What does the Raise the Wage Act of 2025 do?
The federal minimum hourly wage is just $7.25 and has not increased since 2009. The Raise the Wage Act of 2025, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate on April 8, 2025, would incrementally raise the federal minimum wage to $17 an hour by 2030. The bill would also gradually raise and then eliminate subminimum wages for tipped workers, workers with disabilities, and youth workers, so that all workers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act would have the same wage floor.
Key numbers
___________
22,247,000
Number of workers affected
15%
Share of U.S. workforce affected
$70 billion
Total additional wages provided
$3,200
Average increase per worker
What would its impact be?
EPI’s analysis shows that raising the federal minimum wage to $17 by 2030 would impact 22,247,000 workers across the country, or 15% of the U.S. wage-earning workforce. The increases would provide an additional $70 billion annually in wages for the country’s lowest-paid workers, with the average affected worker who works year-round receiving an extra $3,200 per year.
Who would be affected?
Table 1 shows EPI’s estimates of the population of workers, by demographic and other characteristics, who would benefit from the Raise the Wage Act of 2025.
Demographic characteristics of United States workers who would benefit if the federal minimum wage were raised to $17 by 2030
| Group | Total workforce | Directly affected | Share directly affected | Indirectly affected | Share indirectly affected | Total affected | Share of group who are affected | Group’s share of total affected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All workers | 149,194,000 | 10,339,000 | 6.9% | 11,908,000 | 8.0% | 22,247,000 | 14.9% | 100.0% |
| Gender | ||||||||
| Male | 76,726,000 | 4,451,000 | 5.8% | 5,068,000 | 6.6% | 9,519,000 | 12.4% | 42.8% |
| Female | 72,468,000 | 5,888,000 | 8.1% | 6,840,000 | 9.4% | 12,729,000 | 17.6% | 57.2% |
| Age group | ||||||||
| Teenager | 6,018,000 | 1,839,000 | 30.5% | 1,283,000 | 21.3% | 3,121,000 | 51.9% | 14.0% |
| Age 20 or older | 143,175,000 | 8,501,000 | 5.9% | 10,625,000 | 7.4% | 19,126,000 | 13.4% | 86.0% |
| Age 16 to 24 | 20,664,000 | 4,073,000 | 19.7% | 3,697,000 | 17.9% | 7,770,000 | 37.6% | 34.9% |
| Age 25 to 39 | 51,199,000 | 2,710,000 | 5.3% | 3,642,000 | 7.1% | 6,352,000 | 12.4% | 28.6% |
| Age 40 to 54 | 44,930,000 | 1,868,000 | 4.2% | 2,435,000 | 5.4% | 4,303,000 | 9.6% | 19.3% |
| Age 55 or older | 32,400,000 | 1,689,000 | 5.2% | 2,133,000 | 6.6% | 3,822,000 | 11.8% | 17.2% |
| Race/ethnicity | ||||||||
| White, non-Hispanic | 81,221,000 | 5,041,000 | 6.2% | 5,981,000 | 7.4% | 11,022,000 | 13.6% | 49.5% |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 17,892,000 | 1,934,000 | 10.8% | 1,805,000 | 10.1% | 3,738,000 | 20.9% | 16.8% |
| Hispanic, any race | 31,495,000 | 2,378,000 | 7.5% | 2,875,000 | 9.1% | 5,253,000 | 16.7% | 23.6% |
| Asian, non-Hispanic | 10,750,000 | 378,000 | 3.5% | 559,000 | 5.2% | 937,000 | 8.7% | 4.2% |
| Other race/ethnicity | 7,835,000 | 609,000 | 7.8% | 689,000 | 8.8% | 1,298,000 | 16.6% | 5.8% |
| Not person of color | 81,221,000 | 5,041,000 | 6.2% | 5,981,000 | 7.4% | 11,022,000 | 13.6% | 49.5% |
| Person of color | 67,973,000 | 5,298,000 | 7.8% | 5,927,000 | 8.7% | 11,226,000 | 16.5% | 50.5% |
| Family status | ||||||||
| Married parent | 35,929,000 | 1,333,000 | 3.7% | 1,657,000 | 4.6% | 2,991,000 | 8.3% | 13.4% |
| Single parent | 12,671,000 | 1,058,000 | 8.3% | 1,240,000 | 9.8% | 2,297,000 | 18.1% | 10.3% |
| Married, no children | 38,517,000 | 1,661,000 | 4.3% | 2,232,000 | 5.8% | 3,892,000 | 10.1% | 17.5% |
| Unmarried, no children | 62,077,000 | 6,288,000 | 10.1% | 6,779,000 | 10.9% | 13,067,000 | 21.0% | 58.7% |
| Education | ||||||||
| Less than high school | 13,072,000 | 2,014,000 | 15.4% | 1,807,000 | 13.8% | 3,822,000 | 29.2% | 17.2% |
| High school | 35,742,000 | 3,606,000 | 10.1% | 4,225,000 | 11.8% | 7,831,000 | 21.9% | 35.2% |
| Some college, no degree | 29,349,000 | 2,469,000 | 8.4% | 3,000,000 | 10.2% | 5,470,000 | 18.6% | 24.6% |
| Associates degree | 13,479,000 | 765,000 | 5.7% | 1,012,000 | 7.5% | 1,777,000 | 13.2% | 8.0% |
| Bachelors degree or higher | 57,552,000 | 1,485,000 | 2.6% | 1,863,000 | 3.2% | 3,348,000 | 5.8% | 15.0% |
| Family income | ||||||||
| Less than $25,000 | 8,347,000 | 2,794,000 | 33.5% | 1,773,000 | 21.2% | 4,568,000 | 54.7% | 20.5% |
| $25,000 – $49,999 | 18,473,000 | 1,999,000 | 10.8% | 2,795,000 | 15.1% | 4,795,000 | 26.0% | 21.6% |
| $50,000 – $74,999 | 22,052,000 | 1,618,000 | 7.3% | 2,183,000 | 9.9% | 3,801,000 | 17.2% | 17.1% |
| $75,000 – $99,999 | 20,745,000 | 1,109,000 | 5.3% | 1,568,000 | 7.6% | 2,677,000 | 12.9% | 12.0% |
| $100,000 – $149,999 | 33,223,000 | 1,304,000 | 3.9% | 1,804,000 | 5.4% | 3,108,000 | 9.4% | 14.0% |
| $150,000 or more | 44,968,000 | 1,135,000 | 2.5% | 1,548,000 | 3.4% | 2,683,000 | 6.0% | 12.1% |
| Family income-to-poverty ratio | ||||||||
| In Poverty | 8,220,000 | 2,764,000 | 33.6% | 1,470,000 | 17.9% | 4,235,000 | 51.5% | 19.0% |
| 100 – 199% poverty | 16,355,000 | 2,482,000 | 15.2% | 3,123,000 | 19.1% | 5,604,000 | 34.3% | 25.2% |
| 200-399% poverty | 44,863,000 | 3,070,000 | 6.8% | 4,274,000 | 9.5% | 7,344,000 | 16.4% | 33.0% |
| 400%+ poverty | 79,755,000 | 2,023,000 | 2.5% | 3,041,000 | 3.8% | 5,064,000 | 6.4% | 22.8% |
| Work hours | ||||||||
| Part time (<20 hours per week) | 9,584,000 | 1,545,000 | 16.1% | 1,309,000 | 13.7% | 2,854,000 | 29.8% | 12.8% |
| Mid time (20-34 hours) | 19,301,000 | 3,082,000 | 16.0% | 3,162,000 | 16.4% | 6,244,000 | 32.4% | 28.1% |
| Full time (35+ hours) | 120,308,000 | 5,712,000 | 4.7% | 7,437,000 | 6.2% | 13,149,000 | 10.9% | 59.1% |
| Industry | ||||||||
| Agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining | 1,968,000 | 155,000 | 7.9% | 137,000 | 7.0% | 292,000 | 14.8% | 1.3% |
| Construction | 8,959,000 | 474,000 | 5.3% | 513,000 | 5.7% | 987,000 | 11.0% | 4.4% |
| Manufacturing | 15,708,000 | 660,000 | 4.2% | 778,000 | 4.9% | 1,437,000 | 9.1% | 6.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 3,057,000 | 137,000 | 4.5% | 151,000 | 4.9% | 288,000 | 9.4% | 1.3% |
| Retail trade | 16,401,000 | 1,889,000 | 11.5% | 1,911,000 | 11.6% | 3,800,000 | 23.2% | 17.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8,919,000 | 456,000 | 5.1% | 511,000 | 5.7% | 967,000 | 10.8% | 4.3% |
| Information | 2,787,000 | 116,000 | 4.2% | 107,000 | 3.9% | 223,000 | 8.0% | 1.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 9,580,000 | 273,000 | 2.8% | 311,000 | 3.2% | 584,000 | 6.1% | 2.6% |
| Professional, science, management services | 11,890,000 | 268,000 | 2.3% | 262,000 | 2.2% | 530,000 | 4.5% | 2.4% |
| Administrative, support, waste services | 5,815,000 | 483,000 | 8.3% | 543,000 | 9.3% | 1,026,000 | 17.6% | 4.6% |
| Educational services | 15,231,000 | 1,027,000 | 6.7% | 1,008,000 | 6.6% | 2,035,000 | 13.4% | 9.1% |
| Healthcare, social assistance | 21,744,000 | 1,320,000 | 6.1% | 1,390,000 | 6.4% | 2,710,000 | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, recreational services | 2,998,000 | 339,000 | 11.3% | 418,000 | 13.9% | 757,000 | 25.2% | 3.4% |
| Accommodation | 1,327,000 | 161,000 | 12.2% | 229,000 | 17.2% | 390,000 | 29.4% | 1.8% |
| Restaurants | 9,223,000 | 1,851,000 | 20.1% | 2,498,000 | 27.1% | 4,349,000 | 47.2% | 19.5% |
| Other services | 5,898,000 | 526,000 | 8.9% | 907,000 | 15.4% | 1,433,000 | 24.3% | 6.4% |
| Public administration | 7,687,000 | 205,000 | 2.7% | 234,000 | 3.0% | 439,000 | 5.7% | 2.0% |
| Tipped occupations | ||||||||
| Not tipped | 145,714,000 | 9,753,000 | 6.7% | 9,703,000 | 6.7% | 19,456,000 | 13.4% | 87.5% |
| Tipped occupations | 3,480,000 | 587,000 | 16.9% | 2,205,000 | 63.4% | 2,792,000 | 80.2% | 12.5% |
| Sector | ||||||||
| For profit | 110,647,000 | 8,287,000 | 7.5% | 9,817,000 | 8.9% | 18,104,000 | 16.4% | 81.4% |
| Nonprofit | 14,671,000 | 857,000 | 5.8% | 866,000 | 5.9% | 1,723,000 | 11.7% | 7.7% |
| Government | 23,875,000 | 1,195,000 | 5.0% | 1,225,000 | 5.1% | 2,421,000 | 10.1% | 10.9% |
Notes: Values reflect the population estimated to be affected by the proposed change in the federal minimum wage. Wage changes resulting from scheduled state and local minimum wage laws are accounted for by EPI’s Minimum Wage Simulation Model. Totals may not sum due to rounding. Shares calculated from unrounded values. Directly affected workers will see their wages rise as the new minimum wage rate will exceed their current hourly pay. Indirectly affected workers have a wage rate just above the new minimum wage (between the new minimum wage and 115% of the new minimum). They will receive a raise as employer pay scales are adjusted upward to reflect the new minimum wage.
Source: Economic Policy Institute Minimum Wage Simulation Model; see Technical Methodology by Cooper, Mokhiber, and Zipperer (2019).
How many workers would benefit in each state?
Table 2 shows the estimated impact of the Raise the Wage Act of 2025 by state. States that will have the highest share of workers receiving wage increases are often in the South, where both wages and minimum wages tend to be the lowest, like Mississippi, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.
Summary of effects in 2030 of increasing the minimum wage to $17 by 2030, by state
| State | Total workforce | Total Affected | Share of group who are affected | Average annual wage increase of affected workers (2025$) | Total annual wage change (2025$, millions) | Percent change in average annual wages of affected workers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. total | 149,194,000 | 22,247,000 | 14.9% | $3,158 | $70,247 | 11.3% |
| Alabama | 2,055,000 | 567,000 | 27.6% | $4,155 | $2,357 | 15.7% |
| Alaska | 309,000 | 25,000 | 8.2% | * | * | * |
| Arizona | 3,225,000 | 504,000 | 15.6% | $752 | $379 | 2.4% |
| Arkansas | 1,233,000 | 314,000 | 25.5% | $3,293 | $1,034 | 11.8% |
| California | 17,759,000 | * | * | * | * | * |
| Colorado | 2,811,000 | 210,000 | 7.5% | $737 | $155 | 2.1% |
| Connecticut | 1,697,000 | 42,000 | 2.5% | * | * | * |
| Delaware | 466,000 | 74,000 | 15.9% | $1,928 | $143 | 6.8% |
| District of Columbia | 363,000 | * | * | * | * | * |
| Florida | 9,563,000 | 2,143,000 | 22.4% | $962 | $2,062 | 3.0% |
| Georgia | 4,816,000 | 1,085,000 | 22.5% | $4,077 | $4,426 | 15.1% |
| Hawaii | 622,000 | * | * | * | * | * |
| Idaho | 809,000 | 165,000 | 20.4% | $3,433 | $566 | 13.3% |
| Illinois | 5,819,000 | 801,000 | 13.8% | $1,178 | $943 | 4.0% |
| Indiana | 3,053,000 | 646,000 | 21.2% | $3,786 | $2,447 | 14.8% |
| Iowa | 1,442,000 | 308,000 | 21.4% | $3,198 | $986 | 13.0% |
| Kansas | 1,322,000 | 286,000 | 21.7% | $3,514 | $1,006 | 14.0% |
| Kentucky | 1,841,000 | 478,000 | 25.9% | $3,790 | $1,810 | 14.4% |
| Louisiana | 1,805,000 | 596,000 | 33.0% | $5,193 | $3,094 | 19.3% |
| Maine | 597,000 | 64,000 | 10.8% | $1,241 | $80 | 4.7% |
| Maryland | 2,957,000 | 306,000 | 10.4% | $2,488 | $762 | 8.5% |
| Massachusetts | 3,396,000 | 269,000 | 7.9% | $2,126 | $572 | 6.9% |
| Michigan | 4,326,000 | 738,000 | 17.0% | $864 | $637 | 3.3% |
| Minnesota | 2,721,000 | 325,000 | 11.9% | $1,720 | $558 | 6.6% |
| Mississippi | 1,142,000 | 425,000 | 37.2% | $4,566 | $1,941 | 16.9% |
| Missouri | 2,732,000 | 530,000 | 19.4% | $1,228 | $651 | 4.3% |
| Montana | 466,000 | 73,000 | 15.6% | $2,307 | $168 | 8.2% |
| Nebraska | 912,000 | 143,000 | 15.7% | $1,899 | $272 | 6.7% |
| Nevada | 1,447,000 | 311,000 | 21.5% | $2,347 | $731 | 7.2% |
| New Hampshire | 678,000 | 78,000 | 11.5% | $3,734 | $292 | 14.9% |
| New Jersey | 4,442,000 | 122,000 | 2.8% | $5,280 | $645 | 13.6% |
| New Mexico | 907,000 | 237,000 | 26.1% | $2,750 | $651 | 9.5% |
| New York | 8,792,000 | 213,000 | 2.4% | $2,683 | $572 | 6.0% |
| North Carolina | 4,682,000 | 1,263,000 | 27.0% | $3,772 | $4,765 | 14.0% |
| North Dakota | 353,000 | 46,000 | 13.2% | $3,311 | $154 | 13.0% |
| Ohio | 5,215,000 | 940,000 | 18.0% | $2,773 | $2,606 | 10.5% |
| Oklahoma | 1,654,000 | 469,000 | 28.4% | $4,277 | $2,008 | 15.8% |
| Oregon | 1,859,000 | 132,000 | 7.1% | $478 | $63 | 1.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 5,768,000 | 1,066,000 | 18.5% | $3,609 | $3,848 | 14.3% |
| Rhode Island | 507,000 | 64,000 | 12.6% | $2,117 | $135 | 7.4% |
| South Carolina | 2,236,000 | 577,000 | 25.8% | $4,141 | $2,390 | 15.5% |
| South Dakota | 409,000 | 70,000 | 17.1% | $2,320 | $162 | 8.5% |
| Tennessee | 3,052,000 | 634,000 | 20.8% | $4,223 | $2,679 | 15.4% |
| Texas | 13,896,000 | 3,258,000 | 23.4% | $4,910 | $15,997 | 18.3% |
| Utah | 1,578,000 | 317,000 | 20.1% | $3,225 | $1,021 | 13.5% |
| Vermont | 290,000 | 26,000 | 9.0% | * | * | * |
| Virginia | 3,942,000 | 586,000 | 14.9% | $2,838 | $1,662 | 9.9% |
| Washington | 3,546,000 | * | * | * | * | * |
| West Virginia | 682,000 | 186,000 | 27.2% | $3,963 | $737 | 15.0% |
| Wisconsin | 2,758,000 | 468,000 | 17.0% | $3,281 | $1,537 | 13.5% |
| Wyoming | 242,000 | 52,000 | 21.7% | $4,381 | $229 | 17.0% |
Notes: Values reflect the population estimated to be affected by the proposed change in the federal minimum wage. Wage changes resulting from scheduled state and local minimum wage laws are accounted for by EPI’s Minimum Wage Simulation Model. Totals may not sum due to rounding. Shares calculated from unrounded values. Affected workers include both directly affected workers (who will see their wages rise as the new minimum wage rate will exceed their current hourly pay) and indirectly affected workers (who have a wage rate just above the new minimum wage (between the new minimum wage and 115% of the new minimum, and who will receive a raise as employer pay scales are adjusted upward to reflect the new minimum wage). Values marked * cannot be displayed because of sample size restrictions.
Source: Economic Policy Institute Minimum Wage Simulation Model; see Technical Methodology by Cooper, Mokhiber, and Zipperer (2019).
Why are workers in some states less likely to be affected?
In January 2025, 21 states and dozens of localities implemented minimum wage increases based on state, local, or municipal laws that already set the minimum wage higher than the federal standard. In total, 30 states and the District of Columbia have a minimum wage above the federal minimum, and many more localities have minimum wages above their state minimum wage. Workers in most of these states will still benefit from a $17 federal minimum wage, but the effect is muted because low-wage workers in those states have already seen wage increases above the federal minimum.
California, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, and Washington all have state- or local-level minimum wage laws that will set minimum wages above the Raise the Wage Act’s proposal of $17 by 2030. Because of this, only a small number of workers in those states would be affected by the federal policy as state and local laws will have already raised the wages of low-wage workers in those jurisdictions. Because of the smaller impacted population, estimates of affected workers are unavailable for those states. (Cells for which data are unavailable are marked with * in Table 2.)
Why is it critical that the Raise the Wage Act be passed?
As EPI’s state-by-state minimum wage tracker shows, raising the federal minimum wage is critical to protect workers (especially in the South) who have been left behind. A higher federal minimum wage can build on existing state-level standards and lock in the wage gains made by low-wage workers in the economic recovery over the last several years.
Assumptions and documentation for EPI’s Minimum Wage Simulation Model
- The estimates are for the year 2030, when the policy’s regular minimum wage would be $17 and the tipped minimum wage would be $15.
- The underlying wage distribution is based on the 2024 Current Population Survey.
- The simulation assumes nominal wage growth will be at a 3.5% annual rate between 2024 and 2025, and at an annual rate of 0.8% plus projected Consumer Price Index growth in subsequent years.
- The simulation accounts for estimated effects of projected state and local minimum wages between 2025 and 2030.
- To read more about the EPI Minimum Wage Simulation Model, see the description in Cooper, Mokhiber, and Zipperer (2019).
Demographic characteristics of United States workers who would benefit if the federal minimum wage were raised to $17 by 2030
| Group | Total workforce | Directly affected | Share directly affected | Indirectly affected | Share indirectly affected | Total affected | Share of group who are affected | Group’s share of total affected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All workers | 149,194,000 | 10,339,000 | 6.9% | 11,908,000 | 8.0% | 22,247,000 | 14.9% | 100.0% |
| Gender | ||||||||
| Male | 76,726,000 | 4,451,000 | 5.8% | 5,068,000 | 6.6% | 9,519,000 | 12.4% | 42.8% |
| Female | 72,468,000 | 5,888,000 | 8.1% | 6,840,000 | 9.4% | 12,729,000 | 17.6% | 57.2% |
| Age group | ||||||||
| Teenager | 6,018,000 | 1,839,000 | 30.5% | 1,283,000 | 21.3% | 3,121,000 | 51.9% | 14.0% |
| Age 20 or older | 143,175,000 | 8,501,000 | 5.9% | 10,625,000 | 7.4% | 19,126,000 | 13.4% | 86.0% |
| Age 16 to 24 | 20,664,000 | 4,073,000 | 19.7% | 3,697,000 | 17.9% | 7,770,000 | 37.6% | 34.9% |
| Age 25 to 39 | 51,199,000 | 2,710,000 | 5.3% | 3,642,000 | 7.1% | 6,352,000 | 12.4% | 28.6% |
| Age 40 to 54 | 44,930,000 | 1,868,000 | 4.2% | 2,435,000 | 5.4% | 4,303,000 | 9.6% | 19.3% |
| Age 55 or older | 32,400,000 | 1,689,000 | 5.2% | 2,133,000 | 6.6% | 3,822,000 | 11.8% | 17.2% |
| Race/ethnicity | ||||||||
| White, non-Hispanic | 81,221,000 | 5,041,000 | 6.2% | 5,981,000 | 7.4% | 11,022,000 | 13.6% | 49.5% |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 17,892,000 | 1,934,000 | 10.8% | 1,805,000 | 10.1% | 3,738,000 | 20.9% | 16.8% |
| Hispanic, any race | 31,495,000 | 2,378,000 | 7.5% | 2,875,000 | 9.1% | 5,253,000 | 16.7% | 23.6% |
| Asian, non-Hispanic | 10,750,000 | 378,000 | 3.5% | 559,000 | 5.2% | 937,000 | 8.7% | 4.2% |
| Other race/ethnicity | 7,835,000 | 609,000 | 7.8% | 689,000 | 8.8% | 1,298,000 | 16.6% | 5.8% |
| Not person of color | 81,221,000 | 5,041,000 | 6.2% | 5,981,000 | 7.4% | 11,022,000 | 13.6% | 49.5% |
| Person of color | 67,973,000 | 5,298,000 | 7.8% | 5,927,000 | 8.7% | 11,226,000 | 16.5% | 50.5% |
| Family status | ||||||||
| Married parent | 35,929,000 | 1,333,000 | 3.7% | 1,657,000 | 4.6% | 2,991,000 | 8.3% | 13.4% |
| Single parent | 12,671,000 | 1,058,000 | 8.3% | 1,240,000 | 9.8% | 2,297,000 | 18.1% | 10.3% |
| Married, no children | 38,517,000 | 1,661,000 | 4.3% | 2,232,000 | 5.8% | 3,892,000 | 10.1% | 17.5% |
| Unmarried, no children | 62,077,000 | 6,288,000 | 10.1% | 6,779,000 | 10.9% | 13,067,000 | 21.0% | 58.7% |
| Education | ||||||||
| Less than high school | 13,072,000 | 2,014,000 | 15.4% | 1,807,000 | 13.8% | 3,822,000 | 29.2% | 17.2% |
| High school | 35,742,000 | 3,606,000 | 10.1% | 4,225,000 | 11.8% | 7,831,000 | 21.9% | 35.2% |
| Some college, no degree | 29,349,000 | 2,469,000 | 8.4% | 3,000,000 | 10.2% | 5,470,000 | 18.6% | 24.6% |
| Associates degree | 13,479,000 | 765,000 | 5.7% | 1,012,000 | 7.5% | 1,777,000 | 13.2% | 8.0% |
| Bachelors degree or higher | 57,552,000 | 1,485,000 | 2.6% | 1,863,000 | 3.2% | 3,348,000 | 5.8% | 15.0% |
| Family income | ||||||||
| Less than $25,000 | 8,347,000 | 2,794,000 | 33.5% | 1,773,000 | 21.2% | 4,568,000 | 54.7% | 20.5% |
| $25,000 – $49,999 | 18,473,000 | 1,999,000 | 10.8% | 2,795,000 | 15.1% | 4,795,000 | 26.0% | 21.6% |
| $50,000 – $74,999 | 22,052,000 | 1,618,000 | 7.3% | 2,183,000 | 9.9% | 3,801,000 | 17.2% | 17.1% |
| $75,000 – $99,999 | 20,745,000 | 1,109,000 | 5.3% | 1,568,000 | 7.6% | 2,677,000 | 12.9% | 12.0% |
| $100,000 – $149,999 | 33,223,000 | 1,304,000 | 3.9% | 1,804,000 | 5.4% | 3,108,000 | 9.4% | 14.0% |
| $150,000 or more | 44,968,000 | 1,135,000 | 2.5% | 1,548,000 | 3.4% | 2,683,000 | 6.0% | 12.1% |
| Family income-to-poverty ratio | ||||||||
| In Poverty | 8,220,000 | 2,764,000 | 33.6% | 1,470,000 | 17.9% | 4,235,000 | 51.5% | 19.0% |
| 100 – 199% poverty | 16,355,000 | 2,482,000 | 15.2% | 3,123,000 | 19.1% | 5,604,000 | 34.3% | 25.2% |
| 200-399% poverty | 44,863,000 | 3,070,000 | 6.8% | 4,274,000 | 9.5% | 7,344,000 | 16.4% | 33.0% |
| 400%+ poverty | 79,755,000 | 2,023,000 | 2.5% | 3,041,000 | 3.8% | 5,064,000 | 6.4% | 22.8% |
| Work hours | ||||||||
| Part time (<20 hours per week) | 9,584,000 | 1,545,000 | 16.1% | 1,309,000 | 13.7% | 2,854,000 | 29.8% | 12.8% |
| Mid time (20-34 hours) | 19,301,000 | 3,082,000 | 16.0% | 3,162,000 | 16.4% | 6,244,000 | 32.4% | 28.1% |
| Full time (35+ hours) | 120,308,000 | 5,712,000 | 4.7% | 7,437,000 | 6.2% | 13,149,000 | 10.9% | 59.1% |
| Industry | ||||||||
| Agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining | 1,968,000 | 155,000 | 7.9% | 137,000 | 7.0% | 292,000 | 14.8% | 1.3% |
| Construction | 8,959,000 | 474,000 | 5.3% | 513,000 | 5.7% | 987,000 | 11.0% | 4.4% |
| Manufacturing | 15,708,000 | 660,000 | 4.2% | 778,000 | 4.9% | 1,437,000 | 9.1% | 6.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 3,057,000 | 137,000 | 4.5% | 151,000 | 4.9% | 288,000 | 9.4% | 1.3% |
| Retail trade | 16,401,000 | 1,889,000 | 11.5% | 1,911,000 | 11.6% | 3,800,000 | 23.2% | 17.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8,919,000 | 456,000 | 5.1% | 511,000 | 5.7% | 967,000 | 10.8% | 4.3% |
| Information | 2,787,000 | 116,000 | 4.2% | 107,000 | 3.9% | 223,000 | 8.0% | 1.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 9,580,000 | 273,000 | 2.8% | 311,000 | 3.2% | 584,000 | 6.1% | 2.6% |
| Professional, science, management services | 11,890,000 | 268,000 | 2.3% | 262,000 | 2.2% | 530,000 | 4.5% | 2.4% |
| Administrative, support, waste services | 5,815,000 | 483,000 | 8.3% | 543,000 | 9.3% | 1,026,000 | 17.6% | 4.6% |
| Educational services | 15,231,000 | 1,027,000 | 6.7% | 1,008,000 | 6.6% | 2,035,000 | 13.4% | 9.1% |
| Healthcare, social assistance | 21,744,000 | 1,320,000 | 6.1% | 1,390,000 | 6.4% | 2,710,000 | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, recreational services | 2,998,000 | 339,000 | 11.3% | 418,000 | 13.9% | 757,000 | 25.2% | 3.4% |
| Accommodation | 1,327,000 | 161,000 | 12.2% | 229,000 | 17.2% | 390,000 | 29.4% | 1.8% |
| Restaurants | 9,223,000 | 1,851,000 | 20.1% | 2,498,000 | 27.1% | 4,349,000 | 47.2% | 19.5% |
| Other services | 5,898,000 | 526,000 | 8.9% | 907,000 | 15.4% | 1,433,000 | 24.3% | 6.4% |
| Public administration | 7,687,000 | 205,000 | 2.7% | 234,000 | 3.0% | 439,000 | 5.7% | 2.0% |
| Tipped occupations | ||||||||
| Not tipped | 145,714,000 | 9,753,000 | 6.7% | 9,703,000 | 6.7% | 19,456,000 | 13.4% | 87.5% |
| Tipped occupations | 3,480,000 | 587,000 | 16.9% | 2,205,000 | 63.4% | 2,792,000 | 80.2% | 12.5% |
| Sector | ||||||||
| For profit | 110,647,000 | 8,287,000 | 7.5% | 9,817,000 | 8.9% | 18,104,000 | 16.4% | 81.4% |
| Nonprofit | 14,671,000 | 857,000 | 5.8% | 866,000 | 5.9% | 1,723,000 | 11.7% | 7.7% |
| Government | 23,875,000 | 1,195,000 | 5.0% | 1,225,000 | 5.1% | 2,421,000 | 10.1% | 10.9% |
Notes: Values reflect the population estimated to be affected by the proposed change in the federal minimum wage. Wage changes resulting from scheduled state and local minimum wage laws are accounted for by EPI’s Minimum Wage Simulation Model. Totals may not sum due to rounding. Shares calculated from unrounded values. Directly affected workers will see their wages rise as the new minimum wage rate will exceed their current hourly pay. Indirectly affected workers have a wage rate just above the new minimum wage (between the new minimum wage and 115% of the new minimum). They will receive a raise as employer pay scales are adjusted upward to reflect the new minimum wage.
Source: Economic Policy Institute Minimum Wage Simulation Model; see Technical Methodology by Cooper, Mokhiber, and Zipperer (2019).
Summary of effects in 2030 of increasing the minimum wage to $17 by 2030, by state
| State | Total workforce | Total Affected | Share of group who are affected | Average annual wage increase of affected workers (2025$) | Total annual wage change (2025$, millions) | Percent change in average annual wages of affected workers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. total | 149,194,000 | 22,247,000 | 14.9% | $3,158 | $70,247 | 11.3% |
| Alabama | 2,055,000 | 567,000 | 27.6% | $4,155 | $2,357 | 15.7% |
| Alaska | 309,000 | 25,000 | 8.2% | * | * | * |
| Arizona | 3,225,000 | 504,000 | 15.6% | $752 | $379 | 2.4% |
| Arkansas | 1,233,000 | 314,000 | 25.5% | $3,293 | $1,034 | 11.8% |
| California | 17,759,000 | * | * | * | * | * |
| Colorado | 2,811,000 | 210,000 | 7.5% | $737 | $155 | 2.1% |
| Connecticut | 1,697,000 | 42,000 | 2.5% | * | * | * |
| Delaware | 466,000 | 74,000 | 15.9% | $1,928 | $143 | 6.8% |
| District of Columbia | 363,000 | * | * | * | * | * |
| Florida | 9,563,000 | 2,143,000 | 22.4% | $962 | $2,062 | 3.0% |
| Georgia | 4,816,000 | 1,085,000 | 22.5% | $4,077 | $4,426 | 15.1% |
| Hawaii | 622,000 | * | * | * | * | * |
| Idaho | 809,000 | 165,000 | 20.4% | $3,433 | $566 | 13.3% |
| Illinois | 5,819,000 | 801,000 | 13.8% | $1,178 | $943 | 4.0% |
| Indiana | 3,053,000 | 646,000 | 21.2% | $3,786 | $2,447 | 14.8% |
| Iowa | 1,442,000 | 308,000 | 21.4% | $3,198 | $986 | 13.0% |
| Kansas | 1,322,000 | 286,000 | 21.7% | $3,514 | $1,006 | 14.0% |
| Kentucky | 1,841,000 | 478,000 | 25.9% | $3,790 | $1,810 | 14.4% |
| Louisiana | 1,805,000 | 596,000 | 33.0% | $5,193 | $3,094 | 19.3% |
| Maine | 597,000 | 64,000 | 10.8% | $1,241 | $80 | 4.7% |
| Maryland | 2,957,000 | 306,000 | 10.4% | $2,488 | $762 | 8.5% |
| Massachusetts | 3,396,000 | 269,000 | 7.9% | $2,126 | $572 | 6.9% |
| Michigan | 4,326,000 | 738,000 | 17.0% | $864 | $637 | 3.3% |
| Minnesota | 2,721,000 | 325,000 | 11.9% | $1,720 | $558 | 6.6% |
| Mississippi | 1,142,000 | 425,000 | 37.2% | $4,566 | $1,941 | 16.9% |
| Missouri | 2,732,000 | 530,000 | 19.4% | $1,228 | $651 | 4.3% |
| Montana | 466,000 | 73,000 | 15.6% | $2,307 | $168 | 8.2% |
| Nebraska | 912,000 | 143,000 | 15.7% | $1,899 | $272 | 6.7% |
| Nevada | 1,447,000 | 311,000 | 21.5% | $2,347 | $731 | 7.2% |
| New Hampshire | 678,000 | 78,000 | 11.5% | $3,734 | $292 | 14.9% |
| New Jersey | 4,442,000 | 122,000 | 2.8% | $5,280 | $645 | 13.6% |
| New Mexico | 907,000 | 237,000 | 26.1% | $2,750 | $651 | 9.5% |
| New York | 8,792,000 | 213,000 | 2.4% | $2,683 | $572 | 6.0% |
| North Carolina | 4,682,000 | 1,263,000 | 27.0% | $3,772 | $4,765 | 14.0% |
| North Dakota | 353,000 | 46,000 | 13.2% | $3,311 | $154 | 13.0% |
| Ohio | 5,215,000 | 940,000 | 18.0% | $2,773 | $2,606 | 10.5% |
| Oklahoma | 1,654,000 | 469,000 | 28.4% | $4,277 | $2,008 | 15.8% |
| Oregon | 1,859,000 | 132,000 | 7.1% | $478 | $63 | 1.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 5,768,000 | 1,066,000 | 18.5% | $3,609 | $3,848 | 14.3% |
| Rhode Island | 507,000 | 64,000 | 12.6% | $2,117 | $135 | 7.4% |
| South Carolina | 2,236,000 | 577,000 | 25.8% | $4,141 | $2,390 | 15.5% |
| South Dakota | 409,000 | 70,000 | 17.1% | $2,320 | $162 | 8.5% |
| Tennessee | 3,052,000 | 634,000 | 20.8% | $4,223 | $2,679 | 15.4% |
| Texas | 13,896,000 | 3,258,000 | 23.4% | $4,910 | $15,997 | 18.3% |
| Utah | 1,578,000 | 317,000 | 20.1% | $3,225 | $1,021 | 13.5% |
| Vermont | 290,000 | 26,000 | 9.0% | * | * | * |
| Virginia | 3,942,000 | 586,000 | 14.9% | $2,838 | $1,662 | 9.9% |
| Washington | 3,546,000 | * | * | * | * | * |
| West Virginia | 682,000 | 186,000 | 27.2% | $3,963 | $737 | 15.0% |
| Wisconsin | 2,758,000 | 468,000 | 17.0% | $3,281 | $1,537 | 13.5% |
| Wyoming | 242,000 | 52,000 | 21.7% | $4,381 | $229 | 17.0% |
Notes: Values reflect the population estimated to be affected by the proposed change in the federal minimum wage. Wage changes resulting from scheduled state and local minimum wage laws are accounted for by EPI’s Minimum Wage Simulation Model. Totals may not sum due to rounding. Shares calculated from unrounded values. Affected workers include both directly affected workers (who will see their wages rise as the new minimum wage rate will exceed their current hourly pay) and indirectly affected workers (who have a wage rate just above the new minimum wage (between the new minimum wage and 115% of the new minimum, and who will receive a raise as employer pay scales are adjusted upward to reflect the new minimum wage). Values marked * cannot be displayed because of sample size restrictions.
Source: Economic Policy Institute Minimum Wage Simulation Model; see Technical Methodology by Cooper, Mokhiber, and Zipperer (2019).