There is a common myth that persists in every debate over the minimum wage: the idea that low-wage work is reserved for teenagers earning some extra “gas money” or students working their first summer job. Many assume that raising the wage floor to $15 would only impact young people who don’t have “real” financial responsibilities.
However, a deep dive into the data from the Scioto Analysis report, “Minimum Wages and Oklahoma’s Labor Market,” tells a very different story. The reality is that the Oklahomans who would benefit most from a $15 minimum wage are adults, parents, and the primary breadwinners of their households.
The Myth of the Teenage Workforce
The “teenager myth” suggests that minimum wage jobs are merely a stepping stone. But the demographics in Oklahoma show that these roles have become a long-term reality for many adults.
According to the report, while low-wage workers are, on average, younger than the general workforce, the average age of a low-wage worker in Oklahoma is over 30. The report explicitly states that a minimum wage increase would affect a significant number of older adults who are well past their entry-level years. When we talk about the “average” person earning near the minimum wage in our state, we aren’t talking about a high schooler at a first job; we are talking about a 32-year-old trying to build a career and a life.
Supporting Oklahoma Families
Perhaps the most important takeaway from the report is how many of these workers are responsible for children. The “teenager” narrative falls apart when you look at household structures in Oklahoma.
The simulation found that a $15 minimum wage would actually significantly reduce the share of low-wage work for households with children. Currently, workers in single-parent households are much more likely to be trapped in low-wage jobs compared to those in households with multiple adults. For these families, a raise isn’t for “extra” spending—it’s the difference between financial instability and being able to provide a consistent environment for their children. By raising the wage to $15, Oklahoma can reduce the wage disparities that currently punish single parents and families.
The Industries That Power Our Lives
The report also identifies which industries would see the biggest shift. These aren’t just “starter jobs”; they are the essential services that keep our state running.
Food service and janitorial sectors would see a 20% reduction in low-wage work under a $15 floor. Retail and manual labor are often physically demanding, full-time careers also often held by adults who provide essential services to their communities.
When we keep the wage floor at $7.25, we are telling the janitors who clean our hospitals and the laborers who build our infrastructure that their full-time adult effort is only worth a poverty-level wage.
A Policy for All Ages
One of the most encouraging findings in the Scioto Analysis model is that a $15 minimum wage is a “rising tide” that lifts all age groups. The researchers found that the policy would “benefit people across the age spectrum,” from young workers starting their careers to older Oklahomans who may be working low-wage service jobs in their 50s and 60s.
The data suggests that the benefits of this policy are not concentrated in one generation. Instead, it improves the standard of living for Oklahomans at every stage of life.
Conclusion
It’s time to retire the idea that the minimum wage is just for kids. The Oklahomans who stand to gain the most from a $15 minimum wage are our neighbors, our parents, and the people raising the next generation of Oklahomans.
By raising the wage, we aren’t just giving a raise to a student, we are providing a pathway to stability for over 100,000 hardworking adults who are the true backbone of our state’s economy.
Read the full report here.
