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 Wage and Salary Workers Paid at Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Less than a High School Diploma (LHSDC3) from 2002 to 2024 about paid, secondary schooling, secondary, minimum wage, salaries, workers, 16 years +, education, federal, wages, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Wage and Salary Workers Paid at or Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Less than 1 Year of High School (L1HSC9) from 2002 to 2024 about less than 1 year, paid, secondary schooling, secondary, minimum wage, salaries, workers, 16 years +, education, federal, wages, and USA.

The graph presents the median monthly salary in the United States from 2000 to 2024. The x-axis represents the years, labeled from '00 to '24*, while the y-axis shows the salary amounts in U.S. dollars per month. Throughout this twenty-four-year period, the median monthly salary consistently increased from $2,500 in 2000 to $5,036 in 2024. 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 $4,269 in 2020, and continued to climb each subsequent year, reaching $5,000 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.

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 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.

Wages in the United States increased 4.72 percent in May of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States Wages and Salaries Growth - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Graph and download economic data for Employed: Paid at prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: Service occupations: 16 years and over (LEU0204849300A) from 2000 to 2024 about paid, occupation, minimum wage, salaries, workers, 16 years +, federal, wages, services, employment, and USA.

Wages in the United States increased to 31.24 USD/Hour in June from 31.15 USD/Hour in May of 2025. This dataset provides - United States Average Hourly Wages - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

In October 2024, the average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls in the United States stood at 35.46 U.S. dollars. The data have been seasonally adjusted. Employed persons are employees on nonfarm payrolls and consist of: persons who did any work for pay or profit during the survey reference week; persons who did at least 15 hours of unpaid work in a family-operated enterprise; and persons who were temporarily absent from their regular jobs because of illness, vacation, bad weather, industrial dispute, or various personal reasons.

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.

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 2023, many of the highest paying jobs were those in the medical field. The mean annual pay for psychiatrists was at 256,930 U.S. dollars in the United States. The highest paying occupation was pediatric surgeon, with a mean annual wage of 449,320 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.

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.

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: Personal care and service occupations: 16 years and over (LEU0204863600A) from 2000 to 2024 about hygiene, paid, occupation, minimum wage, salaries, workers, hours, 16 years +, federal, wages, percent, services, employment, and USA.

United States - Wage and Salary Workers Paid at or Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Less than a High School Diploma was 1.60000 % of Total Paid Hourly Rate in January of 2023, 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: Less than a High School Diploma reached a record high of 13.20000 in January of 2010 and a record low of 1.30000 in January of 2022. 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: Less than a High School Diploma - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Employed part time: Percent of hourly paid workers: Paid total at or below prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: 16 years and over: Men (LEU0263128700A) from 2000 to 2024 about part-time, paid, minimum wage, males, salaries, workers, hours, 16 years +, federal, wages, percent, employment, and USA.

United States - Employed: Paid at prevailing federal minimum wage: Wage and salary workers: 25 years and over: Men was 21.00000 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: 25 years and over: Men reached a record high of 260.00000 in January of 2011 and a record low of 6.00000 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: 25 years and over: Men - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.