• U.S. Real Earnings – February 2013 [Inflation, wages, pay, salaries]

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Real average hourly earnings for all employees fell 0.6 percent from January to February, seasonally adjusted. This result stems from a 0.2 percent increase in average hourly earnings being more than offset by a 0.7 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). Real average weekly earnings fell 0.2 percent over the month due to the decrease in real average hourly earnings combined with a 0.3 percent increase in the average workweek. Real average hourly earnings rose 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, from February 2012 to February 2013. The increase in real average hourly earnings, combined with a 0.3 percent decrease in the average workweek, resulted in a 0.2 percent decrease in real average weekly earnings over this period. Source: USDOL-BLS *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.

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