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.