Gen Z Workers Outearning Millennials at Same Age, Report Finds

NewsData.io · United States · Sep 21, 2026

A new labor market report from resume platform Zety finds that Gen Z workers ages 20–24 earned a median of $756 per week (inflation-adjusted) between 2021 and 2024, roughly 12.3% more than millennials earned at the same age from 2005–2008. Gen Z also experienced lower unemployment (7.5% vs. 8.9%), though their overall labor force participation rate was lower. Analysts attribute the gains largely to the post-pandemic tight labor market and Baby Boomer retirements creating favorable conditions for younger entrants. Staffing firms should note that a cooling labor market and AI-driven changes to entry-level roles may erode these advantages in the near term.