Minimum Wage by State: Full 50-State Table for 2026
The federal floor is $7.25 an hour, but many states set a higher rate, and you're owed whichever is higher.
In short: The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour and hasn't changed since July 24, 2009. Many states set a higher rate, and when they do you're owed whichever is higher. In the Department of Labor's official table (updated July 1, 2026), DC is highest at $18.40 and Washington is the top state at $17.13. In 20 states, most workers still have the federal $7.25 as their floor.
How the minimum wage works in the US
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets a federal minimum of $7.25 an hour. The Department of Labor notes that many states have their own laws and employers must follow both. That means you get the higher of the two.
Some cities and counties go above their state's rate. If you work in a big city, check the city's website too before deciding whether your pay is right.
Your immigration status doesn't change any of this. The Wage and Hour Division says it enforces the law without regard to a worker's immigration status.
Minimum wage in all 50 states and DC
These rates come from the DOL state minimum wage table (updated July 1, 2026) and apply as of September 2026. The second column shows the rate most workers are actually owed. The one exception is Florida's upcoming change, which comes from the State of Florida.
| State | Minimum wage per hour | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $7.25 | No state law; federal rate applies |
| Alaska | $14.00 | Daily overtime after 8 hours |
| Arizona | $15.15 | — |
| Arkansas | $11.00 | Employers with 4+ employees |
| California | $16.90 | Daily overtime after 8 hours; adjusted yearly |
| Colorado | $15.16 | — |
| Connecticut | $16.94 | — |
| Delaware | $15.00 | — |
| District of Columbia | $18.40 | Adjusted every July 1 |
| Florida | $14.00 | Rises to $15.00 on Sept. 30, 2026 |
| Georgia | $7.25 | State rate $5.15; FLSA-covered employers pay $7.25 |
| Hawaii | $16.00 | — |
| Idaho | $7.25 | — |
| Illinois | $15.00 | Employers with 4+ employees |
| Indiana | $7.25 | — |
| Iowa | $7.25 | — |
| Kansas | $7.25 | — |
| Kentucky | $7.25 | — |
| Louisiana | $7.25 | No state law; federal rate applies |
| Maine | $15.10 | Adjusted yearly |
| Maryland | $15.00 | — |
| Massachusetts | $15.00 | — |
| Michigan | $13.73 | Rises to $15.00 on Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Minnesota | $11.41 | Adjusted yearly |
| Mississippi | $7.25 | No state law; federal rate applies |
| Missouri | $15.00 | Some small retail/service businesses exempt |
| Montana | $10.85 | $4.00 for small non-FLSA businesses |
| Nebraska | $15.00 | Employers with 4+ employees |
| Nevada | $12.00 | — |
| New Hampshire | $7.25 | — |
| New Jersey | $15.92 | $15.23 for employers with fewer than 6 workers and seasonal jobs |
| New Mexico | $12.00 | — |
| New York | $17.00 / $16.00 | $17.00 in NYC, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester; $16.00 elsewhere |
| North Carolina | $7.25 | — |
| North Dakota | $7.25 | — |
| Ohio | $11.00 | $7.25 for employers under $405,000 in gross receipts |
| Oklahoma | $7.25 | $2.00 for some small employers not covered by the FLSA |
| Oregon | $15.55 | $16.80 Portland metro; $14.55 non-urban counties |
| Pennsylvania | $7.25 | — |
| Rhode Island | $16.00 | — |
| South Carolina | $7.25 | No state law; federal rate applies |
| South Dakota | $11.85 | Adjusted yearly |
| Tennessee | $7.25 | No state law; federal rate applies |
| Texas | $7.25 | State adopts the federal rate |
| Utah | $7.25 | — |
| Vermont | $14.42 | Adjusted yearly |
| Virginia | $12.77 | Adjusted yearly |
| Washington | $17.13 | Adjusted yearly |
| West Virginia | $8.75 | Employers with 6+ employees at one location |
| Wisconsin | $7.25 | — |
| Wyoming | $7.25 | State rate $5.15; FLSA-covered employers pay $7.25 |
Many states adjust on January 1, some on July 1, and Florida on September 30. Check the official table at the start of each year.
What minimum wage pays in cities with large Arab communities
Full-time (40 hours a week), before taxes:
| Area | Hourly minimum | Approx. monthly gross |
|---|---|---|
| Dearborn / Detroit, MI | $13.73 | $2,380 |
| Paterson, NJ | $15.92 | $2,759 |
| Brooklyn (New York City) | $17.00 | $2,947 |
| Anaheim, CA | $16.90 | $2,929 |
| Houston, TX | $7.25 | $1,257 |
Monthly figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours a year, divided by 12. Set them against rent and food in our cost of living guide.
Two changes are coming soon. Michigan goes to $15.00 on January 1, 2027, about $2,600 a month full-time, or roughly $220 more for a minimum-wage worker in Dearborn. Florida reaches $15.00 on September 30, 2026. If you earn the minimum in either state, check your first paycheck after the increase to make sure it was applied.
Tipped workers: the $2.13 rule
Under DOL Fact Sheet #15, a tipped employee customarily and regularly gets more than $30 a month in tips. Think servers and delivery drivers. Federally, the employer can pay a cash wage as low as $2.13 an hour and count tips toward the rest of the $7.25. That's a maximum "tip credit" of $5.12.
- If cash wage plus tips falls short of the minimum in any workweek, the employer must make up the difference.
- Tips belong to the worker. The employer can't keep any of them, except through a valid tip pool among employees who customarily receive tips.
- According to the DOL tipped wage table, Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington require the full state minimum wage before tips.
Overtime basics
The DOL says non-exempt workers must get at least time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek. A workweek is a fixed, recurring 168-hour period (seven consecutive days) and can start on any day.
- Federal law doesn't require extra pay just for weekends, holidays or long days.
- Some states do have daily overtime. In California it starts after 8 hours in a day, with double time after 12.
- Some salaried executive, administrative and professional employees are exempt if they earn at least $684 a week and meet the duties tests. See the current salary thresholds.
Worked example: A warehouse worker in New York City earns $17 an hour and works 50 hours in one week. The first 40 hours pay $680. The 10 overtime hours pay time and a half ($25.50), which comes to $255, for a total of $935 before taxes. If the employer pays $850 (50 × $17), the worker is $85 short that week. The same math applies to a flat day rate. $120 for a 10-hour day is $12 an hour, which is below the minimum in New York, New Jersey and California but above it in Texas.
Federal law also allows a youth minimum wage of $4.25 for workers under 20 during their first 90 calendar days on the job, unless state law says otherwise.
How to report wage theft
Wage theft is being paid less than you're owed. That includes pay below the minimum, overtime at straight time, a manager taking tips, or unpaid work before or after your shift.
- Keep records. Write down your hours every day and keep pay stubs, texts from your manager and photos of the schedule.
- Ask for a correction in writing if it's safe. A short message to your manager or payroll becomes evidence.
- Call the Wage and Hour Division. The number is 1-866-487-9243 (1-866-4US-WAGE), or start at the complaint page. It's free and confidential, whether or not you're documented.
- Have the details ready. Your name and contact information, the company's name, address and phone, a manager's name, the type of work you did, and how and when you were paid (cash or check, weekly and so on).
- Don't wait. According to the FLSA Handy Reference Guide, back wage claims generally have a 2-year limit, or 3 years for willful violations.
Your employer can't fire you or punish you for complaining or cooperating with an investigation. You can also file with your state labor department, which often handles claims under the state minimum wage.
Common mistakes
- Settling for the federal rate. If your state or city sets a higher minimum, that's what you're owed.
- Accepting a flat day rate without doing the math. Divide it by the hours you actually work. It may fall below the minimum.
- Working for cash with no records. The law still protects you, but proving your claim gets harder.
- Staying quiet because of immigration status. The Wage and Hour Division doesn't require any particular status to take your complaint.
- Letting the clock run out. Every month you wait can cost you part of your claim.
What next?
Take your last pay stub, divide the gross by your hours, and compare the result with your state's rate above. Gross pay isn't take-home pay, so read our US taxes guide. Waiting on work authorization? Start with our work permit (EAD) guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the federal minimum wage?
$7.25 an hour, unchanged since July 24, 2009. It remains the effective floor in 20 states with no higher state rate.
What's the highest minimum wage in the US right now?
DC at $18.40, and Washington state at $17.13, per the DOL table updated July 1, 2026.
Am I owed minimum wage regardless of immigration status?
Yes, the Wage and Hour Division enforces the law without regard to a worker's immigration status.
How much can a tipped worker be paid?
Federally, employers can pay a cash wage as low as $2.13 an hour, with tips required to make up the rest to $7.25.
When am I owed overtime?
Time and a half for every hour over 40 in a workweek, unless you're an exempt employee.
How do I report wage theft?
Call the Wage and Hour Division at 1-866-487-9243 or file online at the DOL complaint page. It's free and confidential regardless of immigration status.
Official sources we reviewed
- DOL — Minimum wage ↗
- DOL — State minimum wage table ↗
- State of Florida — Minimum wage ↗
- DOL — Fact Sheet #15, Tipped Employees ↗
- DOL — Overtime ↗
- DOL — File a complaint ↗
- DOL — FLSA Handy Reference Guide ↗