A guide to the minimum wage in US states

What is the minimum wage in each US state?

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, but most states set their own higher rate, which in 2026 ranges from the $7.25 federal floor up to $17.13 per hour in Washington.

• The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour and has not changed since 2009.
• Twenty states still use the $7.25 federal rate, while others climb to $17.13 in Washington.
• Tipped workers have a lower federal base of $2.13, and the employer must top it up to reach $7.25.

1. Alabama
2. Alaska
3. Arizona
4. Arkansas
5. California
6. Colorado
7. Connecticut
8. Delaware
9. Florida
10. Georgia
11. Hawaii
12. Idaho
13. Illinois
14. Indiana
15. Iowa
16. Kansas
17. Kentucky
18. Louisiana
19. Maine
20. Maryland
21. Massachusetts
22. Michigan
23. Minnesota
24. Mississippi
25. Missouri
26. Montana
27. Nebraska
28. Nevada
29. New Hampshire
30. New Jersey
31. New Mexico
32. New York
33. North Carolina
34. North Dakota
35. Ohio
36. Oklahoma
37. Oregon
38. Pennsylvania
39. Rhode Island
40. South Carolina
41. South Dakota
42. Tennessee
43. Texas
44. Utah
45. Vermont
46. Virginia
47. Washington
48. West Virginia
49. Wisconsin
50. Wyoming

As a core part of labor law, the minimum wage sets the lowest legal pay that employers must give their workers.

If you are new to this, it can be a surprise to learn that the minimum wage varies by US state. Each state takes its own approach, which reflects local economic factors and social priorities.

This guide covers the reported minimum wage in each US state and the background behind it. It also touches on some overtime rules. For a look at how overtime pay works in other countries, you can visit this article.

A brief overview of minimum wage in the USA

The minimum wage is the legally required lowest hourly pay. So it acts as a basic labor standard that helps ensure fair pay across industries and regions.

In the United States, the minimum wage is set at both the federal and state levels. Each state can set its own rate to fit local conditions. The only rule is that it must meet or beat the federal minimum.

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) gives working citizens the right to a minimum wage. The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division enforces it.

USAGov, the official guide to government information and services, reports the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. There is also a lower base for tipped employees of $2.13 per hour. If tips do not bring the total to $7.25 per hour, the employer must pay the difference.

For many companies, these rates are part of a wider labor cost picture. So it helps to compare them with offshore options using tools like this employee cost calculator, or to weigh the broader question of outsourcing costs and value. For a global view, you may also visit this article.

Minimum wage in the US per state

Take a look at the minimum wage in US states below. These rates reflect the figures in effect in 2026.

Note: States with no minimum wage law require employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act to pay the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour.

1. Alabama

Minimum wage: No state minimum wage law (federal $7.25 per hour applies).

The federal rate applies to most employees in Alabama. Some exceptions include tipped workers, student workers, and certain jobs.

2. Alaska

Minimum wage: $14 per hour

The Alaska Department of Labor has approved a voluntary flexible work plan. Under this plan, employers may run an eight-hour day and a 40-hour week with premium pay after eight hours. Overtime pay does not apply to employers with four workers or fewer. The rate is also set to keep rising in the coming years under a voter-approved measure.

3. Arizona

Minimum wage: $15.15 per hour

Arizona raises its minimum wage each year to keep pace with inflation. As a result, the rate climbs steadily rather than in large jumps.

4. Arkansas

Minimum wage: $11 per hour (for those with at least four employees)

Arkansas set its rate through a voter-approved increase. Employers covered by both federal and state law must pay the higher minimum wage.

5. California

Minimum wage: $16.90 per hour

California Labor Code section 510 says any work over eight hours a day qualifies for overtime pay (one and one-half times the regular rate). Work over 12 hours a day qualifies for double-time pay. Some cities set higher local rates, and fast-food workers have a separate $20 rate.

6. Colorado

Minimum wage: $15.16 per hour

In Colorado, the minimum wage and overtime rules apply to these industries:

• Retail and service
• Commercial support service
• Food and beverage
• Health and medical

Some cities, such as Denver, also set their own higher rates.

7. Connecticut

Minimum wage: $16.94 per hour

Connecticut now ties its minimum wage to the federal employment cost index. So the rate adjusts each year based on that measure.

8. Delaware

Minimum wage: $15 per hour

Delaware reached $15 per hour through a phased, multi-year plan. Should the federal minimum ever rise above the state rate, Delaware will adopt the federal figure.

9. Florida

Minimum wage: $15 per hour

Florida reached $15 per hour on September 30, 2026 under a voter-approved amendment. After this final step, the rate will adjust each year for inflation.

10. Georgia

Minimum wage: $5.15 per hour state rate; federal $7.25 applies to covered employers

The state rate of $5.15 applies only to employers not covered by the FLSA. Most workers are covered, so they receive the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour.

11. Hawaii

Minimum wage: $16 per hour

Hawaii has a plan to keep raising its rate in the years ahead. The state law does not cover employment subject to the FLSA when the federal wage is higher than the state’s.

12. Idaho

Minimum wage: $7.25 per hour

Workers under 20 can be paid a training wage of $4.25 per hour for their first 90 days. Employers can also pay full-time students 85% of the state minimum for up to 20 hours a week at certain jobs.

13. Illinois

Minimum wage: $15 per hour (for those with four or more employees, excluding family members)

Illinois reached $15 per hour through a scheduled series of annual increases. Tipped workers receive 60% of the state minimum.

14. Indiana

Minimum wage: $7.25 per hour (for those with two or more employees)

Indiana has not increased its minimum wage since 2008, when it added a $0.60 raise.

15. Iowa

Minimum wage: $7.25 per hour

The Iowa minimum wage is set to match the federal rate if it is ever set below that level.

16. Kansas

Minimum wage: $7.25 per hour

Kansas state law does not cover any employment that is subject to the FLSA.

17. Kentucky

Minimum wage: $7.25 per hour

Kentucky overtime law requires employers to pay staff who work seven days in one week. The required rate is one and one-half times the regular rate. The state also matches the federal minimum if the federal rate exceeds the state rate.

18. Louisiana

Minimum wage: No state minimum wage law (federal $7.25 per hour applies)

Louisiana has no state minimum wage law. So employers covered by the FLSA pay the federal rate of $7.25 per hour.

19. Maine

Minimum wage: $15.10 per hour

Maine adjusts its state minimum wage each year based on a set formula. If the federal rate rises above the state rate, the state rate must match it on the same day.

20. Maryland

Minimum wage: $15 per hour

Maryland’s state rate was set to increase to $15/hour, and that rate now applies to all employers regardless of company size.

21. Massachusetts

Minimum wage: $15 per hour

Massachusetts law states that the state minimum wage must never be less than $0.50 above the federal rate.

22. Michigan

Minimum wage: $13.73 per hour (for those with at least two employees)

Michigan’s rate now sits at $13.73 per hour and is set to keep rising under the current schedule. An earlier ballot plan to lift the rate faster was paused before the courts weighed in.

23. Minnesota

Minimum wage: $11.41 per hour

Minnesota now uses a single statewide rate, adjusted each year by a set formula. Minneapolis and St. Paul set their own higher local rates.

24. Mississippi

Minimum wage: No state minimum wage law (federal $7.25 per hour applies)

Mississippi has no state minimum wage law. So covered employers pay the federal rate of $7.25 per hour.

25. Missouri

Minimum wage: $15 per hour

Missouri reached $15 per hour through a voter-approved measure. State law does not cover federal employment, and it exempts retail or service businesses with annual sales below $500,000.

26. Montana

Minimum wage: $10.85 per hour (for businesses with gross annual sales over $110,000); $4 per hour (for businesses with gross annual sales of $110,000 or lower)

If a business has an employee who produces or moves goods between states, that worker must get the higher of the federal and state rate.

27. Nebraska

Minimum wage: $15 per hour (for those with four or more employees)

After passing Initiative 433, Nebraska raised its rate in steps to reach $15 per hour. From here, the rate will adjust each year for inflation.

28. Nevada

Minimum wage: $12 per hour

Nevada set new rules for its minimum wage. As a result, there is now a single rate of $12 per hour for all employees, regardless of health insurance.

29. New Hampshire

Minimum wage: $7.25 per hour

The New Hampshire minimum wage rises to match the federal rate whenever the state rate is set below it.

30. New Jersey

Minimum wage: $15.92 per hour

New Jersey adjusts its minimum wage each year by a set formula. Seasonal workers and small employers (fewer than six staff) follow a lower rate on a separate schedule.

31. New Mexico

Minimum wage: $12 per hour

The New Mexico minimum wage rose steadily under a 2019 state law. Advocates continue to push for further increases.

32. New York

Minimum wage: $16 per hour; $17 per hour (for New York City, Long Island, and Westchester)

New York has hospitality rules that give overtime pay to residential workers. Overtime applies to those who work at least 40 hours a week, down from the previous 44. Premium pay also applies to roles that require 24 hours of consecutive rest when staff work during that period.

33. North Carolina

Minimum wage: $7.25 per hour

North Carolina employers must pay premium rates after a 45-hour week for seasonal amusement or recreation businesses.

34. North Dakota

Minimum wage: $7.25 per hour

North Dakota follows the federal standard. A bill to raise the rate in steps toward $15 per hour did not pass in the state House.

35. Ohio

Minimum wage: $11 per hour (for larger employers); $7.25 per hour (for smaller employers)

Ohio adjusts its rate each year for inflation. Smaller employers below the annual gross-receipts threshold may pay the federal rate.

36. Oklahoma

Minimum wage: $7.25 per hour (for employers with ten or more employees at one location or annual gross sales over $100,000); $2 per hour (for all other employers)

Oklahoma’s state law does not set current dollar minimums. So the state applies the federal minimum wage.

37. Oregon

Minimum wage: $15.05 per hour (standard state rate); $16.30 per hour (Portland metro area); $14.05 per hour (non-urban counties)

Oregon adjusts its rates each July by a set formula. Employers must also pay premium rates after ten hours a day for staff in these settings:

• Non-farm canneries
• Driers
• Packing plants
• Mills
• Factories
• Other manufacturing, excluding sawmills, planing mills, shingle mills, and logging camps

38. Pennsylvania

Minimum wage: $7.25 per hour

Pennsylvania still follows the federal rate. Lawmakers have pushed a measure to raise the state minimum wage to $15 per hour.

39. Rhode Island

Minimum wage: $16 per hour

Rhode Island has separate laws that require time-and-a-half premium pay for work on Sundays and holidays. This applies in retail and certain other businesses.

40. South Carolina

Minimum wage: No state minimum wage law (federal $7.25 per hour applies)

South Carolina has no state minimum wage law. So covered employers pay the federal rate of $7.25 per hour.

41. South Dakota

Minimum wage: $11.85 per hour

South Dakota adjusts its rate each year for inflation. It also sets a separate, lower minimum wage for workers who receive tips.

42. Tennessee

Minimum wage: No state minimum wage law (federal $7.25 per hour applies)

Tennessee follows the federal minimum wage, and this has been the case for several years.

43. Texas

Minimum wage: $7.25 per hour

Texas applies the federal rate, since it does not set current dollar minimums. Any worker under federal employment is exempt from state law coverage.

44. Utah

Minimum wage: $7.25 per hour

Utah applies the federal rate, since it does not set current dollar minimums. Any worker under federal employment is exempt from state law coverage.

45. Vermont

Minimum wage: $14.42 per hour (for those with at least two employees)

Should the federal minimum wage rise above Vermont’s rate, the state rate automatically climbs to match it.

46. Virginia

Minimum wage: $12.77 per hour

Virginia legislation raised the minimum wage in steps starting in 2021. The rate now sits at $12.77 per hour, with further increases tied to future action.

47. Washington

Minimum wage: $17.13 per hour

In Washington, premium pay can be swapped for time off in some cases. The state also adjusts its minimum wage each year by a set formula. Some cities, such as Seattle, set higher local rates.

48. West Virginia

Minimum wage: $8.75 per hour (for those with at least six employees at one location)

West Virginia has not increased its minimum wage since 2016, when it added a $0.75 raise.

49. Wisconsin

Minimum wage: $7.25 per hour

Wisconsin has matched the federal standard since 2009. There are ongoing pushes to increase it to $15/hour to reflect inflation and a rising cost of living.

50. Wyoming

Minimum wage: $5.15 per hour state rate; federal $7.25 applies to covered employers

Employers in Wyoming covered by the FLSA must pay staff the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

Minimum wage and the case for offshoring

Rising state minimum wages are one reason many firms look offshore. When local labor costs climb, outsourcing can keep roles affordable without cutting quality.

Before you compare, it helps to look at the full picture of pay abroad. For example, this guide to the cost of living in top offshoring destinations shows how wages line up with daily costs. It is also worth asking whether offshore outsourcing is cheap labor or something more. For context on one leading hub, see this overview of Filipino workers’ salaries.

Frequently asked questions about minimum wage in US states

What is the federal minimum wage in 2026?

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. It has stayed at this level since 2009, so any higher pay comes from state or local law.

Which state has the highest minimum wage?

Among the 50 states, Washington has the highest rate at $17.13 per hour. Some cities, such as Seattle, set local rates that are higher still.

Which states follow the federal minimum wage?

About 20 states use the $7.25 federal rate, including Texas, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. A few, such as Alabama and Louisiana, have no state minimum wage law at all.

Do tipped workers earn a different minimum wage?

Yes. The federal tipped base is $2.13 per hour. If tips do not bring a worker up to the full minimum, the employer must pay the difference.

Why does the minimum wage vary by state?

Each state weighs its own cost of living, economy, and politics. So some index their rate to inflation each year, while others stay at the federal floor.