How much was one hour of work at the federal minimum wage?
One hour of work at the federal minimum wage was $1.60 in 1969 and $7.25 in 2025: about 4.5 times as much.
Over the same years, prices in general (US inflation, measured by the consumer price index, CPI) rose about 8.8 times. That makes $1.60 in 1969 worth about $14.03 in 2025 money. So it did not keep up with prices in general: it buys about 48% less than in 1969.
The biggest change between two listed years came between 1969 and 1977, when it went up 44%, from $1.60 to $2.30.
Minimum wage: price by year
| Year | Amount | In 2025 dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | $1.60 | $14.03 |
| 1977 | $2.30 | $12.22 |
| 1980 | $3.10 | $12.11 |
| 1985 | $3.35 | $10.02 |
| 1993 | $4.25 | $9.47 |
| 2000 | $5.15 | $9.63 |
| 2025 | $7.25 | $7.25 |
"In 2025 dollars" adjusts each amount for inflation with the CPI, so the years can be compared fairly. How this works.
Where the numbers come from
The federal minimum wage set by Congress. Years in which the rate changed part-way through are left out. Many states set a higher minimum of their own.
Source: US Department of Labor, History of Federal Minimum Wage Rates. View the source.
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