Carbon County vs. Utah
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Average Earnings Per Job Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Carbon County vs. Utah
Carbon County:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $49,872
2022 Percent of State = 79.91%
Utah:
2022 Avg. Earnings = $62,411
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 Carbon County with comparisons to Utah and the nation is an important first step in understanding the economic forces at play in Carbon County.
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.
Carbon County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Carbon County Average Earnings Per Job, 1970-2022
Current vs. Constant Dollars
Figure 1.
Figure 1 depicts Carbon County'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 Carbon County over time.
When measured in current dollars, Carbon County's average earnings per job increased 617.49%, from $6,951 in 1970 to $49,872 in 2022. When measured in constant 2017 dollars to adjust for inflation, it advanced 22.21%, from $35,166 in 1970 to $42,977 in 2022.
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Real Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces Carbon County's and Utah'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, Carbon County's real average earnings per job rose from $34,648 in 1969 to $42,977 in 2022, for a net gain of $8,329, or 24.04%. In comparison, Utah's real average earnings per job advanced from $33,719 in 1969 to $53,782 in 2022, for a net advance of $20,063, or 59.50%.
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 Carbon County's real average earnings per job growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Utah, 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.
Carbon County's overall real average earnings per job growth was 24.04% over 1969-2022 trailed Utah's increase of 59.50%, and fell below 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 Carbon County and Utah average earnings per job as a percent of the national average over 1969-2022.
In 1969, Carbon County's average earnings per job amounted to 91.14% of the national average; in 2022, it approximated 69.67%. Similarly, in 1969, Utah's average earnings per job totaled 88.69% of the national average; in 2022, it consisted of 87.18%.
Carbon County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Carbon County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 displays the short-run pattern of Carbon County'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 illustrated 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, Carbon County's real average earnings per job grew at an annual rate of 0.47% over 1970-2022. The county posted its highest growth in 2008 (7.05%) and recorded its lowest growth in 1983 (-11.25%). In 2022, Carbon County's real average earnings per job declined by -7.52%
Carbon County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Carbon County Real Average Earnings Per Job:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some counties have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again depicts the annual percent change in Carbon County's real average earnings per job since 1970, but this time they are overlayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Carbon County's annual real average earnings per job growth rate averaged 2.29%. It averaged -1.16% throughout the 1980s, -0.04% in the 1990s, 1.68% throughout the 2000s, 0.77% throughout the 2010s, -3.44% 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 Carbon County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Utah and the nation. As the chart reveals, Carbon County's average annual real average earnings per job growth outgained Utah's average in the 1970s (2.29% vs. 1.15%), amounted to less than Utah's average throughout the 1980s (-1.16% vs. -0.33%), amounted to less than Utah's average throughout the 1990s (-0.04% vs. 1.61%), led Utah's average during the 2000s (1.68% vs. 0.56%), fell below Utah's average in the 2010s (0.77% vs. 1.71%), and lagged Utah's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (-3.44% vs. 0.24%).
Finally, relative to nationwide real average earnings per job growth trends, Carbon County outpaced the nation in the 1970s (2.29% vs. 0.89%), fell under the nation over the 1980s (-1.16% vs. 0.71%), fell below the nation in the 1990s (-0.04% vs. 1.68%), registered above the nation throughout the 2000s (1.68% vs. 0.72%), fell under the nation during the 2010s (0.77% vs. 1.01%), and recorded underneath the nation over 2020-2022 (-3.44% vs. -0.24%).
   
 
Real* Average Earnings Per Job Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
0.47
2.29
-1.16
-0.04
1.68
0.77
-3.44
-7.52
 
0.90
1.15
-0.33
1.61
0.56
1.71
0.24
-3.22
 
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.

   
 
Carbon County:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
6,543
0.189
34,648
100.0
N
102.76
91.14
1970
 
6,951
0.198
35,166
101.5
1.49
101.89
91.51
1971
 
7,277
0.206
35,318
101.9
0.43
98.78
89.81
1972
 
7,927
0.213
37,203
107.4
5.34
101.68
91.21
1973
 
8,395
0.225
37,388
107.9
0.50
101.37
89.92
1974
 
9,097
0.248
36,690
105.9
-1.87
102.79
91.63
1975
 
10,452
0.269
38,913
112.3
6.06
109.01
97.57
1976
 
11,702
0.283
41,301
119.2
6.14
111.95
101.32
1977
 
12,815
0.302
42,466
122.6
2.82
113.69
103.25
1978
 
14,204
0.323
44,009
127.0
3.63
116.34
105.55
1979
 
15,208
0.351
43,275
124.9
-1.67
114.66
104.39
1980
 
16,357
0.389
42,018
121.3
-2.91
113.40
104.47
1981
 
18,374
0.424
43,319
125.0
3.10
115.69
107.66
1982
 
20,449
0.448
45,675
131.8
5.44
122.81
113.67
1983
 
18,922
0.467
40,538
117.0
-11.25
108.72
100.01
1984
 
19,471
0.484
40,198
116.0
-0.84
106.42
96.48
1985
 
20,721
0.501
41,336
119.3
2.83
109.66
98.07
1986
 
21,770
0.512
42,503
122.7
2.82
111.78
98.61
1987
 
22,262
0.528
42,162
121.7
-0.80
113.32
96.26
1988
 
21,639
0.549
39,440
113.8
-6.45
106.87
88.66
1989
 
21,795
0.573
38,063
109.9
-3.49
104.34
85.61
1990
 
22,873
0.598
38,265
110.4
0.53
104.52
85.99
1991
 
23,173
0.618
37,512
108.3
-1.97
100.58
84.15
1992
 
24,236
0.634
38,216
110.3
1.88
98.40
82.50
1993
 
25,198
0.650
38,766
111.9
1.44
99.19
83.71
1994
 
24,404
0.664
36,778
106.1
-5.13
95.03
78.96
1995
 
25,095
0.678
37,038
106.9
0.71
94.38
79.40
1996
 
25,566
0.692
36,943
106.6
-0.26
93.86
77.92
1997
 
27,017
0.704
38,372
110.7
3.87
95.22
78.96
1998
 
27,252
0.710
38,400
110.8
0.07
92.32
75.68
1999
 
27,224
0.720
37,810
109.1
-1.54
88.47
72.11
2000
 
28,096
0.738
38,059
109.8
0.66
88.67
70.41
2001
 
29,777
0.753
39,544
114.1
3.90
90.91
71.79
2002
 
30,544
0.763
40,036
115.6
1.24
91.42
72.03
2003
 
31,499
0.779
40,439
116.7
1.01
91.94
72.15
2004
 
33,436
0.798
41,885
120.9
3.58
93.66
73.56
2005
 
34,366
0.821
41,845
120.8
-0.10
93.05
73.67
2006
 
36,613
0.844
43,360
125.1
3.62
93.08
75.58
2007
 
37,058
0.866
42,789
123.5
-1.32
92.35
75.04
2008
 
40,843
0.892
45,804
132.2
7.05
100.55
81.20
2009
 
39,560
0.889
44,489
128.4
-2.87
98.52
79.06
2010
 
41,188
0.905
45,504
131.3
2.28
99.83
78.92
2011
 
43,317
0.928
46,676
134.7
2.58
101.64
80.77
2012
 
42,872
0.945
45,351
130.9
-2.84
96.41
77.86
2013
 
42,944
0.958
44,836
129.4
-1.14
94.31
76.91
2014
 
44,116
0.971
45,423
131.1
1.31
94.66
77.41
2015
 
44,976
0.973
46,225
133.4
1.76
93.46
77.54
2016
 
43,556
0.983
44,316
127.9
-4.13
88.76
74.48
2017
 
44,287
1.000
44,287
127.8
-0.07
87.68
73.41
2018
 
47,537
1.020
46,583
134.4
5.19
90.66
76.55
2019
 
49,523
1.035
47,843
138.1
2.70
89.48
76.88
2020
 
50,871
1.046
48,618
140.3
1.62
87.23
75.50
2021
 
50,657
1.090
46,474
134.1
-4.41
83.63
71.93
2022
 
49,872
1.160
42,977
124.0
-7.52
79.91
69.67
Source: Calculations by the Utah Regional Economic Analysis Project (UT-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.

   
 
Utah:
Average Earnings Per Job, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
6,367
0.189
33,719
100.0
N
88.69
1970
 
6,822
0.198
34,513
102.4
2.36
89.81
1971
 
7,367
0.206
35,754
106.0
3.59
90.92
1972
 
7,796
0.213
36,589
108.5
2.33
89.71
1973
 
8,282
0.225
36,883
109.4
0.81
88.71
1974
 
8,850
0.248
35,695
105.9
-3.22
89.14
1975
 
9,588
0.269
35,697
105.9
0.00
89.50
1976
 
10,453
0.283
36,894
109.4
3.35
90.51
1977
 
11,271
0.302
37,352
110.8
1.24
90.81
1978
 
12,209
0.323
37,826
112.2
1.27
90.72
1979
 
13,264
0.351
37,743
111.9
-0.22
91.05
1980
 
14,423
0.389
37,052
109.9
-1.83
92.12
1981
 
15,881
0.424
37,443
111.0
1.06
93.06
1982
 
16,651
0.448
37,190
110.3
-0.67
92.56
1983
 
17,403
0.467
37,286
110.6
0.26
91.98
1984
 
18,297
0.484
37,773
112.0
1.31
90.66
1985
 
18,896
0.501
37,696
111.8
-0.20
89.43
1986
 
19,476
0.512
38,026
112.8
0.87
88.22
1987
 
19,645
0.528
37,205
110.3
-2.16
84.94
1988
 
20,248
0.549
36,905
109.4
-0.80
82.96
1989
 
20,889
0.573
36,480
108.2
-1.15
82.05
1990
 
21,885
0.598
36,612
108.6
0.36
82.28
1991
 
23,040
0.618
37,297
110.6
1.87
83.67
1992
 
24,631
0.634
38,837
115.2
4.13
83.84
1993
 
25,403
0.650
39,081
115.9
0.63
84.39
1994
 
25,680
0.664
38,700
114.8
-0.98
83.08
1995
 
26,589
0.678
39,243
116.4
1.40
84.13
1996
 
27,237
0.692
39,359
116.7
0.29
83.02
1997
 
28,372
0.704
40,297
119.5
2.38
82.92
1998
 
29,518
0.710
41,594
123.4
3.22
81.97
1999
 
30,771
0.720
42,736
126.7
2.75
81.51
2000
 
31,686
0.738
42,922
127.3
0.43
79.41
2001
 
32,755
0.753
43,498
129.0
1.34
78.97
2002
 
33,409
0.763
43,791
129.9
0.67
78.78
2003
 
34,261
0.779
43,985
130.4
0.44
78.48
2004
 
35,701
0.798
44,723
132.6
1.68
78.54
2005
 
36,932
0.821
44,969
133.4
0.55
79.17
2006
 
39,335
0.844
46,584
138.2
3.59
81.20
2007
 
40,127
0.866
46,333
137.4
-0.54
81.26
2008
 
40,620
0.892
45,554
135.1
-1.68
80.76
2009
 
40,156
0.889
45,160
133.9
-0.87
80.25
2010
 
41,256
0.905
45,579
135.2
0.93
79.05
2011
 
42,619
0.928
45,924
136.2
0.76
79.46
2012
 
44,468
0.945
47,039
139.5
2.43
80.76
2013
 
45,537
0.958
47,542
141.0
1.07
81.55
2014
 
46,606
0.971
47,988
142.3
0.94
81.78
2015
 
48,126
0.973
49,462
146.7
3.07
82.97
2016
 
49,074
0.983
49,931
148.1
0.95
83.92
2017
 
50,510
1.000
50,510
149.8
1.16
83.72
2018
 
52,436
1.020
51,385
152.4
1.73
84.44
2019
 
55,344
1.035
53,466
158.6
4.05
85.91
2020
 
58,316
1.046
55,732
165.3
4.24
86.55
2021
 
60,572
1.090
55,570
164.8
-0.29
86.01
2022
 
62,411
1.160
53,782
159.5
-3.22
87.18
Source: Calculations by the Utah Regional Economic Analysis Project (UT-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 Utah Regional Economic Analysis Project (UT-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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