Of the jobs lost during the recession, about 60 percent of them were in what are called “mid-wage” occupations. What about the jobs added since the end of the recession? Seventy-three percent of them have been in lower-wage occupations, defined as $13.52 an hour or less. This general trend, namely more rapid growth in low-paying jobs, can be seen in the numbers from 1999 to 2007, so we can’t blame it on the financial crisis or the particular problems of today.
Average Is Over: Powering America Beyond the Age of the Great Stagnation by Tyler Cowen