The federally mandated minimum wage in the United States is 7.25 U.S. dollars per hour, although the minimum wage varies from state to state. As of January 1, 2024, the District of Columbia had the highest minimum wage in the U.S., at 17 U.S. dollars per hour. This was followed by Washington, which had 16.28 U.S. dollars per hour as the state minimum wage.

Minimum wage workers

Minimum wage jobs are traditionally seen as “starter jobs” in the U.S., or first jobs for teenagers and young adults, and the number of people working minimum wage jobs has decreased from almost four million in 1979 to about 247,000 in 2020. However, the number of workers earning less than minimum wage in 2020 was significantly higher, at about 865,000.

Minimum wage jobs

Minimum wage jobs are primarily found in food preparation and serving occupations, as well as sales jobs (primarily in retail). Because the minimum wage has not kept up with inflation, nor has it been increased since 2009, it is becoming harder and harder live off of a minimum wage wage job, and for those workers to afford essential things like rent.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Minimum Hourly Wage for Nonfarm Workers for the United States from Oct 1938 to Feb 2025 about per hour, minimum wage, nonfarm, workers, hours, federal, wages, and USA.

In 1979, about 3.99 million workers were paid hourly rates at the official minimum wage. In 2023, about 81,000 workers were paid hourly rates at the prevailing minimum wage. The prevailing Federal minimum wage was 7.25 U.S. dollars per hour in 2023.

Costa Rica is the country with the highest minimum monthly wage in Latin America. According to the minimum salary established by law as of January 2024, workers in the Central American country enjoy a basic monthly wage of over 687 U.S. dollars, an increase of 1.83 percent compared to the previous year and over 100 U.S. dollars more than the second place, Uruguay. On the other side of the spectrum is Venezuela, where employees are only guaranteed by law a minimum salary of 130 bolívares or little more than three dollars per month. Can Latin Americans survive on a minimum wage? Even if most countries in Latin America have instated laws to guarantee citizens a basic income, these minimum standards are often not enough to meet household needs. For instance, it was estimated that almost 25 million people in Mexico lacked basic housing services. Salary levels also vary greatly among Latin American economies. In 2020, the average net monthly salary in Mexico was barely higher than Chile's minimum wage in 2021. What can a minimum wage afford in Latin America? Latin American real wages have generally risen in the past decade. However, consumers in this region still struggle to afford non-basic goods, such as tech products. Recent estimates reveal that, in order to buy an iPhone, Brazilian residents would have to work at least two months to be able to pay for it. A gaming console, on the other hand, could easily cost a Latin American worker several minimum wages.

Graph and download economic data for Total Wage and Salary Workers Paid at Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over (T16OC3) from 1979 to 2023 about paid, minimum wage, salaries, workers, 16 years +, federal, wages, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Employed: Paid total at or below prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: Healthcare support occupations: 16 years and over (LEU0204856300A) from 2000 to 2024 about paid, healthcare, occupation, minimum wage, health, salaries, workers, 16 years +, federal, wages, employment, and USA.

Worldwide, minimum net monthly wages vary from almost 2,500 U.S. dollars in Luxembourg to 68 dollars in Nigeria as of January 2024. Minimum wages must be seen in relation with price levels in a country. One popular way to measure purchasing power is the Big Mac Index.

United States - Wage and Salary Workers Paid Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: 4 Years of High School, no Diploma was 2.40000 % of Total Paid Below Minimum Wage in January of 2021, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Wage and Salary Workers Paid Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: 4 Years of High School, no Diploma reached a record high of 2.70000 in January of 2009 and a record low of 1.40000 in January of 2008. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Wage and Salary Workers Paid Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: 4 Years of High School, no Diploma - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

The country with the highest minimum wage rate in Europe during the first half of 2025 was Luxembourg, with a minimum wage of 2638 euros. Ireland, the Netherlands, and Germany were the countries with the next highest minimum wages, all above 2000 euros a month, while Albania, Bulgaria, and Montenegro had the lowest minimum wages in the same period.

In 2023, the average wage and salary per full-time equivalent employee in the mining industry in the United States was at 126,707 U.S. dollars. The highest wage and salary per FTE was found in the information industry, at 164,400 U.S. dollars.

Graph and download economic data for Wage and Salary Workers Paid Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Doctoral Degree (DCDEC8) from 2002 to 2023 about doctoral degree, paid, minimum wage, tertiary schooling, salaries, workers, 16 years +, education, federal, wages, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Average Hourly Earnings of All Employees, Manufacturing (CES3000000003) from Mar 2006 to Feb 2025 about earnings, establishment survey, hours, wages, manufacturing, employment, and USA.

United States - Wage and Salary Workers Paid at or Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Some College, no Degree was 1.90000 % of Total Paid Hourly Rate in January of 2021, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Wage and Salary Workers Paid at or Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Some College, no Degree reached a record high of 7.00000 in January of 2010 and a record low of 1.90000 in January of 2021. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Wage and Salary Workers Paid at or Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Some College, no Degree - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

In 2023, about 308,000 women working part-time were paid at or below the prevailing federal minimum wage. In comparison, around 115,000 men working part-time were also receiving earnings at or below the federal minimum wage.

Graph and download economic data for Employed: Paid total at or below prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: 16 years and over: White (LEU0203131600A) from 2000 to 2024 about paid, minimum wage, salaries, workers, white, 16 years +, federal, wages, employment, and USA.

United States - Wage and Salary Workers Paid at Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Associate Degree was 0.10000 % of Total Paid Hourly Rate in January of 2021, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Wage and Salary Workers Paid at Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Associate Degree reached a record high of 1.20000 in January of 2010 and a record low of 0.10000 in January of 2008. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Wage and Salary Workers Paid at Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Associate Degree - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

Average hourly and weekly wage rate, and median hourly and weekly wage rate by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), type of work, gender, and age group.

Graph and download economic data for Wage and Salary Workers Paid Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Academic Program (ACPRC8) from 2002 to 2023 about paid, minimum wage, salaries, workers, 16 years +, federal, wages, and USA.

Hourly wages in the United States are broken into different percentiles to show the hourly earnings of White, Black, and Latino renters in the different percentiles. White workers in all earning percentiles had a higher wage than Black or Latino people. Considering that the housing wages for one- and two-bedroom housing were 26.74 and 32.11 U.S. dollars, respectively, not all earners in the 70th percentile and lower could afford housing. In fact, only white renters in the 50th and 60th could afford a one-bedroom apartment that year. Moreover, while only Black renters in the 70th percentile could afford one-bedroom housing, white renters were able to afford both. However, for a Latino worker making a wage at the 70th percentile, even a one-bedroom unit was not affordable.

United States Average Weekly Salary: Mining and Logging (ML): Mining data was reported at 1,541.870 USD in Oct 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,579.590 USD for Sep 2018. United States Average Weekly Salary: Mining and Logging (ML): Mining data is updated monthly, averaging 1,290.835 USD from Mar 2006 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 152 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,579.590 USD in Sep 2018 and a record low of 1,001.730 USD in Mar 2006. United States Average Weekly Salary: Mining and Logging (ML): Mining data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G032: Current Employment Statistics Survey: Average Weekly and Hourly Earnings.