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 Hourly Wage for Nonfarm Workers for the United States (FEDMINNFRWG) from Oct 1938 to Aug 2025 about per hour, minimum wage, nonfarm, workers, hours, federal, wages, and USA.

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.

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.

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 Employed: Paid below prevailing federal minimum wage: Private wage and salary workers: Leisure and hospitality industries: 16 years and over (LEU0204847200A) from 2000 to 2024 about paid, leisure, hospitality, minimum wage, salaries, workers, 16 years +, federal, wages, private, employment, industry, 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.

This statistic shows the percent of workers paid hourly rates at or below prevailing federal minimum wage in the United States from 1980 to 2023, by gender. In 2023, only 1.5 percent of the female wage and salary workers were paid hourly rates at or below the federal minimum wage, compared to 21.6 percent in 1980.

Graph and download economic data for Employed: Paid below prevailing federal minimum wage: Private wage and salary workers: Accommodation and food services industries: 16 years and over (LEU0204847400A) from 2000 to 2024 about paid, accommodation, minimum wage, salaries, workers, 16 years +, federal, food, wages, services, private, employment, industry, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for State Minimum Wage Rate for California (STTMINWGCA) from 1968 to 2025 about minimum wage, wages, CA, rate, and USA.

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 2024 about paid, minimum wage, salaries, workers, 16 years +, federal, wages, and USA.

Wages in the United States increased to 31.46 USD/Hour in August from 31.34 USD/Hour in July of 2025. This dataset provides - United States Average Hourly Wages - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The average national minimum wage represents a weighted average of local, state and federal statutory minimum hourly wages, as of January 1 of the calendar year. It is presented in chained 2017 dollars and projected based on current legislation.

Federal Hourly Minimum Wage data was reported at 7.250 USD/Hour in Apr 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 7.250 USD/Hour for Mar 2025. Federal Hourly Minimum Wage data is updated monthly, averaging 3.350 USD/Hour from Oct 1938 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 1039 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.250 USD/Hour in Apr 2025 and a record low of 0.250 USD/Hour in Sep 1939. Federal Hourly Minimum Wage data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G: Federal Hourly Minimum Wage.

In 2023, around *** 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 *** percent of hourly wage workers making minimum wage or less.

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 2024 about less than 1 year, paid, secondary schooling, secondary, minimum wage, salaries, workers, education, 16 years +, federal, wages, and USA.

This statistic shows the number of workers paid hourly rates at or below prevailing federal minimum wage in the United States in 2023, by race or ethnicity. In 2023, about 666,000 white people were paid at or below the federal minimum wage.

In 2024, households in California needed an hourly wage of over 47 U.S. dollars to afford the rent of a two-bedroom apartment. Massachusetts had the second-least affordable two-bedroom apartments, as a household would have to earn at least around 45 U.S. dollars per hour in order to afford rent payments. These figures are considerably higher than the average minimum wage in place in many states. There was no state in which a minimum wage worker could afford rent for the average two-bedroom apartment, if they only worked 40 hours a week. Where are the least affordable counties and metros? The least affordable rents were predominately in Californian counties and metropolitan areas in 2024. District of Columbia has one of the highest minimum wages in the country, which stood at 17 U.S. dollars per hour as of January 2024. Thus, the affordability of two-bedroom apartments highlights how disproportionately high housing costs are in the state.

This statistic shows the real hourly minimum wage in the United States from 2001 to 2022 (in PPP U.S. dollars). In the United States in 2022, the real minimum wage was *** U.S. dollars per hour.

In 20220232, about ******* 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 ******* in the next age group of 25 to 34 years who made the same hourly rates.