2026 Minimum Wage by State: The Complete List
Every state's 2026 minimum wage, from the federal $7.25 floor up to $17.95 in Washington, D.C., plus which states raised pay in January 2026.
The federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour and has not changed since 2009. But 30 states plus Washington, D.C. set a higher minimum, and 19 states raised their rate on January 1, 2026. Here is how the country looks in 2026.
The highest minimum wages
Washington, D.C. leads at $17.95/hour, followed by Washington State ($17.13), Connecticut ($16.94), California ($16.90) and New York ($17.00 in the NYC area, $16.00 upstate). Many cities go even higher than their state.
States still at $7.25
Twenty states use the federal $7.25 minimum, including Texas, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia and most of the South. Georgia and Wyoming have a state rate of $5.15 on the books, but the federal $7.25 applies to covered employers.
Mid-year increases to watch
A few states raise wages later in 2026: Alaska reaches $14.00 on July 1, Oregon and Nevada re-index on July 1, and Florida climbs to $15.00 on September 30. Pick your state for the exact current figure and the tipped-wage rules.