Size and speed of past and proposed minimum-wage increases
| Year after increase | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before increase | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Total | |
| To $12.00 | |||||||
| Nominal minimum wage | $7.25 | $8.00 | $9.00 | $10.00 | $11.00 | $12.00 | |
| Nominal dollar | $0.75 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $4.75 | |
| Nominal percent | 10.3% | 12.5% | 11.1% | 10.0% | 9.1% | 65.5% | |
| Real percent | 8.0% | 10.0% | 8.6% | 7.5% | 6.5% | 47.6% | |
| To $10.10 (Harkin–Miller) | |||||||
| Nominal minimum wage | $7.25 | $8.20 | $9.15 | $10.10 | |||
| Nominal dollar | $0.95 | $0.95 | $0.95 | $2.85 | |||
| Nominal percent | 13.1% | 11.6% | 10.4% | 39.3% | |||
| Real percent | 11.3% | 10.4% | 8.0% | 32.7% | |||
| 2007–2009 increases | |||||||
| Nominal minimum wage | $5.15 | $5.85 | $6.55 | $7.25 | |||
| Nominal dollar | $0.70 | $0.70 | $0.70 | $2.10 | |||
| Nominal percent | 13.6% | 12.0% | 10.7% | 40.8% | |||
| Real percent | 10.5% | 7.8% | 11.1% | 32.3% | |||
| 1967–1968 increases | |||||||
| Nominal minimum wage | $1.25 | $1.40 | $1.60 | ||||
| Nominal dollar | $0.15 | $0.20 | $0.35 | ||||
| Nominal percent | 12.0% | 14.3% | 28.0% | ||||
| Real percent | 7.8% | 9.4% | 17.8% | ||||
Note: The increase to $10.10 calculation assumes the first increase took place in 2014; the increase to $12.00 assumes the first increase takes place in 2016.
Source: Authors’ analysis of Fair Labor Standards Act and amendments, Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013, and Raise the Wage Act of 2015
