EXPANDED MINIMUM WAGE CHART Min. % Avg. Constant Dollar Equiv. (82-84 CPI) Year Wage Earnings Initial Final 1950 $0.75 54% $3.11 $2.77 1956 1.00 52 3.68 3.34 1961 1.15 50 3.84 3.75 1963 1.25 51 4.08 3.74 1967 1.40 50 4.19 4.02 1968 1.60 54 4.60 3.25 1974 2.00 46 4.06 3.72 1975 2.10 45 3.90 3.69 1976 2.30 46 4.04 3.52 1978 2.65 44 4.06 3.66 1979 2.90 45 4.00 3.52 1980 3.10 44 3.77 3.40 1981 3.35 43 3.68 2.57 1990 3.80 35 2.91 2.79 1991 4.25 38 3.12 ---
This chart shows that the minimum wage climbed in constant dollars
until 1968. This essentially reflected the fact that the middle class as
a whole was becoming richer as well, as the percentage of average earnings
shows. After this, the minimum wage declined both in constant dollars and
as a percentage of average earnings, reaching an all-time low during the
Reagan years.
(The above chart is for jobs specified by Congress according to laws
prior to 1966. Another category of jobs was specified by Congress after
1967, which had slightly different rates for the minimum wage. However,
after 1978, these categories were unified under one wage.)
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