June 6, 2025

Average  hourly earnings rose 0.4% in May to $36.24 after having risen 0.2% in April.  Earnings growth  in the past year has been 3.9%.

While nominal earnings have risen 3.9% in the past year, inflation has risen fairly quickly and real or inflation-adjusted earnings have risen only 1.6% in that same period of time which is roughly the same growth rate in real earnings that existed prior to the recession.

Average weekly earnings rose 0.4% in May to $1,243.03 after having risen 0.2% in April.  In the past year weekly earnings have risen 3.9%.

Stephen Slifer

NumberNomics

Charleston, SC