Inspiring and enabling employers to pay a living wage

What Is a Living Wage?

LIVING WAGE FOR US adheres to the International Labour Organization’s definition of a living wage: the amount of pay that allows workers and their families to afford a decent standard of living. This includes being able to afford basic needs like food, housing, healthcare, education, transportation, and clothing. The ILO’s definition also takes into account country circumstances and is calculated for work performed during normal hours.

You can find the precise living wage for your location(s) across the U.S., as well as all the cost components that inform the benchmarks using our interactive map!

View Living Wage Rates

Why Living Wage?

Because living wages create benefit for everyone

and solve society’s most difficult problems.

Better for Workers

Research shows that millions of Americans who work are nonetheless homeless, food insecure or unable to afford healthcare.

If everyone earned a living wage, such hardships would be eliminated.

Better for Employers

Employers that pay a living wage have seen their turnover decrease by as much as 80%. Engagement and productivity also improve.

A living wage, therefore, should be viewed as an investment – not a cost.

Better for Communities

Living wages lead to increased local spending and tax revenue, as well as lower demand for government assistance.

What’s more, living wages are associated with reduced criminal activity and better outcomes for children.

What Do We Do?

1. Assessment – Our custom tools allow employers to assess whether their wages, benefits and bonuses add up to a living wage for their employees—and, if not, how to close the gap.

2. Certification – Our certification programs recognize U.S.-based employers that have achieved a living wage for their workers, or have publicly committed to this goal and are on their way to meeting it.

3. Research – Our high-quality research, conducted in partnership with the Economic Policy Institute, establishes living-wage rates for every county and commuting zone across the United States.

4. Leadership – Our deep knowledge has put us in position to lead the technical work for WageMap, a consortium that is driving alignment across living-wage methodologies and frameworks around the world.

Certifying Living Wage Employers

Silver Certification –

Has publicly committed to paying a living wage to all it’s U.S. workers
Has achieved an entry wage that shows a commitment to its workers
Closes living wage gaps every year

Silver PLUS Certification –

Has achieved silver certification
Has gone above and beyond for its workers in other ways, such as extending its living wage commitments to its employees around the globe

Gold Certification –

Pays all of its workers across the U.S. a true living wage
Ensures that as the cost of living increases, so do wages for its workers

Gold PLUS Certification –

Has achieved gold certification
Has gone above and beyond for its workers in other ways, such as extending its living wage commitments to its employees around the globe