Minimum Wage by State 2026 — Full List

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2026 State Minimum Wages

The federal minimum wage remains $7.25/hour — unchanged since 2009. But 30+ states and many cities set higher minimums:

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State2026 Minimum WageTipped MinimumNotes
Alabama$7.25 (federal)$2.13No state minimum
Alaska$11.73$11.73No tip credit
Arizona$14.70$11.70Indexed to inflation
Arkansas$11.00$2.63
California$16.50$16.50No tip credit
Colorado$14.81$11.79Indexed to inflation
Connecticut$16.35$6.38
Delaware$15.00$2.23
Florida$14.00$10.00Rising $1/year to $15
Georgia$7.25 (federal)$2.13State rate is $5.15, federal applies
Hawaii$14.00$12.75
Idaho$7.25$3.35
Illinois$14.00$8.40
Indiana$7.25$2.13
Iowa$7.25$4.35
Kansas$7.25$2.13
Kentucky$7.25$2.13
Louisiana$7.25 (federal)$2.13No state minimum
Maine$14.65$7.33Indexed to inflation
Maryland$15.00$3.63
Massachusetts$15.00$6.75
Michigan$10.56$3.84
Minnesota$11.13$11.13No tip credit
Mississippi$7.25 (federal)$2.13No state minimum
Missouri$13.75$6.88
Montana$10.55$10.55No tip credit
Nebraska$13.50$2.13
Nevada$12.00$12.00No tip credit
New Hampshire$7.25$3.27
New Jersey$15.49$5.62Indexed to inflation
New Mexico$12.00$3.00
New York$15.50-$16.50$10.65Higher in NYC metro
North Carolina$7.25$2.13
North Dakota$7.25$4.86
Ohio$10.65$5.33Indexed to inflation
Oklahoma$7.25$2.13
Oregon$15.45$15.45No tip credit; higher in Portland
Pennsylvania$7.25$2.83
Rhode Island$15.00$3.89
South Carolina$7.25 (federal)$2.13No state minimum
South Dakota$11.50$5.75Indexed to inflation
Tennessee$7.25 (federal)$2.13No state minimum
Texas$7.25$2.13
Utah$7.25$2.13
Vermont$14.01$7.01Indexed to inflation
Virginia$12.41$2.13
Washington$16.66$16.66No tip credit; indexed
West Virginia$8.75$2.62
Wisconsin$7.25$2.33
Wyoming$7.25$2.13
Washington, DC$17.50$10.00Indexed to inflation

Highest and Lowest Minimum Wages

Highest

  1. Washington, DC — $17.50
  2. Washington State — $16.66
  3. California — $16.50
  4. New York (NYC metro) — $16.50
  5. Connecticut — $16.35

States Still at Federal Minimum ($7.25)

Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, Wyoming — plus Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee (no state minimum).

A full-time worker at $7.25/hour earns $15,080/year — below the Federal Poverty Level for a single person ($15,060).

Tipped Workers: The Split System

Most states allow a lower minimum for tipped employees, with the employer making up the difference if tips don't bring the total to full minimum:

SystemTipped MinimumStates
No tip creditFull minimum wageCA, WA, OR, MN, MT, NV, AK
Federal tipped minimum$2.13/hourTX, GA, NC, IN, PA, and others
State tipped minimum$3-$10/hourMost remaining states

In states with no tip credit, tipped workers earn the full minimum wage plus tips — significantly more than in $2.13 tip credit states.

City Minimum Wages (Often Higher Than State)

Many cities set minimum wages above their state level:

CityMinimum WageState Minimum
Seattle, WA$19.97$16.66
San Francisco, CA$18.67$16.50
Denver, CO$18.29$14.81
Minneapolis, MN$15.57$11.13
Portland, OR$15.95$15.45
Flagstaff, AZ$17.40$14.70

Check your city's minimum — it may be substantially higher than the state rate.

Annual Salary at Different Minimum Wages

Hourly RateAnnual (40 hrs/week)Monthly (before tax)
$7.25$15,080$1,257
$10.00$20,800$1,733
$12.00$24,960$2,080
$14.00$29,120$2,427
$15.00$31,200$2,600
$16.50$34,320$2,860
$17.50 (DC)$36,400$3,033

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the federal minimum wage increase?

There's no scheduled increase. The last federal raise was in 2009 (from $6.55 to $7.25). Several bills have been proposed to raise it to $15+, but none have passed Congress. For now, minimum wage increases are happening at the state and city level.

Can my employer pay me less than minimum wage?

Generally no, but exceptions exist: tipped employees (with tip credit), workers under 20 during their first 90 days ($4.25 training wage), certain disabled workers, and some student/internship programs.

Convert your hourly wage to annual salary with our Hourly to Salary Converter, compare cost of living by state, and check tip income calculations if you're a tipped worker.

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