Minimum wage by state (2026)
Effective hourly minimum wage for all 50 states and DC. Federal floor:$7.25 (unchanged since 2009). State average: $11.51.
Highest: District of Columbia ($18.40), Washington ($17.13), Connecticut ($16.94), California ($16.90), Hawaii ($16.00). 20 states sit at the federal $7.25 floor. Full-time at $7.25 is about $15,080 a year before tax.
| Rank | State | Minimum wage | vs federal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $18.40 | +$11.15 |
| 2 | Washington | $17.13 | +$9.88 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $16.94 | +$9.69 |
| 4 | California | $16.90 | +$9.65 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $16.00 | +$8.75 |
| 6 | New York | $16.00 | +$8.75 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $16.00 | +$8.75 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $15.92 | +$8.67 |
| 9 | Oregon | $15.55 | +$8.30 |
| 10 | Colorado | $15.16 | +$7.91 |
| 11 | Arizona | $15.15 | +$7.90 |
| 12 | Maine | $15.10 | +$7.85 |
| 13 | Delaware | $15.00 | +$7.75 |
| 14 | Illinois | $15.00 | +$7.75 |
| 15 | Maryland | $15.00 | +$7.75 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $15.00 | +$7.75 |
| 17 | Missouri | $15.00 | +$7.75 |
| 18 | Nebraska | $15.00 | +$7.75 |
| 19 | Vermont | $14.42 | +$7.17 |
| 20 | Alaska | $14.00 | +$6.75 |
| 21 | Florida | $14.00 | +$6.75 |
| 22 | Michigan | $13.73 | +$6.48 |
| 23 | Virginia | $12.77 | +$5.52 |
| 24 | Nevada | $12.00 | +$4.75 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $12.00 | +$4.75 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $11.85 | +$4.60 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $11.41 | +$4.16 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $11.00 | +$3.75 |
| 29 | Ohio | $11.00 | +$3.75 |
| 30 | Montana | $10.85 | +$3.60 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $8.75 | +$1.50 |
| 32 | Alabama | $7.25 | at floor |
| 33 | Georgia | $7.25 | at floor |
| 34 | Idaho | $7.25 | at floor |
| 35 | Indiana | $7.25 | at floor |
| 36 | Iowa | $7.25 | at floor |
| 37 | Kansas | $7.25 | at floor |
| 38 | Kentucky | $7.25 | at floor |
| 39 | Louisiana | $7.25 | at floor |
| 40 | Mississippi | $7.25 | at floor |
| 41 | New Hampshire | $7.25 | at floor |
| 42 | North Carolina | $7.25 | at floor |
| 43 | North Dakota | $7.25 | at floor |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $7.25 | at floor |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | $7.25 | at floor |
| 46 | South Carolina | $7.25 | at floor |
| 47 | Tennessee | $7.25 | at floor |
| 48 | Texas | $7.25 | at floor |
| 49 | Utah | $7.25 | at floor |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $7.25 | at floor |
| 51 | Wyoming | $7.25 | at floor |
How to read this table
Minimum wage is the effective state rate for 2026 — the higher of the federal floor and the state's own law. Where a state has no law of its own, or a lower one, the federal $7.25applies. Cities and counties can and do set higher local minimums (Seattle, Denver, much of California), so the rate at a specific workplace may be above the state figure. vs federal is how far the state sits above the $7.25 floor.
The rate is a floor, not the market wage — in tight labour markets most entry jobs already pay above it. Tipped minimums, and youth or trainee rates in some states, are set separately and are usually lower. See minimum wage changes in 2026for what moved this year, and sales tax by statefor the cost-of-living side.