Cumulative percent change in inflation-adjusted median hourly wages for all workers by education level, 1979–2017
| Less than high school | High school | Some college | College | Advanced degree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 1980 | -4.84799 | -4.6074 | -0.55624 | -3.52341 | 0.1159 |
| 1981 | -6.32703 | -4.15315 | -2.16316 | -0.18544 | -2.163 |
| 1982 | -6.73788 | -5.90526 | -1.79234 | -0.32452 | 0.309 |
| 1983 | -5.83402 | -7.07333 | -2.6576 | 0.8809 | 0.3862 |
| 1984 | -9.6138 | -7.13822 | -3.64648 | 2.0399 | 2.0085 |
| 1985 | -12.5719 | -5.71058 | -1.3597 | 1.8544 | 2.7424 |
| 1986 | -14.1331 | -5.06165 | 0.1236 | 6.5832 | 8.9996 |
| 1987 | -16.9269 | -4.86697 | -0.0618 | 6.4905 | 10.506 |
| 1988 | -14.2975 | -5.06165 | -2.03956 | 8.484 | 12.7849 |
| 1989 | -15.53 | -6.55419 | -1.79234 | 8.3449 | 11.9351 |
| 1990 | -15.8587 | -7.52758 | -0.92707 | 6.6759 | 11.7806 |
| 1991 | -15.2835 | -9.08501 | -2.22497 | 6.2587 | 13.9436 |
| 1992 | -17.3377 | -10.2531 | -1.73053 | 6.8614 | 14.9479 |
| 1993 | -19.3098 | -9.73394 | -1.42151 | 6.7687 | 15.3341 |
| 1994 | -21.0353 | -11.0967 | -2.84302 | 7.1395 | 19.0035 |
| 1995 | -22.8431 | -8.63076 | -3.33745 | 8.0668 | 18.7717 |
| 1996 | -24.8973 | -11.0318 | -5.80964 | 5.9805 | 17.922 |
| 1997 | -22.1857 | -9.47437 | -3.21384 | 7.5568 | 18.1151 |
| 1998 | -19.392 | -4.6074 | 0 | 13.0274 | 21.3982 |
| 1999 | -17.0912 | -6.48929 | 1.7923 | 15.6236 | 25.7628 |
| 2000 | -16.9269 | -6.03504 | 3.3993 | 17.9416 | 24.2565 |
| 2001 | -16.4339 | -3.17975 | 3.9555 | 20.8159 | 25.7242 |
| 2002 | -12.2432 | -3.89358 | 3.0902 | 18.9615 | 26.1491 |
| 2003 | -14.2153 | -2.40104 | 4.8826 | 19.2397 | 26.0718 |
| 2004 | -16.4339 | -1.03829 | 2.1014 | 17.8489 | 25.8787 |
| 2005 | -14.1331 | -4.21804 | 2.225 | 15.1599 | 25.6083 |
| 2006 | -14.3796 | -4.93186 | 3.0284 | 15.9481 | 23.8316 |
| 2007 | -14.3796 | -6.09994 | 1.4215 | 16.2262 | 24.72 |
| 2008 | -14.2975 | -5.90526 | -0.0618 | 16.319 | 24.2565 |
| 2009 | -12.6541 | -5.58079 | 1.7923 | 16.7826 | 28.8528 |
| 2010 | -14.0509 | -7.07333 | 0.618 | 16.0408 | 27.5782 |
| 2011 | -14.4618 | -8.2414 | -3.64648 | 14.1864 | 23.6771 |
| 2012 | -14.0509 | -8.89033 | -4.69716 | 12.2856 | 24.2565 |
| 2013 | -15.2835 | -9.73394 | -4.44994 | 14.6963 | 24.411 |
| 2014 | -16.6804 | -8.17651 | -5.99506 | 12.7955 | 22.3638 |
| 2015 | -16.7625 | -7.98183 | -6.11867 | 14.0936 | 22.2093 |
| 2016 | -14.9548 | -7.85204 | -4.51174 | 15.9017 | 26.0718 |
| 2017 | -9.6138 | -2.66061 | -1.11248 | 15.9017 | 29.973 |
Source: EPI analysis of Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Group microdata