What is the average wage in the ?

Updated Apr. 11, 2026Refreshed monthly
The average wage was $1,278 per week in March 2026, 0.3% higher than a year before. The average weekly wage, the typical earnings that employees bring home for one week of work, is a valuable indicator to assess economic conditions, labor market health, and wage trends.

$1.28K

average weekly earnings, March 2026

0.3%

higher than a year before (adjusted for inflation)
The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases monthly statistics tracking the wages of all non-government employees. In March 2026, the average weekly wage was $1,278. That represents the average wages of 135.3 million workers in different industries (excluding the government) and parts of the country.
Wage levels are dependent on several factors, including labor demand and supply, inflation, and changes in workforce composition. Since the Great Recession, which ended in July 2009, the average weekly wage has generally increased, with a spike in 2020 at the start of the pandemic when a large number of low-wage workers lost their jobs. Higher-wage workers were less likely to be laid off in that period, causing the average weekly wage to jump.

In March 2026, the average weekly wage was $1,278.

Average weekly wage, Mar 2006 - Mar 2026, adjusted for inflation

Which occupations have the highest wages?

As with other averages, most people earn more or less than the average weekly wage. Pay varies based on industry and occupation.
In March 2026, workers in the Information sector had the highest average weekly earnings at $2,048 per week. Leisure and hospitality workers had the lowest at $594 per week.

In March 2026, the information sector had the highest average wage among various industries.

Average weekly wage by economic sector, March 2026

Which states have the highest and lowest wages?

Wages also vary by state. In January 2026, the latest month for which state-level data is available, Washington had the highest average weekly wage at $1,517 per week and Mississippi was the lowest at $983.

In January 2026, Washington state, Massachusetts, and California had the highest average weekly wages.

Average weekly wage, January 2026

Cost of living, which also varies based on location, impacts how far a person’s wages go. Someone earning the weekly average would have more purchasing power — the amount their money can actually buy — in states with lower costs of living like Arkansas, Mississippi, and Iowa instead of those with the highest, such as California, Hawaii, and New Jersey.
Adjusting for regional cost of living differences, Washington has the highest average weekly wage at $1,417. Delaware has the lowest at $1,075 per month.

Accounting for cost of living differences, Washington state, North Dakota, and Massachusetts had the highest average weekly wages.

Average weekly wage, January 2026, adjusted with regional price parity (2024)

Keep exploring

Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.