San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA vs. California
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA vs. California
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $164,396
2022 Percent of State = 222.58%
California:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $85,710
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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA with comparisons to California and the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA.
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.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA'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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA over time.
When measured in current dollars, the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA's average earnings per job increased 1,695.47%, from $9,156 in 1970 to $164,396 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 205.83%, from $46,323 in 1970 to $141,668 in 2022.
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA's and California'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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA's real average earnings per job rose from $46,389 in 1969 to $141,668 in 2022, for a net gain of $95,280, or 205.39%. In comparison, California's real average earnings per job increased from $43,578 in 1969 to $73,860 in 2022, for a net gain of $30,282, or 69.49%.
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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA's real average earnings per job growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with California, 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA's overall real average earnings per job growth was 205.39% over 1969-2022 outpaced California's increase of 69.49%, and topped 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA and California average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA's average earnings per job amounted to 122.02% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 229.65%. Similarly, in 1969, California's average earnings per job totaled 114.63% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 119.73%.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 highlights the short-run pattern of the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA'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 traced 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 2.25% over 1970-2022. The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA posted its highest growth in 2000 (19.42%) and posted its lowest growth in 2022 (-13.11%). In 2022, the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA's real average earnings per job declined by -13.11%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some msas 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA'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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged 0.49%. It averaged 1.90% during the 1980s, 4.35% throughout the 1990s, 0.80% throughout the 2000s, 3.65% in the 2010s, 2.37% 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for California and the nation. As the chart reveals, the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA's average annual real average earnings per job growth outperformed California's average during the 1970s (0.49% vs. 0.36%), topped California's average throughout the 1980s (1.90% vs. 0.89%), registered above California's average throughout the 1990s (4.35% vs. 1.76%), recorded under California's average throughout the 2000s (0.80% vs. 0.99%), outperformed California's average during the 2010s (3.65% vs. 1.43%), and exceeded California's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (2.37% vs. 0.04%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA fell below the nation over the 1970s (0.49% vs. 0.89%), surpassed the nation in the 1980s (1.90% vs. 0.71%), registered above the nation during the 1990s (4.35% vs. 1.68%), outgained the nation during the 2000s (0.80% vs. 0.72%), exceeded the nation over the 2010s (3.65% vs. 1.01%), and outperformed the nation over 2020-2022 (2.37% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
2.25
0.49
1.90
4.35
0.80
3.65
2.37
-13.11
 
1.03
0.36
0.89
1.76
0.99
1.43
0.04
-7.99
 
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.

   
 
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
8,760
0.189
46,389
100.0
N
117.03
122.02
1970
 
9,156
0.198
46,323
99.9
-0.14
115.62
120.54
1971
 
9,747
0.206
47,303
102.0
2.11
115.34
120.28
1972
 
10,313
0.213
48,402
104.3
2.32
114.06
118.67
1973
 
10,867
0.225
48,394
104.3
-0.02
112.90
116.39
1974
 
11,570
0.248
46,665
100.6
-3.57
112.56
116.54
1975
 
12,473
0.269
46,436
100.1
-0.49
112.45
116.43
1976
 
13,326
0.283
47,033
101.4
1.29
111.17
115.39
1977
 
14,471
0.302
47,955
103.4
1.96
112.26
116.59
1978
 
15,679
0.323
48,577
104.7
1.30
112.52
116.51
1979
 
17,098
0.351
48,652
104.9
0.16
113.43
117.36
1980
 
18,527
0.389
47,593
102.6
-2.18
113.77
118.33
1981
 
20,469
0.424
48,258
104.0
1.40
115.53
119.93
1982
 
22,360
0.448
49,943
107.7
3.49
119.44
124.30
1983
 
24,293
0.467
52,046
112.2
4.21
122.95
128.40
1984
 
25,913
0.484
53,496
115.3
2.79
123.51
128.40
1985
 
27,365
0.501
54,590
117.7
2.04
124.53
129.51
1986
 
28,589
0.512
55,817
120.3
2.25
124.50
129.49
1987
 
30,003
0.528
56,822
122.5
1.80
124.66
129.74
1988
 
31,967
0.549
58,265
125.6
2.54
125.79
130.97
1989
 
33,596
0.573
58,672
126.5
0.70
126.92
131.96
1990
 
35,162
0.598
58,825
126.8
0.26
127.04
132.19
1991
 
37,067
0.618
60,004
129.4
2.01
129.19
134.61
1992
 
40,758
0.634
64,267
138.5
7.10
133.07
138.74
1993
 
41,234
0.650
63,437
136.8
-1.29
131.31
136.99
1994
 
42,513
0.664
64,068
138.1
0.99
131.94
137.54
1995
 
45,335
0.678
66,911
144.2
4.44
137.21
143.44
1996
 
47,957
0.692
69,299
149.4
3.57
140.01
146.17
1997
 
52,259
0.704
74,225
160.0
7.11
146.12
152.73
1998
 
54,916
0.710
77,383
166.8
4.26
145.79
152.50
1999
 
64,104
0.720
89,032
191.9
15.05
162.19
169.81
2000
 
78,493
0.738
106,327
229.2
19.42
187.52
196.71
2001
 
72,615
0.753
96,431
207.9
-9.31
167.36
175.07
2002
 
70,879
0.763
92,906
200.3
-3.66
159.92
167.14
2003
 
72,652
0.779
93,270
201.1
0.39
159.60
166.42
2004
 
75,306
0.798
94,337
203.4
1.14
159.03
165.67
2005
 
76,934
0.821
93,676
201.9
-0.70
158.33
164.92
2006
 
81,373
0.844
96,368
207.7
2.87
161.11
167.98
2007
 
85,047
0.866
98,199
211.7
1.90
165.26
172.22
2008
 
84,158
0.892
94,380
203.5
-3.89
160.85
167.32
2009
 
83,793
0.889
94,233
203.1
-0.16
160.98
167.45
2010
 
91,924
0.905
101,558
218.9
7.77
169.62
176.13
2011
 
97,152
0.928
104,685
225.7
3.08
174.77
181.14
2012
 
98,132
0.945
103,806
223.8
-0.84
171.93
178.22
2013
 
100,175
0.958
104,588
225.5
0.75
173.48
179.41
2014
 
105,907
0.971
109,047
235.1
4.26
179.55
185.83
2015
 
112,847
0.973
115,980
250.0
6.36
187.84
194.55
2016
 
116,971
0.983
119,013
256.6
2.62
192.87
200.02
2017
 
124,810
1.000
124,810
269.1
4.87
199.60
206.88
2018
 
133,686
1.020
131,004
282.4
4.96
207.82
215.27
2019
 
139,250
1.035
134,524
290.0
2.69
208.74
216.16
2020
 
157,964
1.046
150,967
325.4
12.22
226.36
234.45
2021
 
177,713
1.090
163,038
351.5
8.00
244.07
252.36
2022
 
164,396
1.160
141,668
305.4
-13.11
222.58
229.65
Source: Calculations by the California Regional Economic Analysis Project (CA-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.

   
 
California:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
8,229
0.189
43,578
100.0
N
114.63
1970
 
8,651
0.198
43,768
100.4
0.43
113.89
1971
 
9,139
0.206
44,355
101.8
1.34
112.79
1972
 
9,756
0.213
45,787
105.1
3.23
112.26
1973
 
10,248
0.225
45,639
104.7
-0.32
109.77
1974
 
10,933
0.248
44,099
101.2
-3.38
110.13
1975
 
11,694
0.269
43,538
99.9
-1.27
109.16
1976
 
12,671
0.283
44,720
102.6
2.71
109.71
1977
 
13,587
0.302
45,027
103.3
0.69
109.47
1978
 
14,665
0.323
45,435
104.3
0.91
108.97
1979
 
15,851
0.351
45,105
103.5
-0.73
108.81
1980
 
17,207
0.389
44,203
101.4
-2.00
109.90
1981
 
18,614
0.424
43,886
100.7
-0.72
109.07
1982
 
19,840
0.448
44,315
101.7
0.98
110.29
1983
 
20,931
0.467
44,844
102.9
1.19
110.63
1984
 
22,356
0.484
46,154
105.9
2.92
110.78
1985
 
23,484
0.501
46,848
107.5
1.50
111.14
1986
 
24,735
0.512
48,292
110.8
3.08
112.04
1987
 
26,101
0.528
49,431
113.4
2.36
112.86
1988
 
27,281
0.549
49,723
114.1
0.59
111.77
1989
 
28,196
0.573
49,240
113.0
-0.97
110.75
1990
 
29,431
0.598
49,237
113.0
-0.01
110.65
1991
 
30,550
0.618
49,454
113.5
0.44
110.94
1992
 
32,749
0.634
51,638
118.5
4.42
111.48
1993
 
33,382
0.650
51,356
117.8
-0.55
110.90
1994
 
34,009
0.664
51,252
117.6
-0.20
110.03
1995
 
34,623
0.678
51,101
117.3
-0.29
109.55
1996
 
35,889
0.692
51,860
119.0
1.49
109.38
1997
 
37,812
0.704
53,705
123.2
3.56
110.50
1998
 
39,607
0.710
55,810
128.1
3.92
109.99
1999
 
42,140
0.720
58,527
134.3
4.87
111.63
2000
 
46,157
0.738
62,525
143.5
6.83
115.67
2001
 
47,296
0.753
62,808
144.1
0.45
114.03
2002
 
48,155
0.763
63,121
144.8
0.50
113.56
2003
 
49,981
0.779
64,165
147.2
1.65
114.49
2004
 
52,646
0.798
65,950
151.3
2.78
115.82
2005
 
54,226
0.821
66,027
151.5
0.12
116.24
2006
 
56,312
0.844
66,689
153.0
1.00
116.25
2007
 
56,956
0.866
65,764
150.9
-1.39
115.34
2008
 
57,114
0.892
64,051
147.0
-2.60
113.55
2009
 
57,280
0.889
64,417
147.8
0.57
114.47
2010
 
60,379
0.905
66,707
153.1
3.56
115.69
2011
 
62,497
0.928
67,343
154.5
0.95
116.53
2012
 
63,772
0.945
67,459
154.8
0.17
115.82
2013
 
64,097
0.958
66,921
153.6
-0.80
114.79
2014
 
65,384
0.971
67,323
154.5
0.60
114.73
2015
 
67,462
0.973
69,335
159.1
2.99
116.30
2016
 
68,911
0.983
70,114
160.9
1.12
117.84
2017
 
71,468
1.000
71,468
164.0
1.93
118.46
2018
 
73,398
1.020
71,926
165.0
0.64
118.19
2019
 
76,778
1.035
74,172
170.2
3.12
119.19
2020
 
82,463
1.046
78,810
180.8
6.25
122.39
2021
 
87,501
1.090
80,275
184.2
1.86
124.25
2022
 
85,710
1.160
73,860
169.5
-7.99
119.73
Source: Calculations by the California Regional Economic Analysis Project (CA-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 California Regional Economic Analysis Project (CA-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.

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