According to a new earnings report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wisconsin ranked first in the nation for inflation adjusted hourly earnings growth during February, March, and May of this year.

The report, based on preliminary data from the current Employment Statistics program and the Consumer Price Index, showed the growth in worker earnings grew by 7.9 percent in February, 6.4 percent in March, 4.4 percent in April, and 6.2 percent in May.

The CES survey covers hourly earnings by workers at private sector establishments.

Amy Pechacek, Secretary of the Department of Workforce Development said, “While this latest real hourly data is preliminary, it signals important progress in helping our workers and their families strengthen their financial footing and plan for the future.”

Governor Tony Evers said this new data reflects the dedication and resilience of our employers, and points to a prosperous future for Wisconsin.

The Department of Labor also reported Wisconsin achieved record new highs for employment and total nonfarm jobs during June 2024, breaking the previous record set in May 2024.

In addition to hourly earnings growth, record high employment, Wisconsin also had a June labor force participation rate of 65.5 percent, 3 percentage points higher than the national average.