Minimum Wage by U.S. State 2026: Current Rates in All 50 States and D.C.
Current Minimum Wage Rates Across All 50 States and the District of Columbia
The District of Columbia has the highest general minimum-wage rate in this snapshot at $18.40 per hour. Washington is the highest state at $17.13. Thirty-one jurisdictions have a published general rate above $7.25, while twenty use or default to the federal $7.25 floor for the comparison category.
The table is a compiled research dataset based on 35 government and legislative sources, with row-level source and method notes shown in the ranking table. It covers one disclosed general comparison category for adult non-tipped employment in each jurisdiction, using the federal FLSA floor where no higher generally applicable state amount controls the comparison. All 51 rows are official current values; the page contains no forecasts or modeled projections.
Metric: applicable general comparison rate under state or federal law for the principal adult non-tipped category. Unit: current U.S. dollars per hour. Direction: higher rates rank higher.
District of Columbia, effective July 1, 2026.
Washington, effective January 1, 2026.
All 50 states plus the District of Columbia; territories are excluded.
Five no-law states, three below-federal states and twelve states at the $7.25 level.
What the minimum-wage metric means
A minimum wage is a legal hourly pay floor, not an estimate of average salary, median household income, annual earnings or a living wage. This ranking compares the principal published adult non-tipped rate used by each jurisdiction for general statewide reporting.
Some states have more than one lawful rate. New York varies by geography; Oregon has Portland metro, standard and nonurban tiers; New Jersey has separate most-employer, small and seasonal, farm and long-term-care direct-care rates; Ohio and Montana use employer-size or revenue tests. The ranking keeps one standardized general value and preserves the other official rates in the note.
The displayed rate may not be the amount owed in every payroll case. Local ordinances, industry rules, agricultural coverage, youth or training provisions, tipped cash-wage rules and federal FLSA coverage can change the result.
Inflation indexing
States including Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Vermont and South Dakota adjust their rates using a published inflation formula.
Scheduled increases
Other states follow legislated or voter-approved step schedules, such as Hawaii, Michigan, Nebraska and Rhode Island.
Regional systems
New York and Oregon publish different general rates for specified geographic areas.
Federal fallback
Where a state has no minimum or a lower statutory amount, the $7.25 federal floor generally applies to FLSA-covered nonexempt workers.
Top 10 minimum-wage rates on July 1, 2026
The upper tier is led by the District of Columbia and Washington. New York’s displayed $16.00 value is the remainder-of-state rate; its $17.00 downstate rate is shown in the note. Oregon uses the official standard rate rather than its higher Portland or lower nonurban tier.
Top 10 applicable general comparison rates
| Rank | State / district | Comparison rate | Source / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $18.40 | Official rate · D.C. DOES · effective July 1, 2026. District-wide general rate. Tipped cash wage rules are separate. |
| 2 | Washington | $17.13 | Official rate · Washington L&I · effective January 1, 2026. Statewide adult rate. Workers ages 14–15 may be paid 85% of the adult rate; local ordinances may require more. |
| 3 | Connecticut | $16.94 | Official rate · Connecticut DOL · effective January 1, 2026. Statewide general rate, adjusted under the statutory indexing formula. |
| 4 | California | $16.90 | Official rate · California DIR · effective January 1, 2026. General statewide rate. Covered fast-food workers have a $20.00 floor; covered health-care workers use separate rates that vary by facility type; local ordinances may be higher. |
| 5 | Hawaii | $16.00 | Official rate · Hawaii DLIR · effective January 1, 2026. General statewide rate. The state law contains specific exemptions, including the guaranteed-monthly-compensation rule described by the labor department. |
| 6 | New York | $16.00 | Official rate · New York State DOL · effective January 1, 2026. Ranking value is the remainder-of-state adult general rate. New York City, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester use $17.00. |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $16.00 | Official rate · Rhode Island DLT · effective January 1, 2026. General rate. Full-time students under 19 in qualifying nonprofit organizations may receive 90% of the minimum; certain 14–15-year-olds may receive 75%. |
| 8 | New Jersey | $15.92 | Official rate · New Jersey DOL · effective January 1, 2026. Most-employer rate. Small and seasonal employers: $15.23; farm labor: $14.20; long-term-care direct-care staff: $18.92. |
| 9 | Oregon | $15.55 | Official rate · Oregon BOLI · effective July 1, 2026. Official standard rate. Portland metro urban growth boundary: $16.80; designated nonurban counties: $14.55. |
| 10 | Colorado | $15.16 | Official rate · Colorado CDLE · effective January 1, 2026. Statewide general rate. Local ordinances may set higher rates. |
Ties are ordered alphabetically. Ranking uses the hourly value shown in each row and never averages regional or employer-category rates.
Chart: Top 20 confirmed rates
The Top 20 cluster between $14.00 and $18.40. The chart uses the same standardized values as the ranking table; alternative geographic or employer-category rates remain in the notes.
Methodology
Comparison category
The applicable general comparison rate under state or federal law for the principal adult non-tipped category. A lower youth, training, tipped, agricultural or narrowly exempt rate is not substituted for the main ranking value.
Multi-rate states
Use the official standard or most-employer rate where the state labels one. New York uses the remainder-of-state general rate because the law publishes two geographic general rates without a single statewide standard.
Federal-floor states
Use $7.25 for FLSA-covered nonexempt workers when the state has no law, a lower statutory amount or a state amount equal to the federal floor. The note identifies the legal category.
Dates
Effective date is when the displayed amount began. Snapshot date is July 1, 2026. Only Alaska, Oregon and the District of Columbia changed their general comparison rates on that snapshot date.
Source hierarchy: current state labor-agency notice or statute; U.S. Department of Labor row-level table; legislative cross-check; consolidated summary. No conflicting figures are averaged. When a consolidated summary lags a current state notice or row-level entry, the current official source controls.
Inclusion: 50 states and the District of Columbia. Exclusion: territories, tipped cash wages, local city and county tables, prevailing wages, federal-contractor rates, collective-bargaining rates and industry-only rankings.
Limitations: the metric does not measure purchasing power, cost of living, wage adequacy, annual income, average salary, median income, employment effects or international PPP-adjusted minimum wages.
Main ranking: all 50 states and D.C.
Use the controls to search, filter by Census region, sort the existing HTML rows or limit the display to the original Top 10 or Top 20 ranks.
| Rank | State / district | Comparison rate | Source / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $18.40 | Official rate · D.C. DOES · effective July 1, 2026. District-wide general rate. Tipped cash wage rules are separate. |
| 2 | Washington | $17.13 | Official rate · Washington L&I · effective January 1, 2026. Statewide adult rate. Workers ages 14–15 may be paid 85% of the adult rate; local ordinances may require more. |
| 3 | Connecticut | $16.94 | Official rate · Connecticut DOL · effective January 1, 2026. Statewide general rate, adjusted under the statutory indexing formula. |
| 4 | California | $16.90 | Official rate · California DIR · effective January 1, 2026. General statewide rate. Covered fast-food workers have a $20.00 floor; covered health-care workers use separate rates that vary by facility type; local ordinances may be higher. |
| 5 | Hawaii | $16.00 | Official rate · Hawaii DLIR · effective January 1, 2026. General statewide rate. The state law contains specific exemptions, including the guaranteed-monthly-compensation rule described by the labor department. |
| 6 | New York | $16.00 | Official rate · New York State DOL · effective January 1, 2026. Ranking value is the remainder-of-state adult general rate. New York City, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester use $17.00. |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $16.00 | Official rate · Rhode Island DLT · effective January 1, 2026. General rate. Full-time students under 19 in qualifying nonprofit organizations may receive 90% of the minimum; certain 14–15-year-olds may receive 75%. |
| 8 | New Jersey | $15.92 | Official rate · New Jersey DOL · effective January 1, 2026. Most-employer rate. Small and seasonal employers: $15.23; farm labor: $14.20; long-term-care direct-care staff: $18.92. |
| 9 | Oregon | $15.55 | Official rate · Oregon BOLI · effective July 1, 2026. Official standard rate. Portland metro urban growth boundary: $16.80; designated nonurban counties: $14.55. |
| 10 | Colorado | $15.16 | Official rate · Colorado CDLE · effective January 1, 2026. Statewide general rate. Local ordinances may set higher rates. |
| 11 | Arizona | $15.15 | Official rate · Industrial Commission of Arizona · effective January 1, 2026. Statewide general rate, indexed annually. Local ordinances may set higher rates. |
| 12 | Maine | $15.10 | Official rate · Maine DOL · effective January 1, 2026. Statewide general rate, indexed annually. Municipal rates may be higher. |
| 13 | Delaware | $15.00 | Official rate · Delaware Department of Labor · effective January 1, 2025. Statewide general rate. This amount has been in force since January 1, 2025. |
| 14 | Illinois | $15.00 | Official rate · Illinois Department of Labor · effective January 1, 2025. Adult general rate. Workers under 18 who work fewer than 650 hours may receive $13.00; a limited first-90-day adult rate may apply. |
| 15 | Maryland | $15.00 | Official rate · Maryland Department of Labor · effective January 1, 2024. Statewide general rate. Some local jurisdictions may require more. |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $15.00 | Official rate · Massachusetts government · effective January 1, 2023. General rate. Most agricultural workers have an $8.00 statutory minimum; tipped service employees use a separate cash rate. |
| 17 | Missouri | $15.00 | Official rate · Missouri Department of Labor · effective January 1, 2026. General rate. Certain retail or service businesses below the statutory annual-sales threshold are exempt; authorized learner and apprentice rates may be lower. |
| 18 | Nebraska | $15.00 | Official rate · Nebraska Department of Labor · effective January 1, 2026. General state rate. Separate youth and training provisions may apply where legally valid. |
| 19 | Vermont | $14.42 | Official rate · Vermont Department of Labor · effective January 1, 2026. Statewide general rate, indexed annually. |
| 20 | Alaska | $14.00 | Official rate · Alaska DOLWD · effective July 1, 2026. Statewide general rate. Alaska does not use a tip credit; school-bus drivers are subject to a separate statutory pay rule. |
| 21 | Florida | $14.00 | Official rate · Florida Commerce · effective September 30, 2025. Current snapshot rate. An enacted increase to $15.00 takes effect September 30, 2026 and is not used in this July 1 snapshot. |
| 22 | Michigan | $13.73 | Official rate · Michigan LEO · effective January 1, 2026. General rate for covered employers. The state also publishes a separate tipped-service percentage and youth provisions. |
| 23 | Virginia | $12.77 | Official rate · Virginia DOLI · effective January 1, 2026. Adjusted statewide rate for employees covered by the Virginia Minimum Wage Act. |
| 24 | Nevada | $12.00 | Official rate · Nevada Labor Commissioner · effective July 1, 2024. Uniform statewide general rate. Nevada also has daily-overtime rules tied to the employee’s hourly rate. |
| 25 | New Mexico | $12.00 | Official rate · New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions · effective January 1, 2023. Statewide general rate. Local ordinances may require more. |
| 26 | South Dakota | $11.85 | Official rate · South Dakota DLR · effective January 1, 2026. Statewide general rate, indexed annually. |
| 27 | Minnesota | $11.41 | Official rate · Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry · effective January 1, 2026. Statewide general rate. A 90-day training wage may apply to employees under age 20; local ordinances may require more. |
| 28 | Arkansas | $11.00 | Official rate · Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing · effective January 1, 2021. General rate for employers with 4 or more employees. The current amount has been in force since January 1, 2021. |
| 29 | Ohio | $11.00 | Official rate · Ohio Department of Commerce · effective January 1, 2026. Rate for employers above the 2026 gross-receipts threshold. Smaller employers and workers under age 16 use the $7.25 federal floor. |
| 30 | Montana | $10.85 | Official rate · Montana Department of Labor and Industry · effective January 1, 2026. Standard state rate. A business with annual gross sales at or below $110,000 that is not covered by the FLSA may pay $4.00. |
| 31 | West Virginia | $8.75 | Official rate · West Virginia Division of Labor · effective January 1, 2016. State rate applies where the state coverage test is met, including the six-employee work-location rule. Other FLSA-covered employment remains subject to the federal floor. |
| 32 | Alabama | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. No state minimum-wage law. The ranking uses the federal FLSA floor for covered nonexempt workers, effective July 24, 2009. |
| 33 | Georgia | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. State statute is $5.15. The ranking uses the higher $7.25 federal FLSA floor for covered nonexempt workers. |
| 34 | Idaho | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. State rate equals the federal minimum. The $7.25 federal amount has applied since July 24, 2009. |
| 35 | Indiana | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. State rate equals the federal minimum; state coverage rules also apply. The $7.25 federal amount has applied since July 24, 2009. |
| 36 | Iowa | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. State rate equals the federal minimum. The $7.25 federal amount has applied since July 24, 2009. |
| 37 | Kansas | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. State rate equals the federal minimum; state coverage differs from FLSA coverage. The $7.25 federal amount has applied since July 24, 2009. |
| 38 | Kentucky | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. State rate equals the federal minimum. The $7.25 federal amount has applied since July 24, 2009. |
| 39 | Louisiana | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. No state minimum-wage law. The ranking uses the federal FLSA floor for covered nonexempt workers, effective July 24, 2009. |
| 40 | Mississippi | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. No state minimum-wage law. The ranking uses the federal FLSA floor for covered nonexempt workers, effective July 24, 2009. |
| 41 | New Hampshire | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. State rate follows the federal minimum. The $7.25 federal amount has applied since July 24, 2009. |
| 42 | North Carolina | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. State rate equals the federal minimum. The $7.25 federal amount has applied since July 24, 2009. |
| 43 | North Dakota | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. State rate equals the federal minimum. The $7.25 federal amount has applied since July 24, 2009. |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. State statute is $2.00. The ranking uses the higher $7.25 federal FLSA floor for covered nonexempt workers. |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. State rate equals the federal minimum. The $7.25 federal amount has applied since July 24, 2009. |
| 46 | South Carolina | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. No state minimum-wage law. The ranking uses the federal FLSA floor for covered nonexempt workers, effective July 24, 2009. |
| 47 | Tennessee | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. No state minimum-wage law. The ranking uses the federal FLSA floor for covered nonexempt workers, effective July 24, 2009. |
| 48 | Texas | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. State rate equals the federal minimum. The $7.25 federal amount has applied since July 24, 2009. |
| 49 | Utah | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. State rate equals the federal minimum. The $7.25 federal amount has applied since July 24, 2009. |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. State rate equals the federal minimum. The $7.25 federal amount has applied since July 24, 2009. |
| 51 | Wyoming | $7.25 | Official rate · U.S. DOL WHD · effective July 24, 2009. State statute is $5.15. The ranking uses the higher $7.25 federal FLSA floor for covered nonexempt workers. |
No rows match the selected filters.
All rows are official current values. Effective dates are distinct from the July 1, 2026 snapshot date.
Insights from the 51-jurisdiction table
Key insight
The District of Columbia’s $18.40 rate is $1.27 above Washington, the highest state at $17.13.
Notable pattern
Thirty-one jurisdictions are above $7.25, while twenty share the federal-floor comparison value.
Regional and employer variation
New York and Oregon use geographic tiers. New Jersey, Ohio, Montana and West Virginia require employer-category or coverage notes.
Middle of the distribution
The median displayed rate is $11.85, South Dakota’s value. The arithmetic average of the 51 ranking values is about $11.51.
What the ranking means in practice
The ranking is a state-level comparison tool, not a payroll determination. The applicable wage can depend on the employee’s exact work location, age, industry, tipped status, employer size, annual revenue and coverage under state law and the FLSA.
A $7.25 row can represent three different legal situations: no state minimum-wage law, a state statute below the federal floor or a state rate equal to $7.25. Those categories are separated in the notes even though the ranking value is the same.
A high state rate also does not prove that workers have greater purchasing power. Housing, taxes, hours worked, local prices and access to benefits are outside this metric.
FAQ
What is the federal minimum wage in 2026?
The federal minimum wage remains $7.25 per hour for covered nonexempt employees. When a higher state or local rate also applies, the worker generally receives the higher applicable amount.
Which jurisdiction has the highest minimum wage on July 1, 2026?
The District of Columbia leads at $18.40 per hour. Washington is the highest state at $17.13.
Which rates changed on July 1, 2026?
The general comparison rates changed in Alaska, Oregon and the District of Columbia. Most other 2026 increases took effect on January 1.
Why is New York ranked at $16.00?
New York has two geographic general rates. The comparison uses the $16.00 remainder-of-state rate and shows the $17.00 New York City, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester rate in the note.
Why is Oregon shown at $15.55?
Oregon officially labels $15.55 as its standard rate. Portland metro uses $16.80 and designated nonurban counties use $14.55.
Are tipped cash wages included?
No. Tipped cash wages and tip credits are a different legal metric and require a separate comparison.
Are local city and county rates included?
No. Local rates may exceed the displayed state baseline, but this table does not rank municipalities.
Is this a living-wage or salary ranking?
No. It does not measure average salary, median income, annual earnings, cost of living or PPP-adjusted real wages.
Sources
Primary sources are shown first. The expandable list retains the additional state-by-state official sources used for row-level verification.
U.S. DOL WHD
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
U.S. Department of Labor — Federal Minimum Wage
Confirms the $7.25 federal floor and the rule requiring the highest applicable federal, state or local minimum.
D.C. DOES
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: District of Columbia.
Oregon BOLI
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Oregon.
California DIR
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: California.
U.S. Department of Labor — Consolidated Minimum Wage Table
Structural cross-check for states above, equal to, below or without a state minimum. Its D.C. summary sentence is outdated, so the current D.C. notice and DOL row-level table control that row.
Additional state-by-state official sources (29)
Alaska DOLWD
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Alaska.
Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Arkansas.
https://labor.arkansas.gov/labor/labor-standards/minimum-wage-and-overtime/
Colorado CDLE
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Colorado.
https://cdle.colorado.gov/dlss-home-page/wage-and-hour-law/minimum-wage
Connecticut DOL
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Connecticut.
https://portal.ct.gov/dol/knowledge-base/articles/wage-and-workplace-standards/minimum-wage
Delaware Department of Labor
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Delaware.
Florida Commerce
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Florida.
Hawaii DLIR
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Hawaii.
Illinois Department of Labor
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Illinois.
https://labor.illinois.gov/laws-rules/fls/minimum-wage-law.html
Industrial Commission of Arizona
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Arizona.
Maine DOL
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Maine.
https://www.maine.gov/labor/labor_laws/minimum_wage_faq.html
Maryland Department of Labor
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Maryland.
Massachusetts government
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Massachusetts.
Michigan LEO
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Michigan.
https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/ber/wage-and-hour/min-wage
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Minnesota.
Missouri Department of Labor
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Missouri.
Montana Department of Labor and Industry
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Montana.
https://erd.dli.mt.gov/labor-standards/wage-and-hour-payment-act/minimum-wage
Nebraska Department of Labor
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Nebraska.
Nevada Labor Commissioner
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Nevada.
New Jersey DOL
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: New Jersey.
https://www.nj.gov/labor/lwdhome/press/2025/20251001_Minimum_Wage.shtml
New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: New Mexico.
New York State DOL
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: New York.
Ohio Department of Commerce
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Ohio.
Rhode Island DLT
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Rhode Island.
https://dlt.ri.gov/regulation-and-safety/labor-standards/minimum-wage
South Dakota DLR
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: South Dakota.
Vermont Department of Labor
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Vermont.
https://labor.vermont.gov/rights-and-wages/wage-and-hour/minimum-wage
Virginia DOLI
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Virginia.
https://doli.virginia.gov/2025/07/29/virginia-minimum-wage-rate-increasing-effective-january-1-2026/
Washington L&I
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: Washington.
West Virginia Division of Labor
Row-level verification of the rate, effective date, coverage rule or exception for: West Virginia.
https://labor.wv.gov/wage-hour/jobs-act/minimum-wage/minimum-wage-faq
National Conference of State Legislatures
Legislative cross-check of rates in force on July 1, 2026 and future enacted increases.
https://www.ncsl.org/labor-and-employment/state-minimum-wages
