Blue-collar workers have seen real wage growth of almost two percent in the first five months of President Donald Trump’s second term, the largest increase for any administration in nearly 60 years.
The 1.7% pay bump is in stark contrast to negative growth under Joe Biden, according to new data from the US Department of the Treasury.
Since Richard Nixon in 1969, Trump has been the only president to record positive growth for blue-collar workers in his first five months. He also achieved 1.3% in his first term.
“We’ve seen real wages for hourly workers, non-supervisory workers, rise almost 2% in the first five months. … No president has done that before.”
Falling inflation has driven the significant improvement in blue-collar wages, lifting workers’ take-home pay and living standards.
Bessent says wage growth is also fueled by the president’s “emphasis on manufacturing” and commitment to remove illegal migrants from the workforce.
The latest year-to-date gain in real blue-collar wage growth, from December 2024 to May 2025, is more than twice the rate of 0.8% growth in the Nixon administration.