Salaries vs. Cost of Living: The Most (and Least) Inflation-Proof Jobs in America [Data Study]

Inflation affects many aspects of our financial lives, from fast-food prices to investing strategies. While rising prices have the most visible impact, they’re not the only factor preventing Americans from saving more money.

Perhaps the easiest way to combat inflation is to make sure your salary keeps up with inflation. Put simply: Make more to afford the rising costs of goods. If your annual raise falls below the national inflation rate, you're effectively taking a pay cut despite a higher number on your paycheck. The extent to which this occurs largely depends on your profession.

With that in mind, FinanceBuzz analyzed Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) salary data for 37 American jobs from 2013 to 2023, identifying which wages have outpaced inflation and which have fallen behind.

Key findings

• Service industry workers saw the highest wage growth: Servers’ and bartenders’ average annual salaries increased 75% and 70%, respectively, from 2013 to 2023, outpacing all other jobs.
• Inflation outstripped wage growth in many fields: 12 jobs saw salary increases lower than the national inflation rate of 31% over the last decade.
• The lowest wage growth occurred in public service, marketing, and real estate: Postal workers (+18%), marketers (+23%), and real estate agents (+24%) experienced the smallest increases.

The best jobs relative to inflation

The service industry led the pack in wage growth, significantly outpacing inflation in recent years. Seven of the top 10 jobs with the highest pay increases since 2013 were in the service sector. Waiters and bartenders topped the list, with 75% and 70% wage increases, respectively.

Servers and bartenders were also two of just three jobs where wages rose at a rate more than double the rate of inflation (31%). The third was farming, which saw a 69% increase in earnings from 2013 to 2023.

Low initial salaries significantly influenced these wage growth percentages. Nine of the 10 jobs with the highest salary increases relative to inflation were among the 11 lowest-paying jobs in 2013.

Professions where salaries have outpaced inflation

1. Servers

• 2013 salary: $20,880
• 2023 salary: $36,530 (+75%)
• Difference from national inflation: +44%

2. Bartenders

• 2013 salary: $21,770
• 2023 salary: $37,090 (+70%)
• Difference from national inflation: 39%

3. Farmers

• 2013 salary: $22,080
• 2023 salary: $37,370 (+69%)
• Difference from national inflation: 38%

4. Journalists

• 2013 salary: $36,000
• 2023 salary: $57,500 (+60%)
• Difference from national inflation: 29%

5. Fast-food workers

• 2013 salary: $18,980
• 2023 salary: $30,110 (+59%)
• Difference from national inflation: 28%

6. Housecleaners

• 2013 salary: $22,130
• 2023 salary: $34,650 (+57%)
• Difference from national inflation: 26%

7. Cooks

• 2013 salary: $22,440
• 2023 salary: $34,360 (+53%)
• Difference from national inflation: 22%

8. Cashiers

• 2013 salary: $20,420
• 2023 salary: $30,710 (+50%)
• Difference from national inflation: 19%

9. Child care workers

• 2013 salary: $21,490
• 2023 salary: $32,070 (+49%)
• Difference from national inflation: 18%

10. Security guards

• 2013 salary: $27,550
• 2023 salary: $40,440 (+47%)
• Difference from national inflation: 16%

The worst jobs relative to inflation

While some service industry jobs saw remarkable wage growth, others struggled to keep pace with inflation. Postal workers experienced the lowest wage increase of any profession, with salaries increasing just 18% from 2013 to 2023, significantly below the national inflation rate of 31%, and a lower rate than any other job.

Other service sector jobs lagging behind inflation included real estate agents (+24%), accountants and insurance agents (+25% each), plumbers and K-12 teachers (+26% each), and electricians (+27%).

Professions where inflation has outpaced salaries

1. Postal workers

• 2013 salary: $49,720
• 2023 salary: $58,660 (+18%)
• Difference from national inflation: -13%

2. Marketers

• 2013 salary: $67,780
• 2023 salary: $83,190 (+23%)
• Difference from national inflation: -8%

3. Real estate agents

• 2013 salary: $58,900
• 2023 salary: $73,010 (+24%)
• Difference from national inflation: -7%

4. Accountants

• 2013 salary: $72,500
• 2023 salary: $90,780 (+25%)
• Difference from national inflation: -6%

5. Insurance agents

• 2013 salary: $63,610
• 2023 salary: $79,700 (+25%)
• Difference from national inflation: -6%

6. Plumbers

• 2013 salary: $53,820
• 2023 salary: $67,840 (+26%)
• Difference from national inflation: -5%

7. K-12 teachers

• 2013 salary: $56,802
• 2023 salary: $71,771 (+26%)
• Difference from national inflation: -5%

8. Electricians

• 2013 salary: $53,560
• 2023 salary: $67,810 (+27%)
• Difference from national inflation: -4%

9. Business operations

• 2013 salary: $69,030
• 2023 salary: $88,040 (+28%)
• Difference from national inflation: -3%

10. Secretaries

• 2013 salary: $38,250
• 2023 salary: $49,810 (+30%)
• Difference from national inflation: -1%

Tips for making your paycheck go further

No matter what you do for work, having a little extra money in your pocket is always nice. Here are some strategies to help boost your bank account:

• Earn extra income on the side. Explore flexible side gigs that fit your routine, such as food shopping and delivery services.
• Set a budget. Cut back on unnecessary purchases and plan your spending to keep more money in your pocket.
• Work from home. Check out our comprehensive guide on finding a remote job.

Methodology

FinanceBuzz analyzed salaries for 37 common U.S. professions using BLS data. We collected salary information for 2023 (the most recent available), 2018, and 2013 using the Wayback Machine for historical data. Due to changes in BLS reporting methods for journalists between 2018 and 2023, we used median salary data (still provided by the BLS) to calculate changes for that profession.