Close icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification. Workers protest outside a McDonald's restaurant on November 10, 2015 in Miami, Florida. The protesters are demanding action from state legislators and presidential candidates to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Democrats introduced the Raise the Wage Act of 2021, where the minimum wage would gradually increase to $15 per hour, starting with an increase from $7.25 to $9.50 this year. The Economic Policy Institute notes that this will raise wages for 32 million workers. The value of $15 varies across the US, however; the following map highlights how much $15 is worth in every state.