 - 66.7
1975 58.8 - 74.6 - 68.3
1976 60.2 - 75.7 - 68.0
1977 58.9 - 77.5 - 69.7
1978 59.4 - 71.5 - 68.8
1979 59.7 - 74.6 - 68.2
1980 60.2 - 78.8 - 71.4
1981 59.2 - 76.0 - 72.9
1982 61.7 - 78.3 - 72.2
1983 63.6 - 78.6 - 72.1
1984 63.7 - 82.5 - 74.1
1985 64.6 - 81.9 - 76.6
1986 64.3 - 80.3 - 82.3
1987 65.2 63.5 82.4 - 83.3
1988 66.0 64.1 81.2 71.3 83.2
1989 68.7 64.2 85.1 75.9 85.3
1990 71.6 67.6 85.4 79.7 81.9
1991 69.9 67.9 84.8 70.2 82.2
1992 70.8 69.0 88.2 74.7 87.4
1993 71.5 70.0 86.1 78.8 83.2
1994 72.0 71.1 83.9 76.3 86.5
1995 71.4 68.8 84.6 78.8 84.3
1996 73.8 70.2 81.3 74.2 88.6
1997 74.2 70.8 83.4 80.1 87.8
1998 73.2 71.2 83.7 77.7 86.3
1999 72.3 67.8 81.5 77.4 86.5
2000 73.7 72.3 83.3 75.1 86.9
2001 76.3 73.9 84.8 73.3 85.7
2002 76.6 73.9 85.6 75.1 84.4
2003 75.5 71.6 83.6 71.5 85.7
2004 76.6 71.4 88.6 78.3 88.1
2005 77.0 73.5 89.7 75.1 90.5
2006 76.9 73.8 87.3 76.4 86.7
2007 77.8 73.0 86.0 79.6 88.1
2008 77.1 73.0 84.4 82.2 86.7
2009 77.0 75.0 84.9 81.8 86.6
2010 76.9 77.5 87.7 79.8 89.2
2011 77.0 77.1 84.8 74.2 91.1
2012 76.5 77.9 88.0 77.6 88.2
2013 78.3 77.4 83.4 73.5 93.5
2013* 77.6 74.8 82.9 79.1 95.6
2014 78.6 75.4 82.4 81.4 87.7
2015 79.6 75.3 88.1 78.2 87.2
2016 80.5 79.0 87.7 77.2 84.4
2017 80.5 77.0 87.3 75.9 82.3

Earnings ratios are based on median annual earnings of full-time, year-round workers, 15 years old and over. Before 1989 earnings are for civilian workers only. Blacks and Asians include people of Hispanic ethnicity. People of two or more races are not included beginning 2002. Ratios for Asians from 1988 until 2001 included Pacific Islanders. Hispanics may be of any race.
The comparability of historical data has been affected at various times by methodological and other changes in the Current Population Survey. *The 2014 CPS ASEC included redesigned questions for income and health insurance coverage for a subsample of the 98,000 addresses using a probability split panel design. Approximately 68,000 addresses were eligible to receive a set of income questions similar to those used in the 2013 CPS ASEC and the remaining 30,000 addresses were eligible to receive the redesigned income questions, resulting in two estimates for 2013. Estimates based on the portion of the sample that received the redesigned income questions are the most appropriate for comparing estimates from ASEC 2014 with ASEC 2015 and beyond. Dash indicates data not available.
Source: 1961-2018 Annual Social and Economic Supplements, Current Population Survey, U.S. Census Bureau

Women's earnings by race and ethnicity as a percentage of White, non-Hispanic men's earnings

 

Women's earnings by race and ethnicity as a percentage of White, non-Hispanic men's earnings
Year White, non-Hispanic Black Asian Hispanic
1987 63.5 58.0 - 53.5
1988 64.1 58.5 68.5 52.5
1989 64.2 58.0 71.3 52.3
1990 67.6 59.9 70.8 52.0
1991 67.9 60.3 68.2 52.3
1992 69.0 62.3 71.9 53.9
1993 70.0 62.0 76.1 52.4
1994 71.1 61.0 74.9 53.8
1995 68.8 60.1 72.3 49.9
1996 70.2 60.6 72.1 52.7
1997 70.8 60.2 75.9 51.8
1998 71.2 60.0 71.7 50.9
1999 67.8 59.9 70.6 47.9
2000 72.3 60.8 73.9 50.1
2001 73.9 63.8 73.6 51.6
2002 73.9 63.3 74.0 51.6
2003 71.6 60.2 72.8 50.0
2004 71.4 60.9 79.0 51.5
2005 73.5 63.9 77.7 52.1
2006 73.8 62.7 81.2 52.0
2007 73.0 61.6 80.2 52.9
2008 73.0 61.4 82.4 52.4
2009 75.0 61.9 82.3 52.9
2010 77.5 62.2 79.5 54.2
2011 77.1 64.0 78.1 55.5
2012 77.9 64.5 86.8 54.1
2013 77.4 63.7 79.1 56.5
2013* 74.8 58.9 82.2 55.6
2014 75.4 60.5 83.5 54.6
2015 75.3 63.3 84.7 54.4
2016 79.0 62.5 87.4 54.4
2017 77.0 60.8 85.1 53.0

These data reflect a race earnings gap in addition to a gender earnings gap. Earnings ratios are based on median annual earnings of full-time, year-round workers, 15 years old and over. Before 1989 earnings are for civilian workers only. Blacks and Asians include people of Hispanic ethnicity. People of two or more races are not included beginning 2002. Ratios for Asians from 1988 until 2001 included Pacific Islanders. Hispanics may be of any race.
The comparability of historical data has been affected at various times by methodological and other changes in the Current Population Survey. *The 2014 CPS ASEC included redesigned questions for income and health insurance coverage for a subsample of the 98,000 addresses using a probability split panel design. Approximately 68,000 addresses were eligible to receive a set of income questions similar to those used in the 2013 CPS ASEC and the remaining 30,000 addresses were eligible to receive the redesigned income questions, resulting in two estimates for 2013. Estimates based on the portion of the sample that received the redesigned income questions are the most appropriate for comparing estimates from ASEC 2014 with ASEC 2015 and beyond. Dash indicates data not available.
Source: 1987-2018 Annual Social and Economic Supplements, Current Population Survey, U.S. Census Bureau

Gender earnings ratio by weekly earnings

 

Gender earnings ratio by weekly earnings
Year Earnings ratio
1979 62.3
1980 64.2
1981 64.4
1982 65.7
1983 66.5
1984 67.6
1985 68.1
1986 69.5
1987 69.8
1988 70.2
1989 70.1
1990 71.9
1991 74.2
1992 75.8
1993 77.1
1994 76.4
1995 75.5
1996 75.0
1997 74.4
1998 76.3
1999 76.5
2000 76.9
2001 76.4
2002 77.9
2003 79.4
2004 80.4
2005 81.0
2006 80.8
2007 80.2
2008 79.9
2009 80.2
2010 81.2
2011 82.2
2012 80.9
2013 82.1
2014 82.5
2015 81.1
2016 81.9
2017 81.8
2018 81.1

Earnings ratios show female-to-male comparisons. The comparability of historical data has been affected at various times by methodological and other changes in the Current Population Survey. Ratios of median weekly earnings are based on full-time, wage and salary workers, 16 years old and over.
Source: 1979-2018 Current Population Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics