More Jobs, Smaller Paychecks
After falling during the recession, the number of Americans with full-time jobs increased last year.
But median earnings for full-time workers fell. (Also: The wage gap between men and women did not change.)
Real earnings for full-time workers from 1967 to 2011
Real earnings for full-time workers from 1967 to 2011
Census BureauAnd household income was stagnant across the income spectrum.
These figures, from a Census Bureau report released this morning, aren't surprising. But they are a reminder of the fact that, while high unemployment remains a big problem for the U.S. labor market, it's not the only problem. There's also a long-term stagnation in real earnings for people who have jobs.
On a less-grim note, the report also found that the percentage of Americans without health insurance fell last year. Here's more on that.
Comments
You must be signed in to leave a comment. Sign In / Register
Please keep your community civil. All comments must follow the NPR.org Community rules and terms of use, and will be moderated prior to posting. NPR reserves the right to use the comments we receive, in whole or in part, and to use the commenter's name and location, in any medium. See also the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and Community FAQ.




