Low pay rate in United States
United States: Low pay rate was 21.84 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Low pay rate in United States, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2025, low pay rate in United States 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 peaked at 27.83 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 21.84, in 2025.
United States ranks 31st of 84 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Low pay rate in United States, 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% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 21.84 is above the median for high income countries, which is 13.03, 1.7× the median. (38 countries reporting)
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
More gender data for United States
- 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)
- Population 297,814 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 297,814 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.6312 % 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is low pay rate in United States?
- Low pay rate in United States was 21.84 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest low pay rate recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 27.83 in 2013.
- What is the lowest low pay rate recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.84 in 2025.
- How does United States rank for low pay rate?
- United States ranks 31st out of 84 countries with data for 2025.
- Is low pay rate rising or falling in United States?
- 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 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
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.