Chart 1
Preliminary, not final. The Federal OT salary threshold and average wages, 1949–2016
| Dates | Federal OT salary threshold (annualized) | US average annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | $5200.0 | 1644.91 |
| 1958 | 6500.0 | 3673.80 |
| 1963 | 7800.0 | 4396.64 |
| 1970 | 10400.0 | 6186.24 |
| 1975 | 13000.0 | 8630.92 |
| 2004 | 23660.0 | 35648.55 |
| 2016 | 47476.0 | 48642.15 |
Notes: Years provided are years in which the federal OT salary threshold was updated.
Sources: EPI analysis of Social Security Administration National Wage Index data; Office of Financial Management data; Employment and Payrolls in Washington State data; Department of Labor: Wage and Hour Division,29 CFR Part 541 RIN 1235–AA11 Fed. Reg. 32449-32450 (May 23, 2018): Table 1 in Social Security Bulletin, November 1949; and Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment and Earnings data
Previous chart: « Employment multipliers per 100 direct jobs, by major private-sector industry group
Next chart: Preliminary, not final.The federal OT salary threshold relative to average wages, 1949–2016 »