Updated monthly
About $1,275 per week in January 2026, 1.9% 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.
$1.27K
average weekly earnings, January 2026
1.9%
higher than a year before (adjusted for inflation)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases monthly statistics tracking the wages of all non-government employees. In January 2026, the average weekly wage was $1,275. 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.