September 25, 2002 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Average pay increase smallest since 1994

The average annual pay of U.S. workers rose by 2.5 percent in 2001. This compares with a 5.9-percent rise in 2000.

Percent change in U.S. average annual pay, 1991-2001
[Chart data—TXT]

The 2.5 percent pay growth for U.S. workers in 2001 was the third lowest in the 1991-2001 period. As the economy slowed in 2001, pay growth dropped below 3 percent for the first time since 1994.

The level of average annual pay for U.S. workers was $36,214 in 2001. This was up from $35,320 in 2000.

The BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program produced these data. Pay data presented here are for all workers covered by State and Federal unemployment insurance programs. Data for 2001 are preliminary and subject to revision. Find more information on pay in 2001 in "Average Annual Pay By State and Industry, 2001," news release USDL 02-540.