What is a really good hourly wage?

A really good hourly wage can be understood in the context of percentiles within the wage distribution. For instance, an hourly wage of $25.00 is considered to be at the 25th percentile, meaning that 25% of workers earn less than this amount, while 75% earn more. This indicates that wages below $25.00 are relatively low and may be considered outliers in the broader labor market. Conversely, an hourly wage of $42.00 falls at the 90th percentile, suggesting that only 10% of workers earn more than this amount. Therefore, wages above $42.00 are also seen as outliers, representing a higher earning bracket. In summary, a good hourly wage would typically be above the 25th percentile, ideally approaching or exceeding the 90th percentile, as this reflects a more competitive and favorable earning potential in the job market.