Federal Minimum Wage Price History
1938–2025 · U.S. Department of Labor
The federal minimum wage from its inception in 1938 through 2025, showing every legislated increase. The minimum wage is one of the most politically charged numbers in American economics. Set at 25 cents when FDR signed the Fair Labor Standards Act, it has been raised 22 times — but never indexed to inflation. The result is a wage floor that slowly erodes in purchasing power between each congressional bump, leaving minimum-wage workers on a financial roller coaster that depends entirely on political will.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor1938–2025
Price in 1938
$0.25
Price in 2025
$7.25
Total Change
+2800.0%
Years Tracked
87
Federal Minimum Wage Over Time
1938Year Range2025
Compare to inflation: The chart above shows nominal (not inflation-adjusted) prices. Use the toggle to switch to inflation-adjusted values when available, or try the inflation calculator to convert any amount between years.
Key Insights
- The federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 since July 2009 — the longest stretch without an increase since the wage was created in 1938.
- In inflation-adjusted terms, the minimum wage peaked in 1968 at $1.60 per hour, which equals roughly $14.50 in 2025 dollars. Today's $7.25 buys about half as much.
- Between 1997 and 2007, minimum-wage workers went a full decade without a raise while cumulative inflation ate away nearly 20% of their purchasing power.
- If the minimum wage had kept pace with productivity growth since 1968, it would be north of $24 per hour today — more than three times the current federal floor.
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Price (USD per hour) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | $0.25 | — |
| 1939 | $0.30 | +20.0% |
| 1940 | $0.30 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | $0.30 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | $0.30 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | $0.30 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | $0.30 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | $0.40 | +33.3% |
| 1946 | $0.40 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | $0.40 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | $0.40 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | $0.40 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | $0.75 | +87.5% |
| 1951 | $0.75 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | $0.75 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | $0.75 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | $0.75 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | $0.75 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | $1.00 | +33.3% |
| 1957 | $1.00 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | $1.00 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | $1.00 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | $1.00 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | $1.15 | +15.0% |
| 1962 | $1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | $1.25 | +8.7% |
| 1964 | $1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | $1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | $1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | $1.40 | +12.0% |
| 1968 | $1.60 | +14.3% |
| 1969 | $1.60 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | $1.60 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | $1.60 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | $1.60 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | $1.60 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | $2.00 | +25.0% |
| 1975 | $2.10 | +5.0% |
| 1976 | $2.30 | +9.5% |
| 1977 | $2.30 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | $2.65 | +15.2% |
| 1979 | $2.90 | +9.4% |
| 1980 | $3.10 | +6.9% |
| 1981 | $3.35 | +8.1% |
| 1982 | $3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | $3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | $3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | $3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | $3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | $3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | $3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | $3.35 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | $3.80 | +13.4% |
| 1991 | $4.25 | +11.8% |
| 1992 | $4.25 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | $4.25 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | $4.25 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | $4.25 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | $4.75 | +11.8% |
| 1997 | $5.15 | +8.4% |
| 1998 | $5.15 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | $5.15 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | $5.15 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | $5.15 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | $5.15 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | $5.15 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | $5.15 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | $5.15 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | $5.15 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | $5.85 | +13.6% |
| 2008 | $6.55 | +12.0% |
| 2009 | $7.25 | +10.7% |
| 2010 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | $7.25 | +0.0% |
Year1938
Price (USD per hour)$0.25
YoY Change—
Year1939
Price (USD per hour)$0.30
YoY Change+20.0%
Year1940
Price (USD per hour)$0.30
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1941
Price (USD per hour)$0.30
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1942
Price (USD per hour)$0.30
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1943
Price (USD per hour)$0.30
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1944
Price (USD per hour)$0.30
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1945
Price (USD per hour)$0.40
YoY Change+33.3%
Year1946
Price (USD per hour)$0.40
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1947
Price (USD per hour)$0.40
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1948
Price (USD per hour)$0.40
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1949
Price (USD per hour)$0.40
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1950
Price (USD per hour)$0.75
YoY Change+87.5%
Year1951
Price (USD per hour)$0.75
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1952
Price (USD per hour)$0.75
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1953
Price (USD per hour)$0.75
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1954
Price (USD per hour)$0.75
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1955
Price (USD per hour)$0.75
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1956
Price (USD per hour)$1.00
YoY Change+33.3%
Year1957
Price (USD per hour)$1.00
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1958
Price (USD per hour)$1.00
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1959
Price (USD per hour)$1.00
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1960
Price (USD per hour)$1.00
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1961
Price (USD per hour)$1.15
YoY Change+15.0%
Year1962
Price (USD per hour)$1.15
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1963
Price (USD per hour)$1.25
YoY Change+8.7%
Year1964
Price (USD per hour)$1.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1965
Price (USD per hour)$1.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1966
Price (USD per hour)$1.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1967
Price (USD per hour)$1.40
YoY Change+12.0%
Year1968
Price (USD per hour)$1.60
YoY Change+14.3%
Year1969
Price (USD per hour)$1.60
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1970
Price (USD per hour)$1.60
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1971
Price (USD per hour)$1.60
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1972
Price (USD per hour)$1.60
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1973
Price (USD per hour)$1.60
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1974
Price (USD per hour)$2.00
YoY Change+25.0%
Year1975
Price (USD per hour)$2.10
YoY Change+5.0%
Year1976
Price (USD per hour)$2.30
YoY Change+9.5%
Year1977
Price (USD per hour)$2.30
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1978
Price (USD per hour)$2.65
YoY Change+15.2%
Year1979
Price (USD per hour)$2.90
YoY Change+9.4%
Year1980
Price (USD per hour)$3.10
YoY Change+6.9%
Year1981
Price (USD per hour)$3.35
YoY Change+8.1%
Year1982
Price (USD per hour)$3.35
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1983
Price (USD per hour)$3.35
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1984
Price (USD per hour)$3.35
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1985
Price (USD per hour)$3.35
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1986
Price (USD per hour)$3.35
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1987
Price (USD per hour)$3.35
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1988
Price (USD per hour)$3.35
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1989
Price (USD per hour)$3.35
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1990
Price (USD per hour)$3.80
YoY Change+13.4%
Year1991
Price (USD per hour)$4.25
YoY Change+11.8%
Year1992
Price (USD per hour)$4.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1993
Price (USD per hour)$4.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1994
Price (USD per hour)$4.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1995
Price (USD per hour)$4.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1996
Price (USD per hour)$4.75
YoY Change+11.8%
Year1997
Price (USD per hour)$5.15
YoY Change+8.4%
Year1998
Price (USD per hour)$5.15
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1999
Price (USD per hour)$5.15
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2000
Price (USD per hour)$5.15
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2001
Price (USD per hour)$5.15
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2002
Price (USD per hour)$5.15
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2003
Price (USD per hour)$5.15
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2004
Price (USD per hour)$5.15
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2005
Price (USD per hour)$5.15
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2006
Price (USD per hour)$5.15
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2007
Price (USD per hour)$5.85
YoY Change+13.6%
Year2008
Price (USD per hour)$6.55
YoY Change+12.0%
Year2009
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+10.7%
Year2010
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2011
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2012
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2013
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2014
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2015
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2016
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2017
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2018
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2019
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2020
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2021
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2022
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2023
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2024
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2025
Price (USD per hour)$7.25
YoY Change+0.0%
Related
Sources & Methodology
The nominal federal minimum hourly wage as established by the Fair Labor Standards Act and its amendments. In years where the minimum wage changed partway through, the rate shown is the rate in effect for the majority of the year (or the new rate if enacted in the first half). This does not include state or local minimum wages, which may be higher. Tipped-worker sub-minimum rates are excluded.
Primary source: U.S. Department of Labor
For a full explanation of how we collect and adjust data, see our methodology page.