Automatic Determinations

Cost-of-Living Adjustment

Graph of AWI series

Indexed program amounts

We use the national average wage indexing series to index the earnings of individuals for benefit computation purposes. We also use the series to index several amounts that are important to the operation of Social Security's Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability program.

YearAWI Annual change
1951 2,799.16—  
1952 2,973.326.22%
1953 3,139.445.59%
1954 3,155.640.52%
1955 3,301.444.62%
1956 3,532.366.99%
1957 3,641.723.10%
1958 3,673.800.88%
1959 3,855.804.95%
1960 4,007.123.92%
1961 4,086.761.99%
1962 4,291.405.01%
1963 4,396.642.45%
1964 4,576.324.09%
1965 4,658.721.80%
1966 4,938.366.00%
1967 5,213.445.57%
1968 5,571.766.87%
1969 5,893.765.78%
1970 6,186.244.96%
1971 6,497.085.02%
1972 7,133.809.80%
1973 7,580.166.26%
1974 8,030.765.94%
1975 8,630.927.47%
1976 9,226.486.90%
1977 9,779.445.99%
1978 10,556.037.94%
1979 11,479.468.75%
1980 12,513.469.01%
1981 13,773.1010.07%
1982 14,531.345.51%
1983 15,239.244.87%
1984 16,135.075.88%
1985 16,822.514.26%
1986 17,321.822.97%
1987 18,426.516.38%
1988 19,334.044.93%
1989 20,099.553.96%
1990 21,027.984.62%
1991 21,811.603.73%
1992 22,935.425.15%
1993 23,132.670.86%
1994 23,753.532.68%
1995 24,705.664.01%
1996 25,913.904.89%
1997 27,426.005.84%
1998 28,861.445.23%
1999 30,469.845.57%
2000 32,154.825.53%
2001 32,921.922.39%
2002 33,252.091.00%
2003 34,064.952.44%
2004 35,648.554.65%
2005 36,952.943.66%
2006 38,651.414.60%
2007 40,405.484.54%
2008 41,334.972.30%
2009 40,711.61-1.51%
2010 41,673.832.36%
2011 42,979.613.13%
2012 44,321.673.12%
2013 44,888.161.28%
2014 46,481.523.55%
2015 48,098.633.48%
2016 48,642.151.13%
2017 50,321.893.45%
2018 52,145.803.62%
2019 54,099.993.75%
2020 55,628.602.83%
2021 60,575.078.89%
2022 63,795.135.32%