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Earnings of Men Aged 20–59, 1990–2020

Released: June 2023

DEFINITION: Earnings consist of all wages, salaries, and self-employment income in covered and noncovered employment, including earnings that exceed the annual taxable maximum.

Chart. Title: Real Median Annual Earnings of Men Aged 20-59 (in 2020 dollars). Line chart with tabular version below.
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Table equivalent for chart: Real Median Annual Earnings of Men Aged 20–59 (in 2020 dollars)
Year Aged 20–29 Aged 30–39 Aged 40–49 Aged 50–59
1990 26,200 49,530 63,050 60,790
1991 24,520 47,600 61,100 59,260
1992 24,050 47,460 60,850 59,990
1993 23,820 46,410 59,630 59,250
1994 24,090 46,270 59,030 59,490
1995 24,420 45,910 58,420 59,350
1996 24,690 46,020 57,930 59,640
1997 25,440 46,880 58,100 60,680
1998 26,660 48,300 58,880 61,820
1999 27,180 49,140 58,950 62,020
2000 27,430 49,670 58,870 61,520
2001 26,590 49,630 58,140 60,750
2002 25,750 49,530 57,570 60,230
2003 25,200 49,390 57,200 59,620
2004 25,170 49,840 57,600 59,860
2005 25,220 49,750 57,160 59,360
2006 25,470 50,020 57,320 59,200
2007 25,390 49,910 57,420 58,950
2008 24,650 48,650 56,440 57,620
2009 23,260 47,500 55,350 56,510
2010 22,340 46,880 55,380 56,400
2011 21,980 46,180 55,300 56,160
2012 22,110 46,070 55,420 56,360
2013 22,340 46,220 55,810 56,430
2014 22,990 46,630 56,740 57,080
2015 24,070 47,940 58,350 58,520
2016 24,610 47,980 58,450 58,230
2017 25,380 48,650 58,810 58,670
2018 26,340 49,430 59,570 59,260
2019 27,190 50,150 60,090 59,780
2020 26,600 49,900 59,940 59,870
  • Overall, men aged 40–59 experienced a decline in real median annual earnings over the 31-year time period from 1990 through 2020, while these earnings increased slightly among men aged 20–39 during the same time period.
  • For all age groups, earnings declined from 2000 through 2010 and increased from 2010 through 2020.
  • The highest year of earnings differed for each age group—
    • 2000 for men aged 20–29,
    • 2019 for men aged 30–39,
    • 1990 for men aged 40–49, and
    • 1999 for men aged 50–59.
Change in Real Median Annual Earnings (in 2020 Dollars)
Time span Aged 20–29 Aged 30–39 Aged 40–49 Aged 50–59
1990–2020 $400
1.5%		 $370
0.7%		 −$3,110
−4.9%		 −$920
−1.5%
1990–2000 $1,230
4.7%		 $140
0.3%		 −$4,180
−6.6%		 $730
1.2%
2000–2010 −$5,090
−18.6%		 −$2,790
−5.6%		 −$3,490
−5.9%		 −$5,120
−8.3%
2010–2020 $4,260
19.1%		 $3,020
6.4%		 $4,560
8.2%		 $3,470
6.2%
 

SOURCE: Social Security Administration's Continuous Work History Sample.

NOTES: Earnings are indexed to 2020 values based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers and rounded to the nearest $10.

Includes workers with annual earnings equal to or greater than one earnings credit. In 2020 dollars, the earnings required to earn a single credit were $1,030 in 1990, $1,172 in 2000, $1,329 in 2010, and $1,410 in 2020.