Here’s How Much the US Minimum Wage Has Changed Since the Year You Were Born
See how the minimum wage has changed — or not — over the years.
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a katz / Shutterstock.com
Although minimum wage is not nearly what it used to be, America still has a long way to go when it comes to compensating its workers. The federal minimum wage is currently at $7.25, a number that has stayed the same since 2009.
But even with no recent changes from the federal government, things appear to be moving in the right direction. In July, the U.S. House passed a bill that would raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025, which could increase the incomes of 17 million to 27 million minimum wage workers, according to Bloomberg. The rise in the minimum wage seems hopeful, however, due to inflation and the rising cost of living, that amount might not be enough in the future.
While the U.S. government might be working toward increasing the minimum wage, take a look at how minimum wage has dramatically morphed throughout the years.
Last updated July 31, 2019.
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iraua / Shutterstock.com
1938
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.25
- In 2019 dollars: $4.51
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Yulia Grigoryeva / Shutterstock.com
1939
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.30
- In 2019 dollars: $5.49
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Kondor83 / Shutterstock.com
1940
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.30
- In 2019 dollars: $5.53
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PointImages / Shutterstock.com
1941
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.30
- In 2019 dollars: $5.45
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AndreyPopov / istockphoto.com
1942
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.30
- In 2019 dollars: $4.89
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antoniotruzzi / istockphoto.com
1943
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.30
- In 2019 dollars: $4.55
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Visionsi / Shutterstock.com
1944
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.30
- In 2019 dollars: $4.42
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Eo naya / Shutterstock.com
1945
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.40
- In 2019 dollars: $5.76
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g-stockstudio / istockphoto.com
1946
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.40
- In 2019 dollars: $5.63
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golubovy / istockphoto.com
1947
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.40
- In 2019 dollars: $4.77
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PointImages / Shutterstock.com
1948
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.40
- In 2019 dollars: $4.32
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Harsanyi Andras / Shutterstock.com
1949
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.40
- In 2019 dollars: $4.27
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Jacob Lund / Shutterstock.com
1950
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.75
- In 2019 dollars: $8.17
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Kichigin / Shutterstock.com
1951
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.75
- In 2019 dollars: $7.56
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lOvE lOvE / Shutterstock.com
1952
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.75
- In 2019 dollars: $7.25
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Mocha.VP / Shutterstock.com
1953
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.75
- In 2019 dollars: $7.22
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PenelopeB / istockphoto.com
1954
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.75
- In 2019 dollars: $7.14
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PeopleImages / istockphoto.com
1955
- U.S. minimum wage: $0.75
- In 2019 dollars: $7.20
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Kondor83 / Shutterstock.com
1956
- U.S. minimum wage: $1
- In 2019 dollars: $9.56
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Kzenon / Shutterstock.com
1957
- U.S. minimum wage: $1
- In 2019 dollars: $9.28
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Nonwarit / Shutterstock.com
1958
- U.S. minimum wage: $1
- In 2019 dollars: $8.96
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Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock.com
1959
- U.S. minimum wage: $1
- In 2019 dollars: $8.83
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PK.pawaris / Shutterstock.com
1960
- U.S. minimum wage: $1
- In 2019 dollars: $8.74
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cunaplus / Shutterstock.com
1961
- U.S. minimum wage: $1.15
- In 2019 dollars: $9.88
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SolStock / istockphoto.com
1962
- U.S. minimum wage: $1.15
- In 2019 dollars: $9.82
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Sturti / istockphoto.com
1963
- U.S. minimum wage: $1.25
- In 2019 dollars: $10.53
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Topalov Djura / istockphoto.com
1964
- U.S. minimum wage: $1.25
- In 2019 dollars: $10.36
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www.BillionPhotos.com / Shutterstock.com
1965
- U.S. minimum wage: $1.25
- In 2019 dollars: $10.26
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www.BillionPhotos.com / Shutterstock.com
1966
- U.S. minimum wage: $1.25
- In 2019 dollars: $10.07
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Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock.com
1967
- U.S. minimum wage: $1.40
- In 2019 dollars: $10.90
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Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock.com
1968
- U.S. minimum wage: $1.60
- In 2019 dollars: $12.02
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AndreyPopov / istockphoto.com
1969
- U.S. minimum wage: $1.60
- In 2019 dollars: $11.51
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bikeriderlondon / Shutterstock.com
1970
- U.S. minimum wage: $1.60
- In 2019 dollars: $10.84
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create jobs 51 / Shutterstock.com
1971
- U.S. minimum wage: $1.60
- In 2019 dollars: $10.30
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DragonImages / istockphoto.com
1972
- U.S. minimum wage: $1.60
- In 2019 dollars: $9.97
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Devrim PINAR / Shutterstock.com
1973
- U.S. minimum wage: $1.60
- In 2019 dollars: $9.62
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George Peters / istockphoto.com
1974
- U.S. minimum wage: $2
- In 2019 dollars: $10.99
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FangXiaNuo / istockphoto.com
1975
- U.S. minimum wage: $2.10
- In 2019 dollars: $10.32
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Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock.com
1976
- U.S. minimum wage: $2.30
- In 2019 dollars: $10.60
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ImageGap / istockphoto.com
1977
- U.S. minimum wage: $2.30
- In 2019 dollars: $10.07
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lakov Filimonov / Shutterstock.com
1978
- U.S. minimum wage: $2.65
- In 2019 dollars: $10.86
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Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock.com
1979
- U.S. minimum wage: $2.90
- In 2019 dollars: $10.88
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kurhan / Shutterstock.com
1980
- U.S. minimum wage: $3.10
- In 2019 dollars: $10.21
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Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock.com
1981
- U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
- In 2019 dollars: $9.86
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IS_ImageSource / istockphoto.com
1982
- U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
- In 2019 dollars: $9.10
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gilaxia / istockphoto.com
1983
- U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
- In 2019 dollars: $8.77
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Kali Nine LLC / istockphoto.com
1984
- U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
- In 2019 dollars: $8.42
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gilaxia / istockphoto.com
1985
- U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
- In 2019 dollars: $8.13
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sahilu / istockphoto.com
1986
- U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
- In 2019 dollars: $7.83
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kadmy / istockphoto.com
1987
- U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
- In 2019 dollars: $7.72
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EdStock / istockphoto.com
1988
- U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
- In 2019 dollars: $7.42
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Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock.com
1989
- U.S. minimum wage: $3.35
- In 2019 dollars: $7.09
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Minerva Studio / Shutterstock.com
1990
- U.S. minimum wage: $3.80
- In 2019 dollars: $7.64
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Squaredpixels / istockphoto.com
1991
- U.S. minimum wage: $4.25
- In 2019 dollars: $8.09
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withGod / Shutterstock.com
1992
- U.S. minimum wage: $4.25
- In 2019 dollars: $7.88
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sturti / istockphoto.com
1993
- U.S. minimum wage: $4.25
- In 2019 dollars: $7.63
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Sergey Mironov / Shutterstock.com
1994
- U.S. minimum wage: $4.25
- In 2019 dollars: $7.45
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Photographee.eu / Shutterstock.com
1995
- U.S. minimum wage: $4.25
- In 2019 dollars: $7.24
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M_a_y_a / istockphoto.com
1996
- U.S. minimum wage: $4.75
- In 2019 dollars: $7.88
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Leonardo Patrizi / istockphoto.com
1997
- U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
- In 2019 dollars: $8.29
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Juanmonino / istockphoto.com
1998
- U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
- In 2019 dollars: $8.16
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gilaxia / istockphoto.com
1999
- U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
- In 2019 dollars: $8.03
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Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com
2000
- U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
- In 2019 dollars: $7.81
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ferrerivideo / istockphoto.com
2001
- U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
- In 2019 dollars: $7.53
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Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com
2002
- U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
- In 2019 dollars: $7.45
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GaudiLab / Shutterstock.com
2003
- U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
- In 2019 dollars: $7.26
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andresr / istockphoto.com
2004
- U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
- In 2019 dollars: $7.12
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a katz / Shutterstock.com
2005
- U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
- In 2019 dollars: $6.92
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Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock.com
2006
- U.S. minimum wage: $5.15
- In 2019 dollars: $6.65
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kadmy / istockphoto.com
2007
- U.S. minimum wage: $5.85
- In 2019 dollars: $7.40
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Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock.com
2008
- U.S. minimum wage: $6.55
- In 2019 dollars: $7.95
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everything possible / Shutterstock.com
2009
- U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
- In 2019 dollars: $8.80
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Pressmaster / Shutterstock.com
2010
- U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
- In 2019 dollars: $8.57
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wavebreakmedia / Shutterstock.com
2011
- U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
- In 2019 dollars: $8.43
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kurhan / Shutterstock.com
2012
- U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
- In 2019 dollars: $8.19
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shapecharge / istockphoto.com
2013
- U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
- In 2019 dollars: $8.06
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Rido / Shutterstock.com
2014
- U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
- In 2019 dollars: $7.94
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g-stockstudio / Shutterstock.com
2015
- U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
- In 2019 dollars: $7.95
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a katz / Shutterstock.com
2016
- U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
- In 2019 dollars: $7.84
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Page Light Studios / Shutterstock.com
2017
- U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
- In 2019 dollars: $7.65
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YinYang / iStock.com
2018
- U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
- In 2019 dollars: $7.49
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Yaoinlove / Shutterstock.com
2019
- U.S. minimum wage: $7.25
- In 2019 dollars: $7.25
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Amen Oyiboke-Osifo contributed to the reporting for this article.
Last updated July 31, 2019.
About the Author
Taylor Bell
Taylor Bell is an Los Angeles-based journalist and staff writer for GOBankingRates covering personal finance. She is a former staff writer for ATTN: and has covered topics ranging from trending pop culture news to women’s social issues.
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