United States vs. Hawaii
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
United States vs. Hawaii
U.S.:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $68,015
Hawaii:
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 Hawaii with comparison to the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in Hawaii.
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 county 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 counties 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 counties. Major construction projects relating to building dams, nuclear power plants, and private plant construction projects have caused extreme fluctuations in many smaller counties. Such changes typify both small and large agriculture-dependent counties 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.
United States Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
United States Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts the United States' 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 United States over time.
When measured in current dollars, the United States' average earnings per job increased 842.41%, from $7,596 in 1970 to $71,586 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 60.52%, from $38,430 in 1970 to $61,690 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 Hawaii'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.
Hawaii's overall real average earnings per job growth was 51.35% over 1969-2022 trailed 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 portrays the trends for average earnings per job relative to the national average by tracing Hawaii average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, Hawaii's average earnings per job amounted to 101.86% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 95.01%.
Hawaii Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Hawaii Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 4.
Figure 4 highlights the short-run pattern of Hawaii'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 illustrated 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, Hawaii's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 0.80% over 1970-2022. The state recorded its highest growth in 1970 (4.58%) and recorded its lowest growth in 2022 (-5.87%). In 2022, Hawaii's real average earnings per job declined by -5.87%
Hawaii Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Hawaii Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Over the past five decades some states 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 Hawaii's real average earnings per job since 1970, but this time they are overlayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Hawaii's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged 0.51%. It averaged 0.98% in the 1980s, 0.55% in the 1990s, 1.45% during the 2000s, 1.01% during the 2010s, -0.78% 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 Hawaii noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for the nation.
Relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, Hawaii fell below the nation in the 1970s (0.51% vs. 0.89%), registered above the nation during the 1980s (0.98% vs. 0.71%), posted below the nation over the 1990s (0.55% vs. 1.68%), surpassed the nation throughout the 2000s (1.45% vs. 0.72%), trailed the nation during the 2010s (1.01% vs. 1.01%), and posted below the nation over 2020-2022 (-0.78% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
0.80
0.51
0.98
0.55
1.45
1.01
-0.78
-5.87
 
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.

   
 
Hawaii:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
7,312
0.189
38,725
100.0
N
101.86
1970
 
8,005
0.198
40,500
104.6
4.58
105.39
1971
 
8,491
0.206
41,209
106.4
1.75
104.79
1972
 
8,998
0.213
42,228
109.0
2.47
103.53
1973
 
9,547
0.225
42,516
109.8
0.68
102.26
1974
 
10,557
0.248
42,581
110.0
0.15
106.34
1975
 
10,996
0.269
40,938
105.7
-3.86
102.64
1976
 
11,695
0.283
41,278
106.6
0.83
101.27
1977
 
12,573
0.302
41,667
107.6
0.94
101.30
1978
 
13,392
0.323
41,492
107.1
-0.42
99.52
1979
 
14,281
0.351
40,638
104.9
-2.06
98.03
1980
 
15,662
0.389
40,232
103.9
-1.00
100.03
1981
 
16,762
0.424
39,518
102.0
-1.77
98.21
1982
 
17,912
0.448
40,007
103.3
1.24
99.57
1983
 
19,075
0.467
40,866
105.5
2.15
100.82
1984
 
20,067
0.484
41,426
107.0
1.37
99.43
1985
 
20,850
0.501
41,593
107.4
0.40
98.68
1986
 
21,827
0.512
42,614
110.0
2.45
98.86
1987
 
22,476
0.528
42,567
109.9
-0.11
97.19
1988
 
24,042
0.549
43,821
113.2
2.94
98.50
1989
 
25,623
0.573
44,748
115.6
2.12
100.64
1990
 
27,319
0.598
45,703
118.0
2.13
102.71
1991
 
28,175
0.618
45,610
117.8
-0.20
102.32
1992
 
30,038
0.634
47,363
122.3
3.85
102.25
1993
 
30,914
0.650
47,561
122.8
0.42
102.70
1994
 
31,395
0.664
47,313
122.2
-0.52
101.57
1995
 
31,518
0.678
46,518
120.1
-1.68
99.73
1996
 
31,498
0.692
45,515
117.5
-2.16
96.00
1997
 
32,357
0.704
45,957
118.7
0.97
94.56
1998
 
32,673
0.710
46,040
118.9
0.18
90.73
1999
 
33,973
0.720
47,184
121.8
2.48
89.99
2000
 
35,483
0.738
48,066
124.1
1.87
88.92
2001
 
37,291
0.753
49,522
127.9
3.03
89.91
2002
 
39,357
0.763
51,588
133.2
4.17
92.81
2003
 
41,032
0.779
52,677
136.0
2.11
93.99
2004
 
42,685
0.798
53,471
138.1
1.51
93.90
2005
 
44,517
0.821
54,205
140.0
1.37
95.43
2006
 
45,795
0.844
54,234
140.0
0.05
94.54
2007
 
46,135
0.866
53,269
137.6
-1.78
93.42
2008
 
47,372
0.892
53,126
137.2
-0.27
94.18
2009
 
48,405
0.889
54,436
140.6
2.47
96.73
2010
 
49,661
0.905
54,866
141.7
0.79
95.15
2011
 
50,837
0.928
54,779
141.5
-0.16
94.79
2012
 
52,114
0.945
55,127
142.4
0.64
94.65
2013
 
52,509
0.958
54,822
141.6
-0.55
94.04
2014
 
53,608
0.971
55,197
142.5
0.69
94.07
2015
 
55,144
0.973
56,675
146.4
2.68
95.07
2016
 
56,173
0.983
57,154
147.6
0.84
96.06
2017
 
57,969
1.000
57,969
149.7
1.43
96.09
2018
 
59,533
1.020
58,339
150.6
0.64
95.86
2019
 
62,273
1.035
60,160
155.4
3.12
96.67
2020
 
65,735
1.046
62,824
162.2
4.43
97.56
2021
 
67,874
1.090
62,270
160.8
-0.88
96.38
2022
 
68,015
1.160
58,612
151.4
-5.87
95.01
Source: Calculations by the Hawaii Regional Economic Analysis Project (HI-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1400_SN
 
   

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 Hawaii Regional Economic Analysis Project (HI-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1400_SN
 
   
Copyright © 2023. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.

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