Minimum wage by state (2026): the full 50-state rate table
The federal minimum wage is still $7.25. As of 1 July 2026, 31 of the 51 US jurisdictions set a higher minimum, 18 of them at $15.00 or more, while 20 use the federal floor.
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour and has not changed since 2009, so most of the real floor is set by the states. As of 1 July 2026, most states set their own minimum above the federal rate, many index it to inflation each year, and a growing number are at or above $15.00. A handful of states have no minimum of their own, or one below the federal rate, so the federal $7.25 applies there. Tipped minimums, and whether an employer can take a tip credit at all, also vary by state. Because several states raise their rate mid-year, this table shows the rate in force on 1 July 2026.
The big picture
The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 since 2009. As of 1 July 2026, 31 of the 51 US jurisdictions (50 states and DC) set a minimum wage above it, 18 are at or above $15.00, and 20 use the federal $7.25. Many states index their rate to inflation, so the map rises each year.
Position as at 1 July 2026. Source.
What is the federal minimum wage in 2026?
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour and has not changed since 2009. It sets a floor, but a state (or a city) can set a higher rate, and most do. Where a state has no minimum or a lower one, the federal $7.25 applies.
Which states have the highest minimum wage?
Washington, California and several New England states, plus DC, sit at the top, with DC and Washington among the highest. Many of these states index their minimum to inflation, so the rates rise automatically each year. The table lists the exact 2026 figure for every state.
Do tipped workers have a different minimum?
Often yes. Many states let employers pay a lower cash wage to tipped workers and count tips toward the minimum (a tip credit), while a growing group require the full minimum regardless of tips. The tipped-minimum column shows each state's position.
How does this work if you hire through an EOR?
When Teamed is your Employer of Record, minimum wage compliance for your US team sits with us: we apply the correct state's rules in every state you hire in, so you get one compliant relationship instead of 50 rulebooks to track. You stay the day-to-day manager.
Minimum wage by state
51 jurisdictions
| Source | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $15 or more | $15.15 | Indexed to inflation annually | $12.15 | source |
| California | $15 or more | $16.90 | Indexed to inflation annually | Same as minimum (no tip credit) | source |
| Colorado | $15 or more | $15.16 | Indexed to inflation annually | $12.14 | source |
| Connecticut | $15 or more | $16.94 | Indexed to employment cost index annually | $6.38 (waitstaff), $8.23 (bartenders) | source |
| Delaware | $15 or more | $15.00 | None scheduled | $2.23 | source |
| District of Columbia | $15 or more | $18.40 | Indexed to CPI annually | $10.30 | source |
| Hawaii | $15 or more | $16.00 | $18.00 on 2028-01-01 | $14.75 | source |
| Illinois | $15 or more | $15.00 | None scheduled | $9.00 | source |
| Maine | $15 or more | $15.10 | Indexed to inflation annually | $7.55 | source |
| Maryland | $15 or more | $15.00 | None scheduled | $3.63 | source |
| Massachusetts | $15 or more | $15.00 | None scheduled | $6.75 | source |
| Missouri | $15 or more | $15.00 | None scheduled | $7.50 | source |
| Nebraska | $15 or more | $15.00 | $15.26 on 2027-01-01 | $2.13 | source |
| New Jersey | $15 or more | $15.92 | Indexed to inflation annually | $6.05 | source |
| New York | $15 or more | $16.00 | $16.50 on 2027-01-01 | $10.70 | source |
| Oregon | $15 or more | $15.55 | Indexed to inflation annually | Same as minimum (no tip credit) | source |
| Rhode Island | $15 or more | $16.00 | $17.00 on 2027-01-01 | $3.89 | source |
| Washington | $15 or more | $17.13 | Indexed to inflation annually | Same as minimum (no tip credit) | source |
| Alaska | Above federal | $14.00 | $15.00 on 2027-07-01 | Same as minimum (no tip credit) | source |
| Arkansas | Above federal | $11.00 | None scheduled | $2.63 | source |
| Florida | Above federal | $14.00 | $15.00 on 2026-09-30 | $10.98 | source |
| Michigan | Above federal | $13.73 | $15.00 on 2027-01-01 | $5.49 | source |
| Minnesota | Above federal | $11.41 | Indexed to inflation annually | Same as minimum (no tip credit) | source |
| Montana | Above federal | $10.85 | Indexed to inflation annually | Same as minimum (no tip credit) | source |
| Nevada | Above federal | $12.00 | None scheduled | Same as minimum (no tip credit) | source |
| New Mexico | Above federal | $12.00 | None scheduled | $3.00 | source |
| Ohio | Above federal | $11.00 | Indexed to inflation annually | $5.50 | source |
| South Dakota | Above federal | $11.85 | Indexed to inflation annually | $5.93 | source |
| Vermont | Above federal | $14.42 | CPI-indexed annually on Jan 1 | $7.21 | source |
| Virginia | Above federal | $12.77 | Indexed to inflation annually | $2.13 (federal) | source |
| West Virginia | Above federal | $8.75 | None scheduled | $2.62 | source |
| Alabama | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $2.13 (federal) | source |
| Georgia | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $2.13 (federal) | source |
| Idaho | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $3.35 | source |
| Indiana | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $2.13 (federal) | source |
| Iowa | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $4.35 | source |
| Kansas | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $2.13 (federal) | source |
| Kentucky | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $2.13 (federal) | source |
| Louisiana | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $2.13 (federal) | source |
| Mississippi | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $2.13 (federal) | source |
| New Hampshire | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $3.27 | source |
| North Carolina | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $2.13 (federal) | source |
| North Dakota | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $4.86 | source |
| Oklahoma | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled (SQ 832 rejected by voters 16 Jun 2026) | $2.13 (federal) | source |
| Pennsylvania | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $2.83 | source |
| South Carolina | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $2.13 (federal) | source |
| Tennessee | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $2.13 (federal) | source |
| Texas | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $2.13 (federal) | source |
| Utah | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $2.13 (federal) | source |
| Wisconsin | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $2.33 | source |
| Wyoming | Federal $7.25 | $7.25 (federal) | None scheduled | $2.13 (federal) | source |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 2026 federal minimum wage?
It is $7.25 an hour, unchanged since 2009. States and cities can and mostly do set higher rates.
Do minimum wages change during the year?
Yes. Most increases take effect on 1 January, but several states raise their rate mid-year, for example on 1 July, and some index to inflation. This table shows the rate in force on 1 July 2026.
Can Teamed handle this across multiple states?
Yes. As the legal employer, Teamed applies each state's minimum wage rules for your US team, so you hire across the country without setting up payroll or reading the statute in every state. Teamed's HR and legal experts keep it compliant as the law changes.
US employment law is set state by state, and it keeps moving. When Teamed is your legal employer, this is our job in every state: compliant offers, postings and policies that meet each state’s rules, so you can hire across the US without setting up 50 payrolls or reading 50 statutes.
