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Remote work, wages, and hours worked in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia

    (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

  • Victoria Vernon

    (SUNY Empire State University)

Abstract

Remote work gradually increased in the United States during the four decades prior to the pandemic, then surged in 2020. Using the American Community Survey, we show that pre-pandemic, remote full-time white-collar workers earned a wage premium while blue-collar workers paid a wage penalty compared with on-site workers. In 2020–2021, remote workers in most occupations earned a wage premium. Although average wages grew only slightly faster from 2019 to 2021 for remote workers than for on-site workers within occupations, increases in remote work intensity within occupations were positively associated with occupation-level wage growth. Pre-pandemic, remote employees worked substantially longer hours per week than on-site workers, but by 2021 their hours were similar.

Suggested Citation

  • Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia & Victoria Vernon, 2025. "Remote work, wages, and hours worked in the United States," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 38(1), pages 1-49, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jopoec:v:38:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s00148-025-01064-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s00148-025-01064-9
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Remote work; Working from home; Wages; Hours; COVID-19;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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