April 30, 2008 |
2008-R-0298 | |
CHARACTERISTICS OF MINIMUM WAGE EARNERS IN CT | ||
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By: John Moran, Principal Analyst | ||
You asked if most minimum wage earners in Connecticut are between the ages of 16 and 24, work part-time, and come from families with annual incomes of more than $50,000. The federal hourly minimum wage is $5.85 and the state hourly minimum is $7.65.
While state and federal Department of Labor (DOL) data does not provide a specific answer to this question, federal DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that nationally 16 to 24 year olds make up 47% of the workers paid by the hour who make the federal minimum wage (see www.bls.gov/cps/minwage2007.htm). (Hourly paid workers are a subgroup of the total workforce.)
The U.S. DOL does not sort minimum wage earnings by family income, but it can be deduced that only a portion of this 47% live in households with annual incomes over $50,000.
The state DOL estimates there are about 65,000 workers in Connecticut who are paid at or below the $7.65 an hour state minimum wage. Additional data from the state DOL shows a number of occupations where at least some workers earn at or near the minimum wage. Table 1, below, shows 20 such selected occupations (an occupation was included if had more than 1,000 workers).
Table 1: Sample CT Occupations With Some Hourly Wages Near
the $7.65 Minimum Wage (First Quarter 2007)
Occupation |
Number Employed (approx.) |
Hourly Wage- Low (10th Percentile)* |
Hourly Wage-High (90th percentile)* |
Retail Salespersons |
53,750 |
$8.05 |
$22.49 |
Cashiers |
45,710 |
7.77 |
12.61 |
Waiters & Waitresses |
25,880 |
7.66 |
14.84 |
Combined Food Prep. and Serving Workers, incl. Fast Food |
18,780 |
7.78 |
11.99 |
Counter Attendants, Cafeteria & Coffee Shop |
9,200 |
7.81 |
11.42 |
Packers and Packagers |
8,640 |
7.74 |
15.49 |
Bartenders |
6,650 |
7.66 |
15.11 |
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, Cosmetologists |
6,230 |
7.94 |
22.89 |
Dishwashers |
6,010 |
7.86 |
11.30 |
Cooks, Fast Food |
5,890 |
7.71 |
13.67 |
Helpers-Production Workers (excludes apprentices) |
5,120 |
8.02 |
15.83 |
Dining Room Attendants and Bartender Helpers |
4,160 |
7.66 |
12.12 |
Driver/Sales Worker (includes delivery drivers) |
3,640 |
7.92 |
22.50 |
Vehicle and Equipment Cleaners |
3,410 |
7.88 |
16.56 |
Parking Lot Attendants |
2,840 |
7.79 |
12.33 |
Service Station Attendants |
1,900 |
7.76 |
12.23 |
Amusement and Recreation Attendants |
1,820 |
7.74 |
16.37 |
Library Assistants, Clerical |
1,600 |
7.96 |
18.08 |
Crossing Guards |
1,330 |
7.75 |
18.66 |
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, & Ticket Takers |
1,210 |
7.70 |
11.32 |
*For Hourly Wage – Low 10% of these workers earn less than this wage. For hourly wage – high 10% earn more than this wage. | |||
Source: CT DOL, Office of Research
JM:ts