# Can't find time-series data for real wage rates--help? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 2, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-time-series-data-for-real-wage-rates-help/216507 "2003-12-02T15:35:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-time-series-data-for-real-wage-rates-help/216507/1 "2003-12-02T15:35:50Z")
I am having a horrible time finding time-series data on real wage rates in the US. I must be a total retard, because even the bureau of labor & stats is giving me fits. I can get seasonally adjusted data, but it doesn’t tell me if it is real or nominal. Can anybody help me out? I need it going back as far as possible. Whatever you can do would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-time-series-data-for-real-wage-rates-help/216507/2 "2003-12-02T16:24:18Z")
Have you tried [this page](http://stats.bls.gov/ncs/home.htm) (scroill down a little more than half way)? I dunno what you’re looking for - purchasing power of wages or costs, but I suspect it’s there. But I know what you mean - I’ve had to deflate stuff myself to be sure I know I’ve got what I want. I’ll look in when I’m at work to see if I can fix you up. ---
**Author:** ![desdinova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@desdinova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/desdinova)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-time-series-data-for-real-wage-rates-help/216507/3 "2003-12-02T16:25:17Z")
Do you need it broken down by sectors, or are you looking for global wage rates? I think to get real figures, you’ve got to go through the BLS’s crappy multi-page series selecting program, which I hate with a passion. I also _think_ the BLS flags all of their real dollar time series, so if it doesn’t say so anywhere I’d assume what you’ve got is nominal figures. I’ll see if I can’t dig it up real fast from the BLS… there may be other sources, but I hate using anything but numbers straight from the horse’s mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Akatsukami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea666f/32.png) [@Akatsukami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akatsukami)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-time-series-data-for-real-wage-rates-help/216507/4 "2003-12-02T16:25:59Z")
I’d start by looking at the [Economic History Net](http://www.eh.net/hmit/). They may either have the data, or know where you can get them. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-find-time-series-data-for-real-wage-rates-help/216507/5 "2003-12-03T18:46:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hawthorne \* > **I dunno what you’re looking for - purchasing power of wages…** Yeah, something like that. Last night I did manage to find the BLS series CES0500000049, total private average hourly earnings in 1982 dollars. Evidently wages in the US have been more-or-less flat, in real terms, since 1964. But it seems hard to believe that the average wage earner is no better off today than he was in 1964. Any hints as to what hard data is out there that compares how well off the average American is over time, and how I can get at it?