Description

For persons aged 16 and older who were in scope and have a current main job, WAGEHRRD reports the hourly wage for the person's current main job, on the round record. Hourly wage variables are calculated from annual salary, daily pay, piecework pricing, commissions, or bonuses if persons reported wages using one of these formats. For information on how an hourly wage was derived, including imputed values, see WAGEHRSRCRD. Additionally, hourly wages are top-coded. Please see the Codes and Comparability tabs for more information on differences in top-coded values over time.

WAGEHRRD is a 6-digit numeric variable with two decimal places that reports the hourly wage the person earns at their current main job. That is, values of 012345 should be interpreted as 123.45. The command files delivered with IPUMS extracts automatically divide WAGEHRRD by 100, so no further adjustment is needed. Values should be interpreted as nominal dollar amounts with the exception of the following specific codes for missing, unknown, or top-coded values:

00.00: NIU
43.75: $43.75 or higher (1997)
48.08: $48.08 or higher (1998)
52.88: $52.88 or higher (1999)
57.69: $57.69 or higher (2000, 2003)
61.98: $61.98 or higher (2002)
62.50: $62.5 or higher (2001)
65.63: $65.63 or higher (2004)
70.91: $70.91 or higher (2007)
72.12: $72.12 or higher (2005-2006, 2008)
74.52: $74.52 or higher (2009-2010)
75.00: $75.00 or higher (2011)
75.76: $75.76 or higher (2012)
76.96: $76.96 or higher (2013)
78.00: $78.00 or higher (2014)
80.00: $80.00 or higher (2015)
85.00: $85.00 or higher (2016)
96.15: $96.15 or higher (2017-2019)
2125.00: $2125.00 (not a top code; max value in 1996 when no top-code is implemented)
9999.97: Refused
9999.99: Don't know
9999.98: Not ascertained

Comparability

Prior to 2004, only the initial reported wage for an individual was used to calculate the top-code amount. Beginning in 2004, the highest reported wage from any round and the highest updated hourly wage (WAGENEWRD) from any round were used to calculate the value for top-coded wages. Additionally, beginning in 2004, all wages were top-coded if any single wage variable exceeded the top-code amount.

Additionally, in 1996, was there was no top-code. Beginning in 1997, a top-code is implemented and changes in most years. Please see the Codes tab for information on the top-code for each year.

Finally, in 1996, WAGEHRRD only includes persons aged 16 and older who were wage earners (e.g., not self-employed) and eligible in rounds 1 and 2 of data collection; in subsequent years, the WAGEHRRD is available for all persons aged 16 and older who were wage earners and inscope.

Universe

Availability

• 1996-2017, 2019-2021

Weights

• 1996-2017, 2019-2021 : PERWEIGHT

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