Is Your State Paying More Than $7.25 an Hour? Find Out What You Could Be Earning!

Okay let s talk about the federal minimum wage If that number sounds familiar that s because it s been stuck at per hour for years Yep since Now it s and it feels like the world has changed in so numerous tactics but this wage still hasn t budged So if you re wondering how this plays out in real life you re not alone The truth is in chosen states isn t even close to what people are authentically earning and in other places it s still the sad old standard Let s dive into why chosen states have raised wages and others haven t and what this all means for workers right now Why Is the Federal Minimum Wage Still It s crazy right The federal minimum wage has been the same for over years The last time it was raised was back in Since then inflation has gone up the cost of living has shot through the roof and yet workers across the country are still stuck with the same basic pay At an hour a full-time job hours per week would only bring in around a month before taxes If you re trying to live on that especially in currently s world where everything from rent to groceries keeps climbing you re maybe feeling the squeeze It s clear that just isn t cutting it anymore States Are Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands While the federal wage is still stagnant a lot of states have stepped up to raise wages on their own The cost of living isn t the same everywhere and selected places have recognized that their workers need more to survive So in particular parts of the country minimum wage has been raised way higher than that mark Here s what chosen of the highest paying states look like States with Higher Minimum Wages California per hour and in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles it s even higher Washington per hour and this continues to rise slightly every year to keep up with inflation Massachusetts per hour this is a big help in a state where things can get pretty pricey Oregon per hour definitely a step up for people living in cities where rent is high Colorado per hour great news for workers in places like Denver where the cost of living has been climbing steadily For workers in these states an hour means you can indeed make enough to pay bills cover rent and live a bit more comfortably than someone stuck at the federal minimum Chosen States Are Still Sticking to On the flip side there are still states that are paying just per hour because they re sticking with the federal minimum wage These places typically have a lower cost of living but even then just doesn t add up when you factor in things like rent utilities and even groceries States that are still using the federal minimum wage include Wyoming per hour Georgia per hour North Dakota per hour Even though the cost of living might be cheaper in these places workers here are still left trying to survive on the same rate that was set years ago It s a tough situation for anyone trying to get by on that amount The Minimum Wage Debate You ve presumably heard about the minimum wage by now It s been a big topic and it s definitely one of the the majority debated issues in fresh years Advocates argue that an hour should be the standard because it gives workers a fair chance at living with selected dignity especially in places with a high cost of living Cities like New York Seattle and San Francisco have already hit the mark and it s been a huge relief for workers in these expensive areas For example in Seattle they were one of the first to raise the wage to and they ve seen positive changes in worker soundness and economic stability But not everyone agrees that is the magic number Particular argue that it could hurt small businesses or lead to higher prices for consumers particularly in places where the cost of living isn t as high So it s a balancing act and the debate rages on Why Do Particular States Have Higher Wages Than Others It all comes down to the local economics In states with high costs of living like California and New York it makes sense to raise the minimum wage so people can literally afford to live But in more rural states with lower living costs there s a fear that raising the minimum wage could hurt small businesses or lead to price hikes for things like food and services The goal is to make sure that wages reflect the real cost of living in each area And while it might not be a perfect system it s the reality we re dealing with right now So here s the deal while the federal minimum wage of per hour is still in place a large number of states are stepping up and paying their workers more If you re in California Washington or Colorado you re ostensibly making a lot more than the federal baseline which is a good thing especially with everything getting more expensive But if you re in places like Wyoming or Georgia you re still stuck at the outdated and that can make life tough As the cost of living continues to rise the question of raising the minimum wage is going to keep coming up The hope is that eventually we ll see a shift toward fairer wages across the board but in the meantime the states with higher wages are doing their best to help workers get ahead