As of January 1, 2026, the District of Columbia had the highest minimum wage in the U.S., at ***** U.S. dollars per hour. This was followed by the state of *********** which had ***** U.S. dollars per hour as the state minimum wage. Although minimum wages vary from state to state, five U.S. states do not have minimum wage legislation. Therefore, the federally mandated minimum wage of 7.25 U.S. dollars per hour applies there. Many below the minimum Minimum wage jobs in America are often viewed as “starter” roles for teenagers and young adults. The number of workers earning the federal minimum wage has dropped from nearly **** million in 1979 to fewer than ******* in 2024, as higher state and local minimums and wage growth have pulled many above that threshold. At the same time, around ******* workers still earned less than the federal floor in 2024. When the minimum wage falls behind Minimum wage work in America is concentrated in food preparation and serving jobs. Because the federal minimum has neither kept pace with inflation nor risen since 2009, its real value has steadily eroded. That makes it ever harder for low paid workers to cover basic living costs.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Minimum Wage Rate under the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (STTMINWGFG) from 1968 to 2026 about minimum wage, federal, wages, labor, rate, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Total Wage and Salary Workers Paid Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over (T16OC4) from 1979 to 2024 about paid, minimum wage, salaries, workers, 16 years +, federal, wages, and USA.

In September 2025, inflation amounted to 3 percent year-on-year, while wages grew by 4.1 percent. Over the observed period, the inflation rate has not exceeded the rate of wage growth since January 2023. Post-pandemic inflation Between 2021 and 2022, America, like much of the rich world, was gripped by a period of high inflation. Consumer prices were rising at an annual rate of 9.1 percent in June 2022, the fastest pace in four decades. In real terms, wages struggled to keep up, eroding purchasing power and leaving many households feeling poorer. As of January 2026, a large share of Americans continued to worry about the state of the economy and felt their personal finances had deteriorated. Wage erosion in the U.S. At the start of 2026, the federal minimum wage in America remained at 7.25 U.S. dollars an hour, where it has stood since 2009. Over that period, inflation has quietly eroded its value, cutting the real pay of the lowest paid workers year after year. Most regions have pushed their own floors higher, with the highest state minimums now reaching above 17 U.S. dollars an hour in Washington D.C. and Washington state. Yet five states still have no state-level minimum wage at all, leaving the federal rate as the minimum wage there.

In 2024, the real minimum wages in the United States amounted to **** U.S. dollars. Between 1960 and 2024, the figure dropped by **** U.S. dollars, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

Graph and download economic data for Wage and Salary Workers Paid at Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Less than 1 Year of High School (L1HSC10) from 2002 to 2024 about less than 1 year, paid, minimum wage, secondary schooling, secondary, salaries, workers, education, 16 years +, 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.

In December 2024, the federal minimum wage in the United States was 7.25 U.S. dollars. In real terms, this was about a ** percent decrease from 2009, when the minimum wage was last increased.

Wages in the United States increased to 32.03 USD/Hour in February from 31.94 USD/Hour in January of 2026. This dataset provides - United States Average Hourly Wages - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for Employed: Paid at prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: Production occupations: 16 years and over (LEU0204850700A) from 2000 to 2025 about paid, minimum wage, occupation, salaries, workers, 16 years +, federal, wages, production, employment, and USA.

In April 2026, the UK minimum wage for adults over the age of 21 will be 12.71 pounds per hour. For the 2026/27 financial year, there are four minimum wage categories, three of which are based on age and one for apprentice workers. Apprentices, and workers under the age of 18 will have a minimum wage of eight pounds an hour, increasing to 10.85 pounds for those aged 18 to 20. When the minimum wage was first introduced in 1999, there were just two age categories; 18 to 21, and 22 and over. This increased to three categories in 2004, four in 2010, and five between 2016 and 2023, before being reduced down to four in the most recent year. The living wage The living wage is an alternative minimum wage amount that employers in the UK can voluntarily pay their employees. It is calculated independently of the legal minimum wage and results in a higher value figure. In 2023/24, for example, the living wage was twelve pounds an hour for the UK as a whole and 13.15 for workers in London, where the cost of living is typically higher. This living wage is different from what the UK government has named the national living wage, which was 10.42 in the same financial year. Between 2011/12 and 2023/24, the living wage has increased by 4.80 pounds, while the London living wage has grown by 4.85 pounds. Wage growth cancelled-out by high inflation 2021-2023 For a long period between the middle of 2021 and late 2023, average wage growth in the UK was unable to keep up with record inflation levels, resulting in the biggest fall in disposable income since 1956. Although the UK government attempted to mitigate the impact of falling living standards through a series of cost of living payments, the situation has still been very difficult for households. After peaking at 11.1 percent in October 2022, the UK's inflation rate remained in double figures until March 2023, and did not fall to the preferred rate of two percent until May 2024. As of November 2024, regular weekly pay in the UK was growing by 5.6 percent in nominal terms, and 2.5 percent when adjusted for inflation.

The median hourly earnings for full-time employees in the United Kingdom was 19.74 British pounds in 2025, compared with 18.72 pounds in the previous year. At the start of this provided time period, in 1997, the average hourly wage in the UK was 7.92 pounds per hour, rising to more than ten pounds per hour by 2003, and above 15 pounds per hour by 2020. Minimum and living wage in the UK In the United Kingdom, employers are expected to pay their employees a minimum wage that is determined by how old they are. Under 18s for example, had a minimum wage of 5.28 British pounds in 2023, with the figure increasing to 7.49 pounds those aged 18 to 20, 10.18 for 21 to 22 year old's, and 10.42 for those aged 23 and over. There is also a voluntarily paid living Wage that employers can choose to pay their workers. For the 2023/24 financial year this was twelve pounds an hour, rising to 13.15 pounds an hour for workers based in London. Icelandic the highest earners in Europe Iceland had the highest average annual wage in the Europe in 2022 at around 79,500 U.S dollars. This was followed by Luxembourg at 78,300 dollars, Switzerland at 72,990 and Belgium at 64,850 dollars. The United Kingdom’s average annual wage amounted to around 53,985 U.S dollars in the same year. In this year, the country with the lowest annual salary in Europe was Greece, at 25,980 pounds per year.

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 (LEU0203127200A) from 1979 to 2025 about paid, minimum wage, salaries, workers, 16 years +, hours, federal, wages, percent, employment, and USA.

The graph presents the median monthly salary in the United States from 2000 to 2025. The x-axis represents the years, labeled from '00 to '25*, while the y-axis shows the salary amounts in U.S. dollars per month. Throughout this twenty-five-year period, the median monthly salary consistently increased from $2491.67 in 2000 to $5218.78 in 2025. The data highlights a steady upward trend, with annual salaries rising each year without any declines. Notably, the salary grew by approximately $200 each year from 2000 to 2019, surged to $4265.08 in 2020, and continued to climb each subsequent year, reaching $5023.42 by 2024. This consistent growth reflects economic advancements and potential increases in workforce compensation over the decade. The information is depicted in a line graph format, effectively illustrating the continuous rise in median monthly salaries across the specified years.

Graph and download economic data for Employed: Paid below prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: Production occupations: 16 years and over (LEU0204843800A) from 2000 to 2025 about paid, minimum wage, occupation, salaries, workers, 16 years +, federal, wages, production, employment, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Wage and Salary Workers Paid at Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Academic Program (ACPRC10) from 2002 to 2024 about paid, minimum wage, salaries, workers, 16 years +, federal, wages, and USA.

As one of the biggest sports leagues in the United States, with TV viewers reaching into the millions, Major League Baseball can afford to pay its players handsomely. The average salary for a player in the MLB stood at 5.16 million U.S. dollars in 2025. This marked a twofold increase on the average salary in 2005. Highs and lows of MLB salaries While the stars of every MLB team take home millions every year, there is still a minimum player salary in place to ensure that all players are compensated for their efforts. The 2025 MLB minimum player salary was set at 760,000 U.S. dollars, a significant increase on the minimum of 300,000 U.S. dollars in 2003. The league’s top earners The highest earner in the MLB in 2025 was the starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani. The three-time All-Star took home an annual base salary of 70 million U.S. dollars in the 2025 season. Due to their prominent role on the team, it is unsurprising that a majority of the top earners in the MLB were pitchers.  

Graph and download economic data for Employed: Paid at prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: 25 years and over: Men (LEU0203129500A) from 2000 to 2025 about paid, minimum wage, 25 years +, males, salaries, workers, federal, wages, employment, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for State Minimum Wage Rate for Texas (STTMINWGTX) from 1972 to 2026 about minimum wage, wages, TX, rate, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Wage and Salary Workers Paid at or Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Bachelor's Degree (BADEC6) from 2002 to 2024 about paid, minimum wage, tertiary schooling, salaries, workers, 16 years +, education, federal, wages, and USA.