Raising the Minimum Wage - An Opportunity for Unity

In our increasingly politically polarized landscape, it can seem as though finding widespread agreement on any issue, much less those with the potential to have a substantive economic impact, is out of reach. However, our recent Reality Check Insights State of America survey indicates that there is room for hope in the form of an increase to the federal minimum wage. When we asked Americans their position on raising the federal minimum wage from its present rate of $7.25 an hour, 69% indicated they wanted to see this baseline heightened, and this preference was retained by a majority across demographic and partisan divides. Only 17% of respondents said they would not support an increase.

The story is largely similar when one looks at partisan breakdowns as well. Not only did 87% of those who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat indicate they would support an increase of some amount to the federal minimum wage, but 59% of independents and 52% of those identifying as Republicans or leaning Republican also conveyed support for the measure. While political affiliation still appears to play a role shaping perceptions of the issue, these results may indicate a rare opportunity for bipartisan support on an issue that economists agree would have a significant ameliorating effect on decreasing poverty in the country.

With this said, there are a few (and perhaps predictable) patterns that emerge among opponents of a minimum wage increase. Namely, those who may be the most removed from minimum-wage jobs are among the most hesitant to endorse a change. Respondents with higher levels of education were more likely to say they did not support raising the federal minimum wage (21% among those with at least a bachelor’s degree vs. 11% among those with a high school degree or less). A similar trend emerges with regard to income, with respondents who self-identified as being in the top 20% of earners nationally (i.e. those making more than $150,000 a year) being more opposed to any increase in the federal minimum wage (21% vs. 15% among those making less than $50,000 and 17% among those making between $50,000-$99,999). However, even among these groups, support for giving a raise to minimum wage-earners—many of whom were designated essential workers this past year during the pandemic—is noticeable. In fact, 71% of those with a four-year degree and 55% of the top fifth of earners support some increase.

The amount the federal minimum wage should be increased was a matter of less consensus among respondents, however. The largest proportion (49%) of those surveyed expressed they thought the increase should be to $15 an hour or higher, while about one in five (20%) said the rate should be increased to some lesser amount.