Southeast vs. United States
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Southeast vs. United States
Southeast:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $62,104
U.S.:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $71,586
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 the Southeast with comparison to the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in the Southeast.
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.
Southeast Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Southeast Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts the Southeast'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 the Southeast over time.
When measured in current dollars, the Southeast's average earnings per job increased 879.93%, from $6,338 in 1970 to $62,104 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 66.91%, from $32,063 in 1970 to $53,518 in 2022.
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 shows the Southeast's real average earnings per job growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with 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.
The Southeast's overall real average earnings per job growth was 69.90% over 1969-2022 outpaced 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 3.
Figure 3 depicts the trends for average earnings per job relative to the national average by tracing the Southeast average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, the Southeast's average earnings per job amounted to 82.85% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 86.75%.
Southeast Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Southeast Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 4.
Figure 4 displays the short-run pattern of the Southeast'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, the Southeast's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 1.02% over 1970-2022. The Southeast posted its highest growth in 1998 (4.67%) and recorded its lowest growth in 2022 (-3.13%). In 2022, the Southeast's real average earnings per job declined by -3.13%
Southeast Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Southeast Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Over the past six decades some BEA regions have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 5 again illustrates the annual percent change in the Southeast'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, the Southeast's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged 1.44%. It averaged 0.85% in the 1980s, 1.64% in the 1990s, 0.81% throughout the 2000s, 0.67% in the 2010s, -0.06% 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 6.
Figure 6 compares the decade average growth rates for the Southeast noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for the nation.
Relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, the Southeast outpaced the nation during the 1970s (1.44% vs. 0.89%), outpaced the nation in the 1980s (0.85% vs. 0.71%), recorded underneath the nation over the 1990s (1.64% vs. 1.68%), recorded above the nation throughout the 2000s (0.81% vs. 0.72%), recorded underneath the nation in the 2010s (0.67% vs. 1.01%), and led the nation over 2020-2022 (-0.06% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
1.02
1.44
0.85
1.64
0.81
0.67
-0.06
-3.13
 
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.

   
 
Southeast:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
5,948
0.189
31,499
100.0
N
82.85
1970
 
6,338
0.198
32,063
101.8
1.79
83.43
1971
 
6,808
0.206
33,038
104.9
3.04
84.01
1972
 
7,359
0.213
34,537
109.6
4.54
84.68
1973
 
7,956
0.225
35,429
112.5
2.58
85.21
1974
 
8,539
0.248
34,441
109.3
-2.79
86.01
1975
 
9,230
0.269
34,365
109.1
-0.22
86.16
1976
 
10,023
0.283
35,375
112.3
2.94
86.79
1977
 
10,761
0.302
35,662
113.2
0.81
86.70
1978
 
11,728
0.323
36,336
115.4
1.89
87.15
1979
 
12,745
0.351
36,267
115.1
-0.19
87.49
1980
 
13,734
0.389
35,280
112.0
-2.72
87.72
1981
 
15,080
0.424
35,553
112.9
0.77
88.36
1982
 
15,914
0.448
35,546
112.8
-0.02
88.46
1983
 
16,769
0.467
35,927
114.1
1.07
88.63
1984
 
17,894
0.484
36,942
117.3
2.82
88.67
1985
 
18,718
0.501
37,341
118.5
1.08
88.59
1986
 
19,498
0.512
38,067
120.9
1.94
88.31
1987
 
20,568
0.528
38,953
123.7
2.33
88.94
1988
 
21,712
0.549
39,573
125.6
1.59
88.96
1989
 
22,570
0.573
39,416
125.1
-0.40
88.65
1990
 
23,507
0.598
39,326
124.8
-0.23
88.38
1991
 
24,605
0.618
39,830
126.4
1.28
89.35
1992
 
26,173
0.634
41,270
131.0
3.61
89.09
1993
 
26,834
0.650
41,282
131.1
0.03
89.15
1994
 
27,688
0.664
41,727
132.5
1.08
89.58
1995
 
28,306
0.678
41,777
132.6
0.12
89.56
1996
 
29,287
0.692
42,320
134.4
1.30
89.26
1997
 
30,337
0.704
43,088
136.8
1.81
88.66
1998
 
32,006
0.710
45,100
143.2
4.67
88.88
1999
 
33,371
0.720
46,348
147.1
2.77
88.40
2000
 
34,921
0.738
47,304
150.2
2.06
87.51
2001
 
36,463
0.753
48,423
153.7
2.37
87.91
2002
 
37,522
0.763
49,182
156.1
1.57
88.48
2003
 
38,860
0.779
49,888
158.4
1.43
89.01
2004
 
40,574
0.798
50,827
161.4
1.88
89.26
2005
 
41,928
0.821
51,052
162.1
0.44
89.88
2006
 
43,360
0.844
51,350
163.0
0.58
89.51
2007
 
43,923
0.866
50,716
161.0
-1.24
88.95
2008
 
44,645
0.892
50,067
158.9
-1.28
88.76
2009
 
44,648
0.889
50,210
159.4
0.29
89.22
2010
 
46,263
0.905
51,112
162.3
1.80
88.64
2011
 
46,814
0.928
50,444
160.1
-1.31
87.28
2012
 
48,144
0.945
50,928
161.7
0.96
87.44
2013
 
48,495
0.958
50,631
160.7
-0.58
86.85
2014
 
49,502
0.971
50,969
161.8
0.67
86.86
2015
 
50,485
0.973
51,886
164.7
1.80
87.03
2016
 
50,958
0.983
51,847
164.6
-0.07
87.14
2017
 
52,285
1.000
52,285
166.0
0.84
86.67
2018
 
53,512
1.020
52,439
166.5
0.29
86.17
2019
 
55,535
1.035
53,650
170.3
2.31
86.21
2020
 
57,450
1.046
54,905
174.3
2.34
85.26
2021
 
60,223
1.090
55,250
175.4
0.63
85.52
2022
 
62,104
1.160
53,518
169.9
-3.13
86.75
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
 
   

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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