Colorado vs. Oregon
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Colorado vs. Oregon
Colorado:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $75,100
2022 Rank = #10
Oregon:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $71,601
2022 Rank = #15
The United States economy has generated an impressive number of jobs since the 1970s. The contrast between the nation's vigorous employment growth and the modest performance of other major industrial countries is striking. Despite this rosy track record, the real (inflation adjusted) wages and salaries of many workers have stagnated or slipped in recent years. This development has provoked concerns about the quality of new jobs. Structural shifts in the composition of employment--from high-wage goods-producing to low-wage services-related sectors--is the culprit most often cited for the deteriorating quality of jobs.
Regions vary greatly in the make-up of their labor force, in their industry composition of employment, and their economic experience. Reviewing and examining recent developments in average earnings per job in Colorado with comparisons to Oregon and the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in Colorado.
Discussion: Average Annual Earnings Per Job are computed by dividing BEA total industry earnings estimates by the BEA total full- and part-time jobs estimates. No convenient or adequate means exist at the state or regional level for converting the job estimates to a full-time equivalent measure. So, interpret the average earnings per job estimates with caution in consideration of the following issues:
Average earnings per job within industries involving more part-time work is lower than industries involving more full-time work, although there could be little difference in the underlying wage of full-time workers. Such differences could also prevail between states and regions. An increase in the proportion of part-time jobs over time may erode average earnings per job estimates, although full-time earnings per worker may have remained unchanged.
As with per capita income, average earnings per job may be subject to extreme short-run variation, especially in smaller states. Major construction projects relating to building dams, nuclear power plants, and private plant construction projects have caused extreme fluctuations in many smaller states. Such changes typify both small and large agriculture-dependent states owing to the extreme annual variations in farm incomes. Also, Since average earnings per job are just a simple average, it does not account for variations in the distribution of earnings among high- vs. low-wage jobs.
Colorado Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Colorado Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts Colorado's annual average earnings per job over 1970-2022 in current and constant (2017) dollars. Constant dollar measurements remove the effects of inflation. They allow for comparison of changes in the real purchasing power of Colorado over time.
When measured in current dollars, Colorado's average earnings per job increased 936.87%, from $7,243 in 1970 to $75,100 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 76.61%, from $36,644 in 1970 to $64,718 in 2022.
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces Colorado's and Oregon's annual real average earnings per job for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate real average earnings per job patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Colorado's real average earnings per job rose from $35,462 in 1969 to $64,718 in 2022, for a net gain of $29,255, or 82.50%. In comparison, Oregon's real average earnings per job advanced from $37,127 in 1969 to $61,702 in 2022, for a net gain of $24,575, or 66.19%. Colorado's real average earnings per job ranked 10th among the 51 states in 2022, Oregon's ranked 15th.
In addition, the United States' real average earnings per job increased from $38,018 in 1969 to $61,690 in 2022, for a net gain of $23,672, or 62.26%.
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 shows Colorado's real average earnings per job growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Oregon, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's real average earnings per job in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the real average earnings per jobs in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in real average earnings per job growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
Colorado's overall real average earnings per job growth was 82.50% over 1969-2022 outpaced Oregon's increase of 66.19%, and topped the United States' increase of 62.26%.
Average Earnings Per Job as a Percent of the U.S. Average: 1969-2022
Average Earnings Per Job as a Percent of the U.S. Average: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Figure 4 depicts the trends for average earnings per job relative to the national average by tracing Colorado and Oregon average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, Colorado's average earnings per job amounted to 93.28% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 104.91%. Similarly, in 1969, Oregon's average earnings per job totaled 97.66% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 100.02%.
Colorado Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Colorado Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 shows the short-run pattern of Colorado's real average earnings per job growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also traced on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, Colorado's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 1.16% over 1970-2022. The state posted its highest growth in 1998 (6.68%) and posted its lowest growth in 2016 (-2.82%). In 2022, Colorado's real average earnings per job declined by -2.01%
Colorado Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Colorado Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past six decades some states have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again illustrates the annual percent change in Colorado's real average earnings per job since 1970, but this time they are displayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Colorado's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged 1.21%. It averaged 0.18% in the 1980s, 2.48% throughout the 1990s, 0.20% during the 2000s, 1.77% in the 2010s, 1.08% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Real Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Real Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for Colorado noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Oregon and the nation. As the chart reveals, Colorado's average annual real average earnings per job growth exceeded Oregon's average in the 1970s (1.21% vs. 0.98%), recorded above Oregon's average during the 1980s (0.18% vs. -0.33%), outperformed Oregon's average in the 1990s (2.48% vs. 1.93%), fell below Oregon's average in the 2000s (0.20% vs. 0.51%), recorded above Oregon's average throughout the 2010s (1.77% vs. 1.75%), and recorded under Oregon's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (1.08% vs. 1.24%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, Colorado outperformed the nation over the 1970s (1.21% vs. 0.89%), fell below the nation throughout the 1980s (0.18% vs. 0.71%), topped the nation in the 1990s (2.48% vs. 1.68%), lagged the nation throughout the 2000s (0.20% vs. 0.72%), exceeded the nation over the 2010s (1.77% vs. 1.01%), and led the nation over 2020-2022 (1.08% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
1.16
1.21
0.18
2.48
0.20
1.77
1.08
-2.01
 
0.98
0.98
-0.33
1.93
0.51
1.75
1.24
-4.37
 
0.93
0.89
0.71
1.68
0.72
1.01
-0.24
-4.51
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Colorado:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
6,696
0.189
35,462
100.0
N
93.28
23
1970
 
7,243
0.198
36,644
103.3
3.33
95.35
21
1971
 
7,884
0.206
38,262
107.9
4.42
97.29
20
1972
 
8,418
0.213
39,506
111.4
3.25
96.86
18
1973
 
8,943
0.225
39,828
112.3
0.82
95.79
25
1974
 
9,680
0.248
39,042
110.1
-1.97
97.50
21
1975
 
10,400
0.269
38,720
109.2
-0.82
97.08
20
1976
 
11,063
0.283
39,048
110.1
0.85
95.80
22
1977
 
11,800
0.302
39,102
110.3
0.14
95.07
24
1978
 
12,840
0.323
39,783
112.2
1.74
95.42
23
1979
 
14,029
0.351
39,919
112.6
0.34
96.30
24
1980
 
15,285
0.389
39,265
110.7
-1.64
97.63
21
1981
 
16,739
0.424
39,465
111.3
0.51
98.08
20
1982
 
17,756
0.448
39,660
111.8
0.49
98.70
20
1983
 
18,646
0.467
39,948
112.6
0.73
98.55
18
1984
 
19,380
0.484
40,010
112.8
0.16
96.03
19
1985
 
20,132
0.501
40,160
113.2
0.38
95.28
19
1986
 
20,892
0.512
40,790
115.0
1.57
94.63
20
1987
 
21,764
0.528
41,219
116.2
1.05
94.11
19
1988
 
22,365
0.549
40,764
114.9
-1.10
91.63
23
1989
 
23,261
0.573
40,622
114.6
-0.35
91.36
24
1990
 
24,377
0.598
40,781
115.0
0.39
91.65
22
1991
 
25,447
0.618
41,195
116.2
1.01
92.41
22
1992
 
27,283
0.634
43,019
121.3
4.43
92.87
22
1993
 
28,344
0.650
43,606
123.0
1.37
94.16
21
1994
 
28,870
0.664
43,508
122.7
-0.23
93.40
22
1995
 
29,949
0.678
44,203
124.6
1.60
94.76
21
1996
 
31,170
0.692
45,042
127.0
1.90
95.00
21
1997
 
32,407
0.704
46,028
129.8
2.19
94.71
20
1998
 
34,848
0.710
49,104
138.5
6.68
96.77
19
1999
 
37,298
0.720
51,803
146.1
5.49
98.80
17
2000
 
40,182
0.738
54,431
153.5
5.07
100.70
13
2001
 
41,785
0.753
55,490
156.5
1.95
100.74
15
2002
 
42,226
0.763
55,348
156.1
-0.26
99.58
16
2003
 
42,891
0.779
55,064
155.3
-0.51
98.25
18
2004
 
43,866
0.798
54,952
155.0
-0.20
96.50
20
2005
 
45,268
0.821
55,120
155.4
0.31
97.04
19
2006
 
47,091
0.844
55,769
157.3
1.18
97.21
18
2007
 
47,699
0.866
55,076
155.3
-1.24
96.59
17
2008
 
48,276
0.892
54,139
152.7
-1.70
95.98
18
2009
 
46,878
0.889
52,719
148.7
-2.62
93.68
19
2010
 
48,353
0.905
53,420
150.6
1.33
92.65
19
2011
 
50,236
0.928
54,131
152.6
1.33
93.66
20
2012
 
52,010
0.945
55,018
155.1
1.64
94.46
20
2013
 
54,560
0.958
56,963
160.6
3.54
97.71
18
2014
 
56,990
0.971
58,680
165.5
3.01
100.00
15
2015
 
56,684
0.973
58,258
164.3
-0.72
97.72
17
2016
 
55,642
0.983
56,614
159.6
-2.82
95.15
19
2017
 
58,387
1.000
58,387
164.6
3.13
96.78
17
2018
 
61,456
1.020
60,223
169.8
3.14
98.96
17
2019
 
64,924
1.035
62,721
176.9
4.15
100.78
14
2020
 
67,971
1.046
64,960
183.2
3.57
100.88
13
2021
 
71,993
1.090
66,048
186.2
1.67
102.23
12
2022
 
75,100
1.160
64,718
182.5
-2.01
104.91
10
Source: Calculations by the United States Regional Economic Analysis Project (US-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_SA1400_1400_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Oregon:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
7,011
0.189
37,127
100.0
N
97.66
19
1970
 
7,367
0.198
37,269
100.4
0.38
96.98
19
1971
 
7,824
0.206
37,970
102.3
1.88
96.55
21
1972
 
8,415
0.213
39,493
106.4
4.01
96.83
19
1973
 
9,022
0.225
40,178
108.2
1.73
96.63
23
1974
 
9,779
0.248
39,441
106.2
-1.83
98.50
19
1975
 
10,356
0.269
38,556
103.8
-2.24
96.67
21
1976
 
11,331
0.283
39,993
107.7
3.73
98.12
18
1977
 
12,087
0.302
40,055
107.9
0.15
97.38
20
1978
 
13,198
0.323
40,890
110.1
2.09
98.07
18
1979
 
14,362
0.351
40,868
110.1
-0.05
98.59
18
1980
 
15,408
0.389
39,580
106.6
-3.15
98.41
20
1981
 
16,357
0.424
38,563
103.9
-2.57
95.84
23
1982
 
16,832
0.448
37,595
101.3
-2.51
93.57
27
1983
 
17,405
0.467
37,288
100.4
-0.82
91.99
27
1984
 
18,412
0.484
38,011
102.4
1.94
91.23
27
1985
 
18,999
0.501
37,902
102.1
-0.29
89.92
29
1986
 
19,735
0.512
38,531
103.8
1.66
89.39
31
1987
 
20,382
0.528
38,600
104.0
0.18
88.13
31
1988
 
21,569
0.549
39,312
105.9
1.85
88.37
30
1989
 
22,593
0.573
39,456
106.3
0.37
88.74
29
1990
 
23,916
0.598
40,010
107.8
1.40
89.91
25
1991
 
25,059
0.618
40,566
109.3
1.39
91.00
24
1992
 
26,661
0.634
42,040
113.2
3.63
90.75
23
1993
 
27,807
0.650
42,780
115.2
1.76
92.38
22
1994
 
28,491
0.664
42,937
115.6
0.36
92.18
23
1995
 
29,241
0.678
43,158
116.2
0.52
92.52
23
1996
 
30,561
0.692
44,161
118.9
2.32
93.14
23
1997
 
31,738
0.704
45,078
121.4
2.08
92.75
24
1998
 
33,140
0.710
46,697
125.8
3.59
92.03
23
1999
 
34,379
0.720
47,748
128.6
2.25
91.07
23
2000
 
36,554
0.738
49,516
133.4
3.70
91.61
23
2001
 
37,470
0.753
49,759
134.0
0.49
90.34
23
2002
 
38,264
0.763
50,156
135.1
0.80
90.23
24
2003
 
39,379
0.779
50,555
136.2
0.80
90.20
24
2004
 
40,715
0.798
51,004
137.4
0.89
89.57
25
2005
 
41,667
0.821
50,735
136.7
-0.53
89.32
26
2006
 
43,757
0.844
51,821
139.6
2.14
90.33
25
2007
 
44,311
0.866
51,163
137.8
-1.27
89.73
26
2008
 
45,098
0.892
50,575
136.2
-1.15
89.66
29
2009
 
44,605
0.889
50,163
135.1
-0.82
89.14
31
2010
 
45,807
0.905
50,608
136.3
0.89
87.77
33
2011
 
47,067
0.928
50,717
136.6
0.22
87.76
34
2012
 
49,257
0.945
52,105
140.3
2.74
89.46
32
2013
 
50,075
0.958
52,281
140.8
0.34
89.68
31
2014
 
51,184
0.971
52,701
141.9
0.80
89.81
30
2015
 
53,253
0.973
54,732
147.4
3.85
91.81
25
2016
 
54,743
0.983
55,699
150.0
1.77
93.61
20
2017
 
56,535
1.000
56,535
152.3
1.50
93.71
20
2018
 
58,867
1.020
57,686
155.4
2.04
94.79
20
2019
 
61,717
1.035
59,622
160.6
3.36
95.81
19
2020
 
66,005
1.046
63,081
169.9
5.80
97.96
16
2021
 
70,331
1.090
64,523
173.8
2.29
99.87
15
2022
 
71,601
1.160
61,702
166.2
-4.37
100.02
15
Source: Calculations by the United States Regional Economic Analysis Project (US-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_SA1400_1400_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
7,179
0.189
38,018
100.0
N
1970
 
7,596
0.198
38,430
101.1
1.08
1971
 
8,103
0.206
39,326
103.4
2.33
1972
 
8,691
0.213
40,786
107.3
3.71
1973
 
9,336
0.225
41,579
109.4
1.94
1974
 
9,928
0.248
40,044
105.3
-3.69
1975
 
10,713
0.269
39,883
104.9
-0.40
1976
 
11,549
0.283
40,761
107.2
2.20
1977
 
12,412
0.302
41,131
108.2
0.91
1978
 
13,457
0.323
41,694
109.7
1.37
1979
 
14,568
0.351
41,454
109.0
-0.58
1980
 
15,657
0.389
40,220
105.8
-2.98
1981
 
17,066
0.424
40,237
105.8
0.04
1982
 
17,989
0.448
40,181
105.7
-0.14
1983
 
18,920
0.467
40,535
106.6
0.88
1984
 
20,181
0.484
41,663
109.6
2.78
1985
 
21,130
0.501
42,152
110.9
1.17
1986
 
22,078
0.512
43,104
113.4
2.26
1987
 
23,126
0.528
43,799
115.2
1.61
1988
 
24,408
0.549
44,487
117.0
1.57
1989
 
25,460
0.573
44,462
117.0
-0.05
1990
 
26,599
0.598
44,498
117.0
0.08
1991
 
27,537
0.618
44,577
117.3
0.18
1992
 
29,378
0.634
46,323
121.8
3.92
1993
 
30,101
0.650
46,309
121.8
-0.03
1994
 
30,909
0.664
46,580
122.5
0.59
1995
 
31,605
0.678
46,646
122.7
0.14
1996
 
32,810
0.692
47,411
124.7
1.64
1997
 
34,218
0.704
48,600
127.8
2.51
1998
 
36,011
0.710
50,743
133.5
4.41
1999
 
37,751
0.720
52,432
137.9
3.33
2000
 
39,903
0.738
54,053
142.2
3.09
2001
 
41,477
0.753
55,080
144.9
1.90
2002
 
42,406
0.763
55,584
146.2
0.92
2003
 
43,655
0.779
56,045
147.4
0.83
2004
 
45,456
0.798
56,943
149.8
1.60
2005
 
46,648
0.821
56,800
149.4
-0.25
2006
 
48,442
0.844
57,368
150.9
1.00
2007
 
49,382
0.866
57,019
150.0
-0.61
2008
 
50,298
0.892
56,407
148.4
-1.07
2009
 
50,041
0.889
56,276
148.0
-0.23
2010
 
52,191
0.905
57,661
151.7
2.46
2011
 
53,633
0.928
57,792
152.0
0.23
2012
 
55,061
0.945
58,245
153.2
0.78
2013
 
55,837
0.958
58,296
153.3
0.09
2014
 
56,990
0.971
58,680
154.3
0.66
2015
 
58,005
0.973
59,615
156.8
1.59
2016
 
58,480
0.983
59,501
156.5
-0.19
2017
 
60,329
1.000
60,329
158.7
1.39
2018
 
62,102
1.020
60,856
160.1
0.87
2019
 
64,419
1.035
62,233
163.7
2.26
2020
 
67,378
1.046
64,393
169.4
3.47
2021
 
70,421
1.090
64,606
169.9
0.33
2022
 
71,586
1.160
61,690
162.3
-4.51
Source: Calculations by the United States Regional Economic Analysis Project (US-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_SA1400_1400_PN
 
   
Copyright © 2023. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.

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