<p>Neumark and Wascher <a href="http://economicgrowthdc.org/work/assets/Minimum-Wage-Employment-Effect.pdf" rel="nofollow"><strong>have a paper</strong></a> that surveys recent empirical work on the effects of the minimum wage in detail. It includes a number of tables that nicely summarise the results of a large number (102!) of studies.</p>

<p>They conclude the paper with the following remarks:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Nonetheless, the oft-stated assertion that the new minimum wage
  research fails to support the conclusion that the minimum wage reduces
  the employment of low-skilled workers is clearly incorrect. Indeed, in our view, the preponderance of the evidence points to disemployment
  effects. For example, the studies surveyed in this monograph correspond
  to 102 entries in our summary tables. Of these, nearly two thirds
  give a relatively consistent (although by no means always statistically
  significant) indication of negative employment effects of minimum
  wages, while only eight give a relatively consistent indication of positive
  employment effects. In addition, we have highlighted in the tables
  33 studies (or entries) that we regard as providing the most credible
  evidence, and 28 (85 percent) of these point to negative employment
  effects. Moreover, when researchers focus on the least-skilled groups
  most likely to be adversely affected by minimum wages, the evidence
  for disemployment effects seems especially strong. In contrast, we see
  very few – if any – cases where a study provides convincing evidence of
  positive employment effects of minimum wages, especially among the
  studies that focus on broader groups for which the competitive model
  predicts disemployment effects.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-12T10:33:51.220Z
2015-07-12T10:33:51.220Z
Ubiquitous
<p>The idea of a minimum wage and its effects in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage#Supply_and_demand" rel="nofollow">terms of supply and demand</a> are well-known in mainstream economic theory.</p>

<p>I'm constructing an argument regarding the minimum wage, and what I'm curious about is whether there is actual <em>empirical data</em> that indicates that demand for minimum wage jobs is greater than their supply, and if so, by how much? I'm looking for data particular to the U.S., but if such data exists for other countries, that would be helpful too.</p>

<macroeconomics><reference-request><labor-economics><empirical-evidence><minimum-wage>
Empirical Data on Demand for Minimum-Wage Jobs in the USA
Newb
# Empirical Data on Demand for Minimum-Wage Jobs in the USA

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-07-11)

The idea of a minimum wage and its effects in [terms of supply and demand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage#Supply_and_demand) are well-known in mainstream economic theory.

I'm constructing an argument regarding the minimum wage, and what I'm curious about is whether there is actual *empirical data* that indicates that demand for minimum wage jobs is greater than their supply, and if so, by how much? I'm looking for data particular to the U.S., but if such data exists for other countries, that would be helpful too.

**Tags:** macroeconomics, reference-request, labor-economics, empirical-evidence, minimum-wage

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-07-12. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Neumark and Wascher [**have a paper**](http://economicgrowthdc.org/work/assets/Minimum-Wage-Employment-Effect.pdf) that surveys recent empirical work on the effects of the minimum wage in detail. It includes a number of tables that nicely summarise the results of a large number (102!) of studies.

They conclude the paper with the following remarks:

> Nonetheless, the oft-stated assertion that the new minimum wage
> research fails to support the conclusion that the minimum wage reduces
> the employment of low-skilled workers is clearly incorrect. Indeed, in our view, the preponderance of the evidence points to disemployment
> effects. For example, the studies surveyed in this monograph correspond
> to 102 entries in our summary tables. Of these, nearly two thirds
> give a relatively consistent (although by no means always statistically
> significant) indication of negative employment effects of minimum
> wages, while only eight give a relatively consistent indication of positive
> employment effects. In addition, we have highlighted in the tables
> 33 studies (or entries) that we regard as providing the most credible
> evidence, and 28 (85 percent) of these point to negative employment
> effects. Moreover, when researchers focus on the least-skilled groups
> most likely to be adversely affected by minimum wages, the evidence
> for disemployment effects seems especially strong. In contrast, we see
> very few – if any – cases where a study provides convincing evidence of
> positive employment effects of minimum wages, especially among the
> studies that focus on broader groups for which the competitive model
> predicts disemployment effects.


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