Minimum Wage by State (2026)

Alabama has no state minimum wage law — the federal $7.25/hr applies:

• AL is one of only 5 states with no state minimum wage
• Federal FLSA rate of $7.25/hr is the only applicable minimum
• AL enacted a law in 2016 preempting Birmingham from implementing a higher local minimum wage
• Tipped employees: federal $2.13/hr applies

Alaska has a minimum wage higher than the federal level, with scheduled increases under Ballot Measure 1 (approved November 2024):

• $14.00/hr effective July 1, 2026, rising to $15.00/hr on July 1, 2027. Beginning January 1, 2028, the rate adjusts annually based on CPI for the Anchorage metropolitan area.
• Alaska does not allow a tip credit — tipped employees must be paid the full state minimum wage
• There is no separate youth or training wage in Alaska
• Ballot Measure 1 (2024) also established mandatory paid sick leave for Alaska workers
• No local jurisdictions have enacted higher minimums

Arizona's minimum wage is significantly higher than the federal rate, established by voter initiative (Proposition 206 in 2016):

• 2026: $14.70/hr (standard) — adjusted annually based on CPI
• Tipped employees: $11.70/hr ($3.00/hr tip credit allowed; tips must bring total to at least $14.70/hr)
• Arizona's minimum wage increases every January 1 based on the Consumer Price Index
• Flagstaff has a higher local minimum wage
• Arizona law also requires employers to provide earned paid sick time (Proposition 206)
• Small employers (fewer than 15 employees) must provide at least 24 hours of paid sick time per year; larger employers must provide 40 hours

Arkansas has a minimum wage above the federal level, set by voter-approved ballot initiative:

• $11.00/hr as of January 2021 (set by 2018 Issue 5 ballot measure)
• Arkansas allows a tip credit — tipped employees can be paid $2.63/hr if tips bring total to $11.00/hr
• There is no separate youth minimum wage in Arkansas
• Employers with fewer than 4 employees are exempt from the state minimum wage
• No local jurisdictions have enacted higher minimums — state law preempts local wage ordinances

California's minimum wage is significantly higher than the federal rate:

• State minimum wage: $16.90/hr (effective January 1, 2026). Adjusted annually based on CPI.
• No tip credit: Unlike federal law, California does not allow a tip credit. Employers must pay the full state minimum wage regardless of tips received.
• Fast food workers: $20.00/hr for fast food restaurant employees (AB 1228, effective April 1, 2024). The Fast Food Council may increase this rate annually, capped at 3.5% or CPI.
• Healthcare workers (SB 525): $24/hr for large hospital systems and dialysis clinics (through June 30, 2026, rising to $25/hr on July 1, 2026). $21/hr for clinics (through June 30, 2026, rising to $22/hr on July 1, 2026). $21/hr for other covered facilities (through May 31, 2026, rising to $23/hr on June 1, 2026). All tiers continue increasing annually.

Many cities and counties (San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose, etc.) have local minimum wages even higher than the state rate. You are entitled to whichever rate is highest.

Colorado has a higher minimum wage that increases annually and strong worker protections:

• Standard minimum wage: $15.16/hr (2026 rate — adjusted annually for CPI inflation)
• Tipped employees: $12.14/hr (tip credit of $3.02/hr); tips must bring total to at least $15.16/hr
• Colorado minimum wage increases automatically each year based on the Consumer Price Index
• Denver has a higher local minimum wage
• Colorado does not have a youth or training subminimum wage
• Colorado's COMPS Order provides additional protections including rest/meal breaks: 10-minute paid rest break every 4 hours and a 30-minute meal break

Connecticut has one of the highest minimum wages in the nation:

• $16.94/hr as of January 1, 2026, with annual adjustments tied to the Employment Cost Index (ECI)
• Connecticut allows a tip credit — service employees can be paid $6.38/hr, bartenders $8.23/hr, if tips bring total to minimum wage
• There is a training wage of $10.10/hr for the first 200 hours for minors under 18
• Connecticut was one of the first states to reach $15/hr
• No local jurisdictions have enacted higher minimums

Delaware has a minimum wage above the federal level:

• $15.00/hr as of January 1, 2025 (final scheduled increase under SB 15)
• Delaware allows a tip credit — tipped employees can be paid $2.23/hr if tips bring total to minimum wage
• There is a training wage for the first 90 days for employees under 18
• No local jurisdictions have enacted higher minimums
• Delaware's minimum wage increases were enacted through Senate Bill 15 (2021)

D.C. has one of the highest minimum wages in the country and is indexed to inflation:

• Standard minimum wage: $17.95/hr (effective July 1, 2025), adjusted annually each July 1 based on the Consumer Price Index. D.C.'s minimum wage consistently ranks among the highest in the nation.
• Tipped employees: The tipped minimum wage is being phased up under Initiative 82, passed by D.C. voters in 2022. As of 2025, the tipped base wage is $10.00/hr and increases each year. As amended by the D.C. Council in 2025, the phase-up will bring tipped workers' base wage to 75% of the full minimum wage by 2034 (rather than full parity as originally passed).
• No exemptions for small employers: Unlike some states, D.C.'s minimum wage applies to all employers regardless of size.
• Living wage for government contractors: Businesses contracting with the D.C. government must pay an even higher living wage rate.

Florida's minimum wage is higher than the federal $7.25/hr and steps up on September 30 each year under Amendment 2 (the 2020 ballot measure), not on January 1:

• 30 Sept 2024 – 29 Sept 2025: $13.00/hr (standard); $9.98/hr for tipped employees
• 30 Sept 2025 – 29 Sept 2026: $14.00/hr (standard); $10.98/hr for tipped employees — this is the rate in force for the first nine months of 2026
• 30 Sept 2026 onwards: $15.00/hr (standard); $11.98/hr for tipped employees — the final scheduled step under Amendment 2

Important: a Florida worker checking a paycheck in (for example) August 2026 is still entitled to $14.00/hr, not $15.00. The $15 rate only kicks in on 30 September 2026.

From 2027 onwards, the rate adjusts annually for inflation: the CPI-W for the South Region is calculated each 30 September and the resulting rate takes effect the following 1 January (Fla. Const. Art. X § 24(c)).

Georgia has the lowest state minimum wage in the country, but federal law supersedes it for most workers:

• Georgia state minimum wage: $5.15/hr — one of the lowest in the U.S.
• Federal minimum wage: $7.25/hr — this is what most Georgia workers are actually entitled to, because federal law applies to employers covered by the FLSA
• Georgia's $5.15 rate only applies to workers at employers not covered by the FLSA (very small businesses not engaged in interstate commerce)
• Georgia does not have a tipped employee base wage law — the federal $2.13/hr tipped rate applies

Hawaii has one of the higher minimum wages in the nation, with scheduled increases:

• $14.00/hr as of January 1, 2024, with scheduled increases to $16.00/hr (2026) and $18.00/hr (2028)
• Hawaii does not allow a tip credit — tipped employees must be paid the full minimum wage
• There is no separate youth or training minimum wage in Hawaii
• Hawaii's high cost of living makes the minimum wage particularly impactful — housing costs are among the highest in the nation
• The Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act (1974) requires employers to provide health insurance to employees working 20+ hours per week, adding to total compensation

Indiana's minimum wage matches the federal rate:

• Standard minimum wage: $7.25/hr (same as federal)
• Tipped employees: $2.13/hr cash wage (must reach $7.25/hr with tips)
• Youth wage: Indiana follows the federal $4.25/hr for employees under 20 during first 90 days
• Indiana does not have scheduled minimum wage increases
• Indiana law preempts local governments from setting higher minimum wages (IC § 22-2-2-11)
• Employers with 2 or more employees are covered by the state minimum wage

Iowa's minimum wage matches the federal minimum:

• $7.25/hr — the federal minimum wage, which Iowa has adopted without increase
• Iowa allows a tip credit — tipped employees can be paid $4.35/hr if tips bring total to $7.25/hr
• Iowa has an initial employment wage of $6.35/hr for the first 90 days for workers under 20
• Iowa law preempts local governments from setting higher minimum wages — a 2017 law overturned several local increases
• No Iowa jurisdiction currently has a higher local minimum wage

Kansas minimum wage matches the federal minimum:

• $7.25/hr — the federal minimum wage, which Kansas has adopted without increase
• Kansas allows a tip credit — tipped employees can be paid $2.13/hr if tips bring total to $7.25/hr
• Kansas does not have a separate youth minimum wage beyond federal provisions
• Kansas law preempts local governments from enacting higher minimum wages
• Several Kansas communities attempted local increases but were blocked by state preemption

Kentucky's minimum wage is $7.25/hr — matching the federal rate:

• Standard: $7.25/hr (same as federal)
• Tipped employees: $2.13/hr (must reach $7.25 with tips)
• Kentucky law preempts local minimum wage ordinances
• The Louisville and Lexington attempts to raise local minimum wages were struck down by the Kentucky Supreme Court

Louisiana has no state minimum wage law — the federal $7.25/hr applies:

• Louisiana is one of only 5 states with no state minimum wage
• Federal FLSA rate of $7.25/hr is the only minimum
• Louisiana preempts local minimum wage ordinances
• Tipped employees: federal $2.13/hr applies

Massachusetts has one of the highest minimum wages in the nation:

• Standard minimum wage: $15.00/hr
• Tipped employees: $6.75/hr service rate, but employers must ensure total compensation (tips + wages) reaches at least $15.00/hr
• MA does not allow a tip credit to reduce below $6.75/hr
• There is no youth or training subminimum wage in Massachusetts
• Agricultural workers are covered by the state minimum wage
• MA law preempts local governments from setting different minimum wage rates

The MA minimum wage applies to all employers regardless of size.

Michigan's minimum wage is significantly higher than the federal rate following the 2024 Michigan Supreme Court ruling in Mothering Justice v. Attorney General, which reinstated the original voter-initiated wage law, then amended by SB 8 (Public Act 1 of 2025):

• Current rate (2026): $13.73/hr (standard) — effective 1 January 2026
• Tipped employees: 38% of the standard minimum wage ($5.22/hr for 2026); tips must bring total to at least $13.73/hr. The tip credit is being gradually reduced (reaching 50% by 2031 under the amended SB 8 schedule)
• Upcoming increases: $15.00/hr in 2027, then CPI-adjusted starting 2028 (per SB 8, Public Act 1 of 2025)
• Minors (16-17): 85% of the standard minimum wage
• Michigan law preempts local minimum wage ordinances — cities and counties cannot set higher rates
• Employers with fewer than 2 employees are exempt from the state minimum wage

Minnesota has a single statewide minimum wage for all employers (the former large/small employer distinction was eliminated):

• All employers: $11.13/hr (2025), adjusted annually for CPI — increases to $11.41/hr on Jan. 1, 2026
• Minnesota does not allow a tip credit — employers must pay the full minimum wage regardless of tips
• Youth wage (under 18) and 90-day training wage (under 20): $9.09/hr (2025)
• Minneapolis and St. Paul have higher local minimum wages — Minneapolis is $16.37/hr for all employers (2026); St. Paul ranges from $13.25 to $16.37 depending on employer size

Mississippi is one of the few states with no state minimum wage law:

• Only the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr applies
• Mississippi has never enacted its own minimum wage statute
• Workers not covered by the FLSA have no minimum wage protection in Mississippi
• There is no state tip credit law — the federal tip credit of $2.13/hr applies for covered workers
• State law preempts local governments from enacting their own minimum wage ordinances

Missouri's minimum wage was set by voter-approved Proposition A (2024), partially modified by HB 567 (2025):

• Standard minimum wage: $15.00/hr effective 1 January 2026 (up from $13.75/hr in 2025) — the Prop A increase was preserved despite the August 2025 partial repeal of Prop A's paid-sick-leave and post-2026 CPI provisions
• Tipped employees: 50% of the state minimum wage ($7.50/hr in 2026); tips must bring total to at least $15.00/hr
• Post-2026 indexing eliminated: HB 567 (signed 10 July 2025, effective 28 August 2025) repealed the CPI adjustments that would have begun 1 January 2027 — without further legislation the rate freezes at $15.00/hr after 1 January 2026
• Retail and service businesses with annual gross sales under $500,000 are exempt from the state minimum wage
• Missouri law preempts local governments from setting higher minimum wages (RSMo § 285.055)

Montana has a minimum wage above the federal level, adjusted annually for CPI:

• $10.85/hr effective 1 January 2026 (up from $10.55 in 2025), with annual CPI adjustments under Initiative 151 (2006)
• Montana does not allow a tip credit — tipped employees must be paid the full minimum wage
• Businesses with gross annual sales of $110,000 or less may pay $4.00/hr (this exception applies to very few employers)
• The CPI adjustment was approved by voters in 2006 (Initiative 151)
• No Montana city has enacted a higher local minimum wage

Nebraska voters approved Initiative 433 in 2022, raising the minimum wage incrementally:

• $12.00/hr as of January 1, 2024, rising to $15.00/hr by 2026
• Nebraska does not allow a tip credit — tipped employees must be paid the full minimum wage
• There is no separate youth minimum wage in Nebraska
• The ballot measure was approved by a wide margin, overriding the legislature
• No local jurisdictions have enacted higher minimums

Nevada's minimum wage is set in the state constitution:

• $12.00/hr as of July 2024 (uniform rate — the previous two-tier system based on employer-provided health benefits was eliminated)
• Nevada does not allow a tip credit — tipped employees must be paid the full minimum wage
• The minimum wage is constitutionally mandated and adjusted annually
• No local jurisdictions have enacted higher minimums — state law preempts local wage ordinances
• Nevada's gaming and hospitality industries employ a large portion of minimum-wage workers

New Hampshire does not have a state minimum wage above the federal level:

• $7.25/hr — New Hampshire repealed its state minimum wage in 2011 and now defaults to the federal minimum
• New Hampshire allows a tip credit — tipped employees can be paid as low as $3.26/hr if tips bring total to $7.25/hr
• There is a youth wage of $4.25/hr for the first 90 days for workers under 20
• No NH city or town has enacted a higher local minimum wage
• This means New Hampshire workers near the Massachusetts or Vermont borders may see significantly higher wages just across the state line

New Jersey's minimum wage is significantly higher than the federal rate and adjusts automatically each year:

• Standard minimum wage: $15.92/hr (2025), adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). New Jersey passed a phased minimum wage increase in 2019 that reached $15/hr in 2024, with CPI adjustments each year after.
• Tipped employees: $5.62/hr cash wage with a $10.30/hr tip credit. Total compensation must reach the full state minimum wage. If tips fall short, the employer must make up the difference.
• Seasonal and small employers: Businesses with fewer than 6 employees pay $15.23/hr (2025). Seasonal employers also follow this lower rate.
• Agricultural workers: $13.73/hr (2025), with a separate phase-in schedule.
• No local preemption: Unlike Texas, New Jersey does not block municipalities from passing local wage ordinances, though none currently exceed the state rate.

New Mexico has a minimum wage above the federal level with annual increases:

• $12.00/hr as of January 2023, with future increases tied to CPI adjustments
• New Mexico allows a tip credit — tipped employees can be paid $3.00/hr if tips bring total to minimum wage
• There is no separate youth minimum wage in New Mexico
• Several New Mexico cities have higher local minimums — Santa Fe has one of the highest local minimum wages in the country
• Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Bernalillo County also have local minimum wages

North Carolina's minimum wage matches the federal rate with no state increase:

• Standard minimum wage: $7.25/hr (same as federal)
• Tipped employees: $2.13/hr cash wage (must reach $7.25/hr with tips)
• Youth wage: $4.25/hr for employees under 20 during first 90 days of employment
• NC does not have scheduled minimum wage increases
• NC law preempts local governments from setting higher minimum wages

Because NC matches the federal rate, any future federal minimum wage increase would automatically apply.

North Dakota's minimum wage matches the federal minimum:

• $7.25/hr — the federal minimum wage, which North Dakota has adopted
• North Dakota allows a tip credit — tipped employees can be paid 33% less than the minimum wage if tips bring total to $7.25/hr
• There is no separate youth minimum wage beyond federal provisions
• Despite the oil boom, North Dakota has not raised its minimum wage above federal levels
• Market wages in the western oil fields are significantly above the minimum wage

Ohio's minimum wage is higher than the federal rate and adjusts annually based on inflation:

• 2026: $11.00/hr for non-tipped employees at businesses with annual gross receipts over $405,000
• Tipped employees (2026): $5.50/hr (tips plus base must reach $11.00; employer must make up any shortfall)
• Employers with annual gross receipts of $405,000 or less, and employees under 16: federal minimum wage ($7.25/hr) applies
• Ohio's minimum wage is tied to the Consumer Price Index and adjusts annually on January 1

Oklahoma's state minimum wage is $7.25/hr — matching the federal rate:

• Standard: $7.25/hr (same as federal)
• Oklahoma's minimum wage law (40 Okl. St. § 197.4(d)) only applies to employers with more than 10 full-time employees at one location OR fewer employees but gross annual sales exceeding $100,000
• Oklahoma preempts local minimum wage ordinances
• Tipped employees: Oklahoma's state tipped minimum is $3.63/hr (50% of state minimum), though federal FLSA allows $2.13/hr for FLSA-covered employers

Oregon has a tiered minimum wage system based on geographic region (rates effective July 1, 2025):

• Portland metro: $16.30/hr
• Standard (most of state): $15.05/hr
• Non-urban counties: $14.05/hr
• Oregon does not allow a tip credit — full minimum wage must be paid regardless of tips
• All tiers adjust annually on July 1 based on CPI, as announced by BOLI each spring

South Carolina has no state minimum wage law — the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr applies:

• SC is one of only 5 states with no state minimum wage law
• The federal FLSA rate of $7.25/hr is the only applicable minimum
• SC law preempts local minimum wage ordinances — cities cannot set higher rates
• Tipped employees: the federal $2.13/hr tipped wage applies

South Dakota has a minimum wage slightly above the federal level, adjusted annually:

• $11.85/hr effective 1 January 2026 (up from $11.50 in 2025), adjusted annually by CPI under 2014 Initiated Measure 18
• South Dakota allows a tip credit — tipped employees can be paid 50% of the minimum wage if tips bring total to minimum wage
• There is no separate youth minimum wage in South Dakota
• The minimum wage was raised by ballot initiative in 2014 and tied to CPI
• No local jurisdictions have enacted higher minimums

Tennessee does not have a state minimum wage law — the federal minimum wage applies:

• Minimum wage: $7.25/hr (federal rate — TN has no state minimum wage law)
• Tipped employees: $2.13/hr cash wage (must reach $7.25/hr with tips) under federal law
• Youth wage: $4.25/hr for employees under 20 during first 90 days under federal law
• Tennessee does not have scheduled minimum wage increases
• Tennessee law preempts local governments from setting their own minimum wages (TCA § 50-2-112)
• Only employers covered by the FLSA (annual gross sales of $500,000+ or engaged in interstate commerce) must pay the federal minimum wage

Utah's minimum wage matches the federal minimum:

• $7.25/hr — the federal minimum wage, which Utah has adopted without increase
• Utah allows a tip credit — tipped employees can be paid $2.13/hr if tips bring total to $7.25/hr
• There is no separate youth minimum wage in Utah beyond federal provisions
• Utah law preempts local governments from enacting higher minimum wages
• Market wages in the tech sector and along the Wasatch Front are significantly above minimum

Vermont has a minimum wage above the federal level, adjusted annually:

• $14.42/hr as of January 1, 2026, adjusted annually based on CPI
• Vermont allows a limited tip credit — tipped employees can be paid $7.21/hr (50% of minimum wage) if tips bring total to minimum wage
• There is a training wage for the first 30 days for tipped employees
• No local jurisdictions have enacted higher minimums
• Vermont was one of the first states to tie the minimum wage to CPI adjustments

Virginia's minimum wage is higher than the federal rate and has been increasing:

• 2026: $12.77/hr (adjusted for CPI per the 2020 law, effective January 1, 2026)
• 2027: $13.75/hr (codified by SB1/HB1, signed 2026)
• 2028: $15.00/hr (codified by SB1/HB1, signed 2026)
• Virginia does not have a separate tipped minimum wage lower than the federal tipped rate — the federal $2.13/hr tipped wage applies, with tips making up the difference to the state minimum
• Virginia law preempts local minimum wage ordinances — localities cannot set higher rates
• Exemptions include certain agricultural workers and domestic workers in the employer's home

Washington has one of the highest minimum wages in the nation:

• 2026: $17.13/hr (standard) — adjusted annually based on CPI
• Washington does not allow a tip credit — employers must pay the full minimum wage regardless of tips
• 14-15 year olds: $14.56/hr (85% of the standard rate)
• Seattle, SeaTac, and other cities have higher local minimum wages (always check current local rate)
• Washington's minimum wage increases every January 1 based on the CPI-W
• There is no training wage or subminimum wage for most workers in Washington

West Virginia has a state minimum wage above the federal level:

• $8.75/hr — the current West Virginia minimum wage
• West Virginia allows a tip credit — tipped employees can be paid $2.62/hr if tips bring total to $8.75/hr
• Youth wage (under 20) is $6.40/hr for the first 90 days of employment
• Employers with fewer than 6 employees are exempt from the state minimum wage
• No local jurisdictions have enacted higher minimum wages

Wisconsin's minimum wage matches the federal rate:

• Standard minimum wage: $7.25/hr (same as federal)
• Tipped employees: $2.33/hr cash wage (must reach $7.25/hr with tips)
• Opportunity employees: $5.90/hr for employees under 20 during their first 90 consecutive days of employment
• Wisconsin does not have scheduled minimum wage increases
• Wisconsin law preempts local governments from setting higher minimum wages (Wis. Stat. § 104.001(2))
• The WI minimum wage applies to most employers — exemptions exist for some agricultural and domestic workers

Wyoming's state minimum wage is below federal, but the federal minimum applies:

• Wyoming's state minimum wage is technically $5.15/hr, but the federal minimum of $7.25/hr applies to all FLSA-covered workers
• Workers not covered by the FLSA are subject to the lower state rate of $5.15/hr
• Wyoming allows a tip credit — the federal rate of $2.13/hr applies
• Wyoming law does not preempt local wages, but no local jurisdictions have enacted higher rates
• Wyoming is one of only two states with a minimum wage below the federal level