Skip to main content

New Year, New Expectations: Lowest Average Annual Pay Workers Say They Are Willing to Accept is Now $73k, Fed Study Finds

 01/03/2023 CUToday

NEW YORK– The lowest average annual pay that workers were willing to accept from a new employer is $73,667, according to a new survey by the New York Federal Reserve Bank.

thumbnail_Federal Reserve NY

Known as a “reservation wage,” new figure reflects an increase of $794 over the bank’s July report and is the highest ever recorded since the survey’s inception in 2014.

According to the New York Fed, the increase in salary expectations was highest among job seekers under the age of 45.

But the report also found a difference between expectations and reality, with the average salary people were actually expected to receive coming in at $60,310, 18.1% lower than the higher expectation. Nevertheless, the figure was 5.4% higher than the Fed’s July survey and also the highest recorded since 2014. 

Additional Findings

Among other findings:

  • The expectation of working past the age of 62 dropped to 48.8% from 50.1% in July, which is the lowest ratio recorded since 2014. That finding has been on a downward trend since November 2020.
  • Those satisfied with their benefits and opportunity for promotion saw an increase between July and November. Satisfaction with benefits jumped from 6.6% to 63.2%,  while the perception for promotion climbed from 56.5% to 59.5%
  • Satisfaction with wage compensation fell from 58.2% to 56.9%
  • Among those employed four months ago, 91.8% were still employed. Those searching for a job increased from 24.0% to 24.7%, driven by respondents younger than 45 years old and those with a college degree.

A 10% Increase

Data from the Labor department in November showed wage growth rising at 5.0% pace, less than the average year-over-year consumer inflation rate of 8.0%. But the $73,667 lowest acceptable wage is nearly 10% higher than one year ago.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Sunday Reading - Social Security 101

  Social Studies   Social Security 101 The US Social Security   system is best known for providing income to the nation’s elderly population based on the amount of money they earned during their working years.   The Social Security Act of 1935 established the program  amid the worsening poverty crisis that older Americans faced during the Great Depression. By 1934, more than half of those aged 65 and older lacked sufficient income to cover their basic living expenses.    Today, most US workers are familiar with seeing a percentage of their pretax income deducted from their paychecks and contributed to the nation’s Social Security trust funds. Starting a...

Dolphin Debit Drives Efficiency

  Contact Us   4k Surcharge-Free ATMs for Free   Dolphin Debit Access | 1340 Rayford Rd | Spring, TX 77386 . Joe Woods, CUDE  | SVP, Marketing & Partnerships Dolphin Debit Access, LLC | A Euronet Company 1340 Rayford Park Rd., Spring, TX 77386 (M) 614-378-0367   www.dolphindebit.com ================================================= Remember, you're not alone with  NCOFCU.org Join/Upgrade Check out some of NCOFCU's additional features: First Responder Credit Union Academy Financial Literacy Podcasts YouTube Mini's Blog Job Board

“The CU Teller of the Future”:

  “The CU Teller of the Future” : Credit union tellers will continue to play an important role, but their work will shift from routine transactions to relationship-driven financial guidance. Technology will handle more basic tasks, freeing tellers to focus on personalized service, financial coaching, and member trust. What Future Tellers Will Focus On The teller of the future will deliver member-centric, personalized experiences by anticipating needs, offering proactive guidance, and explaining financial products in simple, supportive ways. They’ll need to be comfortable working across multiple channels —in person, mobile, chat, and video—while keeping service seamless. A security-first mindset will be essential, including fraud awareness and helping members practice safe digital habits. Tellers will also play a growing role in financial wellness , assisting with budgeting, saving, debt management, and long-term planning. Strong knowledge of compliance and documentation will...

'Tis the season for fraud! Teller questions if member fraud is suspected.

  When a credit union employee suspects a member may be subject to fraud, they should initiate a careful conversation focusing on the nature of the transaction and external influences. The goal is to help the member identify red flags without the employee asking for sensitive personal information that the credit union should already have on file.  Initial Verification Questions    .pdf Before discussing the specifics of the suspicious activity, the employee should confirm the member's identity in accordance with established internal protocols.  Questions About the Transaction/Activity If the member confirms they are conducting a suspicious transaction (e.g., a large wire transfer or purchase of gift cards ), the employee should ask questions to help the member pause and think critically:  "What is the purpose of this transaction?" "Do you personally know the person or business you are sending money to?" "Have you ever met the...

‘No One Wants a New Car Now.’ WSJ Columnist Offers His Take on Why

NEW YORK–That new car smell isn’t quite the intoxicating perfume it has been for a long time, according to one automotive analyst. Under the headline, “No One Wants a New Car Now. Here’s Why,” the Wall Street Journal’s well-regarded automotive columnist, Dan Neal, observed that “America’s fleet of cars and trucks is also getting long in the tooth.” Neal’s reference was to a study by S&P Global Mobility that found the average age of vehicles in the U.S. is now 12.6 years, up more than 14 months since 2014, with the average age of passenger cars hitting14 years. All-Time High Burden “In the past, the average-age statistic was taken as a sign of transportation’s burden on household budgets,” Neal wrote. “Those burdens remain near all-time hig...

Advice On Winning Over Gen Z In ’25

NEW YORK—As 2025 approaches the close of Q1, how can credit unions win over Gen Z? By tailoring credit rewards for a digital-first generation, a new report recommends. Gen Z is reshaping the workforce and redefining financial behaviors. As of 2024, this generation is poised to surpass Baby Boomers in workforce size and will make up 30% of the workforce by 2030. This rapid growth presents a major opportunity for financial institutions to tap into a younger, digitally native audience with distinct spending habits and financial needs, emphasized a GlobalData report authored by Zachary Johnson, specialist, campaign execution & strategy, financial services at VDX.tv. “Unlike previous generations, Gen Z’s economic journey has been shaped by inflation and delayed career starts due to the pandemic and skyrocketing living costs. These factors have made them highly dependent on credit, with Gen Zers being 23% more likely to own a credit card than Millennials at the same age, and carrying...

IRS Issues Ruling on Federal Credit Unions and COVID Credit

WASHINGTON–The Internal Revenue Service has issued a ruling that credit unions can receive a 2021 COVID Credit, but not 2020. In other words, federally chartered CUs can’t claim the employee retention credit for periods in 2020 but can do so for periods in 2021, because later amendments to the terms of the credit made them eligible, according to the IRS. Specifically, FCUs can’t claim the credit for wages paid after March 12, 2020, and before Jan. 1, 2021. The ruling was issued by the IRS Office of Chief Counsel in a newly released legal  memorandum . According to the IRS, FCUs are able to claim the credit for wages paid after Dec. 31, 2020, and before Oct. 1, 2021, the IRS said. The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) – sometimes called the Empl...

Three-Quarters of Consumers Familiar With CUs, But Just 1 in 4 Says a CU is PFI, & Other New Findings

WASHINGTON– More than three-quarters of U.S. consumers said they are familiar with credit unions and hold a positive impression, yet just one-in-four banks primarily with a credit union, a new survey has found. The 2026 Credit Union Consumer Perception Report from  CUCollaborate  surveyed 1,000 consumers across the U.S. in December 2025 to gauge their opinions on credit unions. It further found early 70% describe credit unions as trustworthy, and a majority recognize their advantages in fees and rates compared to traditional banks.  But positive sentiment is in decline with younger bankers, according to CUCollaborate. Gen Z consumers represented a sharp shift in credit union perception from older generations, the company said, noting that among those respondents, 36% indicated they had only heard the term “credit union” without having a deeper understanding or had never heard of the term at all.  Some “44% said they were somewhat familiar with credit unions, and a me...

Small credit union closures and mergers.

NCOFCU Podcast on the loss of small creditunions. Grant Sheehan CCUE | CEO-NCOFCU examines the rapid decline of small credit unions, why each closure matters to communities, and the threat this trend poses to the cooperative identity and tax protections of the movement. The episode explores practical solutions: larger credit unions acting as stewards, collaboration through shared resources and technology, and the advocacy work of the National Council of Firefighter Credit Unions to amplify every credit union's voice. Listen for a call to action on preserving community-focused financial cooperatives and strengthening the future of the credit union movement. Be sure to visit NCOFCU's "First Responders Credit Unions Academy" for your continued credit union education and certification in meeting N C U A’s requirements.  ================================================= Remember, you're not alone with  NCOFCU.org Join/Upgrade Check out some of NCOFCU's additional f...