According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the federal minimum wage in 1968 was $1.60 per hour. However, it is important to note that state minimum wage rates varied and some states had higher minimum wages than the federal rate. For example, in New York State, the minimum wage was increased from $1.50 to $1.60 on February 1, 1968. In New Jersey, the minimum wage was $1.40 in 1968. It is also worth noting that the federal minimum wage peaked in purchasing power in 1968, when it was worth $13.86 in 2022 dollars.