A National Analysis of Minimum Wage

Recently, President Obama’s proposal to raise the national minimum wage to $10.10 per hour has sparked debates about what hiking up the minimum wage to a “livable” wage will do the nation’s economy.

Each state has its own ability to enact a minimum wage level, but the higher wage (whether it be the national $7.25 per hour or the state’s wage) takes precedence. However, after an analysis from Wall Street, it was revealed that many states neglect their own minimum wages.

Arkansas, Georgia, Minnesota, and Wyoming all have minimum wage thresholds that are lower than the national wage rate. In addition, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee do not have a state minimum wage at all. New Hampshire repealed their minimum wage laws in 2011.

Only 21 states and the District of Columbia have minimum wages set above the federal threshold of $7.25 per hour.

California is currently tied for 7th highest minimum wage (tied with Massachusetts). California is also among the nation’s most expensive states to live in.

Source: USA Today