Wage growth—or lack thereof—continues to be a major issue plaguing the U.S. market, but are some industries faring better than others? New findings from CareerBuilder and Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. (EMSI) reveal which industries have experienced some of the biggest increases—and biggest declines—in postrecession wage growth.
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The study was based on an analysis of labor market information aggregated from nearly 100 national, state, and local employment resources. From 2005 to 2015, the national average growth rate for earnings across industries was 2.1% with most of the growth taking place between 2006 and 2007. Since the start of the economic recovery in 2010, average earnings among salary workers have decreased by 0.1%.
Wages in broad sectors
From 2010 to 2015, wages declined in eight of the 20 broad industry sectors with the biggest dip in health care and social assistance (-4.4%)—largely driven by a 20% decrease in wages in the individual and family services industry.
The government sector experienced the next largest decline in wages at 3.1% as more downsizing and budget cuts came into play.
Several of the broad industry sectors that experienced declines or only very small increases in earnings postrecession are lower-paying on average: retail (-1.7%); accommodations and food services (-1.4%); and administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (-2.3%).
Conversely, several of the broad industry sectors that saw significant increases since 2010 are high-paying, such as information (13.9%); finance and insurance (4.2%); and mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (3.1%).
The information sector not only had the most wage growth postrecession, but also since 2005 (20%). Among reasons for this surge in earnings is a big jump in Internet publishing and broadcasting and web search portal jobs, which on average earn upwards of $220,000 in 2015.
Wage growth in detailed industries
Drilling down into more than 300 specific industries, CareerBuilder and EMSI identified where wage growth is accelerating. Below are industries with at least 250,000 jobs and average earnings of at least $75,000 that have experienced the highest wage growth since 2010. Not surprising, most are concentrated in STEM-related fields (science, technology, engineering, and math).
| Industry | % Change in Earnings (2010-2015) | 2015 Average Earnings | % Change in Jobs (2010-2015) | 2015 Jobs |
| Scheduled Air Transportation | 16.7% | $75,284 | 1% | 409,901 |
| Scientific Research and Development | 9.6% | $117,196 | 5% | 652,877 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 7.8% | $119,522 | 2% | 283,263 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 6.6% | $96,606 | 0% | 369,730 |
| Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services | 6.0% | $91,852 | 20% | 290,524 |
| Support Activities for Mining | 5.3% | $87,878 | 52% | 441,269 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 4.6% | $111,951 | 18% | 2,183,267 |
| Insurance Carriers | 3.4% | $84,879 | 4% | 1,296,480 |
| Software Publishers | 2.9% | $139,291 | 23% | 318,580 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 2.8% | $94,124 | 2% | 483,880 |
While higher-paying industries are producing the most wage growth, it's encouraging that industries with average earnings of less than $50,000 are also seeing larger paychecks. Examples include:
| Industry | % Change in Earnings (2010-2015) | 2015 Average Earnings | % Change in Jobs (2010-2015) | 2015 Jobs |
| Consumer Goods Rental | 12.9% | $36,138 | -20% | 154,811 |
| Specialized Freight Trucking | 5.4% | $46,584 | 19% | 451,081 |
| Residential Building Construction | 3.1% | $48,441 | 20% | 721,575 |
| Lessors of Real Estate | 7.0% | $45,762 | 1% | 590,582 |
| Crop Production | 5.6% | $28,888 | 5% | 556,898 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | 4.4% | $43,391 | 11% | 212,058 |
| Educational Support Services | 2.8% | $46,945 | 33% | 139,523 |
Declines in wages in detailed industries
But where, specifically, are wages declining the most? Below are industries with at least 250,000 jobs that have experienced the largest dips in wages since 2010.
| Industry | % Change in Earnings (2010-2015) | 2015 Average Earnings | % Change in Jobs (2010-2015) | 2015 Jobs |
| Individual and Family Services | -20.1% | $21,156 | 64% | 2,156,549 |
| Department Stores | -8.8% | $20,145 | -10% | 1,345,204 |
| Federal Government, Military | -8.7% | $47,359 | -3% | 2,029,595 |
| Office Supplies, Stationary, and Gift Stores | -6.6% | $23,906 | -7% | 290,262 |
| Grocery Stores | -6.6% | $22,589 | 8% | 2,657,897 |
| Building Material and Supplies Dealers | -5.6% | $31,335 | 8% | 1,097,644 |
| Home Health Care Services | -5.5% | $28,166 | 20% | 1,298,526 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Stores | -5.3% | $19,408 | 13% | 520,618 |
| Gasoline Stations | -5.0% | $19,431 | 9% | 893,894 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | -4.7% | $55,879 | 34% | 557,313 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services | -4.7% | $25,474 | -2% | 347,699 |
| Offices of Dentists | -4.5% | $47,481 | 10% | 910,783 |
Will wages start to climb?
"Though sluggish wage growth has affected workers across the board, those operating in lower-paying industries and occupations have felt the biggest impact," says Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder and co-author of The Talent Equation. "While the recovery for wages will continue to be gradual, our research indicates that we may see an uptick soon, as employers begin rethinking their compensation strategies to compete not only for high-skilled positions but entry-level as well."
A nationwide study by CareerBuilder found 68% of employers plan to increase compensation levels for current employees, and 46% plan to increase starting salaries for new employees. In addition, 64% said they support a hike a minimum wage in their state.
Note: This analysis looked only at payroll jobs, excluding self-employed workers. All earnings information has been adjusted for inflation. Note that average earnings includes wages, salaries, commissions, tips, overtime pay, hazard pay, bonuses, stock options, and severance pay. However, they do not include supplements such as employer contributions to 401(k) plans, pensions, insurance funds, and government social insurance (FIA/FUTA).
For more information on this study, visit the CareerBuilder website.