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, 2025, the District of Columbia had the highest minimum wage in the U.S., at 17.5 U.S. dollars per hour. This was followed by Washington, which had 16.66 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.

Wages in the United States increased to 31.18 USD/Hour in May from 31.06 USD/Hour in April of 2025. This dataset provides - United States Average Hourly Wages - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

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 2025, workers in the Central American country enjoy a basic monthly wage of over 726 U.S. dollars, an increase of 2.37 percent compared to the previous year. They also earn over 200 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 2.50 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.

Minimum Wages in the United States remained unchanged at 7.25 USD/Hour in 2025 from 7.25 USD/Hour in 2024. This dataset provides - United States Minimum Wages- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for Wage and Salary Workers Paid Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: High School Graduates or more (HSGDC4) from 2002 to 2023 about paid, secondary schooling, secondary, minimum wage, salaries, workers, 16 years +, education, federal, wages, and USA.

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 Federal Minimum Hourly Wage for Nonfarm Workers for the United States (FEDMINNFRWG) from Oct 1938 to May 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.

In 2023, the average wage in private industry in Alabama was at 58,993 U.S. dollars. This was nearly half of the annual average wages per employee in the District of Columbia, at 112,048 U.S. dollars. That year, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and New York were the top ranked states in terms of average wages per employee.

Graph and download economic data for Employed: Paid at prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: Healthcare support occupations: 16 years and over (LEU0204849400A) from 2000 to 2024 about paid, healthcare, occupation, minimum wage, health, salaries, workers, 16 years +, federal, wages, employment, and USA.

United States - Total Wage and Salary Workers Paid at Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over was 81.00000 Thous. of Persons in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Total Wage and Salary Workers Paid at Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over reached a record high of 4686.00000 in January of 1980 and a record low of 81.00000 in January of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Total Wage and Salary Workers Paid at Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on May of 2025.

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.

This statistic shows the median household income in the United States from 1990 to 2023 in 2023 U.S. dollars. The median household income was 80,610 U.S. dollars in 2023, an increase from the previous year. Household incomeThe median household income depicts the income of households, including the income of the householder and all other individuals aged 15 years or over living in the household. Income includes wages and salaries, unemployment insurance, disability payments, child support payments received, regular rental receipts, as well as any personal business, investment, or other kinds of income received routinely. The median household income in the United States varies from state to state. In 2020, the median household income was 86,725 U.S. dollars in Massachusetts, while the median household income in Mississippi was approximately 44,966 U.S. dollars at that time. Household income is also used to determine the poverty line in the United States. In 2021, about 11.6 percent of the U.S. population was living in poverty. The child poverty rate, which represents people under the age of 18 living in poverty, has been growing steadily over the first decade since the turn of the century, from 16.2 percent of the children living below the poverty line in year 2000 to 22 percent in 2010. In 2021, it had lowered to 15.3 percent. The state with the widest gap between the rich and the poor was New York, with a Gini coefficient score of 0.51 in 2019. The Gini coefficient is calculated by looking at average income rates. A score of zero would reflect perfect income equality and a score of one indicates a society where one person would have all the money and all other people have nothing.

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.

United States - Employed: Paid at prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: 16 years and over: Black or African American was 24.00000 Thous. of Persons in January of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Employed: Paid at prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: 16 years and over: Black or African American reached a record high of 324.00000 in January of 2011 and a record low of 16.00000 in January of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Employed: Paid at prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: 16 years and over: Black or African American - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Employed: Paid total at or below prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: 16 years and over: Black or African American: Women (LEU0203134100A) from 2000 to 2024 about paid, minimum wage, females, African-American, salaries, workers, 16 years +, federal, wages, employment, and USA.

In 2022, the average annual income of a high school graduate in the United States was around 34,320 U.S. dollars. This is an increase from the previous year, when the median income for high school grads was about 32,398 U.S. dollars, but an overall decline from 1990 when the median earnings of a high school graduate was around 38,073 U.S. dollars.

United States - Wage and Salary Workers Paid Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Occupational Program was 2.60000 % of Total Paid Below Minimum Wage in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Wage and Salary Workers Paid Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Occupational Program reached a record high of 4.20000 in January of 2022 and a record low of 2.10000 in January of 2003. 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: Occupational Program - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on May of 2025.

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 May of 2025.

In 2021, the minimum wage in the United States would be 22.88 U.S. dollars an hour if it grew with productivity. However, the current federal minimum wage in the United States 7.25 U.S. dollars an hour and has remained unchanged since 2009.