Wages and salaries in the US rose 0.7% quarter on quarter in Q4 2025, easing from a 0.8% increase in the previous quarter, reflecting slower gains across private-industry pay (0.7% vs. 0.8% in Q3), while state and local government wages increased (0.8% vs. 0.7%). On a year-over-year basis, wages and salaries increased 3.3%, down from 3.5% in Q3. Pay growth for private-industry workers slowed to 3.3% (vs. 3.6%), while wages for state and local government employees also moderated to 3.3% (vs. 3.5%). source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Employment Cost Index Wages in the United States averaged 0.80 percent from 1982 until 2025, reaching an all time high of 1.60 percent in the third quarter of 1982 and a record low of 0.20 percent in the second quarter of 2015. This page includes a chart with historical data for the United States Employment Cost Index Wages QoQ. United States Employment Cost Index Wages QoQ - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on March of 2026.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2025-12-10 01:30 PM
Employment Cost - Wages QoQ
Q3 0.8% 1% 0.8%
2026-02-10 01:30 PM
Employment Cost - Wages QoQ
Q4 0.7% 0.8% 0.8%
2026-04-30 12:30 PM
Employment Cost - Wages QoQ
Q1 0.7%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Average Hourly Earnings MoM 0.40 0.10 percent Jan 2026
Average Hourly Earnings YoY 3.70 3.70 percent Jan 2026
Average Weekly Hours 34.30 34.20 Hours Jan 2026
Employed Persons 164520.00 163992.00 Thousand Jan 2026
Employment Cost Index 0.70 0.80 percent Dec 2025
Employment Cost - Benefits 0.70 0.80 percent Dec 2025
Employment Cost - Wages 0.70 0.80 percent Dec 2025
Employment Rate 59.80 59.70 percent Jan 2026
Full Time Employment 135797.00 135215.00 Thousand Jan 2026
Government Payrolls -42.00 -16.00 Thousand Jan 2026
JOLTs Job Openings 6542.00 6928.00 Thousand Dec 2025
Job Openings 6038.00 6574.00 Thousand Dec 2025
Participation Rate 62.50 62.40 percent Jan 2026
Labour Costs 121.64 122.23 points Sep 2025
Long Term Unemployment Rate 1.07 1.14 percent Jan 2026
Manufacturing Payrolls 5.00 -8.00 Thousand Jan 2026
Non Farm Payrolls 130.00 48.00 Thousand Jan 2026
Nonfarm Payrolls Private 172.00 64.00 Thousand Jan 2026
Part Time Employment 28743.00 28712.00 Thousand Jan 2026
Productivity 117.96 116.55 points Sep 2025
Unemployed Persons 7362.00 7503.00 Thousand Jan 2026
Unemployment Rate 4.30 4.40 percent Jan 2026
Wages 31.95 31.83 USD/Hour Jan 2026
Wages in Manufacturing 29.63 29.52 USD/Hour Jan 2026
Youth Unemployment Rate 9.00 10.40 percent Jan 2026


United States Employment Cost Index Wages QoQ
The Employment Cost Index (ECI) is a measure of the change in the cost of labor, independent of the influence of employment shifts among occupations and industry categories. The total compensation series includes changes in wages and salaries and in employer costs for employee benefits. The ECI calculates indexes of total compensation, wages and salaries, and benefits separately for all civilian workers in the United States, for private industry workers, and for workers in state and local government.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
0.70 0.80 1.60 0.20 1982 - 2025 percent Quarterly
SA