Low-Wage Workers Older, More Educated Than in 1979, Without Commensurate Raise

Low-wage workers were older and more educated in 2014 than their counterparts in 1979, as the eroding value of the federal minimum wage prevented them from reaping financial benefits for those advancements, a Center for Economic and Policy Researchissue brief showed May 20.

Even as the average age of low-wage employees—defined as earning $10.58 per hour or less in 2014 inflation-adjusted dollars—rose to 35.1 years in 2014 from 32.4 years in 1979, the federal minimum wage was stuck at $7.25 per hour, well below its inflation-adjusted peak value of $9.54 in 1968, the Washington-based research group said.

Over the ...