A report from UW–Madison think tank COWS High Road Strategy Center found that a decline in Wisconsin’s median wage last year effectively “erased” three years of wage growth, according to WisBusiness.
The State of Working Wisconsin 2023 report looks at the latest data on the state’s labor market, with a focus on persistent economic inequalities, declining union participation, and more.
Particularly strong growth between 2019 and 2021 was disrupted in 2022. With adjustment for inflation, the state’s median wage dropped from $23.27 in 2021 to $22.02 last year, bringing it down to 2019 levels.
According to the report, white women and men have seen the weakest wage growth in Wisconsin since 2019 compared to other racial and ethnic groups. The greatest wage gains have been seen among Hispanic women (16%), Black men (14%), Hispanic men (8%), and Black women (4%).
That said, ethnic and racial wage gaps statewide “remain substantial.” In 2022, median wages were $25.01 for white men; $21.04 for Black men; $18.84 for Hispanic men; $20.96 for white women; $17 for Black women; and $18.75 for Hispanic women.
The full report is available online.
