In the Netherlands, the minimum wage amounts to a full-time salary of roughly $34,192 per year

The way the minimum wage is set in other countries often differs from US methods

Unlike the US, some countries set the minimum wage by industry through collective bargaining agreements. In Luxembourg, the minimum wage translates to roughly $19.50 per hour, currently making it the country with the highest minimum wage in the world.

The monthly minimum wage a full-time worker receives varies around the world

In Luxembourg, for instance, the monthly minimum was roughly $2,140 as of January 2023. But in Nigeria, it was just $68 a month. Of course, the cost of living varies by country too.

The federal minimum wage in the US has been $7.25 per hour since 2009

While some argue that raising it is essential for reducing poverty, others fear it could lead to inflation and job cuts. The complexity deepens with states setting their own minimum wages—some even below the federal rate—leading to a patchwork of wage laws.

The US had roughly 1.6 million minimum wage workers as of 2021

Typically, minimum wage workers are young. They’re not only more likely to be a woman than a man, but also more likely to be single than married.

Explore an interactive chart that shows peoples' annual salaries by occupation

The median salary for full-time workers in the United States was roughly $49.5K in 2024. An interactive chart details how salaries differ by occupation.

The average salary for full-time gig workers is roughly $60K a year in the US

High-earners can make more than six figures, while close to 15% make less than the federal minimum hour wage. Most gig workers in the United States still have to file a tax return every year.

See every time the minimum wage has been raised

Unlike some other nations, the US minimum wage isn’t tied to inflation. So instead of it automatically rising alongside the cost of living, Congress has to vote to raise the minimum wage every time they think it’s necessary.

An animation of how the minimum wage changed every year from 1968 to 2018

In the United States, both the federal and state minimum wages have changed a lot over the years. See how—both in each state and at the federal level.

At just over $1K, Mississippi has the lowest average weekly wage in the country

The mean weekly wage in the US is $1,459—more than a $1K difference from Washington, DC, where the average weekly wage is nearly $2.4K. Also among the highest earning states are Washington, Massachusetts, and California. Likewise, Mississippi, West Virginia, and Arkansas have the lowest weekly averages.

The overall median annual salary in the US was $62,192 as of 2025

The age group with the highest median annual salary in the US, $70,824, was made up of people ages 45 to 54, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data from July 28, 2025.

See the average income in every US state

DC residents make an average of $108K a year, but residents of nearby state West Virginia earn the country's lowest average annual income of just $55K.

The salary needed to buy a home in the US

Anyone who has recently explored buying a home in the US knows it's not a cheap endeavor. The median salary for the typical American homebuyer has risen to roughly $104K, up from $88K two years ago. This data visualization breaks down the household income required to buy a median-priced home in 50 major US metro areas. Learn more here.

In 1980, the median US household income was $21,020

In 1980, a steady middle-class job paid roughly $13,000 to $16,000 a year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. That income comfortably supported a household on one paycheck. The average full-time worker today, who makes $68K per year often cannot afford to support a household without a second income.

In some expensive US cities, a $100K salary hardly offers a comfortable living

After tax, a $100K salary leaves you between $70K and $80K, depending on where you live. The value of what's left over varies significantly from city to city, with considerations like rent and grocery costs impacting how much money you lose.

The countries with the highest wealth per person, ranked

When looking at countries with the highest average wealth per person, the United States comes in at number three (with $564,862 per person). But the US doesn't even make the top 10 when looking at the median wealth per person rather than the average, which is perhaps a more accurate version of the data. Explore the numbers here.

See how the income taxes in the US compare to other countries

The US's highest marginal income tax rate is 37%. That rate is compared to other countries' both in a map and accompanying chart. Denmark has the highest rate at nearly 56%, while a handful of countries don't use marginal taxes at all. In the Middle East, many countries count on oil and gas to finance their governments.

Many states require higher direct wage amounts for tipped employees than the federal requirement

Employers of "tipped employees" are required to pay them $2.13 per hour in direct wages if that amount, combined with the tips, at least equals the federal minimum wage of $7.25. If the employee's tips combined with the employer's direct wages of at least $2.13 per hour do not equal the federal minimum hourly wage, the employer has to make up the difference. However, this differs from state to state. This interactive map shows what tipped workers make per hour in every state.

San Francisco has the highest-paying average monthly salary in the US at $7,092

Other relatively high monthly average salaries in major cities worldwide include those in Switzerland, specifically Geneva at $7,984 and Zurich at $7,788. This chart shows other major cities across the world with high average monthly salaries.

US tipped employees receive the 'subminimum wage' of $2.13, unchanged since 1991

Tipped employees (anyone who makes $30+ per month in tips) are not federally entitled to a traditional minimum wage. Customers determine their earnings. The National Restaurant Association believes that if restaurant owners are forced to pay above the subminimum wage for tipped workers, restaurants could be forced to close.

Tracking annual working hours per worker in major countries

In 2023, China's workers averaged 2,328 hours per year, far ahead of the second country on the list, the United States, at 1,789. This chart shows the relative decrease of total work time across the world since the late 1800s.

Living wage calculator

Some people who work low-wage jobs don't make enough money to pay for the cost of basic needs (like housing or child care) in their area of the country. Curious to see whether or not you make what's considered a "living wage" for your city or state? To find out, plug your locale into this Living Wage Calculator.

Does minimum wage hurt workers?

Many economists traditionally believed raising the minimum wage hurt workers more than helped them. They argued that doing so would lead to job losses believing that if something is more expensive (like labor), people (like business owners) would want to buy less of it. However, recent research suggests otherwise.

At $55K, on average, New Jersey is the most expensive US state to host a wedding

Wedding costs vary significantly depending on location. Utah is the least expensive, at $17K, on average, per wedding. If you're curious to see where your state falls, check out this map for a visualization of each state's average wedding price.

The income needed to raise a family by US state

This map shows the annual household income needed to raise a family of four in each US state. West Virginia is the least expensive state on the map at $82K per year. These numbers were calculated based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data which factored in how annual living expenses such as housing, transportation, and groceries differ from state to state. See the map here.

It takes an average of 14 days of work to afford a monthly mortgage in the US

This map of the US shows the number of eight-hour workdays it would take to afford a monthly mortgage payment in each state. Specifically, the calculations are based on median hourly wages in each state, as well as a 30-year mortgage, 5.8% mortgage rate, and a 6% down payment.

The best US cities for entry-level jobs with livable wages

In Bakersfield, California, 100% of entry-level job ads on Indeed recently claimed to pay above the local living wage. But other cities, like Honolulu, Hawaii, aren't as livable for entry-level workers: Just 27.69% of new job posts advertise a salary in line with the city's living wage.

US child care costs, mapped

It's no secret that child care in the US is expensive, but this map provides more color to that observation by showing the average annual price of child care in licensed child care centers for infants, by state, in 2023. South Dakota, for instance, had the lowest infant child care cost at $7,862 per year. See how the rest of the states fared here.

Visualize tipping norms around the world with this map that reveals the US tips more service providers and leaves larger amounts than anywhere else globally.

Members of the United States Congress earn $174,000 annually

Members of the United States Congress have received the same pay since 2009. Leadership roles are more lucrative, and lawmakers become eligible for a federal pension after five years, with benefits tied to the length of service and salary.

The average retirement age by country, visualized

In the US, the average retirement age was 64 as of 2020. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development projects a two-year increase in the average retirement age by the mid-2060s.

Many countries, like Iceland and Norway, offer pensions to elderly citizens

Iceland, Luxembourg, and Norway offer some of the highest annual pension payouts at over 30,000 euros. The below chart shows how European nations stack up in terms of which offer the highest annual pension payouts.

US teachers' earnings have declined since 2010

Although teachers are among the nation’s most educated workers, they earn far less on average than most other highly educated workers. More than 95% of elementary, middle and high school teachers have a bachelor’s degree or more. In 2019, the average earnings of elementary and middle school teachers with a bachelor’s degree or more who work full-time, year-round was $53,800. For high school teachers, it was $57,840.

401(k) plans had an average of $112K as of 2023

The median, however, is much lower at around $27K. The average balance of a 401(k) in the US differs across different age groups and income levels.

The average American household spends over $3K annually on dining out

The exact number is $3,228, or $269 per month. WalletHub found the number by crunching the data reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics between 2014 and 2023.

NBA players are the best paid athletes in major US sports

The NFL is the most valuable pro league in the world, but its players aren’t making nearly as much as NBA players. This CNBC video dives into how league structure, salary cap, and guaranteed contracts define how much an athlete will make, and shows how NBA players are able to use those to get almost double the average annual salary of other pro leagues.

California has the highest median rent in the US at $2,104

Hawaii has the second-highest median rent in the US at roughly $1,942 per month, including utilities. That's as of 2024, based on data from the US Census Bureau.

Here's how much money Americans spend on Halloween

In 2024, Americans are expected to spend more than $11B on Halloween, which averages out to roughly $104 per person, according to the National Retail Federation's Halloween Spending Survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. That $11B number includes an anticipated almost $4B spent on costumes. See the full breakdown here.

US state economies compared to entire countries

This map compares US state economies by their gross domestic product to that of a similarly sized country. For instance, California has the largest state economy in the US, with a GDP nearly equal to that of India, the fifth-largest economy in the world. Click here to see how the rest of the states compare.

The most common job in each US state in 2024

In 15 states, the most common job by number of employees is "fast food worker." Other most common jobs include cashiers and nurses.

The Federal Reserve tracks how much US currency is circulated around the world every year

It's estimated that about half of US currency is circulated outside of the US. In 2023, there were 54.6B US notes circulated, with 18.9B of those being $100 bills. This chart shows how many US notes have circulated since 1997.

Why everyone is openly discussing pay

In 2021, Colorado became the first state in the US to require public disclosures of salary ranges. Flash forward a few years, and other places in America would get salary transparency laws, too, like Washington state, New York City, and California. But the salary transparency movement might have a downside: Some researchers believe it could hurt wage growth for workers over time. Watch this video to learn more.

Police officer salaries vary dramatically depending on where officers serve

Officer pay varies significantly across states and cities, with the highest salaries in California, New Jersey, and Washington. Factors such as local funding, cost of living, and collective bargaining agreements influence compensation.

The US lags behind other developed countries in math and science scores

The Programme for International Student Assessment, administered every three years by the OECD to 15-year-olds, scores US students below the OECD average in math (465 vs. 472) and only slightly above average in science (499 vs. 485). These figures place US pupils in the lower half of developed nations.

The US federal government employs roughly 3 million people

Tracking began in 1939, when the federal workforce consisted of about 1 million people. The total peaked in 1990 at 3.4 million, and hit a recent low in 2014 at 2.7 million.

See where Americans spend the most on gas

Drivers in Wyoming spend the most on gas per month at about $279, while New York drivers pay the least at $132. Longer driving distances have a significant impact on how much American drivers spend on gas.

The value of a dollar differs from state to state

Did you know that $100 is worth 26% less in California than in Arkansas? The value of a dollar isn't consistent in every US state due to a multitude of factors, such as taxes and other varying cost-of-living differences.

How much your blood really costs

In the US, donating plasma twice a week can earn you $400 a month. But this system only works by targeting people who need the money most. Plasma clinics are placed in low-income zip codes, and frequent donation may increase health risks.

Hollywood actors make an average of $56K per year

While a Hollywood actor’s average salary can vary based their experience and the size of their projects, the average annual salary. in 2024 was $56,903.

The world's top agriculture-producing countries

Agriculture is one of the most important industries in the global economy, and while every country produces some of its own food, some countries dominate the markets. The US, Brazil, and the Netherlands are the world's top three agriculture exporters. See more charts and statistics on the topic with this Investopedia article.

The average cost for an in-state, public university is close to $30K per year

To cover the cost, students turn to a variety of sources. Parental contributions plus savings funds cover about half of the expenses on average, with students relying on other sources—typically federal aid, in the form of scholarships and loans—to cover the rest.