Wage Trends by Industry
Updated
Every industry goes through ups and downs. How are your industry’s pay practices changing and how do they compare with others? See which industries have seen the biggest increases and declines in wage levels for jobs.
| Rank | Industry | Q4 2024 Year-Over-Year One Year Wage Growth |
| 1 | Arts, Entertainment & Recreation | 4.8% |
| 2 | Energy & Utilities | 4.7% |
| 3 | Nonprofits | 4.5% |
| 4 | Agencies & Consultancies | 4.4% |
| 5 (tie) | Accommodation & Food Services | 4.3% |
| 5 (tie) | Construction | 4.3% |
| 7 (tie) | Education | 4.1% |
| 7 (tie) | Retail and Customer Service | 4.1% |
| 9 | Transportation & Warehousing | 4.0% |
| 10 | Finance & Insurance | 3.8% |
| 11 (tie) | Engineering & Science | 3.7% |
| 11 (tie) | Technology | 3.7% |
| 13 | Real Estate | 3.5% |
| 14 | Manufacturing | 3.4% |
| 15 | Health Care | 3.2% |
Methodology for The Payscale Index: Trends in Compensation
The Payscale Index tracks quarterly changes in total cash compensation for full-time, private industry employees and education professionals in the United States. In addition to a national index, it includes separate indices for specific industries, metropolitan areas, job categories, and company sizes. The Payscale Index uses 2006 average total cash compensation as a baseline.