Low pay rate in United States of America
United States of America: Low pay rate was 21.84 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Low pay rate in United States of America, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2025, low pay rate in United States of America stood at 21.84. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.2% on the previous year and down 16.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, low pay rate in United States of America peaked at 27.83 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 21.84, in 2025.
United States of America ranks 31st of 84 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Low pay rate in United States of America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 22.96 | — |
| 1991 | 22.56 | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 23.15 | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 23.92 | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 25.05 | +4.7% |
| 1995 | 24.95 | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 25.66 | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 25.41 | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 25.28 | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 25.47 | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 24.93 | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 24.08 | -3.4% |
| 2002 | 24.18 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 25.11 | +3.9% |
| 2004 | 24.99 | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 24.99 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 24.38 | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 26.74 | +9.7% |
| 2008 | 26.32 | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 27.5 | +4.5% |
| 2010 | 27.77 | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 27.55 | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 27.71 | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 27.83 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 27.1 | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 26.14 | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 27.08 | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 27.09 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 25.08 | -7.4% |
| 2019 | 23.86 | -4.9% |
| 2020 | 24.05 | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 21.87 | -9.1% |
| 2022 | 24.45 | +11.8% |
| 2023 | 22.66 | -7.3% |
| 2024 | 22.34 | -1.4% |
| 2025 | 21.84 | -2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 24.44 | 22.56 | 25.66 | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.32 | 24.08 | 27.5 | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.72 | 23.86 | 27.83 | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.87 | 21.84 | 24.45 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More gender data for United States of America
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 57,835 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.4626 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 1.79 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 1.88 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 1.80 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 1.89 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 1.83 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 1.92 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 1.84 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 1.92 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is low pay rate in United States of America?
- Low pay rate in United States of America was 21.84 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest low pay rate recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 27.83 in 2013.
- What is the lowest low pay rate recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.84 in 2025.
- How does United States of America rank for low pay rate?
- United States of America ranks 31st out of 84 countries with data for 2025.
- Is low pay rate rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this United States of America data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Low pay rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This measure of earnings dispersion refers to the proportion of employees whose hourly earnings at all jobs were less than two-thirds of median hourly earnings. For more information, refer to the Wages and Working Time Statistics (COND) database description.