Characteristics of U.S. workers who would be affected by increasing the federal minimum wage to $12 per hour by July 2020, white non-Hispanic only
| Category | Estimated workforce | Total affected | Percentage of the total affected | Share of this category that is affected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 88,590,000 | 18,627,000 | 100.0% | 21.0% |
| Sex | ||||
| Female | 42,954,000 | 10,940,000 | 58.7% | 25.5% |
| Male | 45,636,000 | 7,687,000 | 41.3% | 16.8% |
| Age | ||||
| Under 20 | 3,047,000 | 2,443,000 | 13.1% | 80.2% |
| 20 or older | 85,543,000 | 16,184,000 | 86.9% | 18.9% |
| Less than 25 | 11,407,000 | 6,743,000 | 36.2% | 59.1% |
| 25 to 39 | 27,260,000 | 4,713,000 | 25.3% | 17.3% |
| 40 to 54 | 29,055,000 | 3,726,000 | 20.0% | 12.8% |
| 55+ | 20,869,000 | 3,445,000 | 18.5% | 16.5% |
| Family status | ||||
| Married parent | 23,198,000 | 2,761,000 | 14.8% | 11.9% |
| Single parent | 4,995,000 | 1,456,000 | 7.8% | 29.1% |
| Married, no kids | 27,370,000 | 3,954,000 | 21.2% | 14.4% |
| Unmarried, no kids | 33,026,000 | 10,456,000 | 56.1% | 31.7% |
| Working moms | 13,794,000 | 2,939,000 | 15.8% | 21.3% |
| Single moms | 3,504,000 | 1,166,000 | 6.3% | 33.3% |
| Working dads | 14,399,000 | 1,278,000 | 6.9% | 8.9% |
| Single dads | 1,492,000 | 289,000 | 1.6% | 19.4% |
| Family annual income level | ||||
| Less than $20,000 | 6,196,000 | 3,018,000 | 16.2% | 48.7% |
| $20,000–$39,999 | 13,702,000 | 4,556,000 | 24.5% | 33.3% |
| $40,000–$59,999 | 15,261,000 | 3,387,000 | 18.2% | 22.2% |
| $60,000–$74,999 | 11,106,000 | 2,011,000 | 10.8% | 18.1% |
| $75,000–$99,999 | 14,418,000 | 2,309,000 | 12.4% | 16.0% |
| $100,000–$149,999 | 15,959,000 | 2,040,000 | 11.0% | 12.8% |
| $150,000 or more | 11,948,000 | 1,306,000 | 7.0% | 10.9% |
| Work hours | ||||
| Part time (< 19 hours per week) | 5,261,000 | 2,937,000 | 15.8% | 55.8% |
| Mid time (20–34 hours per week) | 12,211,000 | 5,963,000 | 32.0% | 48.8% |
| Full time (35+ hours per week) | 71,118,000 | 9,727,000 | 52.2% | 13.7% |
| Education level | ||||
| Less than high school | 4,301,000 | 2,491,000 | 13.4% | 57.9% |
| High school | 23,012,000 | 6,616,000 | 35.5% | 28.8% |
| Some college, no degree | 16,530,000 | 5,071,000 | 27.2% | 30.7% |
| Associate degree | 10,280,000 | 1,938,000 | 10.4% | 18.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher | 34,466,000 | 2,510,000 | 13.5% | 7.3% |
| Average share of family income earned by affected worker | Share of affected workers who are sole providers of their family’s income | |||
| All affected | 47.1% | 17.5% | ||
| Parents affected | 53.7% | 21.7% | ||
Source: EPI analysis of Raise the Wage Act using Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Group microdata, 2014