Washington state’s average annual wage increased by 4.2 percent in 2014 to $54,829, according to a report released on Wednesday by the state Employment Security Department (ESD). The 4.2 percent jump represents the largest one-year increase since 2007.
The three industries with the largest average wage growth in 2014 were the information sector (+10.3 percent); arts, entertainment and recreation (+6.5 percent); and retail trade, (+4.3 percent).
Total earnings grew by nearly $9.7 billion in 2014 to $161.5 trillion – a 6.4 percent increase. Overall, the average number of workers in Washington covered by unemployment insurance grew by 62,942 to more than 2.9 million in 2014.
ESD uses the average annual wage to calculate unemployment benefits for jobless workers. The Department
