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Earnings of Women 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 Women 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 Women Aged 20–59 (in 2020 dollars)
Year Aged 20–29 Aged 30–39 Aged 40–49 Aged 50–59
1990 20,690 30,310 33,050 30,460
1991 19,980 30,280 33,420 30,610
1992 19,720 30,610 34,160 31,440
1993 19,280 30,220 34,290 31,600
1994 19,060 30,010 34,440 31,980
1995 19,020 29,950 34,460 32,280
1996 19,110 30,010 34,480 32,860
1997 19,500 30,470 34,940 33,960
1998 20,440 31,470 35,900 35,280
1999 20,830 32,030 36,310 36,180
2000 21,180 32,710 36,440 36,750
2001 21,080 33,200 36,590 37,440
2002 20,750 33,550 36,810 38,280
2003 20,410 33,770 36,650 38,560
2004 20,400 34,200 36,800 38,870
2005 20,230 34,010 36,420 38,710
2006 20,470 34,280 36,640 38,950
2007 20,570 34,750 36,780 38,970
2008 20,260 34,510 36,450 38,630
2009 19,800 34,850 36,870 38,810
2010 18,970 34,430 36,760 38,370
2011 18,450 33,880 36,570 37,700
2012 18,400 33,930 36,610 37,610
2013 18,500 33,970 36,930 37,610
2014 18,870 34,120 37,460 37,790
2015 19,990 35,390 39,070 39,050
2016 20,670 35,780 39,550 39,180
2017 21,100 36,120 40,040 39,400
2018 21,840 36,580 40,480 39,720
2019 22,650 37,340 41,370 40,360
2020 21,520 37,540 41,990 41,100
  • Earnings for women in the three oldest age groups—
    • increased across each decade analyzed,
    • were higher in 2020 than in any of the preceding 30 years, and
    • were lowest between 1990 and 1995.
  • Whereas, earnings for women aged 20–29—
    • increased by 13.4 percent from 2010–2020 after decreasing by 10.4 percent from 2000–2010,
    • were higher in 2019 than in any other year from 1990 through 2020, and
    • were lowest in 2012, shortly after the Great Recession of 2007–2009.
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 $830
4.0%		 $7,230
23.9%		 $8,940
27.0%		 $10,640
34.9%
1990–2000 $490
2.4%		 $2,400
7.9%		 $3,390
10.3%		 $6,290
20.7%
2000–2010 −$2,210
−10.4%		 $1,720
5.3%		 $320
0.9%		 $1,620
4.4%
2010–2020 $2,550
13.4%		 $3,110
9.0%		 $5,230
14.2%		 $2,730
7.1%
 

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.