Annual Statistical Supplement, 2003

Social Welfare and the Economy

Employment and Earnings

Table 3.B3 Federal minimum wage rates under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and average hourly earnings and average weekly hours for production workers in manufacturing, selected years 1938–2002
Effective date Minimum hourly wage for workers
in jobs first covered by—		 Production workers
in manufacturing a
1938 act b
(dollars)		 1961
amendments c
(dollars)		 1966 and subsequent
amendments d		 Average
gross hourly
earnings
(dollars)		 Average
weekly
hours
Nonfarm
(dollars)		 Farm
(dollars)
October 24
1938 0.25 . . . . . . . . . 0.62 35.6
1939 0.30 . . . . . . . . . 0.63 37.7
1945 0.40 . . . . . . . . . 1.02 43.5
January 25, 1950 0.75 . . . . . . . . . 1.44 40.5
March 1, 1956 1.00 . . . . . . . . . 1.95 40.4
September 3
1961 1.15 1.00 . . . . . . 2.32 39.8
1963 1.25 1.00 . . . . . . 2.46 40.5
1964 1.25 1.15 . . . . . . 2.53 40.7
1965 1.25 1.25 . . . . . . 2.61 41.2
February 1
1967 1.40 1.40 1.00 1.00 2.83 40.6
1968 1.60 1.60 1.15 1.15 3.01 40.7
1969 1.60 1.60 1.30 1.30 3.19 40.6
1970 1.60 1.60 1.45 1.30 3.36 39.8
1971 1.60 1.60 1.60 1.30 3.57 39.9
May 1, 1974 2.00 2.00 1.90 1.60 4.42 40.0
January 1
1975 2.10 2.10 2.00 1.80 4.83 39.5
1976 2.30 2.30 2.20 2.00 5.22 40.1
1977 2.30 2.30 2.30 2.20 5.68 40.3
1978 2.65 2.65 2.65 2.65 6.17 40.4
1979 2.90 2.90 2.90 2.90 6.70 40.2
1980 3.10 3.10 3.10 3.10 7.27 39.7
1981 3.35 3.35 3.35 3.35 7.99 39.8
1982 3.35 3.35 3.35 3.35 8.49 38.9
1983 3.35 3.35 3.35 3.35 8.83 40.1
1984 3.35 3.35 3.35 3.35 9.19 40.7
1985 3.35 3.35 3.35 3.35 9.54 40.5
1986 3.35 3.35 3.35 3.35 9.73 40.7
1987 3.35 3.35 3.35 3.35 9.91 41.0
1988 3.35 3.35 3.35 3.35 10.19 41.1
1989 3.35 3.35 3.35 3.35 10.48 41.0
April 1
1990 e 3.80 3.80 3.80 3.80 10.83 40.8
1991 e 4.25 4.25 4.25 4.25 11.18 40.7
1992 e 4.25 4.25 4.25 4.25 11.46 41.0
1993 e 4.25 4.25 4.25 4.25 11.74 41.4
1994 4.25 4.25 4.25 4.25 12.07 42.0
1995 4.25 4.25 4.25 4.25 12.37 41.6
October 1, 1996 e 4.75 4.75 4.75 4.75 12.77 41.6
September 1, 1997 e 5.15 5.15 5.15 5.15 13.17 42.0
January 1
1998 e 5.15 5.15 5.15 5.15 13.49 41.7
1999 e 5.15 5.15 5.15 5.15 13.91 41.7
2000 e 5.15 5.15 5.15 5.15 14.38 41.6
2001 e 5.15 5.15 5.15 5.15 14.83 40.7
2002 e 5.15 5.15 5.15 5.15 15.30 40.9
a. For year in which minimum wage rate changes were effective.
b. The 1938 act was applicable generally to employees engaged in interstate commerce or in the production of goods for interstate commerce.
c. The 1961 amendments extended coverage primarily to employees in large retail and service trades as well as local transit, construction, and gasoline service station employees.
d. The 1966 amendments extended coverage to state and local government employees of hospitals, nursing homes, and schools, and to employees of laundries, dry cleaners, large hotels and motels, restaurants, and farms. Subsequent amendments extended coverage to the remaining federal, state, and local employees not protected in 1966, to certain workers in retail and service trades previously exempted, and to certain domestic workers in private household employment.
e. A training wage may be paid for a period of 90 days to an employee who has not attained age 20. The training wage was $3.35 per hour effective April 1, 1990, and $3.61 per hour effective April 1, 1991, through March 31, 1993. Effective October 1, 1996, the training wage is $4.25 per hour.
SOURCE: Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
NOTE: . . . = not applicable.
CONTACT: Greg Diez (410) 965-0153.