Advertised wages for salaried roles rose 2.9% year-over-year, outpacing hourly pay growth of 1.7% amid declining STEM hourly wages.
Salaried workers experienced a 2.9% increase in advertised wages over the past year, compared to just 1.7% growth for hourly earners, according to job posting data. Hourly pay in STEM fields, including IT and software development, declined outright during the same period.
The gap widens as inflation, measured at 3.8% in April, outpaces wage growth for most workers. Hourly earners, often early-career professionals or contractors, face greater financial pressure as consumer prices rise faster than their pay.
The divergence highlights disparities in compensation trends, with salaried roles in higher-income brackets benefiting more from wage growth. Hourly roles in marketing and sales also saw declines in advertised pay.