The map above shows how much entry level wages per hour have increased over and above inflation between 1935 (3 years before the federal minimum wage was introduced) and 2024 by state.
The southern states of South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas were the biggest winners increasing their entry level hourly wages by 150% or more over and above inflation.
Conversely, many northern and western states barely saw their inflation adjusted starting wages improve over this time period.
And finally Illinois is perhaps the most interesting state.
It had the highest entry level hourly wage in 1935 at $0.67/hour, but by 2024 it’s starting hourly wage was 39th in the country at $14.06/hour, which is barely more than the state’s minimum wage of $13/hour.
Here is the full data:
