Wage Statistics for 2005

Social Security Online	Automatic Increases

Office of the Chief Actuary	Wage Statistics for 2005

Automatic increases

Development of the AWI

The national average wage index (AWI) is based on compensation (wages, tips, and the like) subject to Federal income taxes, as reported by employers on Forms W-2. Beginning with the AWI for 1991, compensation includes contributions to deferred compensation plans, but excludes certain distributions from plans where the distributions are included in the reported compensation subject to income taxes. We call the result of including contributions, and excluding certain distributions, net compensation. The table below summarizes the components of net compensation for 2005.

Net compensation components for 2005
Compensation subject to Federal income taxes $5,187,693,318,654.53

Deferred compensation plan
Contributions^a
Distributions^b
+ 187,799,732,485.68
- 1,315,629,514.65

Net compensation 5,374,177,421,625.56

^aWages on which contributions were paid by 45,338,401 workers.
^bDistributions, to the extent included in reported wages (see text above), paid to 71,654 workers.

The "raw" average wage, computed as net compensation divided by the number of wage earners, is $5,374,177,421,625.56 divided by 151,603,359, or $35,448.93. Based on data in the table below, about 65.8 percent of wage earners had net compensation less than or equal to the $35,448.93 raw average wage. By definition, 50 percent of wage earners had net compensation less than or equal to the median wage, which is estimated to be $23,962.20 for 2005.

Distribution of wage earners by level of net compensation

Wage earners Net compensation

Net compensation interval Number Cumulative
number Percent
of total Aggregate amount Average amount

$0.01 — 4,999.99 25,800,867 25,800,867 17.01866 $52,584,037,311.39 $2,038.07

5,000.00 — 9,999.99 14,955,146 40,756,013 26.88332 110,514,011,142.68 7,389.70

10,000.00 — 14,999.99 13,040,926 53,796,939 35.48532 162,355,229,820.98 12,449.67

15,000.00 — 19,999.99 12,478,603 66,275,542 43.71641 218,154,652,842.55 17,482.30

20,000.00 — 24,999.99 11,921,592 78,197,134 51.58008 267,824,952,648.57 22,465.54

25,000.00 — 29,999.99 10,951,856 89,148,990 58.80410 300,653,949,958.55 27,452.33

30,000.00 — 34,999.99 9,854,261 99,003,251 65.30413 319,609,034,351.17 32,433.59

35,000.00 — 39,999.99 8,485,280 107,488,531 70.90115 317,572,926,135.65 37,426.33

40,000.00 — 44,999.99 7,175,557 114,664,088 75.63427 304,328,205,382.53 42,411.79

45,000.00 — 49,999.99 5,968,474 120,632,562 79.57117 282,996,121,786.07 47,415.16

50,000.00 — 54,999.99 4,926,228 125,558,790 82.82059 258,132,510,481.27 52,399.63

55,000.00 — 59,999.99 3,988,360 129,547,150 85.45137 228,998,907,354.05 57,416.81

60,000.00 — 64,999.99 3,347,579 132,894,729 87.65949 208,876,102,227.56 62,396.17

65,000.00 — 69,999.99 2,739,247 135,633,976 89.46634 184,635,152,314.56 67,403.62

70,000.00 — 74,999.99 2,256,433 137,890,409 90.95472 163,364,923,471.52 72,399.63

75,000.00 — 79,999.99 1,871,032 139,761,441 92.18888 144,843,317,109.12 77,413.60

80,000.00 — 84,999.99 1,542,949 141,304,390 93.20664 127,166,258,863.54 82,417.67

85,000.00 — 89,999.99 1,280,912 142,585,302 94.05155 111,979,360,024.41 87,421.59

90,000.00 — 94,999.99 1,093,503 143,678,805 94.77284 101,033,233,540.68 92,394.11

95,000.00 — 99,999.99 916,550 144,595,355 95.37741 89,296,840,008.63 97,427.13

100,000.00 — 104,999.99 784,591 145,379,946 95.89494 80,339,757,272.07 102,396.99

105,000.00 — 109,999.99 642,032 146,021,978 96.31843 68,968,812,231.04 107,422.70

110,000.00 — 114,999.99 546,022 146,568,000 96.67860 61,381,415,192.54 112,415.64

115,000.00 — 119,999.99 464,224 147,032,224 96.98481 54,512,710,233.07 117,427.60

120,000.00 — 124,999.99 410,324 147,442,548 97.25546 50,217,004,058.94 122,383.78

125,000.00 — 129,999.99 347,337 147,789,885 97.48457 44,259,128,851.50 127,424.17

130,000.00 — 134,999.99 310,652 148,100,537 97.68948 41,130,129,902.49 132,399.37

135,000.00 — 139,999.99 267,527 148,368,064 97.86595 36,763,626,718.58 137,420.25

140,000.00 — 144,999.99 235,945 148,604,009 98.02158 33,605,175,135.10 142,428.00

145,000.00 — 149,999.99 209,638 148,813,647 98.15986 30,910,414,514.61 147,446.62

150,000.00 — 154,999.99 189,830 149,003,477 98.28508 28,920,081,689.01 152,347.27

155,000.00 — 159,999.99 166,721 149,170,198 98.39505 26,245,711,843.16 157,422.95

160,000.00 — 164,999.99 149,936 149,320,134 98.49395 24,347,360,451.02 162,385.02

165,000.00 — 169,999.99 137,049 149,457,183 98.58435 22,951,064,004.66 167,466.12

170,000.00 — 174,999.99 122,004 149,579,187 98.66482 21,035,846,240.75 172,419.32

175,000.00 — 179,999.99 110,249 149,689,436 98.73755 19,559,435,261.78 177,411.45

180,000.00 — 184,999.99 102,912 149,792,348 98.80543 18,767,161,923.77 182,361.26

185,000.00 — 189,999.99 89,793 149,882,141 98.86466 16,831,520,235.52 187,448.02

190,000.00 — 194,999.99 83,862 149,966,003 98.91997 16,137,509,598.31 192,429.34

195,000.00 — 199,999.99 79,057 150,045,060 98.97212 15,612,597,426.06 197,485.33

200,000.00 — 249,999.99 553,935 150,598,995 99.33751 122,804,534,347.47 221,694.85

250,000.00 — 299,999.99 288,496 150,887,491 99.52780 78,631,690,773.04 272,557.30

300,000.00 — 349,999.99 178,501 151,065,992 99.64554 57,635,860,138.81 322,888.16

350,000.00 — 399,999.99 117,824 151,183,816 99.72326 43,978,232,480.13 373,253.60

400,000.00 — 449,999.99 82,506 151,266,322 99.77769 34,924,274,955.15 423,293.76

450,000.00 — 499,999.99 59,658 151,325,980 99.81704 28,260,593,139.55 473,710.03

500,000.00 — 999,999.99 195,374 151,521,354 99.94591 130,511,513,243.39 668,008.61

1,000,000.00 — 1,499,999.99 39,925 151,561,279 99.97224 47,966,871,541.18 1,201,424.46

1,500,000.00 — 1,999,999.99 14,991 151,576,270 99.98213 25,716,087,320.08 1,715,435.08

2,000,000.00 — 2,499,999.99 7,854 151,584,124 99.98731 17,480,388,266.63 2,225,666.96

2,500,000.00 — 2,999,999.99 4,662 151,588,786 99.99039 12,699,958,491.41 2,724,143.82

3,000,000.00 — 3,499,999.99 3,105 151,591,891 99.99244 10,031,544,925.78 3,230,771.31

3,500,000.00 — 3,999,999.99 2,099 151,593,990 99.99382 7,840,560,008.36 3,735,378.76

4,000,000.00 — 4,499,999.99 1,559 151,595,549 99.99485 6,594,837,150.82 4,230,171.36

4,500,000.00 — 4,999,999.99 1,166 151,596,715 99.99562 5,520,142,143.77 4,734,255.70

5,000,000.00 — 9,999,999.99 4,511 151,601,226 99.99859 30,760,431,713.06 6,818,982.87

10,000,000.00 — 19,999,999.99 1,515 151,602,741 99.99959 20,406,458,202.63 13,469,609.37

20,000,000.00 — 49,999,999.99 516 151,603,257 99.99993 14,862,157,267.50 28,802,630.36

50,000,000.00 and over 102 151,603,359 100.00000 10,135,095,957.34 99,363,685.86

**Distribution of wage earners by level of net compensation**
	Wage earners	Net compensation
$0.01 — 4,999.99	25,800,867	25,800,867	17.01866	$52,584,037,311.39	$2,038.07
5,000.00 — 9,999.99	14,955,146	40,756,013	26.88332	110,514,011,142.68	7,389.70
10,000.00 — 14,999.99	13,040,926	53,796,939	35.48532	162,355,229,820.98	12,449.67
15,000.00 — 19,999.99	12,478,603	66,275,542	43.71641	218,154,652,842.55	17,482.30
20,000.00 — 24,999.99	11,921,592	78,197,134	51.58008	267,824,952,648.57	22,465.54
25,000.00 — 29,999.99	10,951,856	89,148,990	58.80410	300,653,949,958.55	27,452.33
30,000.00 — 34,999.99	9,854,261	99,003,251	65.30413	319,609,034,351.17	32,433.59
35,000.00 — 39,999.99	8,485,280	107,488,531	70.90115	317,572,926,135.65	37,426.33
40,000.00 — 44,999.99	7,175,557	114,664,088	75.63427	304,328,205,382.53	42,411.79
45,000.00 — 49,999.99	5,968,474	120,632,562	79.57117	282,996,121,786.07	47,415.16
50,000.00 — 54,999.99	4,926,228	125,558,790	82.82059	258,132,510,481.27	52,399.63
55,000.00 — 59,999.99	3,988,360	129,547,150	85.45137	228,998,907,354.05	57,416.81
60,000.00 — 64,999.99	3,347,579	132,894,729	87.65949	208,876,102,227.56	62,396.17
65,000.00 — 69,999.99	2,739,247	135,633,976	89.46634	184,635,152,314.56	67,403.62
70,000.00 — 74,999.99	2,256,433	137,890,409	90.95472	163,364,923,471.52	72,399.63
75,000.00 — 79,999.99	1,871,032	139,761,441	92.18888	144,843,317,109.12	77,413.60
80,000.00 — 84,999.99	1,542,949	141,304,390	93.20664	127,166,258,863.54	82,417.67
85,000.00 — 89,999.99	1,280,912	142,585,302	94.05155	111,979,360,024.41	87,421.59
90,000.00 — 94,999.99	1,093,503	143,678,805	94.77284	101,033,233,540.68	92,394.11
95,000.00 — 99,999.99	916,550	144,595,355	95.37741	89,296,840,008.63	97,427.13
100,000.00 — 104,999.99	784,591	145,379,946	95.89494	80,339,757,272.07	102,396.99
105,000.00 — 109,999.99	642,032	146,021,978	96.31843	68,968,812,231.04	107,422.70
110,000.00 — 114,999.99	546,022	146,568,000	96.67860	61,381,415,192.54	112,415.64
115,000.00 — 119,999.99	464,224	147,032,224	96.98481	54,512,710,233.07	117,427.60
120,000.00 — 124,999.99	410,324	147,442,548	97.25546	50,217,004,058.94	122,383.78
125,000.00 — 129,999.99	347,337	147,789,885	97.48457	44,259,128,851.50	127,424.17
130,000.00 — 134,999.99	310,652	148,100,537	97.68948	41,130,129,902.49	132,399.37
135,000.00 — 139,999.99	267,527	148,368,064	97.86595	36,763,626,718.58	137,420.25
140,000.00 — 144,999.99	235,945	148,604,009	98.02158	33,605,175,135.10	142,428.00
145,000.00 — 149,999.99	209,638	148,813,647	98.15986	30,910,414,514.61	147,446.62
150,000.00 — 154,999.99	189,830	149,003,477	98.28508	28,920,081,689.01	152,347.27
155,000.00 — 159,999.99	166,721	149,170,198	98.39505	26,245,711,843.16	157,422.95
160,000.00 — 164,999.99	149,936	149,320,134	98.49395	24,347,360,451.02	162,385.02
165,000.00 — 169,999.99	137,049	149,457,183	98.58435	22,951,064,004.66	167,466.12
170,000.00 — 174,999.99	122,004	149,579,187	98.66482	21,035,846,240.75	172,419.32
175,000.00 — 179,999.99	110,249	149,689,436	98.73755	19,559,435,261.78	177,411.45
180,000.00 — 184,999.99	102,912	149,792,348	98.80543	18,767,161,923.77	182,361.26
185,000.00 — 189,999.99	89,793	149,882,141	98.86466	16,831,520,235.52	187,448.02
190,000.00 — 194,999.99	83,862	149,966,003	98.91997	16,137,509,598.31	192,429.34
195,000.00 — 199,999.99	79,057	150,045,060	98.97212	15,612,597,426.06	197,485.33
200,000.00 — 249,999.99	553,935	150,598,995	99.33751	122,804,534,347.47	221,694.85
250,000.00 — 299,999.99	288,496	150,887,491	99.52780	78,631,690,773.04	272,557.30
300,000.00 — 349,999.99	178,501	151,065,992	99.64554	57,635,860,138.81	322,888.16
350,000.00 — 399,999.99	117,824	151,183,816	99.72326	43,978,232,480.13	373,253.60
400,000.00 — 449,999.99	82,506	151,266,322	99.77769	34,924,274,955.15	423,293.76
450,000.00 — 499,999.99	59,658	151,325,980	99.81704	28,260,593,139.55	473,710.03
500,000.00 — 999,999.99	195,374	151,521,354	99.94591	130,511,513,243.39	668,008.61
1,000,000.00 — 1,499,999.99	39,925	151,561,279	99.97224	47,966,871,541.18	1,201,424.46
1,500,000.00 — 1,999,999.99	14,991	151,576,270	99.98213	25,716,087,320.08	1,715,435.08
2,000,000.00 — 2,499,999.99	7,854	151,584,124	99.98731	17,480,388,266.63	2,225,666.96
2,500,000.00 — 2,999,999.99	4,662	151,588,786	99.99039	12,699,958,491.41	2,724,143.82
3,000,000.00 — 3,499,999.99	3,105	151,591,891	99.99244	10,031,544,925.78	3,230,771.31
3,500,000.00 — 3,999,999.99	2,099	151,593,990	99.99382	7,840,560,008.36	3,735,378.76
4,000,000.00 — 4,499,999.99	1,559	151,595,549	99.99485	6,594,837,150.82	4,230,171.36
4,500,000.00 — 4,999,999.99	1,166	151,596,715	99.99562	5,520,142,143.77	4,734,255.70
5,000,000.00 — 9,999,999.99	4,511	151,601,226	99.99859	30,760,431,713.06	6,818,982.87
10,000,000.00 — 19,999,999.99	1,515	151,602,741	99.99959	20,406,458,202.63	13,469,609.37
20,000,000.00 — 49,999,999.99	516	151,603,257	99.99993	14,862,157,267.50	28,802,630.36
50,000,000.00 and over	102	151,603,359	100.00000	10,135,095,957.34	99,363,685.86


	Privacy Policy \| Website Policies & Other Important Information \| Site Map