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February 2021 
                    Report 1091

				 
			

























											



				 
                
                BLS Reports Menu
                    CONTENTS
                        Statistical Tables 
						  Table 1. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or...Table 2. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or...Table 3. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or...Table 4. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or...Table 5. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or...Table 6. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or...Table 7. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or...Table 8. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or...Table 9. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or...Table 10. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or...
                          Technical Notes
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     Characteristics of minimum wage workers, 2020
Characteristics of minimum wage workers, 2020 imageIn 2020, 73.3 million workers age 16 and older in the United States were paid at hourly rates, representing 55.5 percent of all wage and salary workers. Among those paid by the hour, 247,000 workers earned exactly the prevailing federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. About 865,000 workers had wages below the federal minimum. Together, these 1.1 million workers with wages at or below the federal minimum made up 1.5 percent of all hourly paid workers.Data on minimum wage workers for 2020 reflect the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the labor market. Comparisons with data on minimum wage workers for earlier years should be interpreted with caution. Large declines in employment in 2020, particularly among low-wage workers, resulted in changes in the hourly earnings distribution. More information on labor market developments in 2020 is available at www.bls.gov/covid19/effects-of-covid-19-pandemic-and-response-on-the-employment-situation-news-release.htm.The percentage of hourly paid workers earning the prevailing federal minimum wage or less declined from 1.9 percent in 2019 to 1.5 percent in 2020. This remains well below the percentage of 13.4 recorded in 1979, when data were first collected on a regular basis. (See table 10.)This report presents highlights and statistical tables describing workers who earned at or below the federal minimum wage in 2020. The data are obtained from the Current Population Survey (CPS), a national monthly survey of approximately 60,000 households conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Information on earnings is collected from one-fourth of the CPS sample each month.The CPS does not include questions on whether workers are covered by the minimum wage provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) or by individual state or local minimum wage laws. The estimates of workers paid at or below the federal minimum wage are based solely on the hourly wage they report, which does not include overtime pay, tips, or commissions. See the accompanying technical notes section for more information, including a description of the source of the data and an explanation of the concepts and definitions used in this report.HighlightsThe following are highlights from the 2020 data:**Age.** Minimum wage workers tend to be young. Although workers under age 25 represented just under one-fifth of hourly paid workers, they made up 48 percent of those paid the federal minimum wage or less. Among employed teenagers (ages 16 to 19) paid by the hour, about 5 percent earned the minimum wage or less, compared with 1 percent of workers age 25 and older. (See tables 1 and 7.)**Gender.** Among workers who were paid hourly rates in 2020, 2 percent of women and 1 percent of men had wages at or below the prevailing federal minimum. (See table 1.)**Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity.**The percentage of hourly paid workers with wages at or below the federal minimum differed little among the major race and ethnicity groups. About 2 percent of Black workers earned the federal minimum wage or less. Among White, Asian, and Hispanic workers, the percentage was about 1 percent. (See table 1.)**Education.**Among hourly paid workers age 16 and older, about 2 percent of those without a high school diploma, high school graduates (no college), and those with some college or an associate degree earned the federal minimum wage or less, compared with 1 percent of those with a bachelor's degree and higher. (See table 6.)**Marital status.**Among workers paid an hourly wage, those who were never married were more likely than married workers to earn the federal minimum wage or less (about 3 percent versus about 1 percent). (See table 8.)**Full- and part-time status.**About 4 percent of part-time workers (people who usually work fewer than 35 hours per week) were paid the federal minimum wage or less, compared with about 1 percent of full-time workers. (See table 1.)**Occupation.**Among major occupational groups, service occupations had the highest percentage of hourly paid workers earning at or below the federal minimum wage, at about 5 percent. Seven out of ten workers earning the minimum wage or less in 2020 were employed in service occupations, mostly in food preparation and serving related jobs. (See table 4.)**Industry.**As has historically been the case, the industry with the highest percentage of workers earning hourly wages at or below the federal minimum wage in 2020 was leisure and hospitality (about 8 percent). Three-fifths of all workers paid at or below the federal minimum wage were employed in this industry, almost entirely in restaurants, bars, and other food services. For many of these workers, tips may supplement the hourly wages received. (See table 5.)**State of residence.**The states with the highest percentages of hourly paid workers earning at or below the federal minimum wage were in the South: about 4 percent for South Carolina and about 3 percent for Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Virginia. Compared with recent years, a relatively large number of states had less than 1 percent of hourly paid workers earning at or below the federal minimum wage: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. It should be noted that more than half of all states have minimum wages that exceed the federal minimum. (See tables 2 and 3.)		
	
	 
	 Statistical Tables
        
                                                                                


Table 1. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing federal minimum wage, by selected characteristics, 2020 annual averages
Characteristic
Number of workers (in thousands)
Percent distribution
Percentage of workers paidhourly ratesTotal paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
Total paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
At or below minimum wageTotal
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
BelowminimumwageAge and genderTotal, 16 years and older
73,305
1,112
247
865
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
1.5
0.3
1.216 to 24 years
14,051
529
153
376
19.2
47.6
62.0
43.4
3.8
1.1
2.716 to 19 years
4,352
222
93
129
5.9
19.9
37.5
14.9
5.1
2.1
3.025 years and older
59,254
583
94
489
80.8
52.4
38.0
56.6
1.0
0.2
0.8Men, 16 years and older
36,792
369
111
258
50.2
33.2
45.0
29.9
1.0
0.3
0.716 to 24 years
7,059
159
65
94
9.6
14.3
26.3
10.9
2.3
0.9
1.316 to 19 years
2,125
81
41
40
2.9
7.3
16.8
4.6
3.8
1.9
1.925 years and older
29,734
210
46
164
40.6
18.9
18.7
19.0
0.7
0.2
0.6Women, 16 years and older
36,513
742
136
607
49.8
66.8
55.0
70.1
2.0
0.4
1.716 to 24 years
6,992
369
88
281
9.5
33.2
35.7
32.5
5.3
1.3
4.016 to 19 years
2,226
141
51
89
3.0
12.7
20.8
10.3
6.3
2.3
4.025 years and older
29,521
373
48
325
40.3
33.5
19.3
37.6
1.3
0.2
1.1Race and Hispanicor Latino ethnicityWhite(1)
55,889
810
178
631
76.2
72.8
72.2
73.0
1.4
0.3
1.1Men
28,632
266
86
180
39.1
23.9
34.7
20.8
0.9
0.3
0.6Women
27,257
544
92
451
37.2
48.9
37.5
52.2
2.0
0.3
1.7Black or African American(1)
10,738
196
50
146
14.6
17.7
20.4
16.9
1.8
0.5
1.4Men
4,892
57
15
42
6.7
5.1
6.2
4.8
1.2
0.3
0.8Women
5,846
139
35
104
8.0
12.5
14.1
12.1
2.4
0.6
1.8Asian(1)
3,533
43
3
39
4.8
3.8
1.3
4.5
1.2
0.1
1.1Men
1,676
23
1
22
2.3
2.1
0.4
2.5
1.4
0.1
1.3Women
1,857
20
2
18
2.5
1.8
0.9
2.0
1.1
0.1
0.9Hispanic or Latino(1)
16,220
205
46
160
22.1
18.5
18.5
18.5
1.3
0.3
1.0Men
8,963
82
24
58
12.2
7.3
9.6
6.7
0.9
0.3
0.6Women
7,257
124
22
102
9.9
11.1
8.8
11.8
1.7
0.3
1.4Full- and part-time statusFull-time workers(2)
55,669
468
72
397
75.9
42.1
29.0
45.8
0.8
0.1
0.7Men
30,514
150
34
116
41.6
13.5
13.7
13.4
0.5
0.1
0.4Women
25,156
318
38
281
34.3
28.6
15.3
32.4
1.3
0.2
1.1Part-time workers(2)
17,531
637
175
462
23.9
57.3
71.0
53.4
3.6
1.0
2.6Men
6,226
216
77
139
8.5
19.5
31.3
16.1
3.5
1.2
2.2Women
11,305
421
98
323
15.4
37.9
39.7
37.3
3.7
0.9
2.9Footnotes(1) Estimates for the above race groups—White, Black or African American, and Asian—do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.(2) The distinction between full- and part-time workers is based on hours usually worked. These data will not sum to totals because full- or part-time status on the principal job is not identifiable for a small number of multiple jobholders. Full time is 35 hours or more per week; part time is less than 35 hours.Note: Data exclude all self-employed persons whether or not their businesses are incorporated. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Table 2. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing federal minimum wage, by census region and division, 2020 annual averages
Region and division
Number of workers (in thousands)
Percent distribution
Percentage of workers paidhourly ratesTotal paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
Total paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
At or below minimum wageTotal
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
BelowminimumwageTotal, 16 years and older
73,305
1,112
247
865
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
1.5
0.3
1.2Northeast
11,728
178
39
139
16.0
16.0
15.9
16.1
1.5
0.3
1.2New England
3,392
43
9
33
4.6
3.8
3.8
3.8
1.3
0.3
1.0Middle Atlantic
8,336
136
30
106
11.4
12.2
12.1
12.2
1.6
0.4
1.3Midwest
17,212
232
44
187
23.5
20.8
18.0
21.6
1.3
0.3
1.1East North Central
11,488
162
30
132
15.7
14.6
12.3
15.2
1.4
0.3
1.1West North Central
5,724
70
14
56
7.8
6.3
5.7
6.4
1.2
0.2
1.0South
26,576
580
138
442
36.3
52.1
56.0
51.0
2.2
0.5
1.7South Atlantic
13,490
288
56
232
18.4
25.9
22.5
26.8
2.1
0.4
1.7East South Central
4,314
87
31
57
5.9
7.9
12.6
6.5
2.0
0.7
1.3West South Central
8,771
204
52
153
12.0
18.4
20.9
17.7
2.3
0.6
1.7West
17,789
122
25
97
24.3
11.0
10.1
11.3
0.7
0.1
0.5Mountain
6,055
56
16
40
8.3
5.1
6.5
4.6
0.9
0.3
0.7Pacific
11,734
66
9
57
16.0
5.9
3.6
6.6
0.6
0.1
0.5Note: Data exclude all self-employed persons whether or not their businesses are incorporated. The four major regions and nine census divisions of the United States are as follows: Northeast: New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont Middle Atlantic: New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania Midwest: East North Central: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin West North Central: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota South: South Atlantic: Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia East South Central: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee West South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas West: Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming Pacific: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Table 3. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing federal minimum wage, by state, 2020 annual averages
State
Number of workers (in thousands)
Percent distribution
Percentage of workers paidhourly ratesTotal paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
Total paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
At or below minimum wageTotal
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
BelowminimumwageTotal, 16 years and older
73,305
1,112
247
865
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
1.5
0.3
1.2Alabama
1,137
28
14
14
1.6
2.5
5.8
1.6
2.5
1.3
1.2Alaska
170
3
0
3
0.2
0.3
0.1
0.3
1.6
0.2
1.5Arizona
1,789
18
4
14
2.4
1.6
1.7
1.6
1.0
0.2
0.8Arkansas
673
10
2
8
0.9
0.9
0.6
0.9
1.4
0.2
1.2California
8,548
48
7
41
11.7
4.3
3.0
4.7
0.6
0.1
0.5Colorado
1,305
8
2
6
1.8
0.7
0.6
0.7
0.6
0.1
0.5Connecticut
862
11
4
7
1.2
1.0
1.6
0.8
1.2
0.4
0.8Delaware
245
6
0
6
0.3
0.5
0.1
0.7
2.4
0.1
2.4District of Columbia
79
1
0
1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
1.8
0.2
1.6Florida
4,279
75
7
68
5.8
6.8
2.9
7.9
1.8
0.2
1.6Georgia
2,196
46
23
23
3.0
4.1
9.4
2.6
2.1
1.1
1.0Hawaii
303
2
0
2
0.4
0.2
0.0
0.2
0.7
0.0
0.7Idaho
479
7
2
4
0.7
0.6
1.0
0.5
1.4
0.5
0.9Illinois
2,813
31
6
25
3.8
2.8
2.6
2.8
1.1
0.2
0.9Indiana
1,659
24
7
16
2.3
2.1
2.9
1.9
1.4
0.4
1.0Iowa
861
12
4
8
1.2
1.1
1.6
0.9
1.4
0.4
0.9Kansas
805
18
5
13
1.1
1.6
2.1
1.5
2.2
0.6
1.6Kentucky
1,011
17
6
10
1.4
1.5
2.6
1.2
1.7
0.6
1.0Louisiana
990
34
11
23
1.4
3.0
4.3
2.6
3.4
1.1
2.3Maine
352
4
1
2
0.5
0.3
0.5
0.3
1.0
0.3
0.6Maryland
1,249
18
0
18
1.7
1.6
0.0
2.1
1.4
0.0
1.4Massachusetts
1,397
19
3
16
1.9
1.7
1.2
1.9
1.4
0.2
1.2Michigan
2,416
35
3
32
3.3
3.2
1.2
3.7
1.5
0.1
1.3Minnesota
1,524
12
0
12
2.1
1.1
0.0
1.4
0.8
0.0
0.8Mississippi
652
18
6
13
0.9
1.7
2.3
1.5
2.8
0.9
1.9Missouri
1,534
17
4
12
2.1
1.5
1.8
1.4
1.1
0.3
0.8Montana
282
1
0
1
0.4
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.5
0.1
0.4Nebraska
540
5
0
4
0.7
0.4
0.1
0.5
0.9
0.1
0.8Nevada
759
5
3
1
1.0
0.4
1.4
0.1
0.6
0.5
0.2New Hampshire
375
5
0
5
0.5
0.4
0.1
0.5
1.3
0.1
1.2New Jersey
1,581
22
2
20
2.2
2.0
0.8
2.4
1.4
0.1
1.3New Mexico
449
6
0
6
0.6
0.5
0.0
0.7
1.3
0.0
1.3New York
3,634
38
3
35
5.0
3.4
1.0
4.1
1.0
0.1
1.0North Carolina
2,284
40
10
31
3.1
3.6
3.9
3.5
1.8
0.4
1.3North Dakota
211
3
0
3
0.3
0.3
0.1
0.3
1.3
0.1
1.2Ohio
2,931
43
2
41
4.0
3.9
0.9
4.7
1.5
0.1
1.4Oklahoma
859
18
4
14
1.2
1.6
1.8
1.6
2.1
0.5
1.6Oregon
943
3
0
3
1.3
0.3
0.0
0.4
0.4
0.0
0.4Pennsylvania
3,121
75
25
50
4.3
6.8
10.3
5.8
2.4
0.8
1.6Rhode Island
264
4
1
3
0.4
0.3
0.4
0.3
1.4
0.3
1.1South Carolina
1,079
48
3
44
1.5
4.3
1.4
5.1
4.4
0.3
4.1South Dakota
249
4
0
4
0.3
0.3
0.0
0.4
1.5
0.0
1.5Tennessee
1,515
25
5
20
2.1
2.2
1.9
2.3
1.6
0.3
1.3Texas
6,249
143
35
108
8.5
12.9
14.2
12.5
2.3
0.6
1.7Utah
835
9
4
5
1.1
0.8
1.5
0.6
1.1
0.4
0.6Vermont
142
1
0
0
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.5
0.1
0.4Virginia
1,653
45
11
33
2.3
4.0
4.6
3.8
2.7
0.7
2.0Washington
1,770
10
1
9
2.4
0.9
0.5
1.0
0.5
0.1
0.5West Virginia
428
9
0
8
0.6
0.8
0.2
1.0
2.0
0.1
1.9Wisconsin
1,668
29
12
18
2.3
2.6
4.7
2.0
1.8
0.7
1.1Wyoming
158
3
0
3
0.2
0.3
0.2
0.3
1.9
0.3
1.6Note: Data exclude all self-employed persons whether or not their businesses are incorporated. These data are based on a sample and therefore are subject to sampling error; the degree of error may be quite large for less populous states. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Table 4. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing federal minimum wage, by occupation, 2020 annual averages
Occupation
Number of workers (in thousands)
Percent distribution
Percentage of workers paidhourly ratesTotal paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
Total paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
At or below minimum wageTotal
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
BelowminimumwageTotal, 16 years and older
73,305
1,112
247
865
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
1.5
0.3
1.2Management, professional, and related occupations
17,769
83
20
63
24.2
7.4
8.1
7.2
0.5
0.1
0.4Management, business, and financial operations occupations
5,354
16
0
16
7.3
1.4
0.2
1.8
0.3
0.0
0.3Professional and related occupations
12,415
66
20
47
16.9
6.0
7.9
5.4
0.5
0.2
0.4Service occupations
16,295
774
114
660
22.2
69.6
46.2
76.3
4.8
0.7
4.1Healthcare support occupations
3,906
60
9
51
5.3
5.4
3.8
5.9
1.5
0.2
1.3Protective service occupations
1,972
19
0
18
2.7
1.7
0.1
2.1
0.9
0.0
0.9Food preparation and serving related occupations
5,675
605
73
533
7.7
54.5
29.5
61.6
10.7
1.3
9.4Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations
3,243
29
14
15
4.4
2.6
5.8
1.7
0.9
0.4
0.5Personal care and service occupations
1,499
61
17
44
2.0
5.5
6.9
5.0
4.1
1.1
2.9Sales and office occupations
16,929
139
70
69
23.1
12.5
28.4
8.0
0.8
0.4
0.4Sales and related occupations
6,849
90
49
41
9.3
8.1
19.8
4.7
1.3
0.7
0.6Office and administrative support occupations
10,080
50
21
28
13.8
4.5
8.6
3.3
0.5
0.2
0.3Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations
8,438
31
4
28
11.5
2.8
1.4
3.2
0.4
0.0
0.3Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations
676
11
4
8
0.9
1.0
1.4
0.9
1.6
0.5
1.1Construction and extraction occupations
4,681
14
0
14
6.4
1.3
0.0
1.7
0.3
0.0
0.3Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
3,081
6
0
6
4.2
0.5
0.0
0.7
0.2
0.0
0.2Production, transportation, and material moving occupations
13,874
85
39
45
18.9
7.6
15.9
5.2
0.6
0.3
0.3Production occupations
6,100
34
16
18
8.3
3.1
6.6
2.1
0.6
0.3
0.3Transportation and material moving occupations
7,773
50
23
28
10.6
4.5
9.3
3.2
0.6
0.3
0.4Note: Data exclude all self-employed persons whether or not their businesses are incorporated. Effective with January 2020 data, occupations reflect the introduction of the 2018 Census occupational classification system, derived from the 2018 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC). No historical data have been revised. Data for 2020 are not strictly comparable with earlier years.  Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Table 5. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing federal minimum wage, by industry, 2020 annual averages
Industry
Number of workers (in thousands)
Percent distribution
Percentage of workers paidhourly ratesTotal paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
Total paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
At or below minimum wageTotal
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
BelowminimumwageTotal, 16 years and older
73,305
1,112
247
865
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
1.5
0.3
1.2Private sector
64,248
1,058
231
827
87.6
95.2
93.7
95.6
1.6
0.4
1.3Agriculture and related industries
847
11
2
9
1.2
1.0
0.9
1.0
1.3
0.3
1.1Nonagricultural industries
63,401
1,047
229
818
86.5
94.2
92.9
94.5
1.7
0.4
1.3Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
350
3
0
3
0.5
0.3
0.0
0.3
0.8
0.0
0.8Construction
5,059
15
3
12
6.9
1.4
1.2
1.4
0.3
0.1
0.2Manufacturing
8,288
37
16
22
11.3
3.4
6.4
2.5
0.5
0.2
0.3Durable goods
5,070
24
11
14
6.9
2.2
4.4
1.6
0.5
0.2
0.3Nondurable goods
3,218
13
5
8
4.4
1.2
2.0
0.9
0.4
0.2
0.2Wholesale and retail trade
11,846
97
47
50
16.2
8.7
19.0
5.8
0.8
0.4
0.4Wholesale trade
1,522
5
3
2
2.1
0.4
1.3
0.2
0.3
0.2
0.1Retail trade
10,324
92
44
48
14.1
8.3
17.7
5.6
0.9
0.4
0.5Transportation and utilities
3,826
15
3
12
5.2
1.3
1.1
1.4
0.4
0.1
0.3Information
877
5
3
2
1.2
0.5
1.2
0.2
0.6
0.3
0.2Financial activities
3,217
10
2
8
4.4
0.9
0.8
1.0
0.3
0.1
0.3Professional and business services
6,103
27
9
18
8.3
2.4
3.5
2.1
0.4
0.1
0.3Education and health services
13,146
129
34
95
17.9
11.6
13.7
11.0
1.0
0.3
0.7Leisure and hospitality
7,933
667
103
564
10.8
59.9
41.7
65.2
8.4
1.3
7.1Other services
2,753
42
10
32
3.8
3.8
4.2
3.7
1.5
0.4
1.2Public sector
9,057
54
15
38
12.4
4.8
6.3
4.4
0.6
0.2
0.4Federal
1,862
8
1
7
2.5
0.7
0.5
0.8
0.4
0.1
0.4State
2,782
17
6
11
3.8
1.5
2.5
1.2
0.6
0.2
0.4Local
4,413
29
8
21
6.0
2.6
3.3
2.4
0.7
0.2
0.5Note: Data exclude all self-employed persons whether or not their businesses are incorporated. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Table 6. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing federal minimum wage, by educational attainment, 2020 annual averages
Educational attainment
Number of workers (in thousands)
Percent distribution
Percentage of workers paidhourly ratesTotal paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
Total paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
At or below minimum wageTotal
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
BelowminimumwageTotal, 16 years and older
73,305
1,112
247
865
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
1.5
0.3
1.2Less than a high school diploma
7,860
170
76
94
10.7
15.3
30.7
10.9
2.2
1.0
1.2Less than 1 year of high school
2,217
18
4
14
3.0
1.6
1.4
1.7
0.8
0.2
0.71 to 3 years of high school
4,485
127
62
64
6.1
11.4
25.3
7.4
2.8
1.4
1.44 years of high school, no diploma
1,158
25
10
15
1.6
2.2
4.0
1.7
2.1
0.8
1.3High school graduates or more
65,445
942
171
771
89.3
84.7
69.3
89.1
1.4
0.3
1.2High school graduates, no college
24,685
390
85
304
33.7
35.1
34.6
35.2
1.6
0.3
1.2Some college or associate degree
24,578
390
78
312
33.5
35.1
31.5
36.1
1.6
0.3
1.3Some college, no degree
15,310
308
59
249
20.9
27.7
24.0
28.7
2.0
0.4
1.6Associate degree
9,268
82
19
64
12.6
7.4
7.5
7.4
0.9
0.2
0.7Occupational program
3,990
28
8
20
5.4
2.5
3.1
2.4
0.7
0.2
0.5Academic program
5,277
54
11
43
7.2
4.9
4.4
5.0
1.0
0.2
0.8Bachelor's degree and higher
16,183
162
8
155
22.1
14.6
3.2
17.9
1.0
0.0
1.0Bachelor's degree
12,279
123
7
115
16.8
11.0
3.0
13.3
1.0
0.1
0.9Master's degree
3,122
28
1
27
4.3
2.5
0.2
3.2
0.9
0.0
0.9Professional degree
341
6
0
6
0.5
0.5
0.0
0.7
1.8
0.0
1.8Doctoral degree
441
6
0
6
0.6
0.5
0.0
0.7
1.3
0.0
1.3Note: Data exclude all self-employed persons whether or not their businesses are incorporated. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Table 7. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing federal minimum wage, by age and gender, 2020 annual averages
Age and gender
Number of workers (in thousands)
Percent distribution
Percentage of workers paidhourly ratesTotal paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
Total paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
At or below minimum wageTotal
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
BelowminimumwageTotalTotal, 16 years and older
73,305
1,112
247
865
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
1.5
0.3
1.216 to 24 years
14,051
529
153
376
19.2
47.6
62.0
43.4
3.8
1.1
2.716 to 19 years
4,352
222
93
129
5.9
19.9
37.5
14.9
5.1
2.1
3.020 to 24 years
9,699
307
60
247
13.2
27.6
24.5
28.5
3.2
0.6
2.525 years and older
59,254
583
94
489
80.8
52.4
38.0
56.6
1.0
0.2
0.825 to 34 years
17,872
250
34
216
24.4
22.5
13.7
25.0
1.4
0.2
1.225 to 29 years
9,571
143
15
128
13.1
12.9
6.0
14.8
1.5
0.2
1.330 to 34 years
8,302
107
19
88
11.3
9.6
7.7
10.1
1.3
0.2
1.135 to 44 years
13,691
130
17
113
18.7
11.7
6.9
13.1
1.0
0.1
0.835 to 39 years
7,111
75
6
69
9.7
6.7
2.6
7.9
1.1
0.1
1.040 to 44 years
6,581
55
11
45
9.0
5.0
4.3
5.2
0.8
0.2
0.745 to 54 years
12,672
93
13
80
17.3
8.4
5.4
9.2
0.7
0.1
0.645 to 49 years
6,379
49
9
40
8.7
4.4
3.8
4.6
0.8
0.1
0.650 to 54 years
6,292
44
4
40
8.6
4.0
1.6
4.6
0.7
0.1
0.655 to 64 years
11,179
75
14
60
15.3
6.7
5.8
7.0
0.7
0.1
0.555 to 59 years
6,304
36
6
30
8.6
3.2
2.6
3.4
0.6
0.1
0.560 to 64 years
4,876
39
8
31
6.7
3.5
3.2
3.5
0.8
0.2
0.665 years and older
3,840
35
15
20
5.2
3.2
6.3
2.3
0.9
0.4
0.565 to 69 years
2,228
19
7
12
3.0
1.7
2.8
1.4
0.9
0.3
0.670 years and older
1,612
16
9
8
2.2
1.4
3.4
0.9
1.0
0.5
0.5MenTotal, 16 years and older
36,792
369
111
258
50.2
33.2
45.0
29.9
1.0
0.3
0.716 to 24 years
7,059
159
65
94
9.6
14.3
26.3
10.9
2.3
0.9
1.316 to 19 years
2,125
81
41
40
2.9
7.3
16.8
4.6
3.8
1.9
1.920 to 24 years
4,933
78
24
55
6.7
7.0
9.6
6.3
1.6
0.5
1.125 years and older
29,734
210
46
164
40.6
18.9
18.7
19.0
0.7
0.2
0.625 to 34 years
9,412
90
14
76
12.8
8.1
5.6
8.8
1.0
0.1
0.825 to 29 years
5,002
53
6
46
6.8
4.7
2.6
5.3
1.0
0.1
0.930 to 34 years
4,410
38
7
30
6.0
3.4
3.0
3.5
0.9
0.2
0.735 to 44 years
7,004
41
9
32
9.6
3.7
3.8
3.7
0.6
0.1
0.535 to 39 years
3,712
19
3
17
5.1
1.7
1.1
1.9
0.5
0.1
0.440 to 44 years
3,292
22
7
15
4.5
2.0
2.6
1.8
0.7
0.2
0.545 to 54 years
6,218
33
11
22
8.5
3.0
4.5
2.5
0.5
0.2
0.445 to 49 years
3,136
20
7
12
4.3
1.8
2.9
1.4
0.6
0.2
0.450 to 54 years
3,082
13
4
10
4.2
1.2
1.6
1.1
0.4
0.1
0.355 to 64 years
5,253
34
8
26
7.2
3.1
3.3
3.0
0.7
0.2
0.555 to 59 years
2,965
14
4
10
4.0
1.3
1.6
1.1
0.5
0.1
0.360 to 64 years
2,288
20
4
16
3.1
1.8
1.7
1.9
0.9
0.2
0.765 years and older
1,847
11
4
8
2.5
1.0
1.5
0.9
0.6
0.2
0.465 to 69 years
1,082
7
0
7
1.5
0.7
0.0
0.8
0.7
0.0
0.770 years and older
765
4
4
0
1.0
0.4
1.5
0.0
0.5
0.5
0.0WomenTotal, 16 years and older
36,513
742
136
607
49.8
66.8
55.0
70.1
2.0
0.4
1.716 to 24 years
6,992
369
88
281
9.5
33.2
35.7
32.5
5.3
1.3
4.016 to 19 years
2,226
141
51
89
3.0
12.7
20.8
10.3
6.3
2.3
4.020 to 24 years
4,766
229
37
192
6.5
20.6
14.9
22.2
4.8
0.8
4.025 years and older
29,521
373
48
325
40.3
33.5
19.3
37.6
1.3
0.2
1.125 to 34 years
8,460
160
20
140
11.5
14.4
8.1
16.2
1.9
0.2
1.725 to 29 years
4,569
90
8
82
6.2
8.1
3.4
9.5
2.0
0.2
1.830 to 34 years
3,892
69
12
58
5.3
6.2
4.7
6.7
1.8
0.3
1.535 to 44 years
6,687
89
8
81
9.1
8.0
3.1
9.4
1.3
0.1
1.235 to 39 years
3,398
55
4
52
4.6
5.0
1.4
6.0
1.6
0.1
1.540 to 44 years
3,289
34
4
29
4.5
3.0
1.7
3.4
1.0
0.1
0.945 to 54 years
6,454
60
2
58
8.8
5.4
0.8
6.7
0.9
0.0
0.945 to 49 years
3,243
29
2
27
4.4
2.6
0.8
3.2
0.9
0.1
0.850 to 54 years
3,211
31
0
31
4.4
2.7
0.0
3.5
1.0
0.0
1.055 to 64 years
5,926
40
6
34
8.1
3.6
2.5
3.9
0.7
0.1
0.655 to 59 years
3,338
22
2
20
4.6
2.0
0.9
2.3
0.7
0.1
0.660 to 64 years
2,588
18
4
14
3.5
1.6
1.6
1.7
0.7
0.2
0.665 years and older
1,993
24
12
12
2.7
2.2
4.7
1.4
1.2
0.6
0.665 to 69 years
1,147
12
7
5
1.6
1.1
2.8
0.6
1.0
0.6
0.470 years and older
846
12
5
7
1.2
1.1
1.9
0.8
1.4
0.6
0.9Note: Data exclude all self-employed persons whether or not their businesses are incorporated. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Table 8. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing federal minimum wage, by marital status, age, and gender, 2020 annual averages
Marital status, age,and gender
Number of workers (in thousands)
Percent distribution
Percentage of workers paidhourly ratesTotal paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
Total paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
At or below minimum wageTotal
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
BelowminimumwageTotalTotal, 16 years and older
73,305
1,112
247
865
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
1.5
0.3
1.2Never married
30,236
772
184
589
41.2
69.5
74.4
68.0
2.6
0.6
1.916 to 24 years
12,983
504
144
360
17.7
45.4
58.4
41.6
3.9
1.1
2.825 years and older
17,253
268
40
228
23.5
24.1
16.0
26.4
1.6
0.2
1.325 to 54 years
15,619
258
38
220
21.3
23.2
15.3
25.5
1.7
0.2
1.4Married, spouse present(1)
31,844
218
38
180
43.4
19.6
15.4
20.8
0.7
0.1
0.616 to 24 years
752
11
4
6
1.0
1.0
1.8
0.7
1.4
0.6
0.825 years and older
31,093
207
34
174
42.4
18.7
13.7
20.1
0.7
0.1
0.625 to 54 years
22,003
152
19
134
30.0
13.7
7.6
15.4
0.7
0.1
0.6Widowed, divorced, or separated(2)
11,225
121
25
96
15.3
10.9
10.2
11.1
1.1
0.2
0.916 to 24 years
316
14
5
9
0.4
1.2
1.9
1.1
4.4
1.5
2.925 years and older
10,909
108
20
87
14.9
9.7
8.3
10.1
1.0
0.2
0.825 to 54 years
6,613
63
8
55
9.0
5.6
3.1
6.4
0.9
0.1
0.8MenTotal, 16 years and older
36,792
369
111
258
50.2
33.2
45.0
29.9
1.0
0.3
0.7Never married
15,921
259
86
173
21.7
23.3
34.9
20.0
1.6
0.5
1.116 to 24 years
6,584
150
63
87
9.0
13.5
25.5
10.1
2.3
1.0
1.325 years and older
9,336
109
23
86
12.7
9.8
9.3
9.9
1.2
0.2
0.925 to 54 years
8,540
106
23
83
11.7
9.6
9.3
9.6
1.2
0.3
1.0Married, spouse present(1)
16,462
77
18
60
22.5
6.9
7.1
6.9
0.5
0.1
0.416 to 24 years
328
3
0
3
0.4
0.3
0.0
0.4
1.0
0.0
1.025 years and older
16,134
74
18
56
22.0
6.6
7.1
6.5
0.5
0.1
0.325 to 54 years
11,361
43
9
34
15.5
3.9
3.6
4.0
0.4
0.1
0.3Widowed, divorced, or separated(2)
4,409
33
8
26
6.0
3.0
3.1
3.0
0.8
0.2
0.616 to 24 years
146
6
2
4
0.2
0.5
0.8
0.4
4.0
1.3
2.625 years and older
4,263
27
6
22
5.8
2.5
2.3
2.5
0.6
0.1
0.525 to 54 years
2,732
15
2
13
3.7
1.3
0.9
1.5
0.5
0.1
0.5WomenTotal, 16 years and older
36,513
742
136
607
49.8
66.8
55.0
70.1
2.0
0.4
1.7Never married
14,315
513
98
416
19.5
46.2
39.6
48.1
3.6
0.7
2.916 to 24 years
6,398
354
81
273
8.7
31.9
32.8
31.6
5.5
1.3
4.325 years and older
7,917
159
17
143
10.8
14.3
6.7
16.5
2.0
0.2
1.825 to 54 years
7,078
152
15
137
9.7
13.6
5.9
15.8
2.1
0.2
1.9Married, spouse present(1)
15,382
141
21
120
21.0
12.7
8.3
13.9
0.9
0.1
0.816 to 24 years
424
7
4
3
0.6
0.7
1.8
0.3
1.7
1.0
0.725 years and older
14,959
134
16
117
20.4
12.0
6.6
13.6
0.9
0.1
0.825 to 54 years
10,642
109
10
99
14.5
9.8
4.0
11.5
1.0
0.1
0.9Widowed, divorced, or separated(2)
6,816
88
17
71
9.3
7.9
7.1
8.2
1.3
0.3
1.016 to 24 years
170
8
3
5
0.2
0.7
1.1
0.6
4.7
1.6
3.125 years and older
6,645
80
15
65
9.1
7.2
6.0
7.6
1.2
0.2
1.025 to 54 years
3,881
48
5
42
5.3
4.3
2.1
4.9
1.2
0.1
1.1Footnotes(1) Beginning with data for 2020, refers to people in both opposite-sex and same-sex married couples. Prior to 2020, referred to people in opposite-sex married couples only.(2) Separated includes people who are married, spouse absent.Note: Data exclude all self-employed workers, whether or not their businesses are incorporated. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Table 9. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing federal minimum wage, by usual hours worked per week on primary job, 2020 annual averages
Usual hours worked per week on primary job
Number of workers (in thousands)
Percent distribution
Percentage of workers paidhourly ratesTotal paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
Total paidhourlyrates
At or below minimum wage
At or below minimum wageTotal
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
Belowminimumwage
Total
Atminimumwage
BelowminimumwageTotal, 16 years and older
73,305
1,112
247
865
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
1.5
0.3
1.2Hours vary
3,868
130
20
109
5.3
11.7
8.3
12.6
3.3
0.5
2.80 to 34 hours
16,160
590
165
425
22.0
53.0
66.8
49.1
3.6
1.0
2.60 to 4 hours
276
6
1
6
0.4
0.6
0.3
0.6
2.3
0.3
2.05 to 9 hours
770
33
17
16
1.1
3.0
7.0
1.8
4.3
2.2
2.010 to 14 hours
1,526
57
28
29
2.1
5.1
11.4
3.3
3.7
1.8
1.915 to 19 hours
2,042
86
26
61
2.8
7.7
10.3
7.0
4.2
1.3
3.020 to 24 hours
4,657
158
51
108
6.4
14.2
20.5
12.4
3.4
1.1
2.325 to 29 hours
2,391
91
21
70
3.3
8.2
8.5
8.1
3.8
0.9
2.930 to 34 hours
4,497
158
22
136
6.1
14.2
8.8
15.7
3.5
0.5
3.035 hours or more
53,277
393
62
331
72.7
35.3
24.9
38.3
0.7
0.1
0.635 to 39 hours
5,302
103
14
89
7.2
9.3
5.8
10.3
1.9
0.3
1.740 hours or more
47,975
290
47
242
65.4
26.0
19.2
28.0
0.6
0.1
0.540 hours
41,652
248
46
202
56.8
22.3
18.8
23.3
0.6
0.1
0.541 hours or more
6,323
41
1
40
8.6
3.7
0.3
4.6
0.6
0.0
0.641 to 44 hours
618
0
0
0
0.8
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.045 to 48 hours
2,130
12
1
11
2.9
1.1
0.3
1.3
0.6
0.0
0.549 to 59 hours
2,479
23
0
23
3.4
2.1
0.0
2.7
0.9
0.0
0.960 hours or more
1,096
5
0
5
1.5
0.5
0.0
0.6
0.5
0.0
0.5Note: Data exclude all self-employed persons whether or not their businesses are incorporated. Estimates of usual hours worked presented in this table differ from usual full- or part-time status (as shown in table 1) because of a sizable number of workers whose usual hours vary on the primary job. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Table 10. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below prevailing federal minimum wage, by gender, 1979–2020 annual averages [Numbers in thousands]
Year and gender
Totalwageandsalaryworkers
Workers paid hourly ratesTotal
Percentageof totalwageandsalaryworkers
At prevailingfederalminimumwage(1)
Belowprevailingfederalminimumwage(1)
Total at or belowprevailing federalminimum wageNumber
Percentageof hourlypaidworkersTotal1979
87,529
51,721
59.1
3,997
2,916
6,912
13.41980
87,644
51,335
58.6
4,686
3,087
7,773
15.11981
88,516
51,869
58.6
4,311
3,513
7,824
15.11982
87,368
50,846
58.2
4,148
2,348
6,496
12.81983
88,290
51,820
58.7
4,261
2,077
6,338
12.21984
92,194
54,143
58.7
4,125
1,838
5,963
11.01985
94,521
55,762
59.0
3,899
1,639
5,538
9.91986
96,903
57,529
59.4
3,461
1,599
5,060
8.81987
99,303
59,552
60.0
3,229
1,468
4,698
7.91988
101,407
60,878
60.0
2,608
1,319
3,927
6.51989
103,480
62,389
60.3
1,790
1,372
3,162
5.11990
104,876
63,172
60.2
1,096
2,132
3,228
5.11991
103,723
62,627
60.4
2,906
2,377
5,283
8.41992
104,668
63,610
60.8
2,982
1,939
4,921
7.71993
106,101
64,274
60.6
2,625
1,707
4,332
6.71994
107,989
66,549
61.6
2,132
1,995
4,128
6.21995
110,038
68,354
62.1
1,956
1,699
3,656
5.31996
111,960
69,255
61.9
1,861
1,863
3,724
5.41997
114,533
70,735
61.8
1,764
2,990
4,754
6.71998
116,730
71,440
61.2
1,593
2,834
4,427
6.21999
118,963
72,306
60.8
1,146
2,194
3,340
4.62000
122,089
73,496
60.2
898
1,752
2,650
3.62001
122,229
73,392
60.0
656
1,518
2,174
3.02002
121,826
72,508
59.5
567
1,579
2,146
3.02003
122,358
72,946
59.6
545
1,555
2,100
2.92004
123,554
73,939
59.8
520
1,483
2,003
2.72005
125,889
75,609
60.1
479
1,403
1,882
2.52006
128,237
76,514
59.7
409
1,283
1,692
2.22007
129,767
75,873
58.5
267
1,462
1,729
2.32008
129,377
75,305
58.2
286
1,940
2,226
3.02009
124,490
72,611
58.3
980
2,592
3,572
4.92010
124,073
72,902
58.8
1,820
2,541
4,361
6.02011
125,187
73,926
59.1
1,677
2,152
3,829
5.22012
127,577
75,276
59.0
1,566
1,984
3,550
4.72013
129,110
75,948
58.8
1,532
1,768
3,301
4.32014
131,431
77,207
58.7
1,255
1,737
2,992
3.92015
133,743
78,232
58.5
870
1,691
2,561
3.32016
136,101
79,883
58.7
701
1,451
2,153
2.72017
137,890
80,439
58.3
542
1,282
1,824
2.32018
140,099
81,915
58.5
434
1,276
1,711
2.12019
141,737
82,289
58.1
392
1,211
1,603
1.92020
132,174
73,305
55.5
247
865
1,112
1.5Men1979
49,400
28,392
57.5
1,353
846
2,199
7.71980
48,700
27,709
56.9
1,696
983
2,678
9.71981
48,844
27,576
56.5
1,533
1,119
2,652
9.61982
47,591
26,481
55.6
1,587
697
2,284
8.61983
47,856
26,831
56.1
1,658
585
2,243
8.41984
50,022
28,140
56.3
1,626
490
2,116
7.51985
51,015
28,893
56.6
1,544
440
1,984
6.91986
51,942
29,666
57.1
1,336
408
1,743
5.91987
52,938
30,474
57.6
1,283
364
1,647
5.41988
53,912
31,058
57.6
1,066
311
1,377
4.41989
54,789
31,687
57.8
733
379
1,112
3.51990
55,553
32,104
57.8
385
712
1,097
3.41991
54,618
31,639
57.9
1,114
795
1,909
6.01992
54,826
32,155
58.6
1,231
653
1,885
5.91993
55,475
32,337
58.3
1,091
573
1,664
5.11994
56,570
33,528
59.3
891
674
1,565
4.71995
57,669
34,420
59.7
796
542
1,338
3.91996
58,473
34,838
59.6
755
619
1,374
3.91997
59,825
35,521
59.4
673
1,147
1,820
5.11998
60,973
35,761
58.7
628
1,039
1,667
4.71999
61,914
36,073
58.3
446
768
1,214
3.42000
63,662
36,720
57.7
319
582
901
2.52001
63,647
36,544
57.4
247
497
744
2.02002
63,272
36,000
56.9
217
582
799
2.22003
63,236
35,853
56.7
213
493
706
2.02004
64,145
36,806
57.4
210
470
680
1.82005
65,466
37,652
57.5
189
459
648
1.72006
66,811
38,193
57.2
146
422
568
1.52007
67,468
37,790
56.0
86
460
546
1.42008
66,846
37,334
55.9
90
638
728
1.92009
63,539
35,185
55.4
368
990
1,358
3.92010
63,531
35,498
55.9
669
943
1,612
4.52011
64,686
36,457
56.4
648
785
1,433
3.92012
65,898
37,113
56.3
567
696
1,263
3.42013
66,794
37,544
56.2
622
621
1,243
3.32014
68,048
38,405
56.4
516
598
1,114
2.92015
69,298
38,732
55.9
330
629
959
2.52016
70,589
39,568
56.1
270
499
769
1.92017
71,469
39,781
55.7
226
452
678
1.72018
72,632
40,691
56.0
168
464
632
1.62019
73,349
40,918
55.8
125
411
536
1.32020
68,711
36,792
53.5
111
258
369
1.0Women1979
38,129
23,329
61.2
2,644
2,070
4,714
20.21980
38,944
23,626
60.7
2,990
2,104
5,095
21.61981
39,672
24,294
61.2
2,778
2,394
5,172
21.31982
39,777
24,365
61.3
2,561
1,651
4,212
17.31983
40,433
24,989
61.8
2,603
1,492
4,095
16.41984
42,172
26,003
61.7
2,499
1,348
3,847
14.81985
43,506
26,869
61.8
2,356
1,198
3,554
13.21986
44,961
27,863
62.0
2,125
1,192
3,317
11.91987
46,365
29,078
62.7
1,946
1,105
3,051
10.51988
47,495
29,820
62.8
1,542
1,008
2,550
8.61989
48,691
30,702
63.1
1,056
994
2,050
6.71990
49,323
31,069
63.0
711
1,420
2,131
6.91991
49,105
30,988
63.1
1,792
1,582
3,374
10.91992
49,842
31,454
63.1
1,751
1,286
3,036
9.71993
50,626
31,937
63.1
1,534
1,133
2,667
8.41994
51,419
33,021
64.2
1,241
1,322
2,563
7.81995
52,369
33,934
64.8
1,161
1,157
2,318
6.81996
53,488
34,418
64.3
1,106
1,244
2,350
6.81997
54,708
35,214
64.4
1,092
1,843
2,935
8.31998
55,757
35,680
64.0
965
1,794
2,760
7.71999
57,050
36,233
63.5
700
1,426
2,126
5.92000
58,427
36,777
62.9
579
1,170
1,749
4.82001
58,582
36,848
62.9
409
1,021
1,430
3.92002
58,555
36,508
62.3
350
997
1,347
3.72003
59,122
37,093
62.7
332
1,062
1,394
3.82004
59,408
37,133
62.5
310
1,013
1,323
3.62005
60,423
37,957
62.8
290
944
1,234
3.32006
61,426
38,321
62.4
263
861
1,124
2.92007
62,299
38,082
61.1
181
1,002
1,183
3.12008
62,532
37,972
60.7
196
1,302
1,498
3.92009
60,951
37,426
61.4
612
1,603
2,215
5.92010
60,542
37,404
61.8
1,151
1,598
2,749
7.32011
60,502
37,469
61.9
1,029
1,366
2,395
6.42012
61,679
38,163
61.9
999
1,288
2,287
6.02013
62,316
38,404
61.6
910
1,148
2,058
5.42014
63,383
38,802
61.2
739
1,139
1,878
4.82015
64,445
39,500
61.3
540
1,062
1,602
4.12016
65,512
40,315
61.5
432
952
1,384
3.42017
66,421
40,658
61.2
316
829
1,146
2.82018
67,467
41,223
61.1
267
812
1,078
2.62019
68,388
41,372
60.5
268
800
1,067
2.62020
63,462
36,513
57.5
136
607
742
2.0Footnotes(1) Data for 1990–1991, 1996–1997, and 2007–2009 reflect changes in the minimum wage that took place in those years.Note: The comparability of historical labor force data has been affected at various times by methodological and conceptual changes in the Current Population Survey (CPS). Information about historical comparability is available at https://www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#comp. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Technical Notes
     
The estimates in this report were obtained from the Current Population Survey (CPS), which provides information on the labor force, employment, and unemployment. The survey is conducted monthly for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the U.S. Census Bureau using a nationally representative sample of about 60,000 eligible households in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The survey also provides data on earnings, which are based on one-fourth of the CPS monthly sample and are limited to wage and salary workers. All self-employed workers, whether or not their businesses are incorporated, are excluded from these earnings estimates.
The material in this report is in the public domain and may be used without permission.
This information is available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice telephone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.
Concepts and definitions
The principal definitions used in connection with the estimates of minimum wage workers presented in this report are described briefly below.
*Wage and salary workers* are people age 16 and older who receive wages, salaries, commissions, tips, payments in kind, or piece rates on their sole or principal job. This group includes employees in both the private and public sectors. All self-employed workers are excluded whether or not their businesses are incorporated.
*Workers paid by the hour* are wage and salary workers who report that they are paid at an hourly rate on their job. Historically, workers paid an hourly wage have made up approximately three-fifths of all wage and salary workers. Estimates of workers paid by the hour include both full- and part-time workers unless otherwise specified.
*Hourly earnings* data are for wage and salary workers who are paid by the hour and pertain to earnings from a person’s sole or principal job. Hourly earnings for hourly paid workers do not include overtime pay, commissions, or tips received.
*Workers paid at or below the prevailing federal minimum wage*include only workers who are paid hourly rates. Salaried workers and other nonhourly paid workers are excluded.
Regular collection of earnings data in the basic CPS began in 1979. The prevailing federal minimum wage for 1979 and later years is listed in the following table.
**Federal minimum wage**
**Effective date**$2.90
January 1, 1979$3.10
January 1, 1980$3.35
January 1, 1981$3.80
April 1, 1990$4.25
April 1, 1991$4.75
October 1, 1996$5.15
September 1, 1997$5.85
July 24, 2007$6.55
July 24, 2008$7.25
July 24, 2009Estimates of the annual average number of minimum wage workers for years when the minimum wage increased during the year reflect both minimum wage levels in effect during the year. For example, data for 2007 reflect the number of workers at or below the federal minimum of $5.15 for January to July and $5.85 for August to December.
*Full-time workers* are defined as those who usually work 35 hours or more per week at their sole or principal job. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not define full- or part-time employment.
*Part-time workers* are defined as those who usually work fewer than 35 hours per week at their sole or principal job.
*Race* is reported by the household respondent. In accordance with the Office of Management and Budget standards, White, Black or African American, and Asian are terms used to describe a person’s race for the data presented in this report. Data for other race groups--American Indians and Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders--and for people of Two or More Races are included in totals but not separately identified in this report because the number of survey respondents is too small to develop estimates of acceptable reliability.
*Hispanic or Latino ethnicity* refers to people who identified themselves in the survey process as being of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin. People who identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino ethnicity may be of any race.
*Married, spouse present* refers to people in both opposite-sex and same-sex marriages living together in the same household.
*Other marital status* refers to people who are never married; widowed; divorced; separated; or married, spouse absent. *Separated* includes people with legal separations, those living apart with intentions of obtaining a divorce, and other people permanently or temporarily separated because of marital discord. *Married, spouse absent* includes both opposite-sex and same-sex married people living apart because either the husband or wife was employed and living at a considerable distance from home, was serving away from home in the Armed Forces, had moved to another area, or had a different place of residence for any other reason except those listed in the previous definition of *separated*.
Interpreting minimum wage data
The CPS does not determine whether workers are covered by the minimum wage provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) or by individual state or local minimum wage laws. The estimates of workers paid at or below the federal minimum wage are based solely on the hourly wage that respondents report (which does not include overtime pay, tips, or commissions). It should be noted that some respondents might round their hourly earnings when answering survey questions. As a result, some workers might be reported as having hourly earnings above or below the federal minimum wage when, in fact, they earn the minimum wage.
Some workers reported as earning at or below the prevailing federal minimum wage may not in fact be covered by federal or state minimum wage laws because of exclusions and exemptions in the statutes. Thus, the presence of workers with hourly earnings below the federal minimum wage does not necessarily indicate violations of the FLSA or state statutes in cases where such standards apply.
Estimates of the number of minimum wage workers in this report pertain only to workers who are paid hourly rates. Salaried workers and other workers who are not paid by the hour are excluded, even though some have earnings that, if converted to hourly rates, would be at or below the federal minimum wage. Consequently, the estimates presented in this report likely underestimate the actual number of workers with hourly earnings at or below the minimum wage. BLS does not routinely estimate the hourly earnings of workers not paid by the hour because of data quality concerns associated with constructing such an estimate.
A number of states have established minimum wage rates that exceed the federal level. (Information on state minimum wage laws is available at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state.) Users should be cautious about comparing state estimates with CPS estimates in this report because of differing statutory minimum wages. It also should be noted that the CPS sample is based on residence; workers report their earnings on their job, which may or may not be located in the same state in which they live. In addition, the degree of sampling error may be quite large for some state estimates.
Reliability
Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error. When a sample, rather than the entire population, is surveyed, there is a chance that the sample estimates may differ from the true population values they represent. The component of this difference that occurs because samples differ by chance is known as sampling error, and its variability is measured by the standard error of the estimate. There is about a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the true population value because of sampling error. BLS analyses are generally conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence.
The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error. Nonsampling error can occur for many reasons, including the failure to sample a segment of the population, inability to obtain information from all respondents in the sample, inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide correct information, and errors made in the collection or processing of the data. For example, respondents may round their hourly earnings to whole dollars when answering survey questions.
Information about the reliability of data from the CPS is available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#reliability.
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