Average hourly earnings
$38.00 per hour as of Oct 2026
- ▲ +$0.14 (+0.4%) from a month earlier $37.86 on Sep 2026
- ▲ +$1.15 (+3.1%) from a year earlier $36.85 on Oct 2025
What it measures
Average hourly earnings of all employees on private payrolls, seasonally adjusted, from the monthly jobs report.
Why it matters to a small business
Payroll is the largest expense for most small businesses. The 12-month change shows how fast the going wage is rising for the people you need to hire and keep.
Recent readings
| Date | Dollars per hour |
|---|---|
| Oct 2026 | $38.00 |
| Sep 2026 | $37.86 |
| Aug 2026 | $37.76 |
| Jul 2026 | $37.64 |
| Jun 2026 | $37.59 |
| May 2026 | $37.49 |
| Apr 2026 | $37.41 |
| Mar 2026 | $37.35 |
| Feb 2026 | $37.27 |
| Jan 2026 | $37.15 |
| Dec 2025 | $37.02 |
| Nov 2025 | $37.00 |
Source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series CES0500000003, retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Published monthly. Official figures can be revised after they are first released.