Figure A
The economy can afford a much higher minimum wage: Real and nominal Delaware minimum wage (historical and under proposed increase to $15 in 2025) compared with productivity-tracking minimum wage
| Year | Nominal (face value) | Nominal (face value) | Real (i.e., inflation-adjusted) value in 2021$ | Projected real (i.e., inflation-adjusted) value in 2021$ | Real value if tracking productivity growth since 1948 (in 2021$) | Real value if tracking productivity growth since 1948 (in 2021$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | $0.25 | $4.10 | ||||
| 1939 | $0.30 | $4.99 | ||||
| 1940 | $0.30 | $4.95 | ||||
| 1941 | $0.30 | $4.72 | ||||
| 1942 | $0.30 | $4.25 | ||||
| 1943 | $0.30 | $4.01 | ||||
| 1944 | $0.30 | $3.94 | ||||
| 1945 | $0.40 | $5.14 | ||||
| 1946 | $0.40 | $4.74 | ||||
| 1947 | $0.40 | $4.15 | ||||
| 1948 | $0.40 | $3.84 | $6.02 | |||
| 1949 | $0.40 | $3.89 | $6.11 | |||
| 1950 | $0.75 | $7.19 | $6.57 | |||
| 1951 | $0.75 | $6.62 | $6.76 | |||
| 1952 | $0.75 | $6.50 | $6.95 | |||
| 1953 | $0.75 | $6.45 | $7.19 | |||
| 1954 | $0.75 | $6.40 | $7.31 | |||
| 1955 | $0.75 | $6.42 | $7.60 | |||
| 1956 | $1.00 | $8.44 | $7.62 | |||
| 1957 | $1.00 | $8.17 | $7.82 | |||
| 1958 | $1.00 | $7.94 | $7.98 | |||
| 1959 | $1.00 | $7.89 | $8.29 | |||
| 1960 | $1.00 | $7.75 | $8.43 | |||
| 1961 | $1.15 | $8.83 | $8.69 | |||
| 1962 | $1.15 | $8.74 | $9.01 | |||
| 1963 | $1.25 | $9.38 | $9.33 | |||
| 1964 | $1.25 | $9.25 | $9.63 | |||
| 1965 | $1.25 | $9.11 | $9.93 | |||
| 1966 | $1.25 | $8.85 | $10.23 | |||
| 1967 | $1.40 | $9.69 | $10.35 | |||
| 1968 | $1.60 | $10.66 | $10.66 | |||
| 1969 | $1.60 | $10.20 | $10.70 | |||
| 1970 | $1.60 | $9.73 | $10.85 | |||
| 1971 | $1.60 | $9.33 | $11.26 | |||
| 1972 | $1.60 | $9.05 | $11.57 | |||
| 1973 | $1.60 | $8.52 | $11.85 | |||
| 1974 | $2.00 | $9.68 | $11.67 | |||
| 1975 | $2.10 | $9.39 | $11.92 | |||
| 1976 | $2.30 | $9.73 | $12.25 | |||
| 1977 | $2.30 | $9.14 | $12.39 | |||
| 1978 | $2.65 | $9.86 | $12.54 | |||
| 1979 | $2.90 | $9.86 | $12.53 | |||
| 1980 | $3.10 | $9.48 | $12.45 | |||
| 1981 | $3.35 | $9.36 | $12.67 | |||
| 1982 | $3.35 | $8.83 | $12.54 | |||
| 1983 | $3.35 | $8.46 | $12.91 | |||
| 1984 | $3.35 | $8.13 | $13.25 | |||
| 1985 | $3.35 | $7.86 | $13.46 | |||
| 1986 | $3.35 | $7.72 | $13.73 | |||
| 1987 | $3.35 | $7.46 | $13.77 | |||
| 1988 | $3.35 | $7.20 | $13.97 | |||
| 1989 | $3.35 | $6.90 | $14.09 | |||
| 1990 | $3.80 | $7.46 | $14.26 | |||
| 1991 | $4.25 | $8.05 | $14.36 | |||
| 1992 | $4.25 | $7.86 | $14.89 | |||
| 1993 | $4.25 | $7.66 | $14.95 | |||
| 1994 | $4.25 | $7.51 | $15.07 | |||
| 1995 | $4.25 | $7.33 | $15.14 | |||
| 1996 | $4.75 | $7.98 | $15.43 | |||
| 1997 | $5.15 | $8.47 | $15.70 | |||
| 1998 | $5.15 | $8.36 | $16.02 | |||
| 1999 | $5.65 | $8.98 | $16.46 | |||
| 2000 | $6.15 | $9.45 | $16.83 | |||
| 2001 | $6.15 | $9.19 | $17.08 | |||
| 2002 | $6.15 | $9.05 | $17.55 | |||
| 2003 | $6.15 | $8.84 | $18.13 | |||
| 2004 | $6.15 | $8.61 | $18.62 | |||
| 2005 | $6.15 | $8.33 | $18.98 | |||
| 2006 | $6.15 | $8.07 | $19.12 | |||
| 2007 | $6.65 | $8.48 | $19.25 | |||
| 2008 | $7.15 | $8.78 | $19.34 | |||
| 2009 | $7.25 | $8.94 | $19.79 | |||
| 2010 | $7.25 | $8.79 | $20.36 | |||
| 2011 | $7.25 | $8.52 | $20.36 | |||
| 2012 | $7.25 | $8.35 | $20.44 | |||
| 2013 | $7.25 | $8.23 | $20.52 | |||
| 2014 | $7.25 | $8.09 | $20.64 | |||
| 2015 | $7.75 | $8.63 | $20.85 | |||
| 2016 | $8.25 | $9.07 | $20.90 | |||
| 2017 | $8.25 | $8.88 | $21.10 | |||
| 2018 | $8.75 | $9.19 | $21.33 | |||
| 2019 | $8.75 | $9.03 | $21.57 | |||
| 2020 | $9.25 | $9.43 | $21.84 | |||
| 2021 | $9.25 | $9.25 | $9.25 | $9.25 | $22.29 | $22.29 |
| 2022 | $10.50 | $10.29 | $22.52 | |||
| 2023 | $11.50 | $11.02 | $22.87 | |||
| 2024 | $13.25 | $12.40 | $23.25 | |||
| 2025 | $15.00 | $13.72 | $23.69 |
Notes: Inflation measured using the CPI-U-RS and projected using the CBO's February 2021 projections for the CPI-U. Productivity is measured as total economy productivity net depreciation.
Sources: EPI analysis of the Fair Labor Standards Act and amendments, the Delaware minimum wage, and the proposed increase to $15 by 2025. Total economy productivity data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Labor Productivity and Costs program. Average hourly wages of production nonsupervisory workers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Employment Statistics.
This chart appears in:
- Raising the Delaware minimum wage to $15 by 2025 would raise wages for nearly 120,000 workers and strengthen the state’s economic recovery: Testimony of David Cooper in support of SB 15 before the Delaware House Economic Development / Banking / Insurance & Commerce Committee
- Raising the Delaware minimum wage to $15 by 2025 would raise wages for nearly 120,000 workers and strengthen the state’s economic recovery: Testimony of David Cooper in support of SB 15 before the Delaware Senate Labor Committee
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