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Tony Evers, Governor
Caleb Frostman, Secretary

Department of Workforce Development
Secretary's Office
201 E. Washington Avenue
P.O. Box 7946
Madison, WI 53707-7946
Telephone: (608) 266-3131
Fax: (608) 266-1784
Email: sec@dwd.wisconsin.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 21, 2019
CONTACT: DWD Communications, 608-266-2722
On the Web: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/news/
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WIWorkforce
On Twitter: @WIWorkforce

Wisconsin Ranks Tied for 1st in Midwest, 7th Nationally in Average Weekly Wage Growth

MADISON – The United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) today released Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) data showing that Wisconsin ranks tied for 1st in the Midwest and tied for 7th nationally in Average Weekly Wage Growth from second quarter 2018 to second quarter 2019.

The data released today also showed county level wage growth: Winnebago County had the 4th largest average weekly wage growth in the nation, 9.1 percent, while Dane County's growth of 6.3 percent ranked 8th nationally. Other counties with notable average weekly wage growth in Wisconsin include Milwaukee with a 4 percent growth rate, Outagamie with a 3.3 percent growth rate, and Waukesha with a 3.4 percent growth rate.

Department of Workforce Development Secretary-designee Caleb Frostman released the following statement in response to the release:

"Today's release shows that Wisconsin employers are recognizing that to attract and retain talented, dedicated employees, it makes good business sense to pay wages that allow workers to invest in themselves, their families, and their communities," Frostman said. "In a tight labor market, increasing wages is a common-sense strategy to attract and retain the best and brightest. Under Governor Evers, we will respect the value and power of workers in our state, including advocating and implementing programming and policies that prioritize increased wages."

The release from BLS can be accessed on the bls.gov webpage.