Inflation Leaves Average Ohio Worker $193 Worse Off Since 2020, Study Finds

Despite wage increases across many industries, inflation has left the average Ohio worker with less purchasing power than five years ago, according to a new study from industrial control experts Energy Drive.

Researchers analyzed wage data for hundreds of occupations between 2020 and 2025 and compared those gains against inflation, which rose roughly 25.4% during the period.

The study found Ohio’s average annual wage increased from $51,510 in 2020 to $64,390 in 2025. However, after adjusting for inflation, the average worker effectively lost $193 in annual buying power, a decline of 0.3%.

The news wasn’t all bad. Ohio ranked 21st nationally and outperformed the U.S. average, where workers saw an inflation-adjusted loss of $831 annually, or 1.18%.

Biggest Wage Winners

The occupation with the largest increase in real wages was camera and photographic equipment repairers. Average annual earnings climbed from about $23,800 in 2020 to more than $75,000 in 2025, representing a 152% increase after inflation. However, researchers noted the occupation employs only about 80 workers statewide.

Other occupations posting large inflation-adjusted gains included:

General legal support workers: up nearly 100%
Labor relations specialists: up nearly 69%
Manicurists and pedicurists: up 66%
Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks: up 53%

Biggest Declines

Some occupations moved sharply in the opposite direction.

Chiropractors recorded Ohio’s largest decline in real wages. After accounting for inflation, earnings fell nearly 49%, representing an effective loss of more than $82,000 annually.

Fine artists and water vessel captains, mates, and pilots also posted significant inflation-adjusted declines.

Lower Earners Fared Better

According to the study, Ohio’s lowest-paid workers saw the strongest gains, while higher-income earners experienced the largest losses in purchasing power.

Researchers say the statewide average masks major differences between occupations and income levels, and that some households may be feeling inflation more acutely depending on local costs and spending habits.

Nationally, Idaho recorded the strongest inflation-adjusted wage growth, while Connecticut saw the largest decline.

The analysis used wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and compared earnings from May 2020 to May 2025 after adjusting for inflation.