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.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Minimum Wage Rate under the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (STTMINWGFG) from 1968 to 2025 about minimum wage, federal, wages, labor, rate, and USA.

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.

When adjusted for inflation, the 2024 federal minimum wage in the United States is over 40 percent lower than the minimum wage in 1970. Although the real dollar minimum wage in 1970 was only 1.60 U.S. dollars, when expressed in nominal 2024 dollars this increases to 13.05 U.S. dollars. This is a significant difference from the federal minimum wage in 2024 of 7.25 U.S. dollars.

In an April 2024 online survey, an overwhelming majority of respondents in the United States said that 7.25 U.S. dollars per hour is not enough for the average American worker to have a decent quality of life. The U.S. federal minimum wage has not been raised since 2009. Since then, many states have raised the wage, with a number of states having more than doubled the federal minimum.

In 20220232, about 386,000 wage and salary workers aged between 16 to 24 years were paid hourly rates at or below the prevailing federal minimum wage in the United States. This can be compared to the 227,000 in the next age group of 25 to 34 years who made the same hourly rates.

In 2023, around 2.9 percent of hourly wage workers in Rhode Island earned wages at or below the federal minimum wage. This was the highest share of any U.S. state, followed by the District of Columbia with 2.2 percent of hourly wage workers making minimum wage or less.

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.

This statistic presents the nominal and real value of the statutory minimum wage in the United States from 1938 to 2013, in 2013 U.S. dollars. In 1938, the minimum wage was 0.25 U.S. dollars per hour, the equivalent of 4.06 U.S. dollars in 2013 terms. The real value of the minimum wage peaked in 1968 when minimum wage workers earned 1.60 U.S. dollars per hour, the equivalent of 10.69 U.S. dollars in 2013 terms.

Graph and download economic data for Employed: Percent of hourly paid workers: Paid total at or below prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: Production occupations: 16 years and over (LEU0204864500A) from 2000 to 2024 about paid, occupation, minimum wage, salaries, workers, hours, 16 years +, federal, wages, production, percent, employment, and USA.

In 2023, 1.1 percent of workers in the United States were paid hourly rates at or below the official minimum wage. This is a decrease from the previous year, when 1.3 percent of workers were paid at or below the official minimum wage.

In March 2025, inflation amounted to 2.4 percent, while wages grew by 4.3 percent. The inflation rate has not exceeded the rate of wage growth since January 2023. Inflation in 2022 The high rates of inflation in 2022 meant that the real terms value of American wages took a hit. Many Americans report feelings of concern over the economy and a worsening of their financial situation. The inflation situation in the United States is one that was experienced globally in 2022, mainly due to COVID-19 related supply chain constraints and disruption due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The monthly inflation rate for the U.S. reached a 40-year high in June 2022 at 9.1 percent, and annual inflation for 2022 reached eight percent. Without appropriate wage increases, Americans will continue to see a decline in their purchasing power. Wages in the U.S. Despite the level of wage growth reaching 6.7 percent in the summer of 2022, it has not been enough to curb the impact of even higher inflation rates. The federally mandated minimum wage in the United States has not increased since 2009, meaning that individuals working minimum wage jobs have taken a real terms pay cut for the last twelve years. There are discrepancies between states - the minimum wage in California can be as high as 15.50 U.S. dollars per hour, while a business in Oklahoma may be as low as two U.S. dollars per hour. However, even the higher wage rates in states like California and Washington may be lacking - one analysis found that if minimum wage had kept up with productivity, the minimum hourly wage in the U.S. should have been 22.88 dollars per hour in 2021. Additionally, the impact of decreased purchasing power due to inflation will impact different parts of society in different ways with stark contrast in average wages due to both gender and race.

United States - Employed: Paid at prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: 16 years and over: Black or African American: Men was 10.00000 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: Men reached a record high of 121.00000 in January of 2013 and a record low of 7.00000 in January of 2022. 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: Men - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on May of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Wage and Salary Workers Paid Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Some College, no Degree (SCNDC4) from 2002 to 2023 about no college, paid, minimum wage, salaries, workers, 16 years +, education, federal, wages, and USA.

During the academic year of 2021-22, public school teachers in the United States made an average of 66,397 U.S. dollars per year. This is a significant increase from the 1979-80 school year, when the average annual wage for public school teachers was 15,970 U.S. dollars.

Stagnating wages

While the American economy is doing well, wages have been stagnating in recent years. The federal minimum wage, which currently stands at 7.25 U.S. dollars per hour, has not been raised since July 2009, meaning that minimum wage has not increased with inflation. Although minimum wage varies by state, the federal minimum wage prevails in many states. Additionally, median hourly earnings for workers, while increasing steadily, have not seen any significant jumps in recent years.

Fair pay for teachers

The majority of Americans believe that teachers are not paid fairly for the work that they do. Full-time public elementary and secondary school teachers in the U.S. have the highest salary in New York state, but the lowest salary in Mississippi.

Graph and download economic data for Employed full time: Percent of hourly paid workers: Paid total at or below prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: 16 years and over (LEU0253127200A) from 2000 to 2024 about paid, minimum wage, full-time, salaries, workers, hours, 16 years +, federal, wages, percent, employment, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Employed: Percent of hourly paid workers: Paid total at or below prevailing federal minimum wage: Private wage and salary workers: Retail trade industries: 16 years and over (LEU0204865600A) from 2000 to 2024 about paid, minimum wage, salaries, workers, hours, retail trade, 16 years +, federal, wages, percent, sales, retail, private, employment, industry, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Employed: Percent of hourly paid workers: Paid total at or below prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: 16 years and over: Black or African American: Women (LEU0203134200A) from 2000 to 2024 about paid, minimum wage, females, African-American, salaries, workers, hours, 16 years +, federal, wages, percent, employment, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Wage and Salary Workers Paid Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Less than 1 Year of High School (L1HSC11) from 2002 to 2023 about less than 1 year, paid, secondary schooling, secondary, minimum wage, salaries, workers, 16 years +, education, federal, wages, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Employed: Percent of hourly paid workers: Paid total at or below prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: 25 years and over: Men (LEU0203129700A) from 2000 to 2024 about paid, minimum wage, males, 25 years +, salaries, workers, hours, federal, wages, percent, employment, and USA.