Studies Show that Wages have Risen - What about you?

[YourWakeUpCall]

Originally Posted by moneill

Goodness gracious.

Wage growth does not include PROMOTIONS. If the starting salary doesn't change over 30 years (factoring in the time value of money) then there is no wage growth -- even if most teachers have experienced some kind promotion increase.

The OP was asking how our personal incomes have grown. It said nothing about excluding promotions. In fact, had that exclusion been included, the poll would be limited to people who've been working a year or two, since just about everyone gets promoted at some point. In my industry, you'd probably be terminated if you were still in the entry level pay band 5 years in - because you're an under performer - otherwise you would have been promoted. Your point is valid, but not in the context of this poll. You're answering a question that wasn't asked.



To answer YOUR question more directly, starting pay in my field has tracked inflation almost perfectly over the last 32 years.

[Tokinouta]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Increases in purchasing power and heightened consumerism have come from imports of goods at lower prices from Asia primarily. There would be no Wal-Mart if not for China. It has come at the cost of millions of good paying jobs in America.

Walmart Workers Cost Taxpayers $6.2 Billion In Public Assistance https://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoc.../#ff39f7c720b7

We all help pay Walmart employees. It's the only reason they can afford such low prices and of course, buying goods distributed and made by slaves. Walmart would close down if it had to pay a living wage.

[charolastra00]

My wage has more than doubled since I got my first post-college job about 8 years ago.

But wages are still stagnant. What do I mean by that? That first job paid 35K in 2010. A coworker had started in the same role in 2000. She was given the same starting wage. Same wage, 10 years difference. 35K in 2000 got her a studio apartment and a car. 35K in 2010 got me 4 roommates sharing one bathroom and walking 2 miles each way to work (and I didn't even have any student loan debt!). The starting wage today is only a few thousand dollars higher, but I doubt 38K would even be enough to live with roommates today if you have any kind of debt.

Similarly, I have gotten a promotion and just hired my first direct report. Their job description is the same as mine was when I starting in that role 5 years ago, except the skillset required has gotten more advanced as the industry has changed and developed rapidly. The top of the range I was able to work with with my new hire was only $2000 more a year than what I was able to negotiate to. COL has *definitely* increased more than that.

[tripleh]

I made 70k my first job out of college. I now make considerably more than that, so I answered yes to the poll in question.

[Mircea]

Originally Posted by natalie469

Higher wages mean nothing if half your salary goes to healthcare.

Single people do not pay half of their wages to healthcare.

By federal law, single employees are limited to a maximum of 9.56% of the household income for health plan coverage.

9.56% ≠ 50%

Employers pay an average of 70% of the cost of health plan coverage.

Originally Posted by Anmarxist

The average American hasn't had a raise in 40 years, quit fooling yourself.

All of the evidence shows wages have continually increased, and wage increases have out-paced all forms of Inflation.

Average wages in 2016 were $48,642 and $50,321 in 2017.

The percent change is 3.45%, while all forms of Inflation increased 2.18% over the same period, leaving a net gain of 1.27%

Average wage in 2010 was $41,673, so there has been a 20.75% increase through 2017.

All forms of Inflation increased 11.73% over the same period, so that results in a net wage increase of 9.02%

Average wage in 2000 was $32,154 so that is a 56.49% increase, while all forms of Inflation have increased 40.9% so that represents a 15.59% net increase in wages since 2000.

Average wage in 1990 was $21,027 so wages have increased 139.31% since then, while all forms of Inflation have increased 81.94% giving a net increase of 57.37%.

That debunks the whole wage stagnation myth.

We have additional evidence, because in 1990, 79% of Americans made $30,000 or less, while as of 2017, only 48% of Americans earned $30,000 or less.

Originally Posted by Anmarxist

Repeat after me: PURCHASING POWER.

Repeat after me: Cost-push Inflation and Demand-pull Inflation.

That 81.94% breaks down as 70% Cost-push/Demand-pull Inflation and 11.94% Monetary Inflation.

Cost-push Inflation is all you. You did that. You elected the people who enact the laws and regulations that drive up the prices of goods and services.

If you don't like it, then un-elect them.

The purpose of Demand-pull Inflation is to protect resources, goods and services from being depleted, over-used or over-consumed.

If you don't like, then either stop consuming or increase the Supply of the affected goods and services.

Nothing is stopping you, except you.

Why don't you be a good boy and enlighten us about how we benefit by having resources, goods and services depleted, over-used or over-consumed?

[Rocko20]

Originally Posted by skeddy

I got a number of raises along the way, they were called promotions.

Same here, if you're not seeing an increase in wages then you're in the wrong line of work or you're a horrible employee.

Hell, not even the military forbids soldiers to get wage increases in the form of longevity pay bump every 2 years, annual pay raises, and easy promotions.

[green_mariner]

I was laid off last year and right now I'm currently UNDEREMPLOYED until I'm offered a job that is much closer to my education and skill set. My wages have dropped.