Delta Region vs. Mississippi
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Delta Region vs. Mississippi
Delta Region:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $41,800
2022 Percent of State = 83.62%
Mississippi:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $49,988
The United States economy has generated an impressive number of jobs since the 1970s. The contrast between the nation's vigorous employment growth and the modest performance of other major industrial countries is striking. Despite this rosy track record, the real (inflation adjusted) wages and salaries of many workers have stagnated or slipped in recent years. This development has provoked concerns about the quality of new jobs. Structural shifts in the composition of employment--from high-wage goods-producing to low-wage services-related sectors--is the culprit most often cited for the deteriorating quality of jobs.
Regions vary greatly in the make-up of their labor force, in their industry composition of employment, and their economic experience. Reviewing and examining recent developments in average earnings per job in the Delta Region with comparisons to Mississippi and the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in the Delta Region.
Discussion: Average Annual Earnings Per Job are computed by dividing BEA total industry earnings estimates by the BEA total full- and part-time jobs estimates. No convenient or adequate means exist at the county or regional level for converting the job estimates to a full-time equivalent measure. So, interpret the average earnings per job estimates with caution in consideration of the following issues:
Average earnings per job within industries involving more part-time work is lower than industries involving more full-time work, although there could be little difference in the underlying wage of full-time workers. Such differences could also prevail between counties and regions. An increase in the proportion of part-time jobs over time may erode average earnings per job estimates, although full-time earnings per worker may have remained unchanged.
As with per capita income, average earnings per job may be subject to extreme short-run variation, especially in smaller counties. Major construction projects relating to building dams, nuclear power plants, and private plant construction projects have caused extreme fluctuations in many smaller counties. Such changes typify both small and large agriculture-dependent counties owing to the extreme annual variations in farm incomes. Also, Since average earnings per job are just a simple average, it does not account for variations in the distribution of earnings among high- vs. low-wage jobs.
Delta Region Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Delta Region Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts the Delta Region's annual average earnings per job over 1970-2022 in current and constant (2017) dollars. Constant dollar measurements remove the effects of inflation. They allow for comparison of changes in the real purchasing power of the Delta Region over time.
When measured in current dollars, the Delta Region's average earnings per job increased 823.68%, from $4,525 in 1970 to $41,800 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 57.33%, from $22,895 in 1970 to $36,021 in 2022.
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces the Delta Region's and Mississippi's annual real average earnings per job for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate real average earnings per job patterns over time. During this 54-year period, the Delta Region's real average earnings per job rose from $22,189 in 1969 to $36,021 in 2022, for a net gain of $13,833, or 62.34%. In comparison, Mississippi's real average earnings per job increased from $26,640 in 1969 to $43,077 in 2022, for a net advance of $16,437, or 61.70%.
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 portrays the Delta Region's real average earnings per job growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Mississippi, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's real average earnings per job in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the real average earnings per jobs in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in real average earnings per job growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
The Delta Region's overall real average earnings per job growth was 62.34% over 1969-2022 outpaced Mississippi's increase of 61.70%, and outpaced the United States' increase of 62.26%.
Average Earnings Per Job as a Percent of the U.S. Average: 1969-2022
Average Earnings Per Job as a Percent of the U.S. Average: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Figure 4 depicts the trends for average earnings per job relative to the national average by tracing the Delta Region and Mississippi average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, the Delta Region's average earnings per job amounted to 58.36% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 58.39%. Similarly, in 1969, Mississippi's average earnings per job totaled 70.07% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 69.83%.
Delta Region Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Delta Region Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 highlights the short-run pattern of the Delta Region's real average earnings per job growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also illustrated on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, the Delta Region's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 1.10% over 1970-2022. The Delta Region recorded its highest growth in 1984 (15.48%) and posted its lowest growth in 1980 (-16.43%). In 2022, the Delta Region's real average earnings per job declined by -12.82%
Delta Region Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Delta Region Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some momentum mississippi regions have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again illustrates the annual percent change in the Delta Region's real average earnings per job since 1970, but this time they are displayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, the Delta Region's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged 3.24%. It averaged 0.51% throughout the 1980s, 1.59% in the 1990s, 0.59% throughout the 2000s, 0.21% in the 2010s, -0.93% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Real Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Real Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for the Delta Region noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Mississippi and the nation. As the chart reveals, the Delta Region's average annual real average earnings per job growth outgained Mississippi's average during the 1970s (3.24% vs. 2.08%), outgained Mississippi's average during the 1980s (0.51% vs. 0.31%), outperformed Mississippi's average in the 1990s (1.59% vs. 1.57%), lagged Mississippi's average in the 2000s (0.59% vs. 0.89%), surpassed Mississippi's average throughout the 2010s (0.21% vs. 0.13%), and recorded under Mississippi's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (-0.93% vs. -0.03%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, the Delta Region outgained the nation throughout the 1970s (3.24% vs. 0.89%), trailed the nation throughout the 1980s (0.51% vs. 0.71%), posted below the nation over the 1990s (1.59% vs. 1.68%), recorded underneath the nation in the 2000s (0.59% vs. 0.72%), lagged the nation over the 2010s (0.21% vs. 1.01%), and recorded underneath the nation over 2020-2022 (-0.93% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
1.10
3.24
0.51
1.59
0.59
0.21
-0.93
-12.82
 
0.94
2.08
0.31
1.57
0.89
0.13
-0.03
-4.84
 
0.93
0.89
0.71
1.68
0.72
1.01
-0.24
-4.51
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Delta Region:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
4,190
0.189
22,189
100.0
N
83.29
58.36
1970
 
4,525
0.198
22,895
103.2
3.18
85.00
59.58
1971
 
4,889
0.206
23,728
106.9
3.64
85.74
60.34
1972
 
5,454
0.213
25,597
115.4
7.88
86.82
62.76
1973
 
6,260
0.225
27,878
125.6
8.91
90.52
67.05
1974
 
6,283
0.248
25,344
114.2
-9.09
86.03
63.29
1975
 
6,832
0.269
25,437
114.6
0.37
86.61
63.78
1976
 
7,834
0.283
27,651
124.6
8.70
89.31
67.84
1977
 
8,753
0.302
29,007
130.7
4.91
91.82
70.52
1978
 
9,142
0.323
28,326
127.7
-2.35
88.77
67.94
1979
 
10,575
0.351
30,090
135.6
6.23
92.33
72.59
1980
 
9,789
0.389
25,147
113.3
-16.43
82.43
62.53
1981
 
11,067
0.424
26,092
117.6
3.76
84.18
64.85
1982
 
11,552
0.448
25,803
116.3
-1.11
82.92
64.22
1983
 
11,466
0.467
24,565
110.7
-4.80
80.49
60.60
1984
 
13,741
0.484
28,368
127.8
15.48
89.58
68.09
1985
 
14,302
0.501
28,532
128.6
0.58
89.21
67.69
1986
 
13,979
0.512
27,292
123.0
-4.34
84.52
63.32
1987
 
16,235
0.528
30,748
138.6
12.66
92.61
70.20
1988
 
17,385
0.549
31,687
142.8
3.05
94.43
71.23
1989
 
17,455
0.573
30,483
137.4
-3.80
91.02
68.56
1990
 
18,273
0.598
30,570
137.8
0.29
90.97
68.70
1991
 
19,715
0.618
31,915
143.8
4.40
94.29
71.60
1992
 
20,407
0.634
32,177
145.0
0.82
91.99
69.46
1993
 
20,510
0.650
31,554
142.2
-1.93
89.90
68.14
1994
 
22,747
0.664
34,280
154.5
8.64
94.68
73.59
1995
 
22,330
0.678
32,958
148.5
-3.86
91.29
70.65
1996
 
23,603
0.692
34,107
153.7
3.49
93.11
71.94
1997
 
24,428
0.704
34,695
156.4
1.73
93.13
71.39
1998
 
25,012
0.710
35,244
158.8
1.58
91.10
69.46
1999
 
25,560
0.720
35,499
160.0
0.72
90.75
67.70
2000
 
25,874
0.738
35,050
158.0
-1.27
88.91
64.84
2001
 
28,774
0.753
38,211
172.2
9.02
93.66
69.37
2002
 
27,454
0.763
35,985
162.2
-5.82
88.02
64.74
2003
 
30,533
0.779
39,198
176.7
8.93
93.23
69.94
2004
 
32,447
0.798
40,647
183.2
3.69
93.72
71.38
2005
 
33,225
0.821
40,456
182.3
-0.47
92.79
71.23
2006
 
32,532
0.844
38,526
173.6
-4.77
89.85
67.16
2007
 
34,404
0.866
39,724
179.0
3.11
93.39
69.67
2008
 
32,612
0.892
36,573
164.8
-7.93
85.71
64.84
2009
 
32,989
0.889
37,099
167.2
1.44
86.92
65.92
2010
 
34,552
0.905
38,173
172.0
2.89
88.13
66.20
2011
 
35,822
0.928
38,600
174.0
1.12
90.55
66.79
2012
 
36,829
0.945
38,958
175.6
0.93
90.16
66.89
2013
 
39,717
0.958
41,466
186.9
6.44
94.27
71.13
2014
 
35,762
0.971
36,822
165.9
-11.20
85.04
62.75
2015
 
34,519
0.973
35,477
159.9
-3.65
82.97
59.51
2016
 
36,425
0.983
37,061
167.0
4.46
87.46
62.29
2017
 
37,359
1.000
37,359
168.4
0.80
87.55
61.93
2018
 
37,870
1.020
37,110
167.2
-0.67
87.15
60.98
2019
 
38,788
1.035
37,472
168.9
0.97
86.75
60.21
2020
 
41,437
1.046
39,601
178.5
5.68
88.89
61.50
2021
 
45,038
1.090
41,319
186.2
4.34
91.27
63.96
2022
 
41,800
1.160
36,021
162.3
-12.82
83.62
58.39
Source: Calculations by the Mississippi Regional Economic Analysis Project (MS-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1400_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Mississippi:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
5,030
0.189
26,640
100.0
N
70.07
1970
 
5,324
0.198
26,936
101.1
1.11
70.09
1971
 
5,702
0.206
27,673
103.9
2.74
70.37
1972
 
6,282
0.213
29,482
110.7
6.54
72.28
1973
 
6,916
0.225
30,798
115.6
4.46
74.07
1974
 
7,304
0.248
29,459
110.6
-4.35
73.57
1975
 
7,889
0.269
29,370
110.3
-0.30
73.64
1976
 
8,772
0.283
30,959
116.2
5.41
75.95
1977
 
9,533
0.302
31,591
118.6
2.04
76.81
1978
 
10,299
0.323
31,908
119.8
1.00
76.53
1979
 
11,453
0.351
32,591
122.3
2.14
78.62
1980
 
11,876
0.389
30,507
114.5
-6.39
75.85
1981
 
13,147
0.424
30,996
116.4
1.60
77.03
1982
 
13,931
0.448
31,116
116.8
0.39
77.44
1983
 
14,246
0.467
30,521
114.6
-1.91
75.30
1984
 
15,339
0.484
31,667
118.9
3.76
76.01
1985
 
16,033
0.501
31,984
120.1
1.00
75.88
1986
 
16,539
0.512
32,291
121.2
0.96
74.91
1987
 
17,530
0.528
33,199
124.6
2.81
75.80
1988
 
18,411
0.549
33,557
126.0
1.08
75.43
1989
 
19,176
0.573
33,489
125.7
-0.20
75.32
1990
 
20,088
0.598
33,605
126.1
0.35
75.52
1991
 
20,909
0.618
33,848
127.1
0.72
75.93
1992
 
22,184
0.634
34,980
131.3
3.34
75.51
1993
 
22,814
0.650
35,098
131.8
0.34
75.79
1994
 
24,025
0.664
36,206
135.9
3.16
77.73
1995
 
24,461
0.678
36,102
135.5
-0.29
77.40
1996
 
25,350
0.692
36,631
137.5
1.47
77.26
1997
 
26,231
0.704
37,256
139.9
1.71
76.66
1998
 
27,456
0.710
38,689
145.2
3.84
76.24
1999
 
28,165
0.720
39,117
146.8
1.11
74.61
2000
 
29,103
0.738
39,423
148.0
0.78
72.93
2001
 
30,722
0.753
40,798
153.1
3.49
74.07
2002
 
31,189
0.763
40,881
153.5
0.20
73.55
2003
 
32,752
0.779
42,047
157.8
2.85
75.02
2004
 
34,621
0.798
43,370
162.8
3.15
76.16
2005
 
35,808
0.821
43,600
163.7
0.53
76.76
2006
 
36,206
0.844
42,878
161.0
-1.66
74.74
2007
 
36,840
0.866
42,537
159.7
-0.80
74.60
2008
 
38,049
0.892
42,670
160.2
0.31
75.65
2009
 
37,953
0.889
42,682
160.2
0.03
75.84
2010
 
39,204
0.905
43,312
162.6
1.48
75.12
2011
 
39,562
0.928
42,630
160.0
-1.58
73.76
2012
 
40,851
0.945
43,213
162.2
1.37
74.19
2013
 
42,132
0.958
43,987
165.1
1.79
75.46
2014
 
42,051
0.971
43,298
162.5
-1.57
73.79
2015
 
41,602
0.973
42,757
160.5
-1.25
71.72
2016
 
41,649
0.983
42,376
159.1
-0.89
71.22
2017
 
42,672
1.000
42,672
160.2
0.70
70.73
2018
 
43,452
1.020
42,580
159.8
-0.21
69.97
2019
 
44,712
1.035
43,195
162.1
1.44
69.41
2020
 
46,614
1.046
44,549
167.2
3.14
69.18
2021
 
49,344
1.090
45,269
169.9
1.62
70.07
2022
 
49,988
1.160
43,077
161.7
-4.84
69.83
Source: Calculations by the Mississippi Regional Economic Analysis Project (MS-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1400_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
7,179
0.189
38,018
100.0
N
1970
 
7,596
0.198
38,430
101.1
1.08
1971
 
8,103
0.206
39,326
103.4
2.33
1972
 
8,691
0.213
40,786
107.3
3.71
1973
 
9,336
0.225
41,579
109.4
1.94
1974
 
9,928
0.248
40,044
105.3
-3.69
1975
 
10,713
0.269
39,883
104.9
-0.40
1976
 
11,549
0.283
40,761
107.2
2.20
1977
 
12,412
0.302
41,131
108.2
0.91
1978
 
13,457
0.323
41,694
109.7
1.37
1979
 
14,568
0.351
41,454
109.0
-0.58
1980
 
15,657
0.389
40,220
105.8
-2.98
1981
 
17,066
0.424
40,237
105.8
0.04
1982
 
17,989
0.448
40,181
105.7
-0.14
1983
 
18,920
0.467
40,535
106.6
0.88
1984
 
20,181
0.484
41,663
109.6
2.78
1985
 
21,130
0.501
42,152
110.9
1.17
1986
 
22,078
0.512
43,104
113.4
2.26
1987
 
23,126
0.528
43,799
115.2
1.61
1988
 
24,408
0.549
44,487
117.0
1.57
1989
 
25,460
0.573
44,462
117.0
-0.05
1990
 
26,599
0.598
44,498
117.0
0.08
1991
 
27,537
0.618
44,577
117.3
0.18
1992
 
29,378
0.634
46,323
121.8
3.92
1993
 
30,101
0.650
46,309
121.8
-0.03
1994
 
30,909
0.664
46,580
122.5
0.59
1995
 
31,605
0.678
46,646
122.7
0.14
1996
 
32,810
0.692
47,411
124.7
1.64
1997
 
34,218
0.704
48,600
127.8
2.51
1998
 
36,011
0.710
50,743
133.5
4.41
1999
 
37,751
0.720
52,432
137.9
3.33
2000
 
39,903
0.738
54,053
142.2
3.09
2001
 
41,477
0.753
55,080
144.9
1.90
2002
 
42,406
0.763
55,584
146.2
0.92
2003
 
43,655
0.779
56,045
147.4
0.83
2004
 
45,456
0.798
56,943
149.8
1.60
2005
 
46,648
0.821
56,800
149.4
-0.25
2006
 
48,442
0.844
57,368
150.9
1.00
2007
 
49,382
0.866
57,019
150.0
-0.61
2008
 
50,298
0.892
56,407
148.4
-1.07
2009
 
50,041
0.889
56,276
148.0
-0.23
2010
 
52,191
0.905
57,661
151.7
2.46
2011
 
53,633
0.928
57,792
152.0
0.23
2012
 
55,061
0.945
58,245
153.2
0.78
2013
 
55,837
0.958
58,296
153.3
0.09
2014
 
56,990
0.971
58,680
154.3
0.66
2015
 
58,005
0.973
59,615
156.8
1.59
2016
 
58,480
0.983
59,501
156.5
-0.19
2017
 
60,329
1.000
60,329
158.7
1.39
2018
 
62,102
1.020
60,856
160.1
0.87
2019
 
64,419
1.035
62,233
163.7
2.26
2020
 
67,378
1.046
64,393
169.4
3.47
2021
 
70,421
1.090
64,606
169.9
0.33
2022
 
71,586
1.160
61,690
162.3
-4.51
Source: Calculations by the Mississippi Regional Economic Analysis Project (MS-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_1400_PN
 
   
Copyright © 2023. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.

Please stay tuned...
while your request is processing:

Please wait while your request is being processed...
To offer the most comprehensive set of interactive options in support of your research, MS-REAP calculates and crunches most of the data and generates the narrative and graphic analysis on demand in response to your request.
Your request will soon be available.
Just a few more seconds....Your request has been generated and is now loading the results.