How many people in the US make $7.25 an hour?

In 2023, around 81,000 hourly workers in the U.S. earned exactly $7.25 per hour, representing about 1.1% of all hourly employees, with many more earning wages slightly above or below this federal minimum, especially in service jobs, as most states have higher minimums. While the federal minimum wage remains $7.25, a smaller percentage of workers are paid that exact rate compared to past years, with most hourly workers earning higher wages due to state and local laws.

How many people make $7.25 an hour?

In 2023, 80.5 million workers age 16 and older in the United States were paid at hourly rates, representing 55.7 percent of all wage and salary workers. Among those paid by the hour, 81,000 workers earned exactly the prevailing federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

Does anyone make 7.25 an hour?

While 2.3% of hourly workers ages 16 to 24 earn $7.25 an hour or less, 1.2% of hourly workers ages 25 to 34 earn the minimum wage.

Is $7.25 a livable wage?

No, $7.25 an hour is not considered a livable wage in the United States; it's below the poverty line for a full-time worker and insufficient to cover basic necessities like housing, food, and healthcare in any location, even though some states have higher minimums. A true living wage, which accounts for actual living costs, is significantly higher, often ranging from $20-$26 or more depending on location and family size, according to researchers at MIT. 

How many states are 7.25 an hour?

Currently, 34 states, territories and districts have minimum wages above the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Five states have not adopted a state minimum wage: Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee. Three states, Georgia, Oklahoma and Wyoming, have a minimum wage below $7.25 per hour.

Who still makes the federal minimum wage of $7.25?

What is the average hourly in the US?

The median hourly wage for white people ages 25 to 64 is $29 per hour compared to $23 per hour for people of color. Men ages 25 to 64 of all races and ethnicities have a median hourly wage of $28 while women's median hourly wage is just $24. Latina women have the lowest median hourly wage at $19 per hour.

Why is Target paying $24 an hour?

Target pays up to $24 an hour for some entry-level roles because of intense retail competition, labor shortages, and inflation, leading them to invest in higher wages and better benefits (like expanded healthcare) to attract and retain employees in competitive markets, rather than paying a universal $24 minimum. The rate varies by location and role, with the highest pay in high-cost, competitive areas, as part of a broader $300 million investment in their workforce announced in 2022. 

Can you survive on 7.25 an hour?

If that worker is a single parent with one child, they're below the poverty line, which is $20,440 for a family of two. The bottom line: For most people, earning $7.25 an hour doesn't cut it as providing a living wage.

What is $80,000 a year hourly?

$80,000 a year is approximately $38.46 per hour, assuming a standard 40-hour workweek (2080 working hours per year), calculated by dividing your annual salary by 2080. This breaks down to about $1,538 weekly, $3,077 bi-weekly, or $6,667 monthly before taxes. 

Is $40,000 a year considered poor?

$40k a year isn't universally poverty; it's low-middle class for a single person in the US, but can feel like poverty in high-cost cities or for families, while being comfortable in cheaper areas, heavily depending on location, household size, and lifestyle, as the federal poverty line for a single person is much lower (around $15k) but a family of four needs over $30k just to meet poverty thresholds. 

How much is $70,000 a year hourly?

$70,000 a year is approximately $33.65 per hour, assuming a standard 40-hour work week (2080 working hours per year), calculated by dividing $70,000 by 2080. This figure is your gross hourly wage before taxes and deductions. 

What is the lowest paid job in the US?

1: Shampooer. The worst-paying job on the list is shampooers. They work in hair salons washing and rinsing customers' hair. Mean hourly wages are $14.07 and mean annual wages are $29,260.

When did $7.25 become the minimum wage?

The 2007 amendments increased the minimum wage to $5.85 per hour effective July 24, 2007; $6.55 per hour effective July 24, 2008; and $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009.

What is considered a low salary in the US?

A widely used federal guideline defines low income as $15,650 annually for one person and $32,150 for a family of four in 2025.

How much do you make a year if you make $7.25 an hour?

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour (about $15,000 annually). Many cities and states across the U.S. have adopted higher minimums.

What is $100,000 a year hourly?

$100,000 a year is approximately $48.08 per hour, calculated by dividing the annual salary by 2,080 working hours (40 hours/week * 52 weeks/year), but it can vary if you work more or fewer hours, such as $38.46/hour for 50 hours/week or $64.10/hour for 30 hours/week. 

How much is $90,000 a year per hour?

$90,000 a year is approximately $43.27 per hour, assuming a standard 40-hour workweek (2080 work hours per year), calculated by dividing your annual salary by 2080. This figure can change slightly if you work more or fewer hours, with more hours meaning a lower hourly rate and fewer hours meaning a higher rate. 

Is 80k a year wealthy?

No, $80,000 a year isn't considered "rich" but rather a solid middle-class income in most of the U.S., providing comfort for a single person in lower cost-of-living areas but feeling tight in expensive cities; it's well above the national median income but requires careful budgeting, especially for families, to build wealth.
 

Is it better to be salaried or hourly?

Neither salary nor hourly pay is inherently better; it depends on individual needs, but salary usually offers better benefits and stability (like health insurance, PTO, consistent pay) while hourly offers overtime pay for extra hours worked, making it better for those who can work many hours or need flexible schedules, though it lacks income consistency. Salary provides predictable income but caps earnings, whereas hourly pay allows for increased income with more hours but risks less pay with fewer hours or absences. 

What states pay $7.25 an hour?

Several states still have the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour because they haven't set a higher one, including Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, with states like Georgia, Oklahoma, and Wyoming having even lower rates where $7.25 applies, while others have no state minimum wage at all.
 

What is a livable wage in 2025?

A living wage for 2025 varies significantly by location and family size, but generally requires much more than the federal minimum wage, with single adults needing upwards of $27/hour in high-cost states like California (around $59k/year) and families needing over $50/hour combined to cover basic needs like housing, food, and childcare, with some studies showing major gaps between current minimums and actual living wage requirements nationwide. 

What is America's average hourly wage?

How much does an American make? As of Jan 10, 2026, the average annual pay for an American in the United States is $58,563 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $28.16 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,126/week or $4,880/month.

What is the 15 minute rule at Target?

Numerous Target workers have been fired over a policy known colloquially as the 15-minute rule. The rule is meant to ensure that customers have time to buy high-demand items, such as Stanley cups. Some workers told BI the exact policy document mentioning the rule could be difficult to find.

Why is Costco paying 30 dollars an hour?

Costco's plan to raise wages to $30 per hour for its top-scale store workers isn't just a win for the company. It's a sign of what's to come for the retail industry at large. Higher pay, engaged employees and a focus on emerging roles are setting a new standard for what it means to work in retail.

Who pays better, Walmart or Target?

Generally, Target pays slightly more for many entry-level roles like cashiers and sales associates, with higher starting wages and a strong push for above-median pay, while Walmart may offer better bonuses and slightly higher pay for some specialized roles like assistant managers and certain stocking positions, though both offer competitive wages that vary by location and role, making Target often seen as having better overall pay for frontline staff.