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Here’s What the US Minimum Wage Was the Year You Were Born

February 2, 2025

7 min Read

Written by Taylor Bell

Edited by Amber Barkley

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Although the minimum wage is not nearly as low as it used to be, America still has a long way to go toward fairly paying its lowest-income workers.

The federal minimum wage is currently at $7.25 — money that has stayed the same since 2009. In the late 1960s, minimum wage was worth over $14 in today’s dollars. It has backslid ever since.

Bills to raise the wage have been introduced in Congress over the past few years, but none has progressed into law. The Raise the Wage Act of 2023 would have bumped the minimum to $11.50 in 2025.

In the meantime, many states and localities are taking it upon themselves to increase their minimum wages — a few are up over $16.

Take a look at how minimum wage has morphed through the years. Also see the minimum wage in every state.

1938

U.S. minimum wage: 25 cents
In 2025 dollars: $5.60

1939

U.S. minimum wage: 30 cents
In 2025 dollars: $6.81

1940

U.S. minimum wage: 30 cents
In 2025 dollars: $6.76

1941

U.S. minimum wage: 30 cents
In 2025 dollars: $6.44

1942

U.S. minimum wage: 30 cents
In 2025 dollars: $5.81

1943

U.S. minimum wage: 30 cents
In 2025 dollars: $5.47

1944

U.S. minimum wage: 30 cents
In 2025 dollars: $5.38

1945

U.S. minimum wage: 40 cents
In 2025 dollars: $7.01

1946

U.S. minimum wage: 40 cents
In 2025 dollars: $6.47

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1947

U.S. minimum wage: 40 cents
In 2024 dollars: $5.66

1948

U.S. minimum wage: 40 cents
In 2025 dollars: $5.24

1949

U.S. minimum wage: 40 cents
In 2025 dollars: $5.30

1950

U.S. minimum wage: 75 cents
In 2025 dollars: $9.82

1951

U.S. minimum wage: 75 cents
In 2025 dollars: $9.10

1952

U.S. minimum wage: 75 cents
In 2025 dollars: $8.93

1953

U.S. minimum wage: 75 cents
In 2025 dollars: $8.87

1954

U.S. minimum wage: 75 cents
In 2025 dollars: $8.80

1955

U.S. minimum wage: 75 cents
In 2025 dollars: $8.83

1956

U.S. minimum wage: $1
In 2025 dollars: $11.60

1957

U.S. minimum wage: $1
In 2025 dollars: $11.23

1958

U.S. minimum wage: $1
In 2025 dollars: $10.92

1959

U.S. minimum wage: $1
In 2025 dollars: $10.85

1960

U.S. minimum wage: $1
In 2025 dollars: $10.66

1961

U.S. minimum wage: $1.15
In 2025 dollars: $12.14

1962

U.S. minimum wage: $1.15
In 2025 dollars: $11.95

1963

U.S. minimum wage: $1.25
In 2025 dollars: $12.89

1964

U.S. minimum wage: $1.25
In 2025 dollars: $12.73

1965

U.S. minimum wage: $1.25
In 2025 dollars: $12.52

1966

U.S. minimum wage: $1.25
In 2025 dollars: $12.18

1967

U.S. minimum wage: $1.40
In 2025 dollars: $13.23

1968

U.S. minimum wage: $1.60
In 2025 dollars: $14.51

1969

U.S. minimum wage: $1.60
In 2025 dollars: $13.76

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1970

U.S. minimum wage: $1.60
In 2025 dollars: $13.01

1971

U.S. minimum wage: $1.60
In 2025 dollars: $12.47

1972

U.S. minimum wage: $1.60
In 2025 dollars: $12.08

1973

U.S. minimum wage: $1.60
In 2025 dollars: $11.37

1974

U.S. minimum wage: $2
In 2025 dollars: $12.80

1975

U.S. minimum wage: $2.10
In 2025 dollars: $12.32

1976

U.S. minimum wage: $2.30
In 2025 dollars: $12.76

1977

U.S. minimum wage: $2.30
In 2025 dollars: $11.98

1978

U.S. minimum wage: $2.65
In 2025 dollars: $12.83

1979

U.S. minimum wage: $2.90
In 2025 dollars: $12.61

1980

U.S. minimum wage: $3.10
In 2025 dollars: $11.87

1981

U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
In 2025 dollars: $11.63

1982

U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
In 2025 dollars: $10.96

1983

U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
In 2025 dollars: $10.62

1984

U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
In 2025 dollars: $10.18

1985

U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
In 2025 dollars: $9.83

1986

U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
In 2025 dollars: $9.65

1987

U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
In 2025 dollars: $9.31

1988

U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
In 2025 dollars: $8.94

1989

U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
In 2025 dollars: $8.53

1990

U.S. minimum wage: $3.80
In 2025 dollars: $9.18

1991

U.S. minimum wage: $4.25
In 2025 dollars: $9.85

1992

U.S. minimum wage: $4.25
In 2025 dollars: $9.56

1993

U.S. minimum wage: $4.25
In 2025 dollars: $9.28

1994

U.S. minimum wage: $4.25
In 2025 dollars: $9.05

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1995

U.S. minimum wage: $4.25
In 2025 dollars: $8.80

1996

U.S. minimum wage: $4.75
In 2025 dollars: $9.55

1997

U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
In 2025 dollars: $10.13

1998

U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
In 2025 dollars: $9.97

1999

U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
In 2025 dollars: $9.76

2000

U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
In 2025 dollars: $9.44

2001

U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
In 2025 dollars: $9.18

2002

U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
In 2025 dollars: $9.03

2003

U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
In 2025 dollars: $8.83

2004

U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
In 2025 dollars: $8.60

2005

U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
In 2025 dollars: $8.32

2006

U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
In 2025 dollars: $8.06

2007

U.S. minimum wage: $5.85
In 2025 dollars: $8.90

2008

U.S. minimum wage: $6.55
In 2025 dollars: $9.60

2009

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $10.67

2010

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $10.49

2011

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $10.17

2012

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $9.97

2013

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $9.82

2014

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $9.67

2015

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $9.65

2016

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $9.53

2017

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $9.33

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2018

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $9.11

2019

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $8.95

2020

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $8.84

2021

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $8.44

2022

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $7.82

2023

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $7.51

2024

U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
In 2025 dollars: $7.30

Gabrielle Olya and Amen Oyiboke-Osifo contributed to the reporting for this article.

In order to find the minimum wage the year you were born, GOBankingRates looked at the United States Department of Labor’s federal minimum wage data to find the minimum wage for every year from 1938 to 2024. Then, GOBankingRates used the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ CPI inflation calculator to find the federal minimum wage in 2024 dollars for all years. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Nov. 12, 2024.

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