The federal minimum has not been raised since July 2009, the longest stretch since it was created in 1938. Guess first, then see where the buying power went.
In February 1968 the federal minimum was $1.60 an hour. What is that worth in September 2026 dollars?
| Effective | On the check | In Sept 2026 $ | % of avg pay |
|---|
Average pay is average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory workers, available from 1964.
Federal minimum wage for nonfarm workers (FEDMINNFRWG, US Department of Labor), consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPIAUCSL, BLS, seasonally adjusted) and average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory employees (AHETPI, BLS), all from FRED, St. Louis Fed, retrieved 27 Oct 2026. Monthly data from January 1947 to September 2026. Today's dollars use the September 2026 CPI of 336.298. The CPI for October 2025 was not collected, so that one month is the midpoint of its neighbours. Many states and cities set a higher minimum, so this is the federal floor only. Not financial advice.