∙ U.S. Average Pay: Weekly Salaries Up 2.1% in Past 12 Months

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Although U.S. average weekly pay is up 2.1% in the past 12 months, when adjusted for inflation salaries actually fell. Current Earnings: U.S. Average weekly earnings grew 2.1%, seasonally adjusted, from April 2011 to April 2012. During the same period, average hourly earnings also grew…by 1.8%. Real* Earnings: Real average weekly earnings fell 0.2% over the past year seasonally adjusted; real average hourly earnings decreased 0.5%. This chart shows that although U.S. average hourly rates have been rising, the effect of inflation has reduced the effective purchasing power of those earnings. *Note: Real earnings show the effect of inflation on your pay. If your salary went up by 2.1% over the year while the cost-of-living (CPI-U) rose 2.3%, then the “real” value of your salary fell by 0.2% [differences in some of the data are due to rounding and seasonal adjustment]. The figures reported here are earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls, seasonally adjusted. Source: USDOL-BLS

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