Trends: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Union vs Nonunion Weekly Earnings

In 2025, full-time wage and salary workers who were union members had median usual weekly earnings of $1,404, against $1,174 for nonunion workers and $1,204 for all workers, annual averages from the Current Population Survey. BLS Tables 2 and 4 give the figures by age, sex, race and ethnicity, and by occupation and industry, for 2024 and 2025.

By age, sex, race and ethnicity

20242025
CharacteristicTotalMembers of unions(1)Represented by unions(2)Non- union(3)TotalMembers of unions(1)Represented by unions(2)Non- union(3)
AGE AND SEX
Total, 16 years and over$1,159$1,337$1,320$1,138$1,204$1,404$1,386$1,174
16 to 24 years744922892735774954929763
25 years and over1,2211,3631,3511,1991,2681,4321,4181,246
25 to 34 years1,1011,2261,2051,0841,1431,3071,2941,127
35 to 44 years1,2781,3981,3821,2621,3601,4961,4761,341
45 to 54 years1,3271,4781,4701,2861,3681,5151,5031,339
55 to 64 years1,2491,3741,3601,2321,2951,4451,4271,269
65 years and over1,1531,1951,1941,1471,1911,3281,3221,172
Men, 16 years and over1,2611,4151,4031,2411,3261,4871,4751,289
16 to 24 years778991987767805976949794
25 years and over1,3461,4461,4381,3291,3951,5161,5071,374
25 to 34 years1,1581,2641,2541,1481,2021,3731,3711,177
35 to 44 years1,4141,4831,4681,4051,4861,5861,5711,470
45 to 54 years1,4671,5481,5491,4461,5091,6091,5981,490
55 to 64 years1,4211,5021,4931,4071,4541,5431,5291,437
65 years and over1,3001,2801,2871,3041,3501,3791,3801,342
Women, 16 years and over1,0431,2321,2111,0161,0891,2971,2701,056
16 to 24 years709852806705725923906719
25 years and over1,1031,2551,2411,0771,1431,3271,3031,121
25 to 34 years1,0231,1851,1621,0071,0611,2011,1791,036
35 to 44 years1,1471,2961,2861,1261,2171,3741,3591,186
45 to 54 years1,1661,3881,3661,1371,2001,4121,3961,163
55 to 64 years1,0881,1761,1641,0741,1261,3061,2711,103
65 years and over1,0051,0981,0849951,0401,1881,1761,023
RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX
White, 16 years and over1,1771,3751,3531,1551,2311,4521,4331,198
Men1,2881,4621,4431,2621,3541,5381,5221,325
Women1,0611,2631,2361,0301,1081,3451,3251,073
Black or African American, 16 years and over9591,1301,1309339861,1551,136966
Men1,0021,1871,1779691,0391,2301,1971,012
Women9221,0531,0619079421,1001,062924
Asian, 16 years and over1,5251,4451,4681,5331,5661,4451,4631,589
Men1,7261,4201,4511,7541,7801,4841,4961,842
Women1,3651,4941,5061,3491,3951,3881,3991,395
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 16 years and over9021,1611,1408849511,2331,226920
Men9631,2481,2269341,0031,3521,346982
Women8321,0351,0148138891,1601,158864
  • (1) Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar to a union.
  • (2) Data refer to both union members and workers who report no union affiliation but whose jobs are covered by a union or an employee association contract.
  • (3) Data refer to workers who are neither members of a union nor represented by a union on their job.

By occupation and industry

20242025
Occupation and industryTotalMembers of unions(1)Represented by unions(2)Non- union(3)TotalMembers of unions(1)Represented by unions(2)Non- union(3)
OCCUPATION
Management, professional, and related occupations$1,582$1,516$1,500$1,602$1,645$1,581$1,566$1,657
Management, business, and financial operations occupations1,7311,6691,6371,7341,7601,7341,7061,763
Management occupations1,7731,7601,7341,7781,8471,8621,7931,850
Business and financial operations occupations1,6101,4881,4981,6191,6521,5641,5711,657
Professional and related occupations1,5041,4851,4681,5141,5671,5561,5441,573
Computer and mathematical occupations1,9211,6801,6551,9632,0151,6651,6542,045
Architecture and engineering occupations1,8731,8101,7821,8791,9302,0832,0191,921
Life, physical, and social science occupations1,6111,7381,7541,5961,5601,7361,7431,533
Community and social service occupations1,1631,4151,3991,1381,2521,5241,4851,221
Legal occupations1,9041,9021,8991,9051,9331,7911,7971,984
Education, training, and library occupations1,2171,4021,3801,1191,2501,4831,4521,130
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations1,4131,5491,4851,4071,4132,0322,0571,387
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations1,4721,6201,5651,4511,5341,6051,6221,521
Service occupations7581,0481,0217337901,1581,132762
Healthcare support occupations753796786750786884873777
Protective service occupations1,1091,5401,5199371,1971,7281,6551,011
Food preparation and serving related occupations689752745686701757741699
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations729893877714761924915744
Personal care and service occupations757979914749762907870750
Sales and office occupations9641,0891,0849541,0101,1291,1241,001
Sales and related occupations1,0461,0221,0551,0451,1121,0431,0361,116
Office and administrative support occupations9251,1001,0899119811,1451,138963
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations1,0421,4751,4499951,1011,5551,5391,017
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations716--714729--729
Construction and extraction occupations1,0171,4921,4759741,0961,5611,5471,004
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations1,1501,4571,4211,1131,1801,5711,5481,140
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations8911,1281,1118649241,1661,142901
Production occupations9221,1511,1298999691,1611,144945
Transportation and material moving occupations8621,1051,0868298951,1741,140866
INDUSTRY
Private sector1,1401,2581,2431,1311,1811,3641,3431,169
Agriculture and related industries786--786811--810
Nonagricultural industries1,1441,2611,2461,1361,1881,3651,3441,175
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction1,511--1,4821,536--1,532
Construction1,1001,5301,5001,0511,1801,5851,5671,132
Manufacturing1,2021,2191,2161,1991,2451,3401,3311,237
Durable goods1,2521,2641,2651,2511,2981,4011,3971,282
Nondurable goods1,1241,1611,1471,1221,1641,2031,1981,159
Wholesale and retail trade922892901923961926923963
Wholesale trade1,1631,1581,1561,1641,1819789711,202
Retail trade876825833879913908908913
Transportation and utilities1,1301,3661,3531,0951,1611,5431,5001,118
Transportation and warehousing1,0401,2541,2341,0111,0701,4321,4021,018
Utilities1,5781,6611,6441,5591,7281,9061,9211,647
Information (4)1,7281,6131,5841,7511,7301,6951,5651,736
Publishing, except Internet2,092--2,1071,895--1,908
Motion pictures and sound recording industries1,567--1,5901,534--1,447
Broadcasting and content providers----1,844--1,822
Telecommunications1,5121,6001,5281,5101,5081,5501,4311,512
Financial activities1,4461,2621,2661,4511,5071,3071,3491,509
Finance and insurance1,5331,2491,2661,5371,6001,3581,4411,603
Finance1,633-1,3401,6381,742-1,5911,744
Insurance1,365--1,3691,445--1,448
Real estate and rental and leasing1,2081,3501,2671,2061,2101,2721,3241,203
Professional and business services1,4671,2691,2651,4721,5461,2651,3441,554
Professional and technical services1,8301,7011,5351,8381,8801,7721,7431,882
Management, administrative, and waste services9191,1001,0739169481,0241,008944
Education and health services$1,143$1,310$1,280$1,128$1,174$1,402$1,378$1,157
Educational services1,2361,3411,3281,2221,2961,4091,3711,271
Health care and social assistance1,1191,2821,2601,1051,1511,3941,3861,134
Leisure and hospitality7759759587698021,001958796
Arts, entertainment, and recreation9631,1271,1069481,0691,1691,1771,060
Accommodation and food services741834828737753882861749
Accommodation801862850797895962996887
Food services and drinking places728802805726731769766729
Other services (4)9861,4031,3329791,0001,4091,371990
Other services, except private households1,0131,4301,3931,0051,0201,4151,3771,010
Public sector1,2541,3911,3721,1851,3021,4441,4291,221
Federal government1,5321,3871,3891,6201,5581,4561,4571,642
State government1,2061,3651,3481,1411,2541,4011,3931,173
Local government1,2071,4091,3831,0951,2401,4671,4371,110
  • (1) Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar to a union.
  • (2) Data refer to both union members and workers who report no union affiliation but whose jobs are covered by a union or an employee association contract.
  • (3) Data refer to workers who are neither members of a union nor represented by a union on their job.
  • (4) Includes other industries, not shown separately.

Reading these tables

Both tables come from the annual Union Members release, which averages the monthly Current Population Survey over the year. The columns distinguish three groups by the footnoted definitions: members of unions (members of a labor union or an employee association similar to a union), represented by unions (members plus workers with no union affiliation whose jobs are covered by a union or employee association contract), and nonunion (neither). Figures are median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers at their sole or principal job, in current dollars; the self-employed are excluded.

A comparison of two medians in one row says how the middle worker in each group is paid; it does not isolate the effect of union status, because union and nonunion workers differ in occupation, industry, firm size, region, age and tenure, and Table 4 shows that the direction of the difference varies by occupation. Rows are indented to show the aggregation (an occupation group, then the detailed groups within it). BLS's note states that the 2025 annual estimates are averages of eleven months because October data were not collected; the figure is therefore not strictly comparable with earlier years. Annual releases appear each January; the release calendar gives the date.

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