In accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, the federal minimum wage in 1956 was set at $1/hr.

Effective Date 1938 Act 1961 Amendments 1966 and Subsequent
Amendments 
Oct 24, 1938$0.25
Oct 24, 1939$0.30
Oct 24, 1945$0.40
Jan 25, 1950$0.75
Mar 1, 1956$1.00
Sep 3, 1961$1.15$1.00
Sep 3, 1963$1.25
Sep 3, 1964$1.15
Sep 3, 1965$1.25
Feb 1, 1967$1.40$1.40Nonfarm – $1.00, Farm – $1.00
Feb 1, 1968$1.60$1.60Nonfarm – $1.15, Farm – $1.15
Feb 1, 1969Nonfarm – $1.30, Farm – $1.30
Feb 1, 1970Nonfarm – $1.00
Feb 1, 1971Nonfarm – $1.60
May 1, 1974$2.00$2.00Nonfarm – $1.90, Farm – $1.60
Jan. 1, 1975$2.10$2.10Nonfarm – $2.00, Farm – $1.80
Jan 1, 1976$2.30$2.30Nonfarm – $2.20, Farm – $2.00
Jan 1, 1977Nonfarm – $2.30, Farm – $2.20
Jan 1, 1978$2.65 for all covered, nonexempt workers$2.65 for all covered, nonexempt workers$2.65 for all covered, nonexempt workers
Jan 1, 1979$2.90 for all covered, nonexempt workers$2.90 for all covered, nonexempt workers$2.90 for all covered, nonexempt workers
Jan 1, 1980$3.10 for all covered, nonexempt workers$3.10 for all covered, nonexempt workers$3.10 for all covered, nonexempt workers
Jan 1, 1981$3.35 for all covered, nonexempt workers$3.35 for all covered, nonexempt workers$3.35 for all covered, nonexempt workers
Apr 1, 1990 $3.80 for all covered, nonexempt workers$3.80 for all covered, nonexempt workers$3.80 for all covered, nonexempt workers
Apr 1, 1991$4.25 for all covered, nonexempt workers$4.25 for all covered, nonexempt workers$4.25 for all covered, nonexempt workers
Oct 1, 1996$4.75 for all covered, nonexempt workers$4.75 for all covered, nonexempt workers$4.75 for all covered, nonexempt workers
Sep 1, 1997 $5.15 for all covered, nonexempt workers$5.15 for all covered, nonexempt workers$5.15 for all covered, nonexempt workers
Jul 24, 2007$5.85 for all covered, nonexempt workers$5.85 for all covered, nonexempt workers$5.85 for all covered, nonexempt workers
Jul 24, 2008$6.55 for all covered, nonexempt workers$6.55 for all covered, nonexempt workers$6.55 for all covered, nonexempt workers
Jul 24, 2009$7.25 for all covered, nonexempt workers$7.25 for all covered, nonexempt workers$7.25 for all covered, nonexempt workers
US Department of labor

More than twenty states increased their minimum wages for workers in 2021. These states include Connecticut, Nevada, Oregon, Florida and others.

State Minimum Wage Rates

State 2020 Minimum Wage 2021 Minimum Wage 
Alabama $7.25 (Federal, no state minimum) $7.25 (Federal, no state minimum) 
Alaska $10.19 $10.34 
Arizona $12.00 $12.15 
Arkansas $10.00 $11.00 
California  $13.00 $14.00* 
Colorado $12.00 $12.32 
Connecticut $12.00 $13.00 (effective 8/1/21) 
Delaware $9.25$10.25 
Washington D.C. $15.00 $15.20 
Florida $8.56 $10.00 (effective 9/30/21) 
Georgia $5.15 (Employers subject to Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the $7.25 Federal minimum wage.) $5.15 (Employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the $7.25 Federal minimum wage) 
Hawaii $10.10 $10.10 
Idaho $7.25 $7.25 
Illinois $10.00 $11.00 
Indiana $7.25 $7.25 
Iowa $7.25 $7.25 
Kansas $7.25 $7.25 
Kentucky $7.25 $7.25 
Louisiana $7.25 (Federal, no state minimum) $7.25 (Federal, no state minimum) 
Maine $12.00 $12.15 
Maryland $11.00 $11.75** 
Massachusetts $12.75 $13.50 
Michigan $9.65 $9.65
Minnesota $10.00 $10.08*** 
Mississippi $7.25 (Federal, no state minimum) $7.25 (Federal, no state minimum) 
Missouri $9.45 $10.30 
Montana $8.65 $8.75 
Nebraska $9.00 $9.00 
Nevada $8.00 $8.75 (effective 7/1/21)**** 
New Hampshire $7.25) $7.25 
New Jersey $11.00 $12.00***** 
New Mexico $9.00 $10.50 
New York $11.80 $12.50****** 
North Carolina $7.25 $7.25 
North Dakota $7.25 $7.25 
Ohio $8.70 $8.80 
Oklahoma $7.25 $7.25 
Oregon $12.00 $12.75 (effective 7/1/21)******  
Pennsylvania $7.25 $7.25 
Rhode Island $10.50 $11.50 
South Carolina $7.25 (Federal, no state minimum) $7.25 (Federal, no state minimum) 
South Dakota $9.30 $9.45 
Tennessee $7.25 (Federal, no state minimum) $7.25 (Federal, no state minimum) 
Texas $7.25 $7.25 
Utah $7.25 $7.25 
Vermont $10.96 $11.75 
Virginia $7.25 $9.50 (effective 5/1/21) 
Washington $13.50 $13.69 
West Virginia $8.75 $8.75 
Wisconsin $7.25 $7.25 
Wyoming $5.15 (Employers subject to Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the Federal minimum wage.) $5.15 (Employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the $7.25 Federal minimum wage) 
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