The Sad Reason U.S. Wages Are Up

Given the millions of Americans who have struggled with various levels of income loss during the pandemic, you'd think the average wage would have plummeted since the start of the outbreak. Between February of 2020 and January of 2021, the average hourly wage for private sector workers rose by $1.45, or 5.1%, to $29.96, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Rather, it's because so many lower-paying jobs have been lost in the course of the pandemic, which is driving the average wage up.