In 2020, about 865,000 workers were paid hourly rates below the official minimum wage in the United States. This is lowest number of workers since 1979, and is a significant decrease from the previous year. This is likely due to the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Number of wage and salary workers in the United States paid hourly rates below the prevailing Federal minimum wage from 1979 to 2020
(in 1,000s)
The prevailing Federal minimum wage was $2.90 in 1979, $3.10 in 1980, and $3.35 in 1981–89. The minimum wage rose to $3.80 in April 1990, to $4.25 in April 1991, to $4.75 in October 1996, to $5.15 in September 1997, to $5.85 in July 2007, to $6.55 in July 2008, and to $7.25 in July 2009. In 2020, the prevailing federal minimum wage was $7.25 per hour.
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Bureau of Labor Statistics, & US Department of Labor. (September 21, 2021). Number of wage and salary workers in the United States paid hourly rates below the prevailing Federal minimum wage from 1979 to 2020 (in 1,000s) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved August 13, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/188196/wage-and-salary-workers-paid-below-minimum-wage-since-1979/
Bureau of Labor Statistics, und US Department of Labor. "Number of wage and salary workers in the United States paid hourly rates below the prevailing Federal minimum wage from 1979 to 2020 (in 1,000s)." Chart. September 21, 2021. Statista. Accessed August 13, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/188196/wage-and-salary-workers-paid-below-minimum-wage-since-1979/
Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor. (2021). Number of wage and salary workers in the United States paid hourly rates below the prevailing Federal minimum wage from 1979 to 2020 (in 1,000s). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: August 13, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/188196/wage-and-salary-workers-paid-below-minimum-wage-since-1979/
Bureau of Labor Statistics, and US Department of Labor. "Number of Wage and Salary Workers in The United States Paid Hourly Rates below The Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage from 1979 to 2020 (in 1,000s)." Statista, Statista Inc., 21 Sep 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/188196/wage-and-salary-workers-paid-below-minimum-wage-since-1979/
Bureau of Labor Statistics & US Department of Labor, Number of wage and salary workers in the United States paid hourly rates below the prevailing Federal minimum wage from 1979 to 2020 (in 1,000s) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/188196/wage-and-salary-workers-paid-below-minimum-wage-since-1979/ (last visited August 13, 2022)
