The U.S. median wage rose in the COVID-19 recession as lower-wage workers lost jobs

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September 3, 2021

Despite the pandemic, wage growth held firm for most U.S. workers, with little effect on inequality

The U.S. median wage rose in the COVID-19 recession as lower-wage workers lost jobs

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The U.S. median wage rose in the COVID-19 recession as lower-wage workers lost jobs

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Despite the pandemic, wage growth held firm for most U.S. workers, with little effect on inequality
Two different samples of employed workers point to gains in earnings in 2020 and losses more recently
The pandemic affected wages similarly across earning tiers except for a sharp, but temporary, impact on low-wage workers from the rise in unemployment
Including the unemployed, inequality spiked in the COVID-19 recession but is back to pre-pandemic levels
Wage gaps between women and men and White, Black and Hispanic workers changed little in the pandemic

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