Economics

U.S. Workers Get 19% Less Than Federal Estimates, Wage Data Show

  • Ludwig Institute study shows earnings lower than thought
  • New estimates include part-time workers and the unemployed

Photographer: Dimitri Otis/Stone/Getty Images

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American workers are making less than official estimates show, according to new analysis.

U.S. workers earn a median weekly wage of $797, or $41,456 a year, according to the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity, which analyzed data up until 2020. That’s 19% below official estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a widely-used measure of pay.