What is the Federal Minimum Wage in the US in 2022?
As of 2022, the federal minimum wage in the USA is $7.25 per hour meaning this is the minimum hourly pay expected for non-exempt workers. Since the federal law overrides the state laws, the federal minimum wage requirements apply to all states nationwide. This federal labor law is responsible for ensuring worker’s rights protection.
According to the history of the federal minimum wage rates, the lowest hourly wage requirement has remained unchanged since 2009 [2]. The majority of minimum wage adjustments are executed on a state level, or municipally. Despite this trend, workers in certain occupations or circumstances may be exempt from the federal hourly rate requirement.
Minimum Wage VS Tipped Wage
As established, each state has its own minimum wage requirements being at or higher than the federal minimum. So, are there any workers who are entitled to less than that? Yes! Tipped workers in the US are commonly exempt from these regulations, as they are expected to receive the majority of income in the form of tips.
As a rule, the states adopt their own minimum tipped wage bouncing off of $2.13 per hour – the federal minimum counterpart. In order to ensure the fair treatment of tipped employees, the wages and tips combined must at least equal the $7.25 per hour. Otherwise, the employer needs to compensate their staff by increasing cash wages.
2022 Minimum Wage by State Map.
Below is the 2022 minimum wage by state map illustrating the minimum wage hourly rates within each (data gathered from the US Department of Labor). For convenience, the map has been color-coded to show the states roughly falling within the low, medium, and high wage rates based on their proximity to the federal minimum. Click here if you want to view the low-to-high 2022 minimum wage table.
The data are compiled and reported on a yearly basis by the US Department of Labor, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Current Population Survey. Any recorded wage adjustments and historic trends result in multiple insights and interesting facts, e.g. demographic factors, economic factors, changes in the labor market, etc.
Minimum Wage Increases. 2021 VS 2022
In 2022, eleven states have increased their minimum wage. Among these states are California, Illinois, Maryland, Delaware, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, New Mexico, Vermont, and Virginia [3]. To compare the 2022 minimum wage by state map with records from 2021, check out the map we created last year.
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DID YOU KNOW?
The federal minimum wage was last changed in 2008 when it was raised from $6.55 to $7.25 [2].
Seven states apply the same minimum wage to tipped and non-tipped employees. Other 42 states have a lower hourly rate for tipped employees than for the non-tipped [4]. Employers in these states are required to compensate all employees whose combined wage and tips amount to less than the minimum requirement of the federal tipped hourly rate.
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Low to High 2022 Minimum Wage by State
Low Minimum Wage
Medium Minimum Wage
High Minimum Wage
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