Compensation of employees (current LCU) in United States
United States: Compensation of employees (current LCU) was 590.32 billion current LCU in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Compensation of employees in United States, 1972–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
The most recent figure for compensation of employees in United States is 590.32 billion current LCU, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
The figure is up 7.1% on the previous year and up 50.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, compensation of employees in United States peaked at 590.32 billion current LCU in 2024 and was at its lowest, 42.26 billion current LCU, in 1972.
That places United States 41st out of 156 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Compensation of employees (current LCU) in United States, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 42.26 billion current LCU | — |
| 1973 | 44.68 billion current LCU | +5.7% |
| 1974 | 46.14 billion current LCU | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 48.91 billion current LCU | +6.0% |
| 1976 | 51.56 billion current LCU | +5.4% |
| 1977 | 55.25 billion current LCU | +7.2% |
| 1978 | 59.71 billion current LCU | +8.1% |
| 1979 | 63.02 billion current LCU | +5.5% |
| 1980 | 67.74 billion current LCU | +7.5% |
| 1981 | 75.91 billion current LCU | +12.1% |
| 1982 | 83.93 billion current LCU | +10.6% |
| 1983 | 89.11 billion current LCU | +6.2% |
| 1984 | 94.32 billion current LCU | +5.8% |
| 1985 | 100.74 billion current LCU | +6.8% |
| 1986 | 105.58 billion current LCU | +4.8% |
| 1987 | 111.09 billion current LCU | +5.2% |
| 1988 | 117.51 billion current LCU | +5.8% |
| 1989 | 122.69 billion current LCU | +4.4% |
| 1990 | 129.34 billion current LCU | +5.4% |
| 1991 | 138.48 billion current LCU | +7.1% |
| 1992 | 138.22 billion current LCU | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 138.75 billion current LCU | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 138.42 billion current LCU | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 139.02 billion current LCU | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 140.48 billion current LCU | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 142.10 billion current LCU | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 144.01 billion current LCU | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 150.62 billion current LCU | +4.6% |
| 2000 | 159.18 billion current LCU | +5.7% |
| 2001 | 201.42 billion current LCU | +26.5% |
| 2002 | 225.78 billion current LCU | +12.1% |
| 2003 | 256.61 billion current LCU | +13.7% |
| 2004 | 273.30 billion current LCU | +6.5% |
| 2005 | 292.13 billion current LCU | +6.9% |
| 2006 | 304.18 billion current LCU | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 319.40 billion current LCU | +5.0% |
| 2008 | 340.25 billion current LCU | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 366.47 billion current LCU | +7.7% |
| 2010 | 392.66 billion current LCU | +7.1% |
| 2011 | 400.81 billion current LCU | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 397.97 billion current LCU | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 388.44 billion current LCU | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 392.71 billion current LCU | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 398.05 billion current LCU | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 408.26 billion current LCU | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 416.90 billion current LCU | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 434.45 billion current LCU | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 447.80 billion current LCU | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 474.17 billion current LCU | +5.9% |
| 2021 | 493.86 billion current LCU | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 511.15 billion current LCU | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 551.02 billion current LCU | +7.8% |
| 2024 | 590.32 billion current LCU | +7.1% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 590.32 billion current LCU is above the median for high income countries, which is 23.97 billion current LCU, 24.6× the median. (57 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Compensation of employees (current LCU) in United States changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +26.5% | 159.18 billion current LCU | 201.42 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 51.44 billion current LCU | 42.26 billion current LCU | 63.02 billion current LCU | 8 |
| 1980s | 96.86 billion current LCU | 67.74 billion current LCU | 122.69 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 139.94 billion current LCU | 129.34 billion current LCU | 150.62 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 273.87 billion current LCU | 159.18 billion current LCU | 366.47 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 407.81 billion current LCU | 388.44 billion current LCU | 447.80 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 524.11 billion current LCU | 474.17 billion current LCU | 590.32 billion current LCU | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
More public sector data for United States
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 745.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 3.56 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 52.65 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is compensation of employees in United States?
- Compensation of employees in United States was 590.32 billion current LCU in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest compensation of employees recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 590.32 billion current LCU in 2024.
- What is the lowest compensation of employees recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.26 billion current LCU in 1972.
- How does United States rank for compensation of employees?
- United States ranks 41st out of 156 countries with data for 2024.
- Is compensation of employees rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 50.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Compensation of employees (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Compensation of employees is defined as the total remuneration, in cash or in kind, payable by an enterprise to an employee in return for work done by the latter during the accounting period. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.