U.S. employers contributed 2.3% of their payrolls to defined contribution plans in 2016, up from 2.2% in 2015. The increase came at a good time as equity markets enjoyed strong returns in 2017. Total salaries were about $8.1 trillion in 2016, up about 1% from 2015, while just less than $188 billion in DC contributions were made.
Wage growth dropped off significantly in 2016 relative to 2014 and 2015 when compensation increased by 5.8% and 5.1% respectively.
