Job growth has accelerated most for high-wage occupations, and middle-wage employment growth has been flat

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Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2000-2024.

NOTES: We exclude middle-wage occupations for 2005 due to missing data. Occupations are based on BLS Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) System codes (major 6-digit codes, excluding military occupations). “Low,” “middle,” and “high” categories are based on median annual earnings for occupations (divided roughly in thirds, see Appendix Figure C5). Even though earnings for some occupations change over this period, all occupations remain in the same wage group (low, middle, or high) throughout 2000-2024. While based on occupation-level rather than individual-level earnings, the cutoffs in this analysis are similar to that used throughout the report. High-wage occupations include: Management, Computer and Mathematical, Legal, Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, Architecture and Engineering, Life and Social Science, and Business and Financial Operations occupations. Middle-wage occupations include: Arts and Entertainment, Construction and Extraction, Education, Installation and Maintenance, Community and Social Services, Protective Services, and Office and Administrative Support occupations. Low-wage occupations include: Production, Transportation and Material Moving, Sales, Building and Grounds Maintenance, Personal Care, Food Preparation and Serving, Farming, and Healthcare Support occupations.