Average hourly earnings of employees in United States
United States: Average hourly earnings of employees was 43.49 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
43.49 international-$ in 2021 prices
Change on year
up 4.9%
World rank
1st
of 64 countries
All-time high
43.49 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2025
All-time low
14.32 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 1994
Years of data
32
1994–2025
Average hourly earnings of employees in United States, 1994–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
United States recorded 43.49 international-$ in 2021 prices for average hourly earnings of employees in 2025. That is the highest value across all 32 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.9% on the previous year and up 71.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average hourly earnings of employees in United States peaked at 43.49 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2025 and was at its lowest, 14.32 international-$ in 2021 prices, in 1994.
That places United States 1st out of 64 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 32 years of available data.
Average hourly earnings of employees in United States, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 14.32 international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1995 | 14.93 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.3% |
| 1996 | 15.11 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 15.3 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 16.73 international-$ in 2021 prices | +9.4% |
| 1999 | 16.83 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 17.48 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.9% |
| 2001 | 18.95 international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.4% |
| 2002 | 19.38 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 19.53 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 20.43 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.6% |
| 2005 | 20.86 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 21.65 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 22 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 22.95 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 24.11 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 24.19 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 23.6 international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 24.01 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 24.48 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 24.76 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 25.3 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 25.86 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 27.21 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.2% |
| 2018 | 27.73 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 28.72 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 32.3 international-$ in 2021 prices | +12.5% |
| 2021 | 32.21 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 34.91 international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.4% |
| 2023 | 37.45 international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.3% |
| 2024 | 41.48 international-$ in 2021 prices | +10.8% |
| 2025 | 43.49 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.9% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 43.49 international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for high income countries, which is 18.14 international-$ in 2021 prices, 2.4× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.54 international-$ in 2021 prices | 14.32 international-$ in 2021 prices | 16.83 international-$ in 2021 prices | 6 |
| 2000s | 20.73 international-$ in 2021 prices | 17.48 international-$ in 2021 prices | 24.11 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.59 international-$ in 2021 prices | 23.6 international-$ in 2021 prices | 28.72 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.97 international-$ in 2021 prices | 32.21 international-$ in 2021 prices | 43.49 international-$ in 2021 prices | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More reference data data for United States
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 19.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 20.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 64.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 52.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 133.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 589.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 112.69 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average hourly earnings of employees in United States?
- Average hourly earnings of employees in United States was 43.49 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average hourly earnings of employees recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 43.49 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2025.
- What is the lowest average hourly earnings of employees recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.32 international-$ in 2021 prices in 1994.
- How does United States rank for average hourly earnings of employees?
- United States ranks 1st out of 64 countries with data for 2025.
- Is average hourly earnings of employees rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 71.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average hourly earnings of employees. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 32 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Gross remuneration for time worked or work done, vacation, and other types of paid leave.