Verified against official state labor departments Updated for 2026
Minimum Wage Lookup
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2026 rates · all 50 states + DC + territories

The 2026 U.S. minimum wage, state by state.

Current base, tipped, and youth wage rates, overtime and premium-pay rules, and the labor laws that affect your paycheck. Pulled from official sources and checked for 2026.

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Popular: California · Texas · New York · Florida

The essentials

What to know about 2026 minimum wage

$7.25

The federal floor

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour and has not changed since 2009. It is the floor when no higher state or local rate applies.

30+ states

Above the federal rate

More than 30 states set a minimum above $7.25. Many now raise it each year for inflation, so the number can move every January.

$17.95

The highest in the country

Washington, D.C. tops the list at $17.95, with Washington state close behind at $17.13. Some cities go higher than their state.

Browse all locations

Minimum wage for all 50 states & territories

Tap any location for the full 2026 rate, tipped and youth wages, overtime, and official sources.

Federal $7.25 Alabama $7.25 Alaska $13.00 Arizona $15.15 Arkansas $11.00 California $16.90 Colorado $15.16 Connecticut $16.94 Delaware $15.00 District of Columbia $17.95 Florida $14.00 Georgia $7.25 Guam $9.25 Hawaii $16.00 Idaho $7.25 Illinois $15.00 Indiana $7.25 Iowa $7.25 Kansas $7.25 Kentucky $7.25 Louisiana $7.25 Maine $15.10 Maryland $15.00 Massachusetts $15.00 Michigan $13.73 Minnesota $11.41 Mississippi $7.25 Missouri $15.00 Montana $10.85 Nebraska $15.00 Nevada $12.00 New Hampshire $7.25 New Jersey $15.92 New Mexico $12.00 New York $17.00 North Carolina $7.25 North Dakota $7.25 Northern Mariana Islands $7.25 Ohio $11.00 Oklahoma $7.25 Oregon $15.05 Pennsylvania $7.25 Puerto Rico $10.50 Rhode Island $16.00 South Carolina $7.25 South Dakota $11.85 Tennessee $7.25 Texas $7.25 Utah $7.25 Vermont $14.42 Virgin Islands $10.50 Virginia $12.77 Washington $17.13 West Virginia $8.75 Wisconsin $7.25 Wyoming $7.25
Understanding the rules

How minimum wage works in 2026

State vs. federal minimum wage

Minimum wage in the United States runs at two levels: federal and state. The federal minimum is $7.25 an hour and has held there since 2009. Many states set their own rate above that. When the two differ, employers pay the higher of the two. A handful of states, like Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, have no state minimum wage law and fall back to the federal rate. Others, like Washington, California, and New York, sit well above it.

Regional and business-size differences

Several states adjust the minimum based on where you work or how big the employer is. Common variations include:

Overtime and premium pay

Beyond the base wage, overtime adds up fast. The federal standard is time and a half after 40 hours in a week. Some states go further:

Staying compliant

For employers, getting wages wrong is expensive. Penalties, back pay, and lawsuits all follow non-compliance. A few habits keep you clean:

Common questions

Frequently asked questions about minimum wage

What is the federal minimum wage in 2026?
The federal minimum wage in 2026 is $7.25 per hour, unchanged since 2009. When a state or city sets a higher minimum, employers must pay the higher rate.
Which state has the highest minimum wage?
Washington has the highest statewide minimum wage at $17.13 per hour for 2026. Washington, D.C. is higher still at $17.95. Several cities set local rates above their state minimum.
Do all states have to follow the federal minimum wage?
Employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay at least $7.25 per hour. States can set a higher minimum, and more than 30 do. A handful of states have no state minimum wage law and default to the federal rate.
What is a tipped minimum wage?
Many states let employers pay tipped workers a lower cash wage and count tips toward the minimum, called a tip credit. Seven states do not allow a tip credit, so tipped workers there get the full minimum wage plus tips. The federal tipped cash wage is $2.13 per hour.
How often do minimum wage rates change?
Most increases take effect on January 1, though some states adjust on July 1 or another date. Many states now raise their minimum each year based on inflation, so the rate can change annually.